View Full Version : Drying beans and tofu
I had some time tonight so I decided to get a bit of work done for Catzia, who needed some tofu dried up for an upcoming trip.
First I did a tray of of canned black beans. I used lower sodium beans, well drained and well rinsed, then spread on a lined tray.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/beans.jpg
The second tray was baked tofu, in a savory flavor. It was from Wildwood Natural Food. I diced it up into bite size pieces and spread it on the tray.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/tofu1.jpg
The third item was a block of Pete's Tofu (http://petestofu.com/petestofu.htm) . I partially opened it and squeezed gently out the little bit of water in it. I then halved it widthwise, then cut lengthwise pieces, then diced it. And spread it out on the tray.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/tofu2.jpg
Everything is drying at 135* currently. I will post drying times tommorow, plus a photo of the dried items :)
The black beans dried very nicely. They were done in under 6 hours. 15 ounces of beans became about 2 1/2 ounces. They came back with boiling water (1 tbl dried beans to about 1 1/2 tbl water for my test, in a bag, in a cozy). Let them sit for about 5 minutes and they looked excellent. Beans being dried do crack open, so they are never perfect looking ;)
The tofu does take a long time to dry, at least 12 hours.
Skidsteer
09-07-2006, 20:46
The black beans dried very nicely. They were done in under 6 hours. 15 ounces of beans became about 2 1/2 ounces. They came back with boiling water (1 tbl dried beans to about 1 1/2 tbl water for my test, in a bag, in a cozy). Let them sit for about 5 minutes and they looked excellent.
Sarbar ,
Can you save me the math and give me an idea of how many oz's of boiling water are needed to rehydrate a 15 oz can of dehydrated(2 1/2 oz.)beans? Thanks.
Signed,
'I sleep alone' :p
<Sar going into the kitchen> It'll be a few :D What I need to do is measure the beans before drying and after. That helps with the rehydrating water question!
I'd be interested in hearing how small the tofu got after drying, did you use firm, extra firm - and how it tasted upon reconstitution.
:)
Skidsteer
09-07-2006, 21:52
I'd be interested in hearing how small the tofu got after drying, did you use firm, extra firm - and how it tasted upon reconstitution.
:)
It appears Sarbar will be busy keeping up with our requests.
Smile, I see that an inchworm ate your goofy cat. ;)
Lets say that while the beans work great for coming back in a freezer bag, the tofu is not a winner. Either version of it (smoked cooked and plain extra firm uncooked). It is going to need a loooooong soaking time. Like half a day in the pack.
The smoked version dries a lot better, and is coming back to life faster right now. I had issues with getting the plain version dry enough also. It is very moist, so takes a long time to dry.
Stuff is sitting in a cozy right now ;)
Btw..black eyed peas are easy to dry, and also come right back :)
Alligator
09-07-2006, 22:11
Dear I sleep alone,
Dehydrated beans produce the most noxious fumes.
Respectfully,
In the know.
Alligator
09-07-2006, 22:16
Lets say that while the beans work great for coming back in a freezer bag, the tofu is not a winner. Either version of it (smoked cooked and plain extra firm uncooked). It is going to need a loooooong soaking time. Like half a day in the pack.
The smoked version dries a lot better, and is coming back to life faster right now. I had issues with getting the plain version dry enough also. It is very moist, so takes a long time to dry.
Stuff is sitting in a cozy right now ;)
Btw..black eyed peas are easy to dry, and also come right back :)Cut it thinner or crumble into a complete dinner then dehydrate. Use the least firm available. Freezing it before dehydrating produces a sort of pot pie chicken cube texture. It generally stays fairly chewy, crumbling it is best.
Dear I sleep alone,
Dehydrated beans produce the most noxious fumes.
Respectfully,
In the know.
Lets not tell my tarp mate this weekend :eek:
Alligator
09-07-2006, 22:18
Lets not tell my tarp mate this weekend :eek:Hike in front for kicks:D .
Skidsteer
09-07-2006, 22:22
Dear I sleep alone,
Dehydrated beans produce the most noxious fumes.
Respectfully,
In the know.
Dear In the Know,
I fear you are quite right. :p
Signed,
Bears stagger and snakes grow legs
I've never cooked beans on the trail so I have a question...
When I make beans at home (soup, chili, etc) I have to soak them for a loooong time, then cook them for a loooong time. Is this feasible for outdoor cooking? Is there a short-cut?
Lentils cook pretty quick, no matter where you are. I was planning on testing out some recipes using them.
Skidsteer
09-09-2006, 12:46
I've never cooked beans on the trail so I have a question...
When I make beans at home (soup, chili, etc) I have to soak them for a loooong time, then cook them for a loooong time. Is this feasible for outdoor cooking? Is there a short-cut?
Sure. See Sarbar's post # 1 and #2 above.
Amigi'sLastStand
09-09-2006, 15:30
This might be a dumb question, but why not just buy precooked dehydrated beans? They usually come in a bag with 4-6 diff beans. I use em for veggie soup at home.
Skidsteer
09-09-2006, 15:34
This might be a dumb question, but why not just buy precooked dehydrated beans? They usually come in a bag with 4-6 diff beans. I use em for veggie soup at home.
Where do you buy them and how much do they cost, Amigi?
I guess what I'm having trouble understanding is why dehydrated-then-rehydrated beans don't require hours of pre-soaking and long cook times? And what does make them different from the bagged dried beans (which are a lot cheaper than canned)?
bigcranky
09-09-2006, 16:40
Dried beans that you buy in a bag at the grocery store haven't been cooked. You have to soak them and then cook them in order to eat them.
Canned beans have been cooked; that's why they are soft and edible straight from the can.
Sarbar is talking about dehydrating cooked beans. These should then rehydrate fairly quickly in a freezer bag with boiling water. These dehydrated cooked beans are NOT the same as dried beans from the grocery store.
I'm gonna throw out a guess here that the ones in the bags at the store aren't cooked whereas the ones in the cans are. For my upcoming trip I've been doing this with pinto beans and sort of making a refried bean paste which I've dehydrated and ground into a powder. My plan is to heat an extra bit of water at breakfast to go into a bag with the bean paste, taco beef gravel, dehydrated chipotle onions, and maybe some dehydrated canned corn for lunch on tortillas. I've got jerkey on the dehydrator right now, but when that get's done I'm going to see if I can make some hummus to dry. Same idea as beans only on pita. Now to figure out a way to dehydrate falafel. I'm really interested to see how the tofu turns out. :D speedy
Edit: Big Cranky, I thought I warned you about posting while I'm typing. I've had either dehydrated or freeze-dried tofu in mizo soup packets before. They were cheap ones from the asian section at the grocery store, so I can't imagine them being freezedried. They were just cut really thin though and basically garnish.
Edit #2: Sarbar, as long as you're grabbing pics of this stuff, could you take one of the fan(s) in the bottom of the dehydrator? I've looked online but can't find any. I'm stuck with a Ronco for the time being, but I've got plenty of electronics fans so I could probably retrofit one if I had an idea to go on.
Amigi'sLastStand
09-09-2006, 17:19
The beans I'm talking about are not the beans in the bag that take hours to reconstitute. The product is Badia Cooked Beans, says use in soups or hot salsa. They are just cooked beans that look like they were dehydrated. I dont remember any other varieties, but there could be. The cost like 3.50-4 a bag. The bag is 16oz. They are very salty, also.
Smile, I see that an inchworm ate your goofy cat.
Actually a horned worm that eats tomatoes, that is a finger on the left next to it, and a whiteblaze on the right ;)
bigcranky
09-09-2006, 18:41
Edit: Big Cranky, I thought I warned you about posting while I'm typing.
Arriba! Arriba! Andale! Andale! YEEHAH!
;)
bigcranky
09-09-2006, 19:24
Speedy,
Let me add that you can buy already dehydrated refried bean flakes. You just add boiling water in a freezer bag and let them sit for a few minutes in a cozy, and they make great refritos.
I like to mix equal parts of Fantastic Foods dehydrated refritos and FF veggie taco filling mix. Put some of this mix in a freezer bag, add boiling water, and let it sit in a cozy for a few minutes. Then I cut one of the corners of the bag and squeeze the paste into a tortilla, and add a little sliced cheddar. Mmmm.
--Ken
I've seen the beans before. Looks handy, but I've got more time than money, for the next few months anyway. I will check out the veggies though. Supposedly the Publix down the street has them. I've been wanting something good to add to the tacos. I appreciate the info, thanks. :D speedy
Hi Speedy, I have the Snackmaster dryer - it's fan is on top. I'll post some photos when I have a chance (I just got home from a trip).
Just Tomatoes used to make freeze dried black beans but quit making them :( Using canned beans is great..because they are cooked, and all you have to do is rinse and dry :) They come back to life in 5 minutes in a cozy which is awesome! And you have lots of choices these days in the bean aisle.
And the dried instant refried brown and black beans are great in burritos!
LostInSpace
09-10-2006, 22:51
I've tried canned white kidney beans, too, and they seem to work. I'm wondering about other veggies that would take too long to cook if the frozen versions were dried, e.g, corn, regular string beans, kale, etc. Frozen French cut green beans work, okay.
I'm trying to come up with a good combination to make a veggie stew mix (a trail version of ministrone without a lot of water). Any recipes?
I've tried canned white kidney beans, too, and they seem to work. I'm wondering about other veggies that would take too long to cook if the frozen versions were dried, e.g, corn, regular string beans, kale, etc. Frozen French cut green beans work, okay.
I'm trying to come up with a good combination to make a veggie stew mix (a trail version of ministrone without a lot of water). Any recipes?
I make a recipe where I use dried veggies, and I run them thru the blender :) This makes them small sized. I add dried beans, low sodium bullion, small pasta such as couscous, lots of herbs and spices. Change it as I like it! Dried tomatoes would be a great addition.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
09-11-2006, 08:21
::: peaks around to be sure male dino isn't within hearing distance ::: I often puree veggies before drying and add them to recipes at home. The male dino isn't a big veggie fan, but I know he needs them to stay healthy and I lubs me some cuddly male dino. For minestrone, I would think a food processor set to shred would be the ticket.
Off Topic: But--
Hey Speedy, where did you get your picture from? I have a numbered print of Speedy Gonzales and would like to find one of his best friend Slo Poke Rodriquez. My daughter works in an art gallery and she can't find one of Slo Poke. Can you offer any help?
Farr Away
09-11-2006, 22:23
::: peaks around to be sure male dino isn't within hearing distance ::: I often puree veggies before drying and add them to recipes at home. The male dino isn't a big veggie fan, but I know he needs them to stay healthy and I lubs me some cuddly male dino. For minestrone, I would think a food processor set to shred would be the ticket.
Shh. I used to sneak shredded veggies (with some diced fruit) into my kids jello. I actually got them to eat beets that way. ;)
Dried beans that you buy in a bag at the grocery store haven't been cooked. You have to soak them and then cook them in order to eat them.
Canned beans have been cooked; that's why they are soft and edible straight from the can.
Aha. That makes sense. Thanks!
Alligator
09-12-2006, 11:17
I've used both dried and canned beans to make dehydrated meals and would recommend the canned when dehydrating. I've noticed that starting with dried beans the end rehydrated bean can be a little tough.
If you really want to though, make sure to cook the dried beans to a fairly soft consistency before dehydrating.
I also roughly mash larger beans before dehydrating. Really just chick peas.
Have we heard how the experiment came out from the topic starter? Curious, especially about the reconstitution and taste! ;)
Evidently the tofu too so long to dry that a colony of some food borne illness had time to grow. Sarbar never even knew what hit her. RIP, you will be missed. :p Wow do I have a warped sense of humor. :D speedy
Hahhah...wisecrackers ;)
I was out backpacking :p Eating my dried beanies, which turned out great :D
Ok, the tofu: This won't work in freezer bag meals. It needs to be soaked for half or full day to come back :( Oh well! And Just Tomatoes quit making the freezedried version...grumblegrumble......
And just when I thought I'd found a chance to creep in on your monopolistic freezerbag empire! :D speedy
Frolicking Dinosaurs
09-12-2006, 16:51
I'm having vision of Sarbar and Speedy having a food fight with dried tofu... perhaps I've eaten too many dried mushrooms.
Thanks for the update! Im sure there's another use for dried tofu in hiking somewhere. It's light, edible, and could possibly be used to sit in your boots overnight to soak up any moisture, mmmmm a nice addition to any bean meal. ;)
Frolicking Dinosaurs
09-12-2006, 17:26
Sarbar - any chance tofu could be dried and then ground to powder to make it hydrate more quickly? I was considering adding it to balance the amino acid content of other veggies to up the usable protein.
FD, That is where I think dried tofu would work...maybe I'll try that!
I noticed that in instant miso soup they use paper thin pieces of tofu. This may be why it comes back to life. Not sure.....
Thanks for the update! Im sure there's another use for dried tofu in hiking somewhere. It's light, edible, and could possibly be used to sit in your boots overnight to soak up any moisture, mmmmm a nice addition to any bean meal. ;)
Finally! No more trench foot in winter! :D lol....
Skidsteer
09-12-2006, 17:46
Sarbar - any chance tofu could be dried and then ground to powder to make it hydrate more quickly? I was considering adding it to balance the amino acid content of other veggies to up the usable protein.
You know that sounds like it might work.
The biggest problem I have with Tofu is the weight penalty. I would need to pack an equal amount in ounces of psyllium to avoid looking like 'Mr. Creosote' (http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/mol/jpgs/vi-creo2.jpg) after a week of hiking.
Alligator
09-12-2006, 21:06
Post #9. Crumble it into the recipe then dehydrate:) .
Frolicking Dinosaurs
09-12-2006, 21:11
Both tofu and TVP are soy based. TVP generally has a lot of salt and some things I want to add it to are already salty enough. For those, I'd like to make my own unflavored TVP. I use the bacon flavored TVP in my morning grits to balance the amino acids. The beef and chicken flavors also find their way into many of my meals along with real chicken and beef.
Off Topic: But--
Hey Speedy, where did you get your picture from? I have a numbered print of Speedy Gonzales and would like to find one of his best friend Slo Poke Rodriquez. My daughter works in an art gallery and she can't find one of Slo Poke. Can you offer any help?
This guy?
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:Qq4MFvLU3kdhKM:www.bramptoncanadettes .com/main/imgtoons/slowpoke.gif (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bramptoncanadettes.com/main/imgtoons/slowpoke.gif&imgrefurl=http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm%3Ffuseaction%3Duser.viewprofile%26friend id%3D2552065&h=221&w=207&sz=7&tbnid=Qq4MFvLU3kdhKM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dslowpoke%2Brodriguez&start=3&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3)
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:zHssTpSUUJcnNM:telemaniac.free.fr/rodriguez.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://telemaniac.free.fr/rodriguez.jpg&imgrefurl=http://theboogerblog.blogspot.com/archives/2004_04_01_theboogerblog_archive.html&h=211&w=254&sz=25&tbnid=zHssTpSUUJcnNM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dslowpoke%2Brodriguez&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1)
LostInSpace
09-12-2006, 22:58
Sarbar - any chance tofu could be dried and then ground to powder to make it hydrate more quickly? I was considering adding it to balance the amino acid content of other veggies to up the usable protein.
Wouldn't you be accomplishing the same thing by just using TVP?
Both tofu and TVP are soy based. TVP generally has a lot of salt and some things I want to add it to are already salty enough. For those, I'd like to make my own unflavored TVP. I use the bacon flavored TVP in my morning grits to balance the amino acids. The beef and chicken flavors also find their way into many of my meals along with real chicken and beef.
FD, check out Bob's Red Mill TVP :) It is low in sodium!
Wouldn't you be accomplishing the same thing by just using TVP?
Different flavors and textures :)
Off Topic: But--
Hey Speedy, where did you get your picture from? I have a numbered print of Speedy Gonzales and would like to find one of his best friend Slo Poke Rodriquez. My daughter works in an art gallery and she can't find one of Slo Poke. Can you offer any help?
Thanks Austexs. I totally missed that post. I'd love to help if I could, but the only picture I could even find was this (http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/7193051/?q=slowpoke+rodrigues+boost%3Apopular+age_sigma%3A 24h+age_scale%3A5), much less a numbered print. The one for my avatar I sort of drew by hand because I couldn't find any good pictures of him and I wanted a really high res one. (thought I might get it embroidered on my pack someday) After spending a couple hrs on the illustration (that's a real G6 whisper uberlight on his back), I accidently saved over the high res one with the 100x100 px avatar version. That's one way to get sick in a hurry. :D speedy
Edit: If you or your daughter has any contacts in the UK, you might want to check there. I believe the cartoon was quite popular over there.
LostInSpace
09-13-2006, 01:27
I can see that TVP has a different flavor and texture than tofu. However, tofu ground to a powder, as FD suggested, can't have much texture at all. :) I use Bob's Red Mill TVP, and I hardly notice it in most of my dishes. I would think that powdered tofu would take on the taste of whatever it was mixed with just as TVP does.
I like dried tuna and chicken better, but they don't come ready packaged like TVP. Maybe someday. :rolleyes:
Frolicking Dinosaurs
09-13-2006, 06:34
FD, check out Bob's Red Mill TVP :) It is low in sodium!Thanks for this source. I'm in the process of making up the fall hiking meals - does this company process orders fairly rapidly?
Thanks Austexs & Speedy. Latin America is also a big fan of Speedy & Slo Poke. Warner Bros. should have made a print of Slo Poke also.
Now I turn the conversation back into tofu and TVP! Ala Ka Zam
LostInSpace
09-13-2006, 09:44
Thanks for this source. I'm in the process of making up the fall hiking meals - does this company process orders fairly rapidly?
I have been able to buy it locally from Fresh Fields and Whole Foods stores in my area.
I have been able to buy it locally from Fresh Fields and Whole Foods stores in my area.
Yep, same for me at Whole Foods. :D speedy
I do all of my bulk shopping at Wild Oats. They have so much to chose from. Actually there is a lot of stuff I have no clue as to what it is....lol
Frolicking Dinosaurs
09-13-2006, 10:34
I've got to go to the food co-op today - I'll see if they have it unflavored. I have trouble seeing what's on the bottom row in the bulk foods because I'm older, dinged-up dino and things that don't sell as well are kept there.
Thanks for this source. I'm in the process of making up the fall hiking meals - does this company process orders fairly rapidly?
Good compant :) Out here all the grocery stores carry the whole line by them. Yeah, I know, we Westerners are pampered ;) Hehheh!! So many health nuts out here, that one doesn't have to go to the hippie markets :D