Freeze-Dried Foods: How to Rehydrate Freeze Dried Food
Freeze-dried foods are great for emergency situations and long-term preservations, boasting shelf lives exceeding 25 years. They’re lightweight, compact, easy to store, and retain nutritional value better than other drying methods.
Freeze-dried food can be eaten in its freeze-dried state or rehydrated.
In this article, we’ll show you how to rehydrate freeze-dried food, along with liquid ratios, timing, and more.
Can Freeze Dried Food Be Rehydrated?
Freeze-dried food can reabsorb the moisture they’ve lost during the freeze-drying process. Exposure to liquid allows the freeze-dried product to revert to its original state.
Unlike dehydrated food, which usually takes between 20 minutes to several hours to fully absorb the water you add, freeze-dried food absorbs moisture near-instantly.
Fruit and vegetable items take between one to three minutes to absorb liquid, whereas meat products can take up to 15.
It’s important to note that freeze-dried food isn’t the same as frozen food.
Freeze drying, also known as cryodesiccation or lyophilization, involves the process of removing 80 to 95% of the product’s water content by turning it from ice to vapor. It’s divided into three steps: freezing, primary drying, and secondary drying.
Freezing, on the other hand, stops at the freezing step. It exposes food to temperatures below freezing point, turning it into ice and solidifying the water contained in the food rather than turning it into vapor.
Related Article: Freeze Drying Vs. Dehydrating: What You Need To Know
Why Does Food Need to Be Rehydrated?
While it’s perfectly safe to eat freeze-dried food, it doesn’t offer the same consistency and texture as the real thing.
Freeze-dried food is light, airy, crunchy and often packs more punch than its regular counterpart because of the lack of moisture. It’s great as a snack, but it doesn’t taste as good as a fresh meal.
Food needs to be rehydrated to revert it back to its original moisture-filled state.
How to Rehydrate Freeze Dried Food
The process of rehydrating freeze-dried food differs from food product to food product. However, the general rule of thumb is to use a 1:1 ratio for rehydrating. This means that you should rehydrate a cup of freeze-dried food with a cup of water or similar liquid, depending on the food.
There are two main methods of rehydrating freeze-dried food: spritzing and soaking.
The first method involves spraying the freeze-dried food with warm or room-temperature water. Stir the food with a spoon or fork to ensure that every surface is covered, and spray as needed.
The second method is the soaking method. As the name suggests, you’ll simply need to soak the freeze-dried food in just enough water to pool beneath the bowl.
You don’t want the liquid to fully cover the food you’re rehydrating because it might turn mushy. This is especially true if you’re rehydrating fruits or vegetables. Meat products don’t over-absorb liquid, so you don’t have to worry about adding too much water or leaving it to soak for too long.
How to Rehydrate Freeze Dried Fruits
To rehydrate freeze-dried fruits, you’ll either have to use the spritz technique or the soaking technique.
If you’re unsure of how much water to add, the spritz technique is the safest choice. Spray a bit of room temperature water on the fruits you’re rehydrating and stir with a spoon until every surface is covered.
If you’re planning to use the freeze-dried fruits in cakes, smoothies, and the like, soak the fruits in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.
To accelerate rehydration, you can either cover the bowl or warm it in the microwave for a few seconds.
How to Rehydrate Freeze Dried Vegetables
Rehydrating freeze-dried vegetables is much like rehydrating freeze-dried fruits. Place the vegetables in a deep bowl and add a 1:1 ratio of liquid. The liquid doesn’t necessarily need to be water; you can soak it in veggie broth or chicken broth if you’d like to add more flavor.
How to Rehydrate Freeze Dried Powders
Freeze-dried powders are excellent ingredients for sweet and savory recipes, including smoothies, sauces, salads, porridge, and other desserts. They can also be mixed with water and enjoyed as juice or beverage.
Freeze-dried powders often come with rehydration instructions on the packet, so follow the instructions as listed. Generally, freeze-dried powders use a ratio of five tablespoons of powder for every cup of liquid. 
How to Rehydrate Freeze Dried Meat
To rehydrate freeze-dried meat, simply pour water over the freeze-dried meat. The freeze-dried meat should be submerged and covered in water. Warm or hot water can help speed up the moisture absorption process. Also, if you want to give the rehydrated meat some additional flavor, you can use vegetable or meat broth instead of water.
The rehydration process usually takes 15 minutes for the meat to return to normal moisture levels.
How Long Does It Take To Rehydrate Food?
Unlike dehydrated food, which can take hours to rehydrate, freeze-dried food rehydrates in less than 15 minutes, depending on the food. The denser the food, the longer it’ll take to hydrate.
Fruits and vegetables take between a few seconds to a few minutes, whereas meat and chicken can take up to 15 minutes.
What Happens After Food Is Rehydrated?
Rehydrated freeze-dried food retains the shape, texture, taste, and nutrient value of its fresh counterpart. Freeze-dried food retains about 97% of its nutrients, compared to 60 to 75% in dehydrated food.
Summary
There you have it, folks; our ultimate guide on how to rehydrate freeze-dried food!
In general, you’ll want to use a 1:1 ratio when rehydrating freeze-dried food. So if you’re rehydrating, say, a cup of berries, rehydrate it with around a cup of liquid.
Don’t let the food soak too long in the water, though, as it may turn mushy and lose its original shape and texture.
People Also Ask
Does Freeze Drying Preserve Nutrients?
Yes, freeze-drying preserves the nutrients found in the fresh product. It retains up to 97% of the food’s nutrients, as opposed to only 60 to 75% in dehydrated food.
Does Freeze Dried Food Go Bad?
Freeze-dried food has an impressively long lifespan, going as far as 30 years without going bad. As long as it’s properly preserved and sealed against the elements, it’s unlikely that it’ll go bad. However, the shelf-life reduces significantly after first use to only 6 to 12 months.
Can You Eat Freeze Dried Fruit Without Rehydration?
Absolutely! It’s perfectly safe to eat freeze-dried fruit without rehydration. The fruits can be eaten as a crunchy snack, making them a nutritious on-the-go option for outdoor adventures or when you’re bored and craving something sweet.
How Much Water Is Needed to Rehydrate Food?
For freeze-dried food, follow a 1:1 ratio for rehydration. This means for every cup of food, use a cup of liquid to rehydrate.
Can you Rehydrate Freeze-Dried Food with cold water?
Yes, cold water can be used to rehydrate freeze-dried foods; however, it will take slightly longer for the water to be absorbed by the freeze-dried foods.
