Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can (15 oz) stewed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (10 oz) condensed tomato soup
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• heavy pinch salt
• 1/2 pound small shell pasta
• xanthan gum (for thickening)

Thoroughly brown the ground beef with the onion and the salt. If there is any fat in the pan, drain the mixture using a strainer, and then rinse out the pan before returning the mixture to the pan. Add the tomatoes, soup, beans, and chili powder to the beef mixture and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until slightly less than al dente, and reserve. About 5 minutes before the chili has completed simmering, add the pasta to the chili and stir to combine.

Split the chili onto oiled trays, and dehydrate at 145 degrees until completely dry, at least overnight.

When dry, split the result up into three portions by weight, and pack each portion in a 1 quart freezer bag. Add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to each freezer bag.

To serve, cover with 1 3/4 cup near-boiling water and simmer in a cozy for 15-20 minutes. If you are cooking at altitude, make sure that your water comes to a rolling boil before pouring it into the bag, and simmer the food for at least 20 minutes (maybe even a bit longer).