Welcome To My Freeze-Drying Recipe Hub!
Owning a freeze dryer opens up an incredible world of possibilities, allowing you to craft your very own delicious and nutritious freeze-dried meals for future use. Imagine having a pantry stocked with wholesome, ready-to-eat dishes that require minimal effort. Whether you're preparing for an emergency, planning for retirement, or simply anticipating those busy days when cooking feels like a chore, you'll have flavorful, homemade meals at your fingertips, ready in no time. This empowers you with ultimate convenience and peace of mind, knowing you control the quality and ingredients of your food supply.
On this page, you will find some recipes that we love. As I continue to create new recipes for homemade Meals Ready to Eat (MRE), I will add them here. If you try any, I'd love to know what you think. And if you have any you'd like me to try, I'd be more than willing to consider them! My recipes are based on the Harvest Right Original 4-Tray Medium Freeze Dryer. You may have to adjust to fit your tray capacity.
Please note that dry times may vary depending on the temperature and humidity level where you are.
I find that rehydrating meals in their mylar bags and metal bowls with fitted lids works better than in plastic or glass, even with a fitted lid. Mylar and metal bowls hold the heat from hot water better. I always use hot water on freeze-dried MREs and protein.
A note on freeze-drying foods containing fat:
While freeze-drying removes water, it does not remove fat. Fats, particularly unsaturated fats, are prone to oxidation, which leads to rancidity. Rancid fat develops off-flavors and odors and can degrade the overall quality and safety of your long-term food storage. Foods high in fat (like dairy) generally have a shorter recommended shelf life when freeze-dried compared to low-fat fruits, vegetables, or lean meats (20-25+ years). If you mix high-fat dairy into a meal, the entire meal's shelf life becomes limited by the dairy's fat content.
This recipe is incredible! It is so tasty and so satisfying. It rehydrated perfectly! In the video I show how much fat drained off the 90/10 ground beef, and it wasn't much. So the fat content in this recipe, especially using the 1% cottage cheese, is low. In the video I did not fill all 4 trays because my family wanted to eat some, but if you make this recipe and freeze-dry it all, you should get about 20 servings (give or take depending on appetite). I hope you give this one a try and let me know what you think!
This recipe came out great! It has a very smokey flavor profile and is very filling. You can adjust the seasonings to your liking. But if you are looking for a huge bang for your buck when it comes to DIY MRE's, this is it. 40 servings, depending on appetite!
Marjoram Magic! Seriously. the marjoram does something magical in this dish. Marjoram has a slightly sweet profile. It is a good source of vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants. This dish is so creamy and so delicious! You really get a lot for your money on this one. When I filmed making this, I used the Mylar storage bag to rehydrate a serving. It was the first time I've ever used Mylar and I cannot believe how quickly this was ready to eat - just 8 minutes or so. If you are going to use a bowl with a fitted lid, it will likely take closer to 25 or 30 minutes. I hope you give this a try and let me know what you think!
Incredible dish! We absolutely loved it. There is quite a bit of butter, cream, and also some fat in the meat. So keep that in mind when you plan how long to store it - making certain to remove all oxygen from the container.
This hearty Italian Beans & Greens recipe is a comforting and flavorful meal, perfect for freeze-drying and enjoying later. It features savory sausage, tender escarole, and cannellini beans simmered in a rich broth. The beauty of this dish is that the heat level is entirely up to your preference – you can make it mild or give it a significant kick with crushed red pepper flakes, just the way I like it!
This comforting Chili Mac recipe combines savory chili with tender pasta, creating a hearty and satisfying meal that's perfect for freeze-drying. It's an excellent addition to your long-term food storage, providing a delicious and easy-to-rehydrate option for busy nights or emergency preparedness.
These make great "meal in a jar" breakfast MREs! They are so handy, and delicious, the perfect last minute meal grab! The trick to making this work is to get the freeze-dried oatmeal 'unclumped' before you package it up.
More to come, check back soon!
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