[Quark]

Here's what I did: marinated chicken, then cooked it. Threw it on the dehydrator, dehydrated it. (overnight). After an hour soaking in water to re-dydrate it, the chicken was still mostly hard. I boiled water and threw the chicken pieces in, then let it sit about 10 minutes, typical for making grub in the backcountry. It was still hard. Did I do something wrong? Does length of time on dehydrator affect re-hydration or maybe the temp was too high?

[Backpacker Joe]

You're a hard chick Quarky, seems like the chicken was looking up to you! Ha ha ha.

[Riverside Laker]

Ya don't rehydrate a rubber chicken, Quark. Everybody knows that. Next time instead of Archie McPhee, get your chicken at Safeway.

[Quark]

O so now all the sudden everybody's a comedian, while I'm in an agitated state, desparately trying to re-hydrate chunks of chicken so I don't starve to death in the wild. I hate it when I starve to death in the wild.

[Backpacker Joe]

Please dont starve to death in the wild!!! Seems like some "Columbo" detective action is in line here. Start experimenting at home and reduce the variables until you finger it out. Good luck chick-a-dee.

[Stefan]

You must have overcooked the chicken. Have you ever tried to rehydrate jerky? It aint going to happen.

[sarbar]

Home dried chicken just isn't worth the time......buy canned or pouched-for me it is very worth the weight.

[Malachai Constant]

That is why they invented freeze dried, if it is hot enough to dry it before it rots it denatures the protein making it into chicken jerky which will get slimy but not much else.

[Quark]

Huh. whaddaya know. Stef, I was wondering if it had turned into jerky and therefore not possible to re-hydrate. So it sounds like it isn't worth the effort for chicken. I do not like freeze-dried chicken - it has a certain whang about it's flavor. It doesn't even taste like chicken. It's sorta, "bleeech! Ahhhgggccck! Ptooey!" I'll pretty much eat anything, especially in the backcountry, even oatmeal that had been soaking in a pool of white gas the week before*, but freeze-dried chicken....yuck! If you're unsure where I stand on this issue, PM me, and I'll be glad to clarify it. *sorry, that's for the breakfast thread. I don't recommend it, unless the alternative is freeze-dried chicken.

[Damian]

That's the saddest story I've ever heard. You're breaking my heart Quark. I wish you strength and perserverence as you move on with your life.

[marzsit]

actually, the new mountain house chicken and potatoes freeze-dry doesn't have that canned chicken taste like most freeze-dries. i tried one last month and expected the worst, but i was shocked at how good it really was. the meat and taters aren't mixed in the package so you could use the chicken in a recipe if you wanted to.. it wold be nice if they sold that chicken seperately (it's not the same as the bulk chicken in the #10 cans that they also sell..) chicken doesn't dehyrate/rehydrate very well at all.. if you cook it in a crock pot until it turns into shreds (about 8-10 hours on low), then dry it, it rehydrates better but still remains a bit chewy.

[Quark]

[Quark]

OK, Marzit, so I guess since in general it's not a good candidate for dehydration in the first place, I won't try it again.

[jenjen]

I've had good luck with de and rehydrating chicken sausage, but it does take longer than ground beef. I usually add water to the chicken baggie at lunch time and tuck it into the handy pringles container so nothing punctures the baggie. Then at dinner time a 10 minute soak in boiling water is all it needs.

[Malachai Constant]

Landsjeager (HC) rehydrates prettly well if you boil it a bit.