Food and Gear Update
Tuesday Afternoon It's been 39 days since I dehydrated some Chicken Teriyaki with Rice and Vegetables. Having never dehydrated chicken before--and working in the hospitality industry where food safety paranoia governs your every move--I made up seven and a half portions, Zip-Locked them all up, put seven in the freezer and left the half portion in a cupboard. I've read that cooked/dehydrated proteins may go bad after about a month if not refrigerated or kept in a freezer if the meat wasn't properly dried or--also bad--they may go rancid if there is too much fat left in it. My Colorado Trail hike will, I hope, last a maximum of 39 days, and I wanted to test one of these dehydrated meals at it's maximum oldness so I just boiled it back to life and ate it for lunch. It's probably a smart thing to do a couple of hours before I head in to work...eating food that may or may not have gone bad. So I'll let you know tomorrow and/or tonight how I feel.