How To Freeze Dry Apple Pie Filling
Jul 6, 2023
Have you ever ordered a freeze-dried food and thought: “Now what am I supposed to do with this?” We’ve all been there one time or another, haha. So here we’ll show you how to eat freeze dried food and enjoy it like it’s fresh.
Depending on what type of freeze-dried food you’re going to eat, reconstituting is necessary. What is reconstituting? It’s bringing back food to its original state by adding in water.
Meats, for example, mostly need to be reconstituted before you eat or cook with them. Whether it’s cooked freeze-dried meat or raw, freeze-dried meat, you almost always have to reconstitute them before eating.
For uncooked meats, reconstitute them in room-temperature water. This way, you don’t alter the state of the meat and have the freedom to be creative with it. For ground meats, no
On the other hand, cooked meats need to be reconstituted in warm water. Not boiling or hot, just warm. This way, you don’t risk overcooking your meat.
How about fruits and veggies? Yeeees… technically speaking, you can reconstitute them before you eat them.
But whether you’re reconstituting meat, veggies, fruits, or freeze-dried meals, make sure you don’t over-reconstitute. Just use enough water needed to bring the food back to its former state. Be especially careful with fruits, veggies, and meals. Because if you add in too much water, you’ll end up with a soggy mess.
For meats, add enough water to cover up to the top. For fruits and veggies, just add enough until it pools at the bottom, then stir carefully every now and then.
It takes practice to get the amount of water right, but don’t be afraid to experiment. Just remember that a little goes a long way when it comes to reconstituting.
How long should you reconstitute freeze-dried food? Usually, it takes about 5-10 minutes, depending on the amount and thickness of the food.
If you’re going to use the freeze-dried food for cooking a meal that has water in it, you don’t need to rehydrate it. Like when you’re going to cook enchilada, casserole, stew, or sauce. Add in the freeze-dried food and it will reconstitute as you cook it. You need to add in more water because the food is going to take in the moisture. About 2-4 tablespoons will do for starters, then take it from there.
How about dried aromatics like garlic, onions, and celery? No need to reconstitute it as well! You’ll find that they release their flavors much faster when they’re dried compared to when they’re fresh.
Freeze-dried food is so versatile that you can also bake with it. You can add them in your recipe dried as is just as you would chocolate chips and raisins. Or you can buzz them in a food processor or blender and add them to your dry ingredients. Just remember to modify the recipe accordingly to the ratio of wet and dry ingredients.
Reconstituting and cooking is not always the case when it comes to eating freeze dried food. Freeze dried fruits and veggies can be eaten as is straight out of the bag. They’re great for snacking, and even kids love them.
If you’re a fan of cereals or oatmeal in the morning, dump in a few slices of freeze dried fruits! The can bring your breakfast to a whole new level.
Freeze dried candies and freeze-dried ice cream are also great to eat as is. In fact, these are way better to eat dry than they are reconstituted
Freeze dried food can last for 20-30 years sealed in a dry, dim or dark environment. They can last okay at room temperature. But they last better at storage temperatures below 72°F.
They don’t go bad provided that the freeze-dried food is kept in an air-tight, sealed container. Adding in an oxygen absorber will also help. The food should also be kept away from moisture, heat and light. Once you open a batch of freeze dried food, you need to consume it in 6-12 months.
Treat reconstituted or cooked freeze dried food like left-overs. It can only be good to eat when stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. Less than 24 hours if left at room temperature.
How to eat freeze dried food?
The gastronomic possibilities of enjoying freeze dried food are endless. They’re so versatile, you can experiment with them like you would with fresh food.
Got a good idea on how to eat freeze dried food? Share them with us at the comment section!
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