Beef & Bacon Forager Bars

For busy, modern paleolithic eaters, we want on-the-go snacks that are easily portable and made from real food. What better fuel for your day than meats, fruit, veggies, and nuts all wrapped into one grab and go snack?!

Not unlike what our ancestors might have packed for a journey across the land- these beef and bacon bars studded with apples, kale and hazelnuts are salty, smokey, soft, just a touch sweet and are the perfect healthy Paleo food!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped dried apples
1/2 cup chopped fresh kale
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
2oz pasture-raised uncured bacon, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
8oz grass-fed ground beef

Chop dried apples into small pieces and measure out 1/2 cup.

Remove the center rib from the kale leaves, chop kale into small pieces and measure out 1/2 cup.

Add the chopped dried apple and kale pieces to a food processor, along with 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts; pulse several times, until the nuts are well chopped.

To the chopped fruit, veggie and nut mixture, add the bacon pieces and process until the bacon is ground up.

Add in the ground beef, salt, and pepper and process until everything is well combined.

Divide the mixture evenly into 1/4 cup portions.

Form each portion into a log by rolling it between your hands, then place onto a non-stick dehydrator sheet and flatten into a rectangle shape, about 1/4" thick. *You could also use smaller portions and form them into circles.

Dehydrate using the jerky or meat setting, for 6-8 hours, or until completely dry, but still pliable.

Alternately, you can dehydrate them in an oven on the lowest setting. To do this, use a parchment-lined pan and flatten the bars to 1/8" thick. Open the oven for 15 minutes every hour (to release moisture) and bake for 6-10 hours, or until completely dry.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one-week, or in the freezer for up to three months.