What are your favorite trail meals?

Started by Nyte, July 10, 2021, 01:06:16 PM

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Nyte

What are your favorite on the go bug out/camping/backpacking meals?  You know, the ones you have to carry on your back for however many miles and prep, eat, and potentially clean up after a day of walking.   

To make things easier, especially clean up, I have adopted freezer bag cooking.  For those not familiar, it involves food that just needs hot water (or some a cold soak) and some time to reconstitute.  You boil the needed water, put the food and just under boiling water into a ziplock freezer back, give it time to reconstitute, and eat, often right out of the bag.  Some make a coozy out of reflectix to help hold in the heat and assist with time to "cook" and keeping it warm longer if you're doing camp chores (like setting up) while it "cooks".  I have also found that often you need to use a little less water than a package calls for, like in the case of Knorr Rice Sides or Mac n cheese.

Ramen Bomb

A Thru Hiker's favorite

1 pack ramen noodles
1/2 pack of Idahoan potatoes
1 foil pack meat (tuna, chicken, spam)

Break up ramen, put that, season pack, potatoes in freezer bag.  I like to add some Slap Ya Mama seasoning.  Put in 2 cups boiling water, seal up bag, venting out as much air as you can, mix up with your hands so all the potatoes get wet, and let sit for 5-8 mins.  Add meat and sir.   Enjoy!

Knorr rice sides work well, but if you put the full 2 cups of water, it will be like a soup.  I've been experimenting with about a cup and a half, and it seems to be better.  My guess is that when cooking on the stove, a certain amount is expected to boil off. 

Same thing about the water with easy mac (the ones where you just add water and microwave.  Two of the small packs need about 3/4 cup of water using freezer bag cooking. 

Adding meat to either the rice or mac n cheese makes a good trail meal.

SCBrian

Along the same lines as above:

1/2 bag instant potatoes  (Make sure all you need is water - there is a brand that requires milk/butter)
1/2 bag of Mountain home beef stew.
Mix, add water to your desired consistency.

This is good for 2+ dinners worth depending on your hunger. 
BattleVersion wrote:  "For my Family?...Burn down the world, sure... But, I'm also willing to carry it on my shoulders."

Nyte

Quote from: SCBrian on July 11, 2021, 10:45:36 AM
Along the same lines as above:

1/2 bag instant potatoes  (Make sure all you need is water - there is a brand that requires milk/butter)
1/2 bag of Mountain home beef stew.
Mix, add water to your desired consistency.

This is good for 2+ dinners worth depending on your hunger.

Another good one!  It seems like you can add the potatoes to a lot of things to add some calories and fill.

I tend to shy away from the commercial freeze dried foods because of the high sodium they tend to have, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

echo83

After a few less than amazing meals cooked on a USGI mess kit, a few years ago I picked up a German mess kit, and went searching for some "authentic" recipes. I wasn't disappointed. The below recipe is way more more time-consuming than the above freezer bag recipes (which look amazing, by the way!) but is still pretty tasty. I used Spam for the canned meat, because c'mon...

The below recipe serves one (and not just because I can't get anyone else to eat it...)

http://joyoffieldrations.blogspot.com/2012/12/makeshift-cooking-german-army-ww2.html

Goulash (with canned meat), German Army, 1942



US                              Metric             Ingredients
4½-6 oz                      125-175 g        canned meat
1 oz                             30 g                 yellow onion
1/2 oz (1 tbsp)             15 g                 flour
1/2 fl oz (1 tbsp)          15 ml               fat (vegetable oil, lard, etc.)
14 fl oz**                    425 ml**         water or broth
to taste                        to taste             salt
to taste                        to taste             pepper
to taste                        to taste             paprika




Procedure
1.      Cut the onion into small pieces.
2.      Heat the fat in the mess kit body.
3.      Add the flour and onions and cook until light brown.
4.      Add the water or broth and stir well. Heat to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened.
5.      Add the canned meat and cook only until the meat is heated.
6.       Season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika.
7.      Accompany the goulash with boiled potatoes or boiled pasta.

Nyte

Quote from: echo83 on July 11, 2021, 04:17:36 PM
After a few less than amazing meals cooked on a USGI mess kit, a few years ago I picked up a German mess kit, and went searching for some "authentic" recipes. I wasn't disappointed. The below recipe is way more more time-consuming than the above freezer bag recipes (which look amazing, by the way!) but is still pretty tasty. I used Spam for the canned meat, because c'mon...

The below recipe serves one (and not just because I can't get anyone else to eat it...)

http://joyoffieldrations.blogspot.com/2012/12/makeshift-cooking-german-army-ww2.html

Goulash (with canned meat), German Army, 1942



US                              Metric             Ingredients
4½-6 oz                      125-175 g        canned meat
1 oz                             30 g                 yellow onion
1/2 oz (1 tbsp)             15 g                 flour
1/2 fl oz (1 tbsp)          15 ml               fat (vegetable oil, lard, etc.)
14 fl oz**                    425 ml**         water or broth
to taste                        to taste             salt
to taste                        to taste             pepper
to taste                        to taste             paprika




Procedure
1.      Cut the onion into small pieces.
2.      Heat the fat in the mess kit body.
3.      Add the flour and onions and cook until light brown.
4.      Add the water or broth and stir well. Heat to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened.
5.      Add the canned meat and cook only until the meat is heated.
6.       Season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika.
7.      Accompany the goulash with boiled potatoes or boiled pasta.


That does sound tasty.  Sounds like something that would do well dehydrated (or freeze dried, if you've sunk that much money into long term storage options), for trail use, if one doesn't want to carry fresh ingredients out on a trek.

SCBrian

Quote from: Nyte on July 11, 2021, 05:39:51 PM
Quote from: echo83 on July 11, 2021, 04:17:36 PM
After a few less than amazing meals cooked on a USGI mess kit, a few years ago I picked up a German mess kit, and went searching for some "authentic" recipes. I wasn't disappointed. The below recipe is way more more time-consuming than the above freezer bag recipes (which look amazing, by the way!) but is still pretty tasty. I used Spam for the canned meat, because c'mon...

The below recipe serves one (and not just because I can't get anyone else to eat it...)

http://joyoffieldrations.blogspot.com/2012/12/makeshift-cooking-german-army-ww2.html

Goulash (with canned meat), German Army, 1942



US                              Metric             Ingredients
4½-6 oz                      125-175 g        canned meat
1 oz                             30 g                 yellow onion
1/2 oz (1 tbsp)             15 g                 flour
1/2 fl oz (1 tbsp)          15 ml               fat (vegetable oil, lard, etc.)
14 fl oz**                    425 ml**         water or broth
to taste                        to taste             salt
to taste                        to taste             pepper
to taste                        to taste             paprika




Procedure
1.      Cut the onion into small pieces.
2.      Heat the fat in the mess kit body.
3.      Add the flour and onions and cook until light brown.
4.      Add the water or broth and stir well. Heat to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened.
5.      Add the canned meat and cook only until the meat is heated.
6.       Season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika.
7.      Accompany the goulash with boiled potatoes or boiled pasta.


That does sound tasty.  Sounds like something that would do well dehydrated (or freeze dried, if you've sunk that much money into long term storage options), for trail use, if one doesn't want to carry fresh ingredients out on a trek.

Small packet or 2 of oil from subway
Sub minced onion, for the fresh onion.
Sub dried meat strips or jerky for spam. 
Weight of flour & seasonings is minuscule. 


BattleVersion wrote:  "For my Family?...Burn down the world, sure... But, I'm also willing to carry it on my shoulders."

Nyte

Quote from: SCBrian on July 11, 2021, 07:47:00 PM
Quote from: Nyte on July 11, 2021, 05:39:51 PM
Quote from: echo83 on July 11, 2021, 04:17:36 PM
After a few less than amazing meals cooked on a USGI mess kit, a few years ago I picked up a German mess kit, and went searching for some "authentic" recipes. I wasn't disappointed. The below recipe is way more more time-consuming than the above freezer bag recipes (which look amazing, by the way!) but is still pretty tasty. I used Spam for the canned meat, because c'mon...

The below recipe serves one (and not just because I can't get anyone else to eat it...)

http://joyoffieldrations.blogspot.com/2012/12/makeshift-cooking-german-army-ww2.html

Goulash (with canned meat), German Army, 1942



US                              Metric             Ingredients
4½-6 oz                      125-175 g        canned meat
1 oz                             30 g                 yellow onion
1/2 oz (1 tbsp)             15 g                 flour
1/2 fl oz (1 tbsp)          15 ml               fat (vegetable oil, lard, etc.)
14 fl oz**                    425 ml**         water or broth
to taste                        to taste             salt
to taste                        to taste             pepper
to taste                        to taste             paprika




Procedure
1.      Cut the onion into small pieces.
2.      Heat the fat in the mess kit body.
3.      Add the flour and onions and cook until light brown.
4.      Add the water or broth and stir well. Heat to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened.
5.      Add the canned meat and cook only until the meat is heated.
6.       Season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika.
7.      Accompany the goulash with boiled potatoes or boiled pasta.


That does sound tasty.  Sounds like something that would do well dehydrated (or freeze dried, if you've sunk that much money into long term storage options), for trail use, if one doesn't want to carry fresh ingredients out on a trek.

Small packet or 2 of oil from subway
Sub minced onion, for the fresh onion.
Sub dried meat strips or jerky for spam. 
Weight of flour & seasonings is minuscule.

Good points!  I tend to try and keep my trail meals to ones I can just boil water and add, mostly for convenience and taking less cooking stuff.

sheddi

I'm not sure it really counts as a recipe but I'm quite fond of pasta twists with stir-in pasta sauce (example). Stir-in sauce is a lot lighter to pack than a glass jar would be.

I have to laugh - I hadn't realised that eBay seller was "British Essentials"  :D

Edit to add: also malt loaf. Calorie-dense, much more compact than bread and more durable than cake.

Blast

SPAM Biscuit

1. Fry up single serving SPAM
2. Mix up ~3 tablespoons of Bisquick Complete Biscuit Mix and separate into two clumps of dough
3. Press first clump of dough into frying pan, push fried SPAM down into it, sprinkle cheese on SPAM, cover with second lump of dough.
4. Fry until biscuit dough bottom is golden brown, then flip over.
5. Fry until biscuit dough is golden brown, then remove.
6. Eat with a contented smile. :)

I love the Bisquick Complete Biscuit Mix for all sorts of stuff. Another thing I do with it is mix in some wild berries, then steam it in a silicone cup set in a pot of boiling water for ~20 minutes. It turns into a fruit steamed dumpling sort of thing.
-Blast
My book*: Outdoor Adventures Guide - Foraging
Foraging Texas
Medicine Man Plant Co.
DrMerriwether on YouTube
*As an Amazon Influencer, I may earn a sales commission on Amazon links in my posts.

the_alias

Having my own dehydrator has been a boon.

Generally beef/chili style with instant beans and a tortilla and Spanish style chorizo with cheese is one of my favs
Few die from pushing on, more die from giving up

Moab

Quote from: the_alias on July 13, 2021, 10:22:52 AM
Having my own dehydrator has been a boon.

Generally beef/chili style with instant beans and a tortilla and Spanish style chorizo with cheese is one of my favs

Tell us about dehydrators? Which one did you pick and why? Im very interested in this subject. I think you could put MH to shame with a few good recipes.
"Ideas are more dangerous than guns. We don't let our people have guns. Why would we let them have ideas?" Josef Stalin

Johan

Quote from: echo83 on July 11, 2021, 04:17:36 PM
After a few less than amazing meals cooked on a USGI mess kit, a few years ago I picked up a German mess kit, and went searching for some "authentic" recipes. I wasn't disappointed. The below recipe is way more more time-consuming than the above freezer bag recipes (which look amazing, by the way!) but is still pretty tasty. I used Spam for the canned meat, because c'mon...

The below recipe serves one (and not just because I can't get anyone else to eat it...)

http://joyoffieldrations.blogspot.com/2012/12/makeshift-cooking-german-army-ww2.html

Goulash (with canned meat), German Army, 1942



US                              Metric             Ingredients
4½-6 oz                      125-175 g        canned meat
1 oz                             30 g                 yellow onion
1/2 oz (1 tbsp)             15 g                 flour
1/2 fl oz (1 tbsp)          15 ml               fat (vegetable oil, lard, etc.)
14 fl oz**                    425 ml**         water or broth
to taste                        to taste             salt
to taste                        to taste             pepper
to taste                        to taste             paprika




Procedure
1.      Cut the onion into small pieces.
2.      Heat the fat in the mess kit body.
3.      Add the flour and onions and cook until light brown.
4.      Add the water or broth and stir well. Heat to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened.
5.      Add the canned meat and cook only until the meat is heated.
6.       Season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika.
7.      Accompany the goulash with boiled potatoes or boiled pasta.


Thank you very much echo83 !!!
😊
That link is a treasure trove of recipes for cooking from scratch in a mess kit, and I have a few of the Swedish mess kits (a really good piece of kit to use either with the included "trianga" burner, or over fire)
Firepower...
-Is One Bullet that Hits!!!

flybynight

Here's a few you tube channels I've found in the last few years with tasty camp recipes.

https://www.youtube.com/user/MyMethead

Swedewoods is a stunningly beautiful bushcraft channel. There is no dialog , but most of the recipes include written ingredients


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5EGD6MqjI6J-ASB4SHUJPXoQeLL9is2D

Outdoor boys. This links his campfire recipes subsection. But scattered through the channel are other tasty treats from their  adventures. Pretty hilarious channel.


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmUznWuLu6_Do2gHrWQ5ZRBT6HW6rLShu

Coalcracker bushcraft
Think this is my favorite channel on YT right now. He posts every few days . Sometimes just a few minutes long with some cool bushcraft hack. His recipes are traditional outdoor fare

https://www.youtube.com/c/AlmazanKitchen/videos

Almazan Kitchen...  World class chef meets campfire
"Hey idiot, you should feel your pulse, not see it."  Echo 83

rlail

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value

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