Backpacking Food Dehydration

ABOUT THE COURSE

The course includes an in-person seminar which will take place at the Seattle Mountaineers Program Center and a field trip where we will enjoy a prepared meal together in the mountains. Participants will register for a single field trip, though multiple may be posted. 

The seminar at the Program Center will be composed of two distinct learning modules over the course of a single evening. The course will begin with a PowerPoint presentation that covers the course material, and will be followed by a hands-on workshop where we will cook and prepare food for dehydration. Due to time constraints, the food will be dehydrated overnight and packaged for consumption by the course leaders and instructors the following day. This will be a communal cooking course, so participants should expect that the food they consume on the field trip will be handled by others, including fellow participants. Participants may opt to prepare their own food on a self-provided dehydrator outside the lecture to bring to the field trip, but should notify the leader at the time of registration of this preference. 

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS COURSE

• Types of food dehydrators on the market and the pros/cons of the various designs
• Types of food that can be safely dehydrated at home and types of food to avoid
• Different techniques for dehydrating various types of food, including meat, fruit, vegetables and “ready to go” meals
• Storing dehydrated food for short and long term storage, and assembling dehydrated meals from ingredients
• Suggested recipes: some of which combine store bought ingredients with home-dehydrated food
• How to rehydrate and cook homemade food in the backcountry