Make and Dehydrate Spaghetti Bolognese for Wild camping

How to cook a main meal from fresh ingredients, then use a Ezidri Snackmaker to dehydrate the meal so as to provide a simple and filling one pot meal for wild camping.

[@ireallylovegod]

I've seen worse cooking programs than this, well done mate. Loving all your vids.keeping it real.

[@andirossetter]

Very useful video. I hadn't thought to dehydrate my own food. Thanks

[@outlawrallyrob]

Well good love it

[@jfrschnell]

didn't know that dehydrating food machines existed even though I have seen at Decathlon these dehydrated food packages on sale. Believe me, Patrick's videos are really a must.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi yes I used the packet dehydrated foods in the past but they just did not fill me up never mind the taste and cost. So if you want a lightweight tasty meal then the answer is to dehydrate it yourself, thanks for comments and watching Pat

[@mikeboone4425]

I have to agree 100% on the package dried food it just sucks it can ruin the whole trip . Prepping your own is the only way to go . Happy Trails Patrick .

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Thanks Mike yes fresh is best and your own dehydrated not far behind. Be out in the snow soon I hope, thanks Pat

[@dawnadam6164]

Hi mike, i have had some which are ok. The new Summit range is worth a try i think,

[@di_tattoolover]

Thanks for this video. I’m just starting to use my dehydrator and wanted meals for camping. Yours is the best I’ve seen, so easy to understand.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Glad it was helpful Dianna....dehydrating meals can be a whole subject on its own, I seem to get stuck on a pasta meat bolognase because I know it works.....thanks Pat

[@kungfumaster8171]

Excellent. You made it look very easy. For years I've always used the store bought stuff, I think i will have look at getting of these machines and have a go myself. Thanks for sharing.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi yes they are a great bit of kit for producing your own tasty and filling meals would highly recommend one , thanks Pat

[@ashropshirelad]

This has been like a bible for me today! First batch of Spaghetti Bolognese is in the dehydrator as I type this, been in for 8 hours now and got a few more to go but I'm looking forward to trying it out! Thanks for taking the time to make this, best video on this topic I've seen.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

That's great that the video has helped, certainly a great way to save weight.The dehydrated meals I have produced have all tasted just like they were freshly cooked, good luck with your dehydrating.....Pat

[@deborah1901]

thanks Pat. really interesting. looking forward to seeing them rehydrated on a wild camp!

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi there it was very interesting watching food dehydrate and quite surprised at how much water was dehydrated leaving just the bare bones of a meal, will do similar with some fruit then the easy bit of just adding water and rehydrating, all the best Pat

[@SistaJaine]

I've been dehydrating fruits & vegetables for the past couple of years, up until now I've been wary of attempting to dehydrate anything else, but you've just encouraged me to venture further afield...Great video, thanks Pat.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi and thanks for watching I did a lot of fruit initially but then moved on to complete meals for camping, have a few failures but get there in the end just a bit of trial and error, thanks again Pat

[@TD-mo2ci]

Great informative vid, thanks for this.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Your very welcome, thanks Pat

[@paulgoody9342]

Brilliant video

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Thanks for comments still using some of the bolognase 1 year later and tastes great, thanks for watching Pat

[@jeremynorman5329]

Another interesting video...something to ponder on. Thank you

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Jeremy dehydrating food is a hobby interest all on its own, and great for camping meals, thanks Pat

[@johnhawley699969]

One-pot chilli is my go-to for camping. But this is something I will have to try. Thank you Pat, keep up the good work.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi John yes its my favourite and don,t mind eating it again and again, meat pasta and sauce, everything I want in a meal, thanks Pat

[@diannepaine5667]

Great info. Well put together video. Thanks.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Dianne glad you enjoyed video its surprising what you can dehydrate and the little lightweight packet of food that is left when all the water has been removed, thanks for watching Pat

[@underwaterdick]

Great idea, thanks for sharing this with us. I would love to do this for hiking, especially if they last in the freezer, can just grab them before an ad hoc trip rather than rushing to the shop for what ever I can think of!

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Yes really great piece of gear, I have some spaghetti bolognase still in the fridge afetr a year, it looks fine and hoping to use on a camp this June, thanks for comments Pat

[@MICHAELMG62]

Very usefull info, many many thanks

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Michael easy video to make as in kitchen and not out in the wilds, hope to do one on fruit then try it all out on a camp, thanks for watching Pat

[@billyslittlebigadventurech9050]

hi Patrick. thanks for the info

[@klatapirata]

Thanks for this video. Very useful information.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi glad you enjoyed video hoping to do one on fruit soon, thanks Pat

[@georgegunn9387]

Good stuff Pat...I normally take mine straight out of the freezer and bung it in the microwave but having watched this i might think about making it myself. I guess it must be economical and it must also save you money in the long run...Nice one mate!

[@philnewman1110]

I found this one really interesting Pat, i didnt even realise this was possible at home, really good way of lightening the load when you go camping though, and the storage life is incredible. Well done again!

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Thanks Phil, tend to make several batches in one go. I intend publishing a video I have just done on Bleaklow using commercial dehydrated meals which cost a fortune and I can honestly say we're not a patch on my own, thanks Pat

[@mrfarty5017]

good video and a brilliant idea got to tell the wife I need one now .Thanks.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Defialy worth getting one then you look round at all the food you can dehydrate, thanks for watching Pat

[@mrfarty5017]

my wife said I've got to wait for my birthday before I can get one. so I've got plenty of time to think up some ideas . thanks again for the reply. looking forward to ur next Adventure.

[@TheKevcarp]

Great video. I could even use this method for quick meals at home.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi yes if you prepared a decent amount and dehydrated it would provide you with a lot of simple meals just add water and re-hydrate. Thanks for watching Pat

[@allanthompson9695]

Handy bit of kit. Beats watching the oven for 3-5 or more hours. Overnight processing is appealing as well. One thought when I was experimenting with dehydrating was the loss of nutritional content but it is what it is, so that would apply to the well known brand dehydrated food as well I suppose. Being able to know whats in it and control portion sizes is excellent. Great Vid.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Alan yes the dehydrator worked really well and as I have a healthy appetite is was great being able to make a decent size portion. looking round now for other complete meals I can dehydrate, all the best Pat

[@dannyvan5792]

good tip verry nice good idee

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Thanks Danny, tastes amazing, thanks Pat

[@callie1603]

I found this really interesting and useful. Thanks for doing this.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

My pleasure Caroline, a hobby on its own, dehydrating food...thanks Pat

[@thatoneguy1807]

Wow thanks pat I have to go get me one of those ! -Tim

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Tim yes can be used for all sorts of foods, really cuts down on weight for camping all the best Pat

[@gpk7683]

You always thank us for watching and we always thank you for your fine and informative videos. Makes for a really good relationship. My wife likes your kitchen colors. Stay safe

[@patrickdickinson6492]

paul keese Hi Paul really do appreciate all comments I get and feel it is important that I reply as soon as I can, my wife,s choice of colours, would of been different shades of brown if left to me, all the best Pat

[@robertharris1960]

Great video

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Thanks for the visit

[@Christophers-Assorted-Stuff]

I came here by chance after seeing your Haddon Hall railway tunnel vid. Now this de-hydrated meal is a brilliant idea, I never thought of that. I usually make a bolognase and put it in the freezer, transfering to the camper van fridge just before we go away. The fridge is quite small so this is a great way to free up some space. I'll be looking for more de-hydratable meal ideas now.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi glad you looked at my Haddon hall Tunnel video great place to explore. The dehydrated food is a great way of saving weight and space a interest all in itself, all the best Pat

[@marshabrown8337]

Fantastic. Thank you. Take care.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Marsha Mapes Hi again Marsha surprising how small a meal is when you remove all the liquid great for camping, all the best Pat

[@natedwards7019]

very informative thanks for this

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Nat glad you enjoyed video, so many things you can dehydrate and preserve for years, thanks for watching Pat

[@Martycycleman]

Very interesting 😊

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Glad you think so, a great way to produce your own lightweight camping meals....... thanks Pat

[@sarkybugger5009]

Hi Patrick. I just watched you eat it, so I thought I'd better watch how you made it too. Think I may have to invest in something similar. Thanks for the upload. ATB from sunny Folkestone.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi there, making the spaghetti took a bit of time but if make a big batch then you can have several meals in one go. Years ago when at work and not enough time I used to make about 12 pints of the bolognasse , get about 20 meals and freeze it, made life easy, thanks for watching Pat

[@thewestonfront]

ditto

[@TheMendipman]

Excellent!

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Noel Adams Thanks Noel and I ,am still using this food over a year later and it tastes great, thanks Pat

[@RS.Outdoors]

Nice one Patrick. Have the same model as you but haven't used yet. Its still sitting in cupboard so will need to get it out and try some stuff. Also have a vacuum sealer for sealing up and keeping fresh longer. Atb Ray.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi there like you my dehydrator seemed a good idea at the time 4 years ago but never got round to using it properly. having now used it it definitely is the way to go for lightweight filling meals on wild camps. But it still won,t beat a freshly cooked steak, fried onions etc. Vacuum sealer looks great piece of kit as well. all the best Pat

[@rozza381]

Great video Pat, made me feel hungry! BTW........nice tidy kitchen 😉

[@patrickdickinson6492]

hi Rozza I have re hydrated the spaghetti meal and it tasted fantastic, just the same as when it was cooked. thanks for watching and comments all the bets Pat

[@canopus101]

What a brilliant machine! I did not know a domestic sized dehydrator was available. I like spag bol and your recipe is similar to the one I make - with one important difference. I add about a teacup full of cheap ruby port. Put it in with the mice when you cook, the alcohol will steam off but it makes a rich taste. Don't know if that would affect the dehydration process but nice when cooked at home. I add the port to chili con carne too, really nice.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi that sounds a nice addition, I don,t think it would affect the dehydration process. Very useful machine use it a lot for fruit when in season and I make several backpacking meals in one go then probably not use it for months, but still very useful, thanks for comments Pat

[@canopus101]

Thanks Pat, I read my comment again and I meant 'mince' not 'mice'. It made it sound like Baldrick's First World War recipe, Fricassee of Rat, marinaded in puddle!

[@patrickdickinson6492]

and I thought it was a new recipe, I was going to try it once I ,d caught some mice, Pat

[@charlestaylor4447]

Brilliant explanation and demo of the dehydrator Pat 👍

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Charles,just finished my last dehydrated meal I made so must get on and make another batch, great way to preserve food, thanks Pat

[@simonmills9427]

Great vid Pat on a recent camp had 3 days food all dehydrated less then 1.5 kg that was breakfast lunch and dinner

[@patrickdickinson6492]

simon mills Hi Simon yes certainly cuts down on the weight and tastes so good as well. I ,am looking round for different meals to dehydrate now, thanks for comments and watching Pat

[@migranthawker2952]

Excellent vid, Pat. Will give your recipe a try :)

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Still eating those meals today,only one left, must get some more prepared for this winter, thanks Pat

[@theroamingreverend]

Seemed like a ball ache at first but WOW. What a weight saver. Brilliant. Gonna try this now.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi yes dehydrating meals for camping is a interest on its own, but the results are amazing, and a lot cheaper than the packets you buy ..... thanks Pat

[@theroamingreverend]

@@patrickdickinson6492 Love you man. Hope to see you whilst hiking or camping. Its you that gave me the love of the Peaks. Thanks Pat, Lee

[@PrepperFox]

Am a fan of dehydrating, have done this for some time. Must make a video on using it. Thanks for sharing Patrick. atb Foxy

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Foxy, had the dehydrator for few years but never got round to using properly, very impressed with results the food taste just like the day it was cooked, look forward to trying some different meals, thanks Pat

[@trufantom21]

Nice kitchen

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Thank you........Pat

[@macphadraig4154]

Top man!

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi glad you enjoyed video, going to do similar video on fruit then try out at wild camp, all the best Pat

[@colinbrown4008]

Nice vid dude.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Colin BRown thanks Colin glad you liked the video, Pat

[@missmaryh6932]

I recently watched you eat this meal. Thanks for showing us. Looks very interesting. We use minced Turkey thigh 😘🦃which is low fat and tastes great

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Yes and it tasted great, over 2 years since I made it so keeps well in dehydrated state, Pat

[@missmaryh6932]

Patrick Dickinson yes looked very wholesome. Maybe you should branch into it. On a small scale. Although maybe hard work. Thanks for response MHD

[@Shady_Lane]

@@missmaryh6932 i would definitely buy a few packs of "Dickinson's Dinners"!

[@ronniekotler9265]

Pat, just found your videos this week. I really enjoy them but being from the Southern US a little hard to understand but I am sure you might have a problem with my southern accent. Lol. I like your do it yourself dehydration method. I am going to look today into buying a dehydrator today so I can try it. Great video. From the Deep South US, Ronnie

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Ronnie nice to hear from you from the deep south, today 9 Nov Our TV screens are all about the US, but we will talk about dehydrators. One of the best bits of kit I have found for creating your own lightweight backpacking meals and they really do taste good and fill you up, you will find it becomes a interest on its own looking for different meals to dehydrate, all the best with your new dehydrator Pat

[@StephenTurnockMIRPCertRP]

Hi Patrick - enjoyed the video. I was thinking about dehydrating food for camps that I intend to do and i had seen +Black73cat use a dehydrator too. A great way to get the kit weight down but so many times ive cooked great meals with much left overs -especially Spaghetti Bolognese - so would be great to take along 'home from home'!. Regarding nutrition, well all cooked food will lose some nutrition but dehydration of freshly cooked foods must lock in original flavours, minerals and some vitamins. They are certainly healthier than anything processed / dehydrated off the shelf which will have a huge amount of nasty additives, including colourings, fatty sugars, preservatives salt and the presence of certain E additives linked to a range of medical conditions from hyperactivity in children to cancers in adults.. your own creations will definitely be tastier and healthier..

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Stephen yes dehydrating your own meals seems the way to go to get filling tasty and nutritious food while wwild camping, also adds another interest to the hobby, thanks again for watching Pat

[@gailmitchell8147]

Another bright video Pat . I love the colors in your kitchen . So cheerful to work in . All the best to you Gail

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Gail, my wife's choice of colours but I do like cooking and making my camping meals with the dehydrator in there, thanks Pat

[@Baron-Bagaten]

Very interesting video indeed, thank you. I already have a dehydrator but I don't think it's any where as capable as yours. It takes me upto 18 hours to dehydrate simple things like apple slices. Plus I have no way of placing liquid/small food on the plates either, and there are no instructions for dehydrating complete meals other than fruit slices etc. I was never aware you could dehydrate a ready meal in one of these units !, and have Never given it a thought. Very, very impressed indeed. I have checked the unit out on Amazon, it's quite costly as it comes from Australia. Thank you, I'm looking forward to the next video.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi yes the dehydrator is very impressive reducing the weight and volume of a meal by 3/4. still learning at moment but very useful and interesting item. Thanks for watching and commenting Pat

[@Baron-Bagaten]

Patrick Dickinson Thank you for your reply Pat, do you have any knowledge if or how much goodness is lost threw the dehydration process in terms of vitamins and minerals ?. I'm guessing the re-hydrated food will be less nutritious, I do realise the end game here is to reduce the weight on a hike, but just wanted to check if you have information on vitamin loss. Thank you.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi interesting question I dare say some of the minerals and vitamins maybe lost but not really sure worth looking into. Like you say main reason was to reduce weight but be able to produce a filling and tasty meal, thanks Pat

[@gray8046]

Hi Pat great vid, reminds me of the documentary I watched on the International space station, where they made spaghetti and meat sauce so basically spaghetti bolognese and then freeze dried it doing the same sort of job, but just removing a bit more of the water content, think they removed about 97-98% of the moisture, I did think this would be great for camping but a dehydrator is much cheaper than a freeze dryer.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Certainly cuts down on the weight for wild camping meals, and they taste so good....Pat

[@Bikepacking]

THANKS GOOD INFO

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi glad you enjoyed the video certainly was a improvement on packet dehydrated meals, thanks for watching Pat

[@GwersyllaCnau]

Thanks for sharing this video. I've been thinking about buying a dehydrator for a while now as using military MRE's is a bit heavy and you need at least 2 for a decent meal.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi there had the dehydrator for few years but never properly used it. Done a few meals now and results look good very lightweight and tasty and filling. Also very interesting looking at different things to dehydrate knowing they will keep for years, thanks for watching Pat

[@GwersyllaCnau]

+Patrick Dickinson As long as you don't become a. ...... PREPPED 😕😴😴😴

[@GwersyllaCnau]

+Squatts Wild Camping prepper even lol

[@DrKerr..]

New subscriber 😁 Great video. Atb Kerr, East Lothian.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Your very welcome Kerr, plenty of wild camping, hope to keep you entertained, thanks Pat

[@TerryMcGearyScotland]

Fascinating. Really interesting. Not a cheap item to run at almost 5 kwh but I guess cheaper (and probably more wholesome!) than buying even the quality camping packets. I wonder if trays placed in an oven on simmer would work. Thanks again for taking the trouble to make and share.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Terry just going through vids in case missed any comments.The dehydrated meals tasted fantastic and well worth the effort and a lot cheaper cost. Also they were fun to make and the meals can be tailored to your likes. The oven method would work if you could get temp low enough I believe. Thanks again Pat

[@TerryMcGearyScotland]

Cheers Pat. I might just give the oven a try as I don't get out enough to justify anything more. And our kitchen is running out of gadget space! :) Have a great New Year outdoors.

[@alant2419]

Your figures are a bit off Terry. 500w so for 8 hours 4kw. Probably 60p. However as it is thermostatically controlled I suspect substantially less. I would guess maybe 40p?

[@TerryMcGearyScotland]

Correct Alan. And not too bad a price to pay to get something wholesome from your ingredients.

[@nickwells55]

Hi Pat, love all your video's, have you ever thought of using quorn and a beef stock cube instead of beef mince, it would solve the meat fat issue?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Nick, afraid I like my meat, Quorn no !

[@petemcgowan2828]

very interesting video. Just wondering if the weight of water you take with you to re-hydrate the food still amounts to less than if you just took food, so to speak. thanks

[@simonpackham5780]

pete Mcgowan You can pick up water from many places on the route, including streams if you use a proper filter (eg Sawyer)

[@OUTDOORJULES]

brilliant Patrick can I ask where you buy these.. save loads on weight sick of humping meals up hills. enjoyed that :)

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Julie I bought my dehydrater about 4 years ago from a UK supplier, it was about £125 then I think amazon may supply them although around £200 whether there are other suppliers on the internet? Just done a camp using my own dehydrated food just got to edit the video then put on youtube. I , ve only just started using properly and the results were very good, the dehydrated spaghetti bol tasted just like I had just cooked it. Never going to buy a packet of dehydrated camping food again ! Thanks for watching all the best Pat

[@mally125]

Thanks for showing this method from start to finish, really informative. Have you changed your method over the last few years or have you stuck to the same way? And I was wondering have you tried roasting the mince in the oven first, rather than the traditional way of Stove Top cooking, to remove a little bit more Fat. I've had some really bad Mountain House meals lately that were rancid, and some had plastic sheets inside from the drying process, had my money back of course. I have no confiidence in them now, so I'm switching to your method. Thanks again, always enjoy your Videos.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi, not changed my method of cooking and preparing at all, it works and that,s fine by me. I think I did these meals in 2016 and had one about a year ago and it was perfect in everyway, spagette bolognaise is my favourite, but must try some different ones, thanks Pat

[@mally125]

@@patrickdickinson6492 I'm going to try a few different meals, and methods, and I''ll get back to you.

[@robertmackiey89]

A bit off topic but I’m curious, do you have your own weather station ? As it looked like a weather station receiver on your windowsill to me

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Robert Mackiey Hi Robert yes it is a weather station surprised how much we use, especially the outside temperature as it gets colder, very useful, thanks Pat

[@andyw3152]

Hi, which dehydrator do you use, with regards to the meet, would turnkey mince be better to use as its virtually no fat? Is dehydrating only practical when you can find a source of water, otherwise you have to take the extra water with you.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Andy yes Turkey meat should be OK I tend to use mince beef and rinse the fat out. The dehydrator I use is a Ezidri Snackmaker, I think it is Australian but managed to buy in Europe several years ago. I did want some more sheets recently and I had to get them from Australia. You do need a source of water or if not camping too far drop some off a few days before, hope helpful Pat

[@BravingTheOutDoors]

Hi Patrick, my wife and I have been watching your videos slowly making our way through all of them. We really like the material you’re putting together and your general demeanour. We just bought the Hilleberg Staika ourselves and Rab Down sleeping bags as we plan to do the Great Glen Way and the Affric Kintail trail in Scotland in September. The thought of dehydrating home cooked meals to replace the unaffordable MREs is pure genius and we love it! However, we then saw that dehydrators cost quite a bit as well and we were wondering, since we have no experience dehydrating anything, whether there was a reason behind your buying this rather expensive one as opposed to cheaper ones (£30-£50) instead? By the way, with regards to wild camping in England (we are from London) as we understand it it is essentially illegal but above certain heights and in remote enough locations it is tolerated. We were wondering what’s your experience with that. We also saw in one of the videos that you carry a fixed blade knife which again, seems to be pretty much illegal as well. This is a subject we are quite confused about since even a kitchen knife seems illegal but how else are you supposed to slice bread or even a tomato for that matter. If you have any thoughts and suggestions we would appreciate it. Thanks for your wonderful videos.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi there finally got back home so can reply, the dehydrator was bought 3-4 years ago never used it properly until now very pleased with the results, bought the snackmaker on recommendations I read, I was working then and a bit richer, I dare say the cheaper ones will do the same job perhaps some reviews may answer that. I have never had any problems with wild camping, try to keep a low profile and camp remote away from paths and people, sometimes not far from home but hidden by a rock or hollow also camp late and off early, but never been challenged at all. I usually carry my knife in my rucksack and put on belt at camp, sometimes left on my belt which i understand ilegal to carry knife in public place, difficult to get out of habit as in the scouts 45+ years ago we all had sheath knives. But times have changed and probably the right time for me to treat myself to a nice sharp folding knife, will put on my Christmas list. you seem well prepared for your great glen way trip in September hope all goes well, thanks for watching and comments much appreciated, all the best Pat

[@Robutube1]

Inspiring video Patrick and certainly "food for thought" (sorry!). One question - why hydrate and then dehydrate again the pasta rather than just add it at the camp? Does it behave differently (i.e.cook more quickly) once cooked and dried again?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

I think I cooked it all together so the spaghetti took up the flavour of the sauce and easy to cook in one go, thanks Pat

[@jfx1221]

Really enjoying the videos. How do you keep yourself fit between camps?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

jfx1221 Hi and great question, I have a great way, I deliver a free magazine in West Sheffield I have about 1200 to deliver over 2_3 days, each month it takes about 20 miles walking and help keeps me fit and I also get payed £100 which helps me buy extra kit, glad you asked, all the best Pat

[@billyslittlebigadventurech9050]

Hi Patrick. What a great idea. Does it cost a lot to run one of those dehydrators ?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Billy, it rated at 500W so I think average cost unit of electricity is 10p so on that basis about 5 pence an hour to run it. only just started using it properly and certainly reduces weight of food and tastes a lot better than stuff you can buy so looking good up to now, all the best Pat

[@Normanskie]

Well I'll be nipping out to the supermarket and getting me some mince tonight, thanks.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Norman, that spaghetti tasted great and was really filling so would recommend, make a big batch and freeze or dehydrate, thanks for watching all the best Pat

[@ajs2120]

We have one of those induction hobs, how do you find it? Great videos by the way, just about to click subscribe!

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi alex just getting used to it now, very quick how you can turn the heat down, and just wipe up spills after it boils over and not hot at all, very pleased with it, thanks Pat

[@ThePhobosAnomally]

So would these meals last for 1 week (7 days) if you would have it on a shelve (not fridge cold)?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

PhobosAnomaly hi storage varies with different foods, veg and fruit last a year or longer on a shelve, seal it in a vacuum bag and will last even longer. Meat line in the Spaghetti I keep in a freezer, had some there for 18 months, on a shelf may only keep a couple of weeks, not sure. Commercial dehydrated food keep for years out of a fridge, so I put mine in the freezer to be safe, hope helpful Pat

[@ShakespeareCafe]

Energy-intensive meal. You cook it, dehydrate it, freeze it, then cook it again. I'll suffer the weight penalty and just make it fresh in the field.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

It is a good and proven way of reducing you pack weight, I enjoy both, dehydrated meals if walking alot, or fresh food if camping near to home, thanks Pat

[@plantsitterssthelens.1506]

i just posted about doing this on a facebook wild camping page!......do you grow your own fruit and veg? I think it makes a massive difference to the flavour. I do 'soup bags'.......... still experimenting!

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi I grow a lot of fruit as its straightforward and provides a lot of produce which is so expensive in the shops. The dehydrator is great for dealing with the glut of fruit you always get. looking in to dehydrating complete meals for backpacking trips at moment, all the best with your fruit and veg growing, Pat

[@Shady_Lane]

great video, i might look into getting one of these.. however, this seems a little pointless unless you are hiking/camping near a decent stream. otherwise, you spend 8hrs to take the water out and then end up carrying the water with you separately anyway! so it wouldn't really save any weight in your pack, thoughts?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi normally in the area I camp there is plenty of water, so you carry out 200 grams of food, filter your water and rehydrate to 1000gms of food, massive weight saving all the time, and it tastes like the day you cooked it, thanks Pat

[@Shady_Lane]

@@patrickdickinson6492 it can't be bad, i always get hungry when you bring out the stove! and i'll just have to make sure my routes go near a stream, cheers

[@kennuff2]

Hi Patrick. Loved your video dehydrating food to save weight but you will still have to carry excess water with you to reverse the process, unless of course you always camp near a water supply or river. Any comment please. Thanks Ken

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Ken, yes I always collect and filter water near to where I camp when using the dehydrated food, like you say carrying water would defeat the object, thanks Pat

[@bblitefootbilly3243]

cool what was the kit you got to pack them ? thanks for the vids

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi William when the food is dehydrated I pack them in special bags and use a vacuum sealer which extracts all the air and heat seals the bags. The food keeps for ages, I store them in the freezer and still have some to eat at present, 2 and half years later, thanks Pat

[@rastamanralph6670]

I need a dehydrater now and I never even knew about them.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Really interesting price of kit and so useful for wildcamping, thanks Pat

[@rastamanralph6670]

@@patrickdickinson6492 I seen one for£25 from £50 on Amazon which is 5 tier and up to 70℃

[@dougieranger]

Great film Pat, linguine certainly is better than spaghetti.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Dougie yes a lot more filling than thin spaghetti although it would work with any pasta. As long as it fills me up I will be happy, thanks for watching Pat

[@thebrabman]

Its chuffin amazing how much liquid comes out of it

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Yes Brab, you don,t realise how much of our food is just liquid...and weight, thanks Pat

[@timramm1]

Just thinking this could be good for taking to work or festivals

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Yes Tim those and any other uses for dehydrated food like this, Pat

[@TheVanessasu915]

Can you put them in a thermos and just add hot water without boiling again?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Vanessa, I read that initial boiling speeded up the re hydration period but you could try a thermos,maybe a bit longer but should be Ok…… thanks Pat

[@markbuttery2790]

Nice idea Pat, i think i would just freeze the food and cook at the camp site.It worries me that the content of the dried food has the nutrition , vitamins, and proteins as cardboard.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Mark the dehydrated food you buy taste of rubbish, as I have just founf out. The food you prepare and dehydrate yourself tastes amazing, the same as frshly cooked food, thanks Pat

[@carlgray6764]

i sometimes boil the mince ... all the fat floats to the top. still you made me hungry,im off to cook some tea !

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Yes and you can skim it off, good idea, thanks Pat

[@gunneroutdoors3034]

Noooooo dont rinse the mince fat equals flavour that's like taking the spritzer off your beer pump .love your vids and love your pub

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Don,t want the fat in the dehydrated meal as it won,t keep, that's the main reason to rinse it out, can always put olive oil in when it's re cooked, thanks Pat

[@howardallen5390]

Have you tried dehydrating fish-and-chips and Farmers Blonde to take with you?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Sounds a good idea that, thanks Pat

[@williamblakeley3744]

just make it you sound like a science teacher .

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Engineer, not teacher, thanks Pat

[@jaggass]

Is the food really dry once its dehydrated?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Michael Langley Hi Michael yes the Spaghetti Bolognese it's very dry and brittle you could crumble it in your hand. I found some of the fruit although dry was a bit flexible, hope helpful, Pat

[@jaggass]

Im trying to lose a bit of weight by changing my diet and doing a bit of walking. Do you find that your adventures keep your weight down?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Michael Langley Hi Michael I,am naturally slim does,nt really matter what I eat or drink, lucky in a way but walking and exercise will definetly keep my weight down, I ,am never still, I have a Fitbit recording my steps and I can do 15000 steps not leaving the house just backwards and forwards busy with a project or something. I think if everybody walked a lot more they would be a lot more healthy, sodefinetly yes it does keep your weight down, Pat

[@jaggass]

Ive been walking uphill as it's more challenging and once your heart's beating faster you burn more calories. Ive been trying to get rid of my belly and also drinking apple cider vinegar which supposedly helps you lose weight. Im 6ft and weigh 95kg. All the fat goes straight to my belly ha ha.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Michael Langley Hope everything works out for you, the walking will definetly help with weight and health and how you feel generally good for you all round, thanks Pat

[@BravingTheOutDoors]

We asked too many questions ? haha ;-)

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi on hols walking round Jersey coastline at moment and wifi is rubbish, will definatly answer all comments when get back thanks Pat

[@zaftra]

Do you still do this?

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Yes, provides me with some really lightweight meals, thanks Pat

[@_Ramen-Vac_]

wow.. why's that machine need 500 watts? fans and heat? guess like a hairdryer. well I got a little space heater cube that puts out 1500, so, that sucker we could grill over.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Just gentle heat seems the way to go, Pat

[@johnlord8337]

Been saying this for a long time. Quit bitching at the price of freeze dried 30 years food packets that only give you the same 300-500 calories as a can of soup, ... or that of expiration dated canned (heavy water) foods. Buy it, or make it yourself, then dehydrate and package. Put other ingredients into the mix (extra egg noodles, ramen, pasta, vegs, eggs, scrambled eggs, egg yolks and/or whites, extra flour, extra grains, extra herbies ... Then you can make ANY SIZE calorie per volume baggy for eating a meal in the outback. Make that lumberjack meal of 1000 calories, and you won't be stopping for lunch, or getting tired chopping wood, setting up your camp site, ... hiking to that isolated spot. And (with mention below comment of excess fat/oils), don't pour down sink, put them into long-thin ziplock baggies, seal up, freeze, and take with you, putting those fats/oils back into the rehydrated foods for that additional super lube, making it taste all that much better, and all those extra fat energy calories.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi John Yes I,ve never got on with freeze dried meals never filled me up, as you say doing it yourself you can have as large a meal as you like put in the things you like and pack out with really filling ingredients. When rehydrating I have put in olive oil to replace fat etc makes it taste such a lot better. looking forward to trying out on next wild camp going to dehydrate some fruit next so can supply all my meals on next overnighter. all the best and thanks for interesting comments Pat

[@stephenwhite4293]

How about boiling the mince then the fat would float on top and just skim it off.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Stephen white yes sounds a ok idea suppose I cooked it like always have, worth trying, thanks Pat

[@richtourist]

Yes, quorn is suprisingly good stuff.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

richtourist yes that would be a good meat substitute, and no fat,but I do like my bit of meat in a meal, thanks for comments, Pat

[@richtourist]

Mine is on the stove right now. Didn't fancy the Quorn when I got to Sainsburys... 5% fat beef and a bottle of shiraz in mine. :-)

[@richtourist]

Amazing! Made my spag-bol. Put a 450g portion on a tray in the oven at 50degC for 8 hours until it was like gravel. Turned it over with a spoon every hour or so. Weighed it again... 137g! Thats 313g gone, 70% reduction in weight! Then tried re-hydrating. Brought 300g water to the boil, tipped in the gravel, stired it every few mins. After about 30mins it was completely back to normal. Can't believe how easy it was. I can carry a weeks proper nice food easily now. Thanks for this excellent video, really helped me.

[@billhambelton7698]

Great video. But you really don't want to wash fat down the sink. It will cause fatbergs in the sewer.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi thanks for comment never thought about problem of rinsing over sink will be more aware in future, thanks Pat

[@paulgreenwood69]

Great video. I love your outdoor values. I don’t like your food prep though.Rinsing your beautifully fried beef made mince? Your washing it’s essences away. If your VERY active you need good fats and calories and it won’t effect your health if it’s in good, sensibe moderation. Plus it will taste great.

[@grahamroffey1566]

He added olive oil on camp to one of his dehydrated meals.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Hi Paul yes agree but you have to rinse the fat out so the food will keep, as mentioned olive oil added at re hydration stage, Pat

[@sindento1942]

Personally I wouldn't use hot water to rinse the beef,or anything in fact.If your water comes from a hot water storage tank fed by a header tank in the loft you wouldn't believe what can get in there,they collect sludge and various insects,it's not unknown for the occasional rat to get in one and drown. Apart from that little niggle I've really enjoyed binge watching your video's this last week or so.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Thanks for the comments, luckly with a combination boiler the cold water is heated immediately and pumped out the hot water tap so should be ok. Other way boil kettle for rinsing water, thanks Pat

[@nomisvagabond139]

Cochina de Patrick 🥐🥪🌰🥦 muy bien amigo pero no vegeteriano 👳 . Vlog es siempre bien ▶️

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Yes my femine side coming out as I prepare some food for future camping trips, Gracias Pat

[@WOLFROY47]

scots beef and mince it yourself

[@seamusmcbride2832]

Public comment squared...

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Thank you Seamus, very kind of you...... thanks Pat

[@eamonncoll6316]

Fat down the sink eventually leads to fat bergs in sewage system.

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Yes I realize that now,wrong to pour down sink, we live and learn, thanks Pat

[@WOLFROY47]

yep being older, you remember real food, before of all this processed crap

[@seamusmcbride2832]

Public comment...

[@patrickdickinson6492]

Thanks Seamus