Mexicaanse Beef & Rice
- ¼ cup ground beef, dried
- ¼ cup combined bell peppers (assorted colors), onions, and tomatoes, dried
- ¼ cup black beans, dried
- ½ cup instant brown rice
- 1¼ cups water
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp cheese mix
- 1 tbsp instant dry milk
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
Cheese Mix: The cheese mix for this backpacking recipe can be borrowed from a six ounce box of Back to Nature brand Spirals & White Cheddar Dinner or Annie’s Homegrown brand Bunny Pasta & Cheese. Look in the health foods section of your grocery store. These brands have no artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors. The cheese mix packet inside the box can be divided into three servings approximately 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp each. Use one third of the packet for this recipe and save the rest for other recipes. The macaroni can be saved for other meals as well. In a pinch, you could settle for the Kraft brand if you don’t mind a little artificial coloring, but the other brands taste better to me.
Instant Dry Milk: I use Nestle Nido brand instant whole dry milk instead of the easier to find instant low fat milk varieties. The extra calories from the higher fat content in whole milk provide more energy for my long distance backpacking trips. If you’re just out for the weekend, instant low fat milk works fine.
At Home:
For information about dehydrating ground beef and vegetables for this recipe, review the DEHYDRATING MEAT or DEHYDRATING VEGETABLES pages.
Combine ground beef, beans, vegetables, rice, and taco seasoning in a zip style plastic bag.
Combine cheese mix and instant dry milk in a 2 X 3 zip style plastic bag. (Bags can be found at craft stores)
Enclose the smaller bag in the larger bag, press out the air, and seal. You are ready to hit the trail.
On the Trail:
Add all ingredients except the cheese/milk mix to your pot with water. Allow contents to rehydrate for five to ten minutes.
Light stove, bring to a boil, and continue cooking with the lid on at medium to high heat for a minute or two. Don't stir rice while cooking. Leave it alone and the rice will turn out fluffy.
Place pot into insulating cozy. Wait ten minutes for the meal to continue rehydrating and cooking inside the cozy. Stir in contents of the cheese bag. Add a few spoonfuls of extra water if you want a saucier meal. Enjoy!
Optional Enhancements:
If you happen to have some tortilla chips handy, scoop your meal out of the pot with chips or crumble chips over your Mexican Beef & Rice.
I use a medley of green, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers for this recipe. If you desire a little fire in your Mexican Beef & Rice, by all means throw in a couple slices of dried jalapeños.