This dehydrated seafood paella is some serious next level gourmet backpacking food. Shrimp, crab , olives, capers, and veggies in a bed of golden saffron rice.
6large shrimpcooked, deveined, shell and tail removed
6-8piecesof imitation crabmeat
Pack for the trail: 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 package olives (such as Oloves)
Instructions
Make the rice
Make the rice according to package directions for 1 cup (uncooked) rice, adding the salt, garlic powder, and saffron the the water at the beginning of the cooking process.
Prep remaining ingredients
While the rice is cooking, chop the bell peppers into ¼" pieces, roughly chop the garlic, quarter the shrimp, and chop or shred the imitation crab.
Load the dehydrator
Transfer all the ingredients (cooked rice, veggies, herbs, and seafood) to the dehydrator trays, utilizing mesh or solid liners to prevent small pieces of food from falling between the holes in the trays.
Load the trays into the dehydrator.
Dehydrate at 140°F for 8-12 hours until everything is completely dried & hard.
Pack or store the meal
Short-term use (within the next few days): Divide and store everything in well-cleaned, resealable bags. Additionally, pack 1 tablespoon olive oil and a small package of olives per serving.Mid-term Storage (for next month or two): store the meal inside a sealed mason jar in a cool, dark place. If you live in a particularly warm/humid climate, then storing in the fridge will be better.Long-term storage (upwards of a year): store the meal inside a vacuum-sealed bag in the freezer.
On Trail
Add all the dried ingredients to your pot and add water until everything is just barely covered.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes ORBring to a boil for 2-3 minutes, cover, remove from heat and place inside an insulated cozy.
Add oil towards the end of the cooking process.
Once the meal has rehydrated, add the package of olives and enjoy!