Perfect Freeze Dried Steak

This recipe will make as many steaks as you choose to make

Directions:

1. Trim all visible fat. For best results, use thin-cut steaks (½-inch thick) rather than thicker cuts, as they freeze-dry and rehydrate more efficiently.
2. Sous Vide Method: Cook at 130°F for 2 hours for medium-rare. Consider adding marinades or spices directly to the sous vide bag for enhanced flavor.
3. Grilling Method: Grill to 130°F for medium-rare. If desired, marinate the steak beforehand or vacuum-seal it with marinade before cooking.
4. If using sous vide, freeze the collected juices separately and freeze-dry them to use later for rehydration.
5. Place the cooked steak on pre-cut parchment-lined freeze dryer trays.
6. Use a sharpie to label the parchment with details such as "raw," "medium-rare," or any other notes for easy identification.
7. Pre-freeze when possible.
8. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 19 hours).
9. Store in mylar bags for long-term storage.

Rehydration:

This is where you can get creative!  Rehydrate with your sous vide liquid, Worcestershire, marinades, beer, spices, broth etc. Cooked meats rehydrate fully within 1 hour and cannot over rehydrate.  Oil or Butter is helpful for adding the fat back into meat for texture and taste.  Make sure you aren’t overcooking with hot liquids.  If cooked sous vide, finish in a hot pan or sear for 1 minute on the grill.

Notes:

Raw steak can also be freeze dried.  However, if you pre-cook the meat before freeze drying, your results for rehydration will be better.  There are also precautions to take when using raw meat.

Nutritional Value Per 12 oz of sirloin

Calories: 750   Protein: 70 g   Fat: 40 g   Carbohydrates: 0 g   Sugar: 0 g   Fiber: 0 g

Cycle times & rehydration for reference only. Your results may vary.