FREEZE DRIED BEEF - Is it any good? - Augason Farms REVIEW

Review for Freeze Dried Beef

This food review is for the Freeze Dried BEEF from Augason Farms. I purchased this can on October 25, 2018 for $40.84  - A one pound can --- EXPIRATION DATE is  2048     

$40.84 is a LOT of money for 1 pound of meat, but when it comes to LONG-TERM food storage, and the fact that freeze dried doesn't expire for more than 30 years... kind of makes up for the price. Kind of. 

Okay, let's get to the meat of this! 

Freeze Dried BEEF

WHERE'S THE BEEF??? 

Okay, the can is filled half way. That number #10 is half empty. I can fluff this up and say it's half full, but I just paid $40.84 for a can of meat that is filled somewhere in the middle. 

 Here's a close-up. The size is smaller than the eraser of a pencil. According to the photo on the can, I thought the meat would be chunky BEEF STEW sized, or at least the size of a dime. 

Maybe something magical will happen when I add water. INSTRUCTIONS: add boiling water and allow to stand 5 minutes. 

size of the meat has not increased much 

Water has been drained and now the taste 

Both spouse and I tasted the meat and we're in agreement that it resembeled GROUND BEEF in texture. 

As for taste, it tastes like - ground beef that used to be dry.

It tastes like it used to be freeze dried, and brought back to life.

It tastes like it used to be paper. 

PROS 

• Freeze dried meat will last for 30 years in the pantry
• Lightweight (the entire can felt as light as a feather)
• An option to have beef long-term without refrigeration

CONS 

• $40.84 for 1 pound of beef
• Meat has little substance - size is minimal 
• This product is deceptive (you are not buying a full can)
• No wow factor on taste 

CONCLUSION 

This beef was purchased for an upcoming camping trip I'll be taking OFF GRID for several weeks. I needed a meat product that didn't require refrigeration, and would taste good while cooking in the desert. This opened can will maintain freshness for several months -- giving me plenty of time to create recipes and to offer a more indepth review. 

But would I buy this again? Probably not. I'm a home canner. I would much prefer to can my own beef, or do without. Freeze dried beef is very pricey, and for the money, I feel I could have done better spending the $40 elsewhere. That is my two-cents for now. 

Perhaps I will change my mind after my camping trip. Stay tuned!