Backcountry eating

[John Haeberle]

Like most of you, I'll be spending plenty of time preparing this summer ... exercising, shooting, and making sure all gear is in top shape.

One thing I want to experiment with is food choices while scouting this year.

I'm looking for suggestions ... with recipes, if possible ... for backpacking food.

I'm not an UL guy. In fact, some scouting trips will involve pack horses, so weight is not a huge issue -- looking instead for something tasty, and easy.

As far as dehydrated meals go, I like the Mtn House Spaghetti ... but not the cost. Do any of you dehydrate your own meals?

 

[bowinhand]

I always take a jar of the peanut butter that already has honey or chocolate mixed in it.

http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/peanut-butter-1.html

depending on how long I'm out for dictates what I bring. Haven't tried to make my own dehydrated meals yet but it looks easy enough. I also bring the instant mash potato pouches salmon/tuna/spam pouches bagels precooked bacon sunbelt granola bars...

 

[Gman]

If you like spaghetti, just make your own to your liking at home and throw in the dehydrator. Rehydrates real well. It really is about that simple.

 

[larryschwartz]

Do a search with Google for freezer bag cooking or FBC and you will find lots of things that will be easy to make and light to carry.

 

[John Haeberle]

Gman ... I've got a dehydrator ... but the rehydration instructions I've seens seem to imply -- as you did -- that it is self-explanatory. Um ... it's not. How do you go about that?

 

[Gman]

To rehydrate general rule is to add water until level with food or just above. It isn't an exact science and takes some practice. It also depends on how you like your food consistency. Less wet or more so. Do some trial runs at home and see what works best. Takes 15-25 mins to rehydrate depending on the meal. I use quart freezer bags or quart foodsaver vaccum sealed bags. Hope that helps.

 

[Becca]

If weight isn't as much of an object, and you can keep things cold or cool with a cooler, try making up some of your favorite meals and then vacuum sealing them and freezing them ahead of time. I often make ahead, seal and freeze things like sheep or goat curry,moose stroganoff, chili, even meatballs or sliced roasts with broth (to put on subs and make Hot sandwiches) before a trip where I don't have to carry it on my back. At camp, you can reheat the food right in the vacuum sealer bag by putting it into a pot of boiling water for a few minutes until its heated thru. This is also great because it cuts down on dishes to wash, and you can have hot food in jut a few minutes after a long day.

 

[Aron Snyder]

I had to eat my hunting partner one time, but I've changed my diet since then....

 

[T43]

Last thanksgiving I took some of the leftover honey ham and tossed it in the dehydrator. I add a little to my instant potatoes and put in a little more water and its pretty dang tasty.

 

[ohhiitznik]

I use a dehydrator for my meals. You get a lot better meals with a lot less salt in them than mountain house. Venison spaghetti, venison stroganoff, and a bunch of other awesome meals I can make at home and dehydrate for the mountains!

 

[Lawnboi]

Theres a cooking section now so hopefully that gets filled up with some good stuff.

If you search there was a thread that went on for quite a while maybe a month ago or so.

 

[Rizzy]

The Knor rice packets and Winco instant re-fried beans make a decent meal, in theory rice and beans is a complete protein. I vacuum pack them myself.

Also I take a cup of noodles and crush it up, then vacuum pack it as well and use it for a hot lunch.

Jerky made from last seasons harvest is another food I utilize a lot.

The Kraft child's packets of Marconi and cheese from Costco can be combined and vacuum packed for a meal also, despite the cooking instructions I just add boiling water like making a MH and it comes out good. You can add the Winco bacon bits from the bulk section also.