Turkey Chili

Contributed By: Hallie Thompson

This recipe makes 16 cups of Turkey Chili

Directions:

1. Using an 8-quart pot with a lid, add onion, turkey, garlic, and broth. Cook on medium-high heat for 15 minutes, chopping up the turkey and stirring continuously.
2. Add red pepper, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, basil, and green chilis. Continue cooking until almost all of the liquid is gone, but not completely. This will help cook in the flavor and takes approximately 30 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, and beans.
4. Bring to a boil while stirring, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 1 hour.
5. Remove from heat and let cool.
6. Add 4 cups per medium tray, then use dividers set to 10 portions to pre-portion the chili. Cover with a lid and freeze until frozen solid.
7. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 39 hours)
8. Store in jars for short-term use or in mylar bags for long-term storage

Rehydration:

To rehydrate one serving, add ¾ to 1 cup of boiling water to 1½ to 2 cups of freeze-dried chili. Stir, let sit for 3-5 minutes, then check the consistency. Add up to 1⅓ cups of water as needed, stirring until fully rehydrated. Adjust for desired thickness.

Notes:

Make sure to drain and rinse all the beans. Using dividers 2-3 portions will yield 1 ½ cup to 2 Cup serving size. It is recommended to pre-freeze soups before freeze drying to ensure that they are frozen evenly before your vacuum pump kicks on.

Nutritional Value Per 1 ½ cup serving

Calories: 195   Protein: 17 g   Fat: 4.5 g   Carbohydrates: 23 g   Sugar: 4.5 g   Fiber: 7 g

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