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Before I share today's idea, let me remind you that sometimes it just doesn't matter how much you prepare. You may be well prepared, but when a flash flood suddenly sweeps your home out from under you, you might very well find youself washed out of one window while your carefully laid up supplies float out of another. None of these ideas are intended to cast any sort of blame on people who find themselves in need of urgent assistance, nor are they intended to be a substitute for faith and prayer.
Today's idea is incredibly simple- deydrated beans (and other foods). You don't need a dehydrator- use your oven or two window screens in the sun. You sandwich the food between the two screens to keep the bugs away.
We've actually used this for camping, and it worked quite well. Like the bean flours, you are going to need liquid for cooking the dehydrated food, so make sure liquid is part of your plan (keep a bottle of bleach on hand for purifying your water or have water purifier tablets).
First buy dried beans- not canned, unless you get an incredible price deal. A one pound bag of dried beans will make 7 or 8 cups of cooked beans, a can is only just under two cups. Next cook up a mess of beans. Drain them well, very well. Season them to taste with salt and herbs. Spread them out on your broiling pan (you might want to oil it)- the pan that probably came with your oven. It's a big thing, and it has two parts. The top has slits in it to allow grease from broiled meat to drip down into the drainpan beneath. Your beans are not going to drip, but they do need heat on all sides. Spread them on the pan so none of them are touching, and dry them out in a slow heated oven (about 150 degrees). This will take at least two hours, probably more (again, it depends on the bean). I watch mine and turn them around with a spatula or wooden spoon every hour or so. They are done when they are dry and hard, like pebbles. But they will cook up again much faster than dried beans will, conserving your fuel. They also require less liquid than uncooked dry beans, and they are lighter in weight (this is important).
Store these in very dry jars and/or ziplock bags, and maybe even keep some in your freezer. About every six months or so, make up another large batch and then start using up your old store. You need to rotate your storage food too keep it from spoiling. You need to check on it periodically, too, to make sure it's still in good shape.People think that if they are truly in the midst of a disaster, they won't care what their food tastes like, but this is not true, especially for children. So it's a good idea to get used to the taste of your emergency dishes before you are in the midst of an actual emergency.
To rehydrate your beans- put them in boiling liquid, cover, and wait until they are soft enough to eat. The time will vary, depending on the bean. You can also simmer them with liquid and other things you add to make a heartier meal- if you have other things.
Print out and save these websites in a binder that will be your emergency preparedness guide- only make sure you actually use it if an emergency presents itself.
Drying foods
Backpacker's recipes (these are good sources for survival foods because serious backpackers care about keeping the weight of their packs down, and so do people who are serious about preparing for emergencies)
Another Extension office guide to food drying
Just Add Water
Drying food scientifically
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