Dehydrated Beef Curry – Making Dehydrated Meals for Camping

 
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beef curry is one of our favorite recipes made with all dehydrated ingredients that we talk about here on the Dehydrator Chef website. We love curry, and we have a lot of curry recipes to share.

Beef curry is a versatile dish you can customize to suit your preferences. Of course, you can adjust the level of spiciness. Variations might include adding more homemade dehydrated ingredients such as mixed vegetables and spices.

Overall, beef curry is a hearty and satisfying dish with a tasty blend of ingredients, aromatic spices, and a rich, flavorful sauce.

So, let’s get started.

Shown is a bowl of dehydrated beef curry recipe that makes for a flavorful, shelf-stable meal that’s easy to prepare out in the field or at the campsite. Ground beef crumbles, rice cooked in beef stock, and RoTel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies form the base, while onion, spinach, and hash brown potatoes add texture. A blend of spices like garlic, cumin, and curry powder brings depth, with optional bouillon powder and jalapeno slices for an extra bit of flavor. | Dehydrated beef curry. | Making dehydrated meals for camping. | Homemade dehydrated meal recipes. | How to make your own dehydrated camping food. | Homemade dehydrated camping meals. | Homemade dehydrated backpacking meals
Our patience has been rewarded. We have a big bowl of beef curry to chow down on. A flavorful, shelf-stable meal that’s easy to prepare out in the field or at the campsite. Ground beef crumbles, rice cooked in beef stock, and RoTel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies form the base, while onion, spinach, and hash brown potatoes add texture. A blend of spices like garlic, cumin, and curry powder brings depth, with optional bouillon powder and jalapeno slices for an extra bit of flavor. This is some good stuff. Next time, we will add a bit more water for more curry gravy. But this is some gosh darn good stuff!

Table of Contents

Dehydrated Beef Curry Recipe

Our beef curry recipe is made with easy-to-find, easily dehydrated ingredients that you can make yourself.

This beef curry recipe is also a great meal option for individuals interested in emergency preparedness and self-sufficiency and might find dry food recipes a helpful alternative.

Supplies and Tools Needed for Dehydrated Beef Curry

  • Several 1-quart zip-top bags
  • Heavy-duty paper towels
  • Labeling materials such as masking tape and waterproof all-weather pen
Shown are the ingredients needed for our dehydrated beef curry recipe. From the lower left, clockwise, we have: one, the spices, including, garlic powder, cumin powder, optional bouillon powder, and the star of the show, curry powder, two the dehydrated rice that was cooked in beef stock, three dehydrated ground beef crumbles, four the optional dehydrated jalapeno pepper slices, five dehydrated spinach, six dehydrated onion, and seven dehydrated cooked hash brown potatoes. | Dehydrated beef curry. | Making dehydrated meals for camping. | Homemade dehydrated meal recipes. | How to make your own dehydrated camping food. | Homemade dehydrated camping meals. | Homemade dehydrated backpacking meals.
The ingredients needed for our dehydrated beef curry recipe. From the lower left, clockwise, we have:
1) the spices, garlic powder, cumin powder, bouillon powder (optional), and the star of the show, curry powder
2) dehydrated white rice that was cooked in beef stock
3) dehydrated ground beef crumbles
4) dehydrated jalapeno pepper slices, crushed (optional)
5) dehydrated spinach
6) dehydrated onion
7) dehydrated cooked hash brown potatoes

Dehydrated Beef Curry Dry Ingredients

This recipe makes one serving, approximately 140 grams of dry mix.

Dehydrated Beef Curry Wet Ingredients

  • A quality oil, such as avocado or olive oil, in a leak-proof container (optional)

A bit of healthy cooking fat, such as olive or avocado oil added to the meal after cooking will significantly enhance the flavor. Fats concentrate the flavors in food. It gives the food a smooth and creamy texture that many of us crave. Since fat gives us more energy than proteins or carbohydrates, it makes us feel full faster, and it makes us feel content.

Dehydrated Beef Curry Dry Ingredient Notes

Most store-bought bouillon cubes or powders contain mainly salt, sugar, and fillers. Many folks will just make their own, blending nutritional yeast, mushroom powders, and other herbs and spices. We’re partial to our universal vegetable bouillon recipe.

We recommend making and trying this homemade dehydrated camping meal recipe several times at home before preparing it for the first time in the field so you will know what to expect. Armed with this experience, you can dial in the spices how you like and add or subtract any of the other ingredients. Don’t depend on untested gear or untested recipes.

At-Home Preparation

Combine all the dry ingredients into a food-safe 1-quart quality name-brand zip-top bag for best storage results. The sharp edges of dehydrated ingredients could cause micro-punctures in lesser-quality zip-top plastic bags.

Shown is single serving of our beef curry dry mix in a quality name-brand zip-top bag. | Dehydrated beef curry. | Making dehydrated meals for camping. | Homemade dehydrated meal recipes. | How to make your own dehydrated camping food. | Homemade dehydrated camping meals. | Homemade dehydrated backpacking meals.
A single serving of our beef curry dry mix in a quality name-brand zip-top bag. We’ll be making several of these single-serving bags today until we run out of ingredients.

Compared to the local big box stores, Amazon has the best prices for the Ziploc 1-quart zip-top bags. So says the 20,000 plus Amazon customer reviewers who took the time to leave feedback. The rough edges and sharp ends of dehydrated foods very often compromise generic zip-top bags. Quality zip-top bags are a necessity when making dehydrated meals for camping.

Need another reason to buy quality name-brand Ziploc bags? An analysis commissioned by the Mamavation website showed that the majority of plastic sandwich bags sold in the U.S. contain high levels of toxic PFAS, also known as forever chemicals. Ziploc was one brand that contained no detectable levels of forever chemicals.

Be sure to include a short note with the name of the dish and detailed preparation instructions. We have included detailed preparation instructions at the end of this page.

Optimize Food Protection for Storage and Travel

Double bagging, using two zip-top bags with a separator, is an option to help guard against punctures, leaks, and water penetration and to protect the food’s integrity. This way, it remains viable in the field or pantry storage.

The Scott Shop towels brand makes an excellent bag separator. These multipurpose paper towels are thicker than the average heavy-duty paper towel. As a multitasker, repurpose these towels for the after-meal cleanup activities.

Scott heavy-duty paper towels | dehydrating food for long term storage | dehydrated food recipes for long term storage | dehydrating meals for long term storage
These Scott brand heavy-duty paper towels help protect your homemade dehydrated camping food meal packets. The rough edges and sharp ends of dehydrated foods very often compromise lesser-quality zip-top bags. Wrapping the inner zip-top bag with a few heavy-duty paper towels before placing it in the outer zip-top bag helps to guard against micro-punctures that may cause leaks and water penetration. This way, the food packets remain viable in the field or pantry storage.

These heavy-duty paper towels have over 11,000 Amazon customer reviews with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars, which is evidence of a great product. You may be able to find them at your local big-box megamart automotive department.

In the Field Preparation

Empty the contents of the zip-top bag into a suitable-sized cooking pot. 

We have emptied the beef curry dry mix into our 700mL cooking pot. Practice making these dehydrated camping meal recipes at home before preparing them for the first time out in the field so you know what to expect. | Dehydrated beef curry. | Making dehydrated meals for camping. | Homemade dehydrated meal recipes. | How to make your own dehydrated camping food. | Homemade dehydrated camping meals. | Homemade dehydrated backpacking meals.
We have emptied the beef curry dry mix into our 700mL cooking pot. We made several pouches and we had an extra, so we are having it for lunch on a rainy day so we don’t need to drive anywhere. Practice making these dehydrated camping meal recipes at home before preparing them for the first time out in the field so you know what to expect.

Measure in enough water to cover the dry ingredients. Then add a tad bit more water. Stir to mix thoroughly. Cover, and let the dry ingredients hydrate for at least five minutes. Stir several times, and add more water if needed to keep the ingredients covered and well-saturated.

Shown is our cooking pot with the added dehydrated beef curry dry mix. We added just enough water to cover the dry mix ingredients and gave everything a good stir for a thorough mix. We'll let it hydrate for at least five minutes, stirring it all every minute or so. | Dehydrated beef curry. | Making dehydrated meals for camping. | Homemade dehydrated meal recipes. | How to make your own dehydrated camping food. | Homemade dehydrated camping meals. | Homemade dehydrated backpacking meals.
We added just enough water to cover the beef curry dry mix ingredients and gave everything a good stir for a thorough mix. We’ll let it hydrate for at least five minutes, stirring it all every minute or so. Top off the water as it gets absorbed into the dry mix.

The next step is to add a bit more water; this part is more art than it is science. Depending on your cooking pot’s size and style, you’ll need to gauge how much additional water to add to the hydrated mix. The mix should remain fully covered with water.

Showing the beef curry dry mix after it has hydrated for five or so minutes. We did top it off with some more water. The hydrating ingredients will continue to absorb the liquid. We are metering in the water a bit at a time so it doesn't end up too dry or soupy. It might look like we have added too much water, but we have not. | Dehydrated beef curry. | Making dehydrated meals for camping. | Homemade dehydrated meal recipes. | How to make your own dehydrated camping food. | Homemade dehydrated camping meals. | Homemade dehydrated backpacking meals.
The beef curry dry mix has hydrated for five or so minutes, and we topped it off with some more water. The hydrating ingredients will continue to absorb the liquid. We are metering in the water a bit at a time so it doesn’t end up too dry or soupy. It might look like we have added too much water, but we have not.

So why not add all of the water at once? You certainly can, but we are metering in the water, so we don’t end up with a soupy or dry product.

Practice these Dehydrator Chef homemade dehydrated camping meal recipes at home several times with the very same outdoor kitchen gear used in the field or at the campsite. This approach lets you practice your skills to know what to expect and where to adapt.

Bring the hydrating mix to a boil on your cooking stove and over medium flame, frequently stirring to mix. After coming to a boil, if your stove is capable of a low-heat simmer, turn the flame down to reduce the chance of burning.

Shown is a single burner camping stove with a cooking pot on top. We’re bringing the beef curry mix to a boil. | Making dehydrated meals for camping. | Homemade dehydrated meal recipes. | How to make your own dehydrated camping food. | Homemade dehydrated camping meals. | Homemade dehydrated backpacking meals.
We are practicing our technique at home today. It’s windy and raining with a nor’easter heading up the coast. Instead of heading out, we’re spending quality time at home practicing with the camping gear.

After two or more minutes of simmering, stirring, and mixing the ingredients, turn off the stove and move the pot into an insulated wrap or cozy to rest and hydrate for at least 15 to 20 minutes more for the flavors to blend and the ingredients to fully reconstitute.

Shown is beef curry after 20 minutes of resting in a cozy. All of the ingredients have hydrated. | Dehydrated beef curry. | Making dehydrated meals for camping. | Homemade dehydrated meal recipes. | How to make your own dehydrated camping food. | Homemade dehydrated camping meals. | Homemade dehydrated backpacking meals.
The beef curry after 20 minutes of resting in a cozy. All of the ingredients have hydrated. We probably could have added a tad bit more water this time around. Consistent results are why we practice at home before preparing these homemade dehydrated camping meals for the first time out in the field.

Add any remaining seasonings like kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, or some hot sauce for added spice.

Shown is a collection of spice and hot sauce packet offerings from fast-food eateries used to enhance homemade camping food meals. | Dehydrated beef curry. | Making dehydrated meals for camping. | Homemade dehydrated meal recipes. | How to make your own dehydrated camping food. | Homemade dehydrated camping meals. | Homemade dehydrated backpacking meals.
Collect some of those spice and hot sauce packet offerings from your fast-food eats to enhance your homemade camping food meals.

Dehydrated Beef Curry Nutrition Information

Calories: 647kcal | Total Fat: 9g, | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 695mg | Carbohydrate: 99g | Dietary Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 18g | Protein: 46g

The Dehydrator Chef Book

Available only on Amazon.com

You’ll find step-by-step instructions for 26 homemade dehydrated camping meals. Many recipes are only available in this book.

Grab yourself a copy today.
Shown is a bowl of dehydrated beef curry recipe that makes for a flavorful, shelf-stable meal that’s easy to prepare out in the field or at the campsite. Ground beef crumbles, rice cooked in beef stock, and RoTel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies form the base, while onion, spinach, and hash brown potatoes add texture. A blend of spices like garlic, cumin, and curry powder brings depth, with optional bouillon powder and jalapeno slices for an extra bit of flavor.

Dehydrated Beef Curry

Dehydrator Chef
Try this dehydrated beef curry recipe for a flavorful, shelf-stable meal that’s easy to prepare out in the field or at the campsite. Ground beef crumbles, rice cooked in beef stock, and RoTel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies form the base, while onion, spinach, and hash brown potatoes add texture. A blend of spices like garlic, cumin, and curry powder brings depth, with optional bouillon powder and jalapeno slices for an extra bit of flavor.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dehydrated Camping Meal
Cuisine Backpacking, Camping, Hiking
Servings 1
Calories 647 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • quality cooking oil, such as avocado or olive oil (optional, stored in a leak-proof container)

Instructions
 

At Home Preparation

  • Add the dry ingredients to a food-safe 1-quart quality name-brand zip-top bag. Label the zip-top with the contents and the date.
    45 grams dehydrated ground beef crumbles, 40 grams dehydrated rice, 10 grams dehydrated RoTel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, 15 grams dehydrated onion, 15 grams dehydrate spinach, 10 grams dehydrated hash browns, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon curry powder, bouillon powder, 5 grams dehydrated jalapeno pepper slices, crushed
    beef curry dry mix in a zip-top bag | dehydrated beef curry | making dehydrated meals for camping | homemade dehydrated meal recipes | make your own dehydrated camping food | homemade dehydrated camping meals | homemade dehydrated backpacking meals
  • Store the leak-proof containers of cooking oil in your cooking pot or with your camp kitchen spices and condiment packets.

Packaging

  • Wrap the zip-top bag with a heavy-duty paper towel to help guard against punctures, leaks, and water penetration due to the sharp edges of the dehydrated ingredients and to protect the food's integrity. This way, it remains viable in the field or pantry storage.
  • Add the paper towel wrapped dry mix bag to the last food-safe 1-quart quality name-brand zip-top bag and label it with the contents and the date.

In the Field Preparation

  • Empty the dry mix contents of the zip-top bag into a suitable-sized cooking pot. 
    beef curry dry ingredients in a cooking pot | | dehydrated beef curry | making dehydrated meals for camping | homemade dehydrated meal recipes | make your own dehydrated camping food | homemade dehydrated camping meals | homemade dehydrated backpacking meals
  • Add enough water to cover the dry ingredients. Then add a tad bit more water. Stir to mix thoroughly. Cover, and let the dry ingredients hydrate for a minimum of five minutes.
    beef curry dry ingredients with water added in a cooking pot | dehydrated beef curry | making dehydrated meals for camping | homemade dehydrated meal recipes | make your own dehydrated camping food | homemade dehydrated camping meals | homemade dehydrated backpacking meals
  • Next, on your cooking stove and over medium flame, bring the hydrating mix to a boil, frequently stirring to mix. After coming to a boil, turn the flame down to a simmer to reduce the chance of burning.
    beef curry simmering | dehydrated beef curry | making dehydrated meals for camping | homemade dehydrated meal recipes | make your own dehydrated camping food | homemade dehydrated camping meals | homemade dehydrated backpacking meals
  • After two or more minutes of simmering and stirring, turn off the stove and move the pot into an insulated wrap or cozy to rest, hydrate, and steam for 15 to 20 minutes or more for the flavors to blend and the ingredients to fully reconstitute.
  • If desired, add a bit of the healthy cooking oil from the leak-proof container. Stir to combine.
    quality cooking oil, such as avocado or olive oil
    beef curry in a bowl ready to eat | | dehydrated beef curry | making dehydrated meals for camping | homemade dehydrated meal recipes | make your own dehydrated camping food | homemade dehydrated camping meals | homemade dehydrated backpacking meals

Notes

Canned ingredient used in this recipe may include added salt. It is assumed that some, but not all, of the sodium content would be drained away with the canning liquid when processed for dehydration. So the actual sodium may be less than shown above.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 140gCalories: 647kcalCarbohydrates: 99gProtein: 46gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 695mgFiber: 13gSugar: 18g

Nutrition information is only an estimate and may differ depending on the ingredients you use.

Keywords dehydrated beef curry, dehydrated camping meal recipes, homemade dehydrated camping meals, make your own dehydrated meals, recipes using dehydrated food
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Dehydrated Beef Curry Preparation Instructions

Include these detailed preparation instructions with your dehydrated meal for use in the field or at the campsite.
Active Time30 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dehydrated Camping Meal
Cuisine: Backpacking, Camping, Hiking
Keyword: dehydrated beef curry, dehydrated camping meal recipes, make your own dehydrated meals, recipes using dehydrated food
Yield: 1
Author: Dehydrator Chef

Equipment

  • camp kitchen equipment (including camping stove, cooking pot, utensils, etc.)

Materials

Instructions

  • Empty the dehydrated beef curry dry mix contents of the zip-top bag into your cooking pot.
    1 serving dehydrated beef curry dry mix
  • Pour in enough water to cover the dry mix, then add a tad bit more.
  • Cover and let the dry ingredients hydrate in your camp cookware for at least five minutes.  Stir all of the way to the bottom now and again. Add more water if the hydrating mix gets too dry.
  • Next, on your cooking stove and over a medium flame, bring the mix to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
  • After bringing the mix to a boil, turn the stove down to a low simmer for two minutes.
  • After two or more minutes of simmering and stirring, turn off the stove and move the pot into an insulated wrap or cozy to rest and hydrate for 15 to 20 minutes or more allowing the flavors to blend and the ingredients to fully reconstitute.
  • Finally, after the beef curry mix has rested for 15 to 20 minutes, add some of that optional cooking oil and stir to mix. Enjoy!

Notes

Repurpose the heavy-duty paper towels for the after-meal cleanup activities.

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2 replies on “Dehydrated Beef Curry – Making Dehydrated Meals for Camping”

5 stars
i do like curry, this recipe isn’t too bad. Actually it’s a good “generic” curry recipe. I’ll put my own spin on it. 5 stars for you by brother.

5 from 1 vote

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