How to Freeze Dry Chili
Freeze-drying chili eliminates waste by keeping every last bite, and it also turns your chili into a shelf-stable meal that can last up to 25 years!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Freeze Drying: 18-24 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6
- Category: Freeze drying, homesteading, prepping, saving foods, zero waste
- Method: Freeze Dryer
- Cuisine: Freeze drying, homesteading, prepping, saving foods, zero waste
Ingredients
- 1 The CUBE Prep4Life Freeze Dryer
- ~9 cups of Beef & Bean Chili per tray
- Mylar Bags
- Oxygen Absorbers
Instructions
Prepare The Tray For the Freezer
- Place a silicone liner on a tray and spread out the chili. The thicker your tray of chili, the longer it takes to freeze, and it will also take much longer to freeze dry. My advice when filling your tray is to take it no more than two-thirds of the way up the sides.
- Grab your kitchen scale and place the tray on the scale.
- Mark down the weight on a piece of paper. Cover and place the tray(s) into the freezer for up to 24 hours or until solid.
Freeze Dry Your Chili
- Press START. Select Frozen or Unfrozen (since mine is frozen, I selected Frozen).
- Make sure the drain is closed and press YES.
- When the chamber is ready, insert the food. Close the door and press Start.
- When the time is up (roughly 18-24 hours later), check your food following the instructions on the screen.
- If you do not need more drying time, press Complete.
Packaging Freeze Dried Chili
- Once the chili is perfectly freeze-dried, weigh the tray and mark it on the paper. This is important as you’ll need to know this to calculate how much liquid to add to rehydrate it.