Dehydrated Chili Mac

Step 1

Start with clean, sanitized equipment, hands, and work area. Preheat your dehydrator at 145F as you prep the chili mac.

Step 2

In a bowl, mix the ground beef with the breadcrumbs until thoroughly combined. At this point, wash your hands again.

Step 3

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add the ground beef, minced onions, and minced garlic. Use your spatula to break the meat apart as you stir it around the pan.

Step 4

Cook about 10 minutes, until the ground beef has cooked all the way through and no pink spots remain and the onions are turning soft and translucent. If any large clumps of beef remain, break them apart.

Step 5

Add the tomato paste and the spices, and stir to combine. Add the broth and pasta. Stir to combine and let this simmer until the pasta just begins to become tender.

Step 6

Mix one tablespoon cornstarch with three tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Pour into the pan, stirring to incorporate it into the sauce. Cook one minute more, then remove from the heat. Stir in the drained kidney beans.

Step 7

Line your dehydrator trays with fruit leather liners, parchment paper paper, or silicone sheets. Spread the chili mac onto the trays in an even layer. Place the sliced green onion on the trays (in an empty spot or scattered over the chili mac).

Step 8

Dehydrate at 145F for 6-12 hours. A few times during the drying process, blot the chili mac with a paper towel to absorb any fat that has surfaced, and if using a vertical flow dehydrator, reshuffle the trays. Chili mac will be hard once completely dry and the sauce will no longer be tacky.

Step 9

Remove the chili mac from the dehydrator and allow it to cool completely before storing it (*see notes).

Step 10

If needed, repackage the meal into single-portion zip top bags. You can add powdered cheese at this time. Packing about 1 tablespoon of oil per serving in a sealed container. Alternatively, you can pack single-serve olive oil packets.

Step 11

Place the meal in your cook pot along with about 300mL water per serving. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, and boil for a minute. Stir, then remove from the heat and place your pot in a pot cozy for 10 minutes or until the meal has rehydrated.

Step 12

If you’re not using a pot cozy, bring the meal to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until rehydrated.