Backcountry food?

[blackhorn]

I know of the more common items like mountain house, MRE's, oatmeal, gorp, and what not.  I am thinking of the less obvious. Are there good things out there that go overlooked?  I can think of one item, the Indian fare food at trader joes that taste alright.  Just trying to pick some brains out there! Any ideas would be appreciated!

[halflife65]

Last year I tried a package of cous cous (just buy it at the grocery store - whatever flavor sounds good to you) that I dumped out of the box into a ziploc bag with the flavor packet.  Just get one of those packets of chicken (not can) and before you dump the hot water in, dump in the chicken and then dump water in it.  Then wrap in a coat or extra clothes (or if it is cold put it in your coat that you're wearing - just be careful), wait 10 minutes and then eat.  Really good.  Also, just a dirty ziploc that you can now use as your garbage bag and otherwise no mess to clean up.

Under no condition should you eat a freeze dried meal that is Thai food (pad thai).  I had to throw one away last year because I couldn't get it down the hatch.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Do you really need a 3 course meal?

Pound for pound its tough to beat Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds or Peanut butter and Almonds. Soy beans too.  Venison jerky is great for you when hiking.  Tuna!  I do take a pint or so of oatmeal. (not that instant crap) Just add hot water.

I'm no dietician. But believe we're all looking for light weight high protein foods.

http://www.howmuchprotein.com/foods

I take some form of Raman for that full stomach feeling since all I need is water to cook up some lightweight dinner, but I supliment that with snack foods as nuts and seeds, venison jerky, banana's for the potasium as long as I can keep them fresh, dried (dehydrated) venison or pork chop or dried turkey diced in with some dried scrambled eggs in a bag. Just add water and simmer then cook down. Dehydrate some good chili. The beans, vegies and meat are great for you.

I'm never gone from base camp more than a couple days, and most hunting days, 'Cup O Noodles' will suffice for meals, along with the nuts and such. Raisins are great to snack on.  AKA... One ingredient in trail mix.

I've always got a box of some form of chocolate covered oatmeal breakfast bar in my pack.

edit:  When it's cool enough, I always have string cheese or other cheese in my pack.

-Steve

[BLUEBULLS]

we usaully try to make one really good meal of thta bacon that you don't have to keep cold, Idahoan potatoes, string cheese and those little sealed ranch packets...

pretty good

[halflife65]

Protein is important but so are carbs - especially when you're burning through them like you do.  If you could, take a sweet potato and a chicken breast, but obviously that's not practical.  Make sure to mix in carbs with hte protein. 

I do take almonds and jerky, though.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Yes, some dehydrated potatoe slices.

Banana's, Beans, Pasta (ramen noodles/Cup O Noodles) have proven very well for me for the carbs I've needed. I usually gain a little weight through hunting season. The wife will make a big Lasagna or other dish that the boys and I will have for dinners back at base camp. Pasta Roni stuff from a box mixed with Grouse of the day is great.

At base camp I get plenty of carbs from the beer I drink around the camp fire too. 

-Steve

[high country]

bear creek makes a just add water soup that is really good, lots of choices too.

[blackhorn]

Dehydrated potato slices, is that code for potato chips?    This is some good stuff!  How about some recipes to go along with this thread??

[gasman]

When i would go on an over nighter with our Bot Scout troop i would freeze a steak and cook it over the fire on a stick 

Most of the time it was venison. once i brought some venison breakfast sauage for breakfast and a few eggs. Froze them (not the eggs) and packed the in the bottom of my pack, away from any heat, kept cold for about a day.

[2bigfish]

I have had good luck with Alpine Aire dehydrated foods. I cant down any of the Mountain House or others I have tried. Costco sells a 7 day ration of Alpine Aire for a great price online.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Dehydrated potato slices, is that code for potato chips?

potatoes au gratin    Many recipes out there for this one, Use powdered milk, so the only thing you've had to dehydrate is the 'chips'.

-Steve

[Shootmoore]

Cold Flour is always a good one to take.  Parched Corn and pound it into a coarse meal.  Then add a little sugar and cinnamon to your taste.  Mix with water and drink it.  You can also bake it into frying pan bread.

Pemmican.  Take jerked meat and pound it into a powder, then mix with fat.  You can also add things to it like parched corn, raisins etc etc to add a little variety and different flavors.

Frying Pan bread (pre mix the dry before you go)  1 Cup of Flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt.  When your ready to cook it, add water to make a stiff dough, pat it into flat rounds and heat up oil in the ol cast iron.  Fry on both sides until "golden Brown".  You can also add things like nuts, cinnamon, raisins etc if you want a "sweet biscut" with more calories.  You can then eat em straight, with butter and jam or slice em in half and use for samwiches.

Spudloaf (prep em before you leave)  two slices of good smoked bacon, then slice potato's onions, (anything else you think tastes good) on top of the bacon on a sheet of tinfoil.  Then slap two more slices of bacon and crimp roll the tinfoil shut.  Take a second sheet of tinfoil and wrap the other way.  Cook on first side about 5 to 10 min in the fire, flip over and cook 5 more minutes.  If you want you can then take one sheet of tinfoil off and open up the tinfoil and sprinkle on cheese and cook till melted.

Those are a few of my favorites from lightweight to packing in a bit more gear for a basecamp.


Shootmoore

[WDFW-SUX]

spam!

[JackOfAllTrades]

Sunbelt Fudge dipped Granola bars.

-Steve

[couesbitten]

Have a look at this site, http://www.trailcooking.com/  also, do a search on line for making your own dehydrated meals, I thought I had the site saved, but I can't seem to find it.

[halflife65]

trailcooking.com is pretty good.  you can also search for the recipes on youtube.

I have the cookbook, as well.

[blackhorn]

Thanks! That site does have some good stuff!

[klickitat]

two things I like to carry for a 3-4 day trip.

#1 I take a 1 pound jar of peanut butter and eat the first third. Then I empty the rest into a bowl and add 1 cup of dry oatmeal and honey to taste. I put this back into the jar and throw it in my pack. This is a high energy food and is naturally preserved. I have had jars that lasted till the following year.

#2 I make jerky from Jenio Turkey Pastrami. I buy it when it goes on sale for 1.99 pound and have the butcher slice it into 1/4 thick slices. I then either use the oven on low heat or the refrigerator to dry it out. It is already spiced and cured. I like to dry it out to the point that it is brittle for long term storage (lasts indefinitely if sealed) and for stuff that I will use in the week or two I leave it flexible but hard.

This year I think I am going to bring a small bottle of Italian dressing for gathered greens.

[halflife65]

You gather greens?

I never thought of that peanut butter trick.  Good idea.

[MikeWalking]

One of my favorite standbys  Idahoan Instant mashed potatoes, any flavor and a packet (not canned) of tuna or chicken.  Throw the tuna or chicken in a little more than 2cups of water, 2 packs if it's been or will be a hard day. Let it boil a few minutes with whatever spice you choose, I always add salt, lotta pepper. Stir in the spuds and chow down.  It's worked wonders getting me back in top gear after a long cold wet hike to make camp. I sometimes add Parmesan, bacos, pine nuts.

No matter what I pack I always take some hot sauce and a variety of spices. My appetite really falls off in the woods, even when going uphill all day, not sure why, can't handle bland. I also pack a lot of drink mixes, Propel, Gatorade.  Instant coco to mix with instant coffee====jet fuel..

[Little Dave]

That's not a bad idea about the hot sauce.  The Mountain House packs have been okay, but something like that might help.
After a few days hiking seems like what I need next is a really greasy hamburger with about a half cup of mayonnaise on it.  One place I stopped at only had them in the packets, so that took a while.

[uncoolperson]

Idahoan Instant mashed potatoes

That with jerky for lunch or bacon (get the salad bacon bits, the big pieces that are real bacon) for breakfast is about as good as it gets.

[MikeWalking]

That's not a bad idea about the hot sauce.  The Mountain House packs have been okay, but something like that might help.

Aside from flavor the Hot Sauce makes sure I pour in enough fluids, easy to do on hot weather hikes but I have trouble making myself drink enough in colder weather.

[klickitat]

You gather greens?

I never thought of that peanut butter trick.  Good idea.

If they are around I pick greens for a salad. During bear season I find plenty and of course berries.

Be careful of the peanut butter mix. My kids seem to find it now and then.  They like to make little balls out of it and throw it into the freezer. Makes a good no bake style peanut butter cookie.

[zackmioli]

#1 I take a 1 pound jar of peanut butter and eat the first third. Then I empty the rest into a bowl and add 1 cup of dry oatmeal and honey to taste. I put this back into the jar and throw it in my pack. This is a high energy food and is naturally preserved. I have had jars that lasted till the following year.

this is a great idea, i might just do this at home. sounds delicious. could add some granola as well for a little extra boost.