How can you take stuffed peppers on the trail? Make them as deconstructed stuffed peppers! Ground beef, rice and colorful bell peppers are combined with a spicy tomato sauce for a filling backpacking meal.
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Deconstructed stuffed peppers was the first dehydrated recipe I created for my boyfriend and his buddies for their inaugural elk hunting trip. After their first taste test, the guys only requested some heat be added to the recipe. That’s a win to me!
Deconstructed stuffed peppers has now become one of the meals I make every year for the guys, per their request. I hope you enjoy it as much as they do. Please remember to share your feedback and rate the recipe if you enjoyed it!
Ingredients and Variations for Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers
- Dehydrated ground beef or venison: The ground meat that would be part of the “stuffing” if the peppers were stuffed. Both ground beef or ground venison would great in this recipe.
- Dehydrated brown rice: Brown rice is higher in some nutrients and fiber. The fiber can help you feel full for longer. The brown rice also adds some texture to the meal. Dehydrated white rice can be substituted, but could become mushy with too much water.
- Dehydrated bell peppers: Use a combination of colorful bell peppers, such as green, red, orange, and yellow.
- Powered tomato sauce: Adds that tangy tomato flavor and helps create a small amount of sauce
- Italian Seasoning*, Dried Minced Onion*, Garlic powder*, Salt and Ground black pepper: Seasonings to add flavor to the meal
- Crushed red pepper*: Adds spiciness to the dish. If you don’t like your food spicy, skip this ingredient. If you like some spice, add a pinch rather than the ¼ teaspoon in the recipe.
Equipment needed
Measuring cups and spoons: to measure ingredients at home when packing the meal.
Scent proof bags*: Keep your food safe from wild animals with a scent proof bag. If wild animals are not a concern, the meal could be packaged in a zippered sandwich bag.
Vacuum sealer*: This is optional but will help keep the meal fresh longer.
Jetboil*: Used on the trail to cook the meal. Other backpacking stoves would work too.
Silicon spoon*: Use to stir the meal in the Jetboil so the non-stick surface does not get scratched. Can use the same spoon to eat the meal directly from the Jetboil.
Helpful Tips for Packing and Enjoying Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers
At home
- Do a test run of the meal at home so you know what to expect on the trail and can adjust seasoning to your preferences, especially if you don’t like spicy food.
- Plan enough time before your backpacking trip to dehydrate all the ingredients and pack the meal.
- This meal cooks great in a Jetboil. It was tested in both a Jetboil and a sauce pan on the stove.
- When packaging the meal at home, have someone help hold the scent proof bags open. A canning funnel* also works to open the bag and get the ingredients in the bag without spilling.
- If packaging more than one of the same meal, do it in an assembly line fashion, focusing on one ingredient at a time to make packing the meal go quicker.
- Bring along salt and pepper packages* to season to your tastes because your preferences may be different than the recipe as written.
- Save the salt, pepper, and other seasoning packages that are included in silverware kits when you order out.
On the trail
- Be sure to let the meal sit for about 10 minutes after cooking. This is so the ingredients can rehydrate and absorb the water.
- Water boils at a lower temperature at a higher altitude so this will affect the rehydration and cooking time of the meal.
- The amount of water used to rehydrate the meal may need to be adjusted, especially if at a higher altitude. More water could cause extra liquid in the meal; less water could cause the ingredients to not rehydrate as well and create a small amount of sauce.
Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Dehydrated ground beef (or venison)
- 1/4 cup Dehydrated brown rice
- 2 Tbsp Dehydrated peppers use a mix of green, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers
- 2 tsp Dehydrated and powdered tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning blend
- 1/2 tsp Dried minced onion
- 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper optional – skip if you don't like spicy
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Ground black pepper
Instructions
Preparation At Home
- Cook and dehydrate the ground beef or venison
- Cook and dehydrate the brown rice
- Dehydrate the peppers
- Dehydrate and powder the tomato sauce
- If necessary, purchase or acquire Italian seasoning, minced onions, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper.
- Package all ingredients in a scent proof bag and vacuum seal, if desired.
On the Trail
- Use 1 cup water.
- Put water and meal in a Jetboil (or other backpacking stove) and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, stirring the meal to prevent boiling over.
- Cook for a few minutes, continuing to stir, until bubbles appear in the water/sauce.
- Turn the Jetboil off and put the cover on it.
- Let the meal sit for 10 minutes to absorb the water and rehydrate.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- As you make the meal on the trail, you may find that you need more or less water to rehydrate the meal. The suggested 1 cup was how the meal was tested in a location that is around 600 feet above sea level. This was enough to rehydrate the meal and create some sauce. Extra liquid will make a runnier sauce and too little may not allow all the ingredients to rehydrate as well.
- The longer the meal sits after cooking, the more the ingredients have a chance to rehydrate. Not all ingredients may rehydrate fully.
- Altitude will affect the rehydration time and water needed.