The Musical Fruit For Camping: Dehydrated Refried Beans

[vc_row 0=””][vc_column][vc_column_text 0=””]

Beans, beans, the musical fruit; the more you eat, the more you – you probably already know the rest.

Even though beans may not be a favored food among many people, it is definitely a staple food when it comes to camping and hiking. So don’t walk past that pack of beans in the grocery isle just yet, especially if you’re planning to go out on a camping trip. Grab them, you’ll need it – trust me.

Why, Oh Why?

While some of you are probably frowning and shaking your head at the thought of bringing along food that can possibly make your stomach combust the moment you eat them, having a pack of dehydrated refried beans can actually be a lifesaver when you’re out on camp. Not only are they good for hiking, but they are also an emergency essential you can pack for your home.

What Even Is That?

You’re probably wondering what dehydrated refried beans even is. I sure didn’t know what they were until I started really getting into camping and hiking, and I was introduced to this weird and wonderful, convenient packet of food.

The way regular, refried beans are made is the beans are first soaked in water, mashed, and then fried in lard or oil. You will usually find these refried beans in the canned food isle in the grocery store. They are very popular in Mexican cooking.

Dehydrated refried beans, on the other hand, are made a bit differently. After the beans are dehydrated, they are flaked and then flavored with salt or other spices. They aren’t actually fried in lard or oil. When you’re ready to use them, you just add water to reconstitute them and they will be ready to eat.

What Should I Use It For?

One of the things you can use dehydrated refried beans for is to keep them as emergency food at home or in your “emergency go-bag” if you have one. Dehydrated refried beans have a long shelf life and they are versatile enough to create a number of different dishes with.

Another thing you can use dehydrated refried beans for is during your camping or hiking trip. As I’ve mentioned, they store well so they won’t be a problem to bring along with you to camp.

If you find your dehydrated refried beans in a can, you can repack them into zipper bags for more convenience. They are lightweight and easy to carry with you, so when you go out on your next camping trip, you won’t have to stress or worry about carrying a heavy backpack along with you.

Beans are usually a popular ingredient in Mexican cooking. If you are quite unsure of what you can use them for, you can make:

• Soups
• Spread
• Dips for tortilla chips and enchiladas
• Tacos/burritos

If you don’t know where to start or have never really used refried beans, you can try making a simple refried bean quesadilla. Of course, if you are using dehydrated refried beans, you’ll need to reconstitute them first by adding boiling water. Then you can follow the recipe:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/725645/refried-bean-quesadillas

Where To Get Them?

There are a lot of different brands of both dehydrated refried beans and regular refried beans available that it won’t be too difficult to find. You can most likely find them in your local grocery stores or check online for them. Continue reading below for some suggested brands that you can get online.

Of course, as with almost anything, you can also try a do it yourself. You can buy refried beans and dehydrate them yourself in a food dehydrator like in this video:

Any Good Brands Or Products?

There are quite a number of different brands of dehydrated refried beans that you can check out. Here are some of my suggestions:

Mother Earth True Dehydrated Refried Beans Mix

[amazon box=”B008D55XRY” template=”standard”]

This one is made up of dehydrated legumes and can store 1-2 years in your cupboard. But if it is kept in its proper packaging, it can store for even longer. You can also check their website where they sell a variety of different kinds of dehydrated beans.

HoneyVille Farms Dehydrated Refried Bean Flakes

[amazon box=”B0097FNE8O” template=”standard”]

This one comes in a can so if you are planning to bring it out to camp, the best thing to do is transfer however much you need into a zipper bag so it fits more conveniently in your backpack. However, if you’re planning to use this as an emergency supply of food, it can store for up to 20 years unopened.

Emergency Essentials Dehydrated Refried Beans

You can also try the dehydrated refried beans from Emergency Essentials. It makes use of only pinto beans and salt, plus it is meant for emergency storage use so its shelf life will be very long.

The Verdict?

I hope this information was enough to convince you that a pack of the “musical fruit” is something that is great to bring along with you on a trail. If you’re already bringing a bunch of dehydrated food, just add some dehydrated refried beans in as well. That way, you get to enjoy all kinds of food that use beans – especially Mexican food like tacos and burritos.

As with any trail food, they are light, easy to pack, easy to carry, and can be reconstituted with just some boiling water. The possibilities are endless, and if you are someone who enjoys eating beans regularly, then this should now be on your packing list for your next hike.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]