Taco Casserole with Cornbread Meal in a Jar

Contributed By: John in Bibs

This recipe makes 11 to 12 servings

Directions:

1. Bake the cornbread into muffins according to the directions on the box.
2. In one or two large pans (using about 2.5 lbs per pan if preparing 5 lbs total), fry the hamburger until evenly browned.
3. For long-term storage, drain off the excess fat and rinse the meat with warm water before continuing.
4. Return the drained meat to the pan and add the taco seasoning mix. Follow the package instructions for mixing and cooking until the seasoning is fully incorporated.
5. Once cooked, transfer the seasoned meat to a separate dish.
6. In the same pan, add butter or a splash of broth to sauté the vegetables.  Add the frozen pepper stir fry and sauté until the vegetables are tender.
7. Stir in the canned corn with the sautéed vegetables. Allow the mixture to warm through so that all the veggies reach a uniform temperature.
8. Transfer the seasoned hamburger and vegetable mixture into a large stock pot.
9. Add five cans of Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies) to the pot.
10. Stir well, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.  Allow to cool.
11. Add parchment paper to your trays.  Spread the casserole across your trays evenly, saving one tray for the corn muffins.  
12. Pre-freeze.
13. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 51 hours).
14. I put this into wide mouth pint jars.  I first filled most of the way with casserole (about 1 ½ cups), then put some freeze dried shredded cheddar and cornbread on top.  This is one serving.

Rehydration:

Take the muffin out of its jar.  Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the jar.  Place the muffin on top of the water, then cover the jar.  Let it stand for 20 minutes so the muffin softens.  After soaking, break up the softened muffin into small pieces.  Stir the crumbled muffin into your casserole.

This recipe was intended to be a meal in a jar so you can just pull it out, add water and eat.  However you can also store this separately as a stand alone casserole and rehydrate a large batch.  Start with a 1:1 water ratio, but it will likely require about 50% more.  

Notes:  

 When preparing ground beef for freeze drying—especially for long-term storage—minimizing the fat content is crucial. Fat can lead to rancidity and reduced shelf life because it doesn’t freeze-dry well.  To increase the storage life consider these tips:

• Select lean cuts
• Rinse at least once after cooking
• Pat it dry after rinsing to blot up additional fats
• Ensure it is frozen solid when you start freeze drying

Nutritional Value Per 1 serving 

Calories: 915   Protein: 46 g   Fat: 45 g   Carbohydrates: 64 g   Sugar: 20 g   Fiber: 9 g