Post by: WAcoyotehunter on September 03, 2014, 08:31:18 AM
I am trying to figure out a meal schedule that includes as few mountain house meals as possible. Breakfast will be oatmeal and coffee pretty much every morning. Lunches will be salami wraps and granola and candy bars... dried fruit and smoked oysters for a treat.
Dinner- we want to eat well. I will be taking some fresh meat packed on dry ice, but it won't last 10 days. Ham seems to last pretty well, so it will be last to get eaten. some canned meat including spam, canned roast beef, tuna, chicken... I will also pre cook and vacuum seal a few meals of last years elk, sausage and elk/gravy
Our basic staples will include:
Dried potatoes, both sliced and mashed. Gravy mix added.
Stovetop Stuffing mix
Instant brown rice
Some biscuits (lightweight Dutch oven style...) Recipes anyone??
Dried Fruit
Pastas
Should I take cans of condensed milk or powered milk? I don't have much experience with either
Any decent freeze dried vegetables?
Please share any decent backcountry meal ideas. We are big eaters :)
Post by: Bowflinger on September 03, 2014, 10:00:29 AM
Post by: Bowflinger on September 03, 2014, 10:02:17 AM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on September 03, 2014, 10:13:04 AM
Post by: grizzlyadams on September 03, 2014, 11:35:35 AM
Post by: 7mag. on September 03, 2014, 06:57:51 PM
Freeze your meat, it will last a long time if in a cooler with dry ice. Look up freezer bag cooking. You pre-make meals such as; chili, stew, spaghetti, etc. Then portion them into 1 gallon Ziploc Freezer bags, and freeze them. To reheat them, put the frozen(or thawed) bag in a pot of boiling water until hot. I've done this for years on horse pack trips, works really well. All the frozen meat and freezer bag meals, along with dry ice, will keep everything nice and cold for most of your trip.
Post by: jackelope on September 03, 2014, 07:56:19 PM
Post by: Houndhunter on September 03, 2014, 08:25:03 PM
One thing I'd add for a tip is bring protein powder, doesn't do much to fill up an empty stomach but its light and all you need to do is add water. I like to mix it in with the meals I eat too, sounds gross but any food tastes great when your in backcountry and protein powder really helps a lot with recovery and what not. I have it on all my hiking trips, that and a loaf of cheap white bread are my go to for light weight energy :chuckle: .
Post by: MtnMuley on September 03, 2014, 10:05:16 PM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on September 04, 2014, 07:15:27 AM
Post by: jackelope on September 04, 2014, 07:21:35 AM
I have two dehydrators and will try to dehydrate a few veggies this weekend. Thanks for that tip.
You can dehydrate venison stew if you want....don't have to stick to veggies.
Let us know how it works out.
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on September 04, 2014, 07:22:57 AM
Post by: jackelope on September 04, 2014, 07:27:27 AM
Thanks- I will give it a try
Use the tray liners designed to make fruit leather. I've not tried it yet, but I'm just about to give it a go.
Post by: stryker on September 04, 2014, 08:47:02 AM
Post by: Bowflinger on September 04, 2014, 08:23:06 PM
Post by: 7mag. on September 04, 2014, 09:37:43 PM
Keep in mind, light in, heavy out. If you 4 get lucky and have to pack out your gear, food, and game in the first couple days you might break those horses getting everything out in 1 trip, or on your 2nd trip out. So keep in mind that everything needs to be feather weight.
I completely disagree. The whole reason to use stock to pack in, is so you don't have to go that light. I've been on several back country horse pack trips, and I always eat real food. Ever been on an outfitted trip? They eat real good, not freeze dried or dehydrated crap. If you get lucky and all tag out early, walk out and have the riding stock pack weight.
Post by: whacker1 on September 08, 2014, 03:14:02 AM
tortillas keep pretty well
noodles of different variety, which all pack small and light, just need water to boil and mix with other things
cooked bacon keeps a long time
Post by: RadSav on September 08, 2014, 04:55:56 AM
Don't forget a bottle of Crown for those celebratory moments!
Post by: JM on September 08, 2014, 05:50:55 AM
Post by: j_h_nimrod on September 08, 2014, 06:09:20 AM
I have started getting away from Mountain House for the simple fact that they are ridiculously expensive. I still get a few now and then for extra fodder or a quick meal but rarely are they sole fare for me now. I have started going to Shore Lunch or Bear Creek type meals of chilis and soups. They are about half the price and make about twice as much food as MH but take a little longer to cook and a bigger pot but are great to add a lot of different ingredients to and jazz them up a bit.
I have started dehydrating lean game burger mixed with 1/2c of fine bread crumbs per pound and then browned before dehydrating. You can add onions or other seasonings before dehydrating. Works great and makes for an easy ingredient to throw in chili or other soups. You could probably even reconstitute it with little water in a skillet and make taco meat.
Post by: Skyvalhunter on September 08, 2014, 06:10:51 AM
Post by: cooltimber on September 08, 2014, 06:30:24 PM
Post by: grizzlyadams on September 08, 2014, 07:48:05 PM
tortillas, brick cheese,salami,peanut butter,bagels,hot sauce,dehydrated potatoes,rice,and don't forget fruit and tang. :twocents:
Sounds heavy. Hope you have pack animals
Post by: The scout on September 08, 2014, 07:56:45 PM
Post by: MtnMuley on September 08, 2014, 08:45:10 PM
Post by: Jingles on September 08, 2014, 10:00:21 PM
This way you can take a minimal amount of grain and forget taking all that freeze dried ground cardboard and take real food. Bacon and eggs, Biscuits and gravy, Can make and freeze foods like Lasagna, also works to keep other foods cold, Frozen hash browns REAL MILK, Steaks, Baked potatoes, Fresh fruits and veggies and the list goes on.
OH don't forget if going onto USFS property all feed and hay must be certified weed free.
Post by: j_h_nimrod on September 08, 2014, 10:03:43 PM
Sounds like a good idea as long as you can have a fire. Remember alot of places i.e. wilderness areas don't allow a fire.
Fires are allowed in most areas with seasonal/area specific closures. Just don't camp there:)
Post by: bobcat on September 08, 2014, 10:09:05 PM
That must be what our outfitter did a few years ago when we did a drop camp in the Pasayten. The outfitter was camped about a mile from us, and the day they were supposed to pick us up, they showed up late. We were supposed to get packed out first thing in the morning, instead we rode out that night in the dark. We didn't find out until the packer showed up that evening, that all their horses the night before had decided to head back to he corral at the trailhead. Apparently they knew that's where the food was.
Someone had to walk all the way out, which was about 15 miles, and bring all the horses back. Or maybe they did still have one horse, I can't remember. But it was sure a long day sitting around camp wondering if they were ever going to show up. I know another hunter camped near us ended up walking all the way out so he could make it to work the next day. :o
Post by: JimmyHoffa on September 09, 2014, 09:30:29 PM
tortillas, brick cheese,salami,peanut butter,bagels,hot sauce,dehydrated potatoes,rice,and don't forget fruit and tang. :twocents:Kind of how I have done it the last few times. Lots of dense food that doesn't need cooking. I take dehydrated fruit, nuts and jerky too. And stuff candy where it will fit in the pack. Got to get rid of the stove/utensils/pot and eliminated the doing dishes for camp chores. Also easier for when it rains everyday and you don't like firing up the stove in the tent.
Post by: Magnum_Willys on September 25, 2014, 08:13:14 AM
Post by: gr8whthunter on September 25, 2014, 08:17:10 AM
Post by: kentrek on September 25, 2014, 08:29:23 AM
Post by: Magnum_Willys on September 25, 2014, 08:32:00 AM
Glorious spam and bbq baked laysOh man..... you musta been hungry. Fried spam cubes in waffles or scrambled eggs is not bad but cold with chips.... :yike:
Post by: kentrek on September 25, 2014, 08:40:54 AM
Post by: magnanimous_j on September 25, 2014, 08:56:50 AM
Post by: boneaddict on September 25, 2014, 09:12:48 AM
Jingles,
That must be what our outfitter did a few years ago when we did a drop camp in the Pasayten. The outfitter was camped about a mile from us, and the day they were supposed to pick us up, they showed up late. We were supposed to get packed out first thing in the morning, instead we rode out that night in the dark. We didn't find out until the packer showed up that evening, that all their horses the night before had decided to head back to he corral at the trailhead. Apparently they knew that's where the food was.
Someone had to walk all the way out, which was about 15 miles, and bring all the horses back. Or maybe they did still have one horse, I can't remember. But it was sure a long day sitting around camp wondering if they were ever going to show up. I know another hunter camped near us ended up walking all the way out so he could make it to work the next day. :o
That's how I met Varrelman. Idabooner and I were riding back in the sawtooth when we intercepted a saddled and bridled mule, behind all of his stock thundering out. We captured him and headed up over the hill to their camp. He was sure happy to see us with his riding mule in tow. Against his better judgement he allowed a dude to satisfy his lifelong dream of wrangling the stock. The dude got bucked off from the mule and the herd headed south :chuckle: Its a long hike in cowboyboots back to the truck. Oh and those mountain critters that have done this awhile can mozy pretty good in hobbles.