backpacking deliciously

When out on the trail, tired, sweaty, and miles from the closest take-out, everything always tastes better.  That jerky that was just so-so at home suddenly becomes the best. thing. ever!  But, that doesn't mean I want to eat dried foods and gorp for 4 or 5 days of backpacking (although there is a fair amount of that in the daily trail consumption).  I take pride in being a sort of trail gourmet, and thought I would share with you some of the tricks I used this time around.  I have a few more up my sleeve that I will share with you later; I can't give away all of my secrets at once!

Tricks and Tips:

(recipes follow)

Make a list of what you would like to eat and budget out your calories vs. weight.  We tend to eat a lot of nuts, jerky, etc because they are higher in calories for their weight than say, an apple.
 

However, we do like to have some fresh fruit along to help break up the monotony of dried foods. 

 

Plan to spend a weekend afternoon or a couple of nights after work preparing and dehydrating the food-stuffs.  I like to use fresh produce and ingredients and since they are mostly water, it can take awhile.  It is definitely worth the time, especially considering there isn't much active time.  Start the dehydrating, then pour yourself a glass of wine and catch up on "Game of Thrones!" 

You can dry just about anything:  Just set your oven to about 190F, evenly spread the items on a sheet pan, and let dehydrate until dry (for meats this will mean they are shriveled and almost hard; veggies and fruits will be leathery; sauces will be thick pastes).  This may take 2-3 hours, depending on the item.  

Precook some items to impart extra flavor and to help save on cooking time on the trail.  I saute my mushrooms for extra flavor and par-cook my pasta to reduce cooking time (and fuel usage).  But kale dries out really nicely (like kale chips) in the oven with no need for prior cooking.

While out on the trail, I don't tend to carry salt, pepper or spices, so I blend them into my "meal kit" at home.

I have found that making a kit for each meal is really helpful.  If you have all of your food for one dinner or breakfast together, you don't have to dig around in your pack for that lost package of pasta.  It also allows you to, in most cases, simply dump the entire kit into your pot to start cooking.

When making your pancake mix, don't worry about the addition of the vanilla and butter - it will still be a dry mix and will not spoil if used within a couple weeks.  However, if you don't plan to use it all, either store extra mix in the freezer or use shortening or canola oil in place of the butter. 

We take only one pot that has a lid that doubles as a skillet.  It is all coated with nonstick so it is super helpful for those pancakes and other sticky items.  

When using fresh cheese, choose aged cheeses over those that are softer.  They have less moisture and are less likely to mold over the course of a week or oil-out in hot temperatures. BabyBel or Laughing Cow cheeses also work great because they are self contained and processed.

Chicken-in-a-pouch is amazing for backpacking.  It has been cooked in the pouch similar to canned foods (retort processing) and is considered safe for storing at ambient temperatures until the pouch is open.  If you want to save a bit more weight, you can dehydrate either the retort chicken, or some that you have already cooked and diced.

To make my own taco seasoning mix, I use a combination of cumin, lime juice powder, Mexican oregano, paprika, granulated onion, dehydrated garlic, and salt. 

When it comes time to make dinner, start hydrating the meal kit 15-30 minutes prior to cooking.  The water won't be absorbed, but the pasta, beans, etc will start to swell.  This helps save time and fuel when you heat the dish.  And it allows time for a little swim.  Just don't forget to bring it with you to the lake - it would be a shame for the bears or squirrels to get your dinner.

We like to take a flask of whiskey, a tiny bottle of maple syrup, and a couple pats of butter.  These little indulgences really make the difference and don't add very much weight. 

M&Ms are great for those of you (like me!) that can't go a few days without chocolate.  The hard candy shell helps prevent a melted candy bar all over your pack.

Repacking everything (ie those M&Ms!) into zippie bags allows easier resealability and reduces packaging.  It is also nice to have the used zippies on hand since you need to pack out all of your waste.

Recipes:

Pancake Mix  

4 days worth of pancakes for two people with hearty appetites

4 cups flour

2 T nonfat dry milk

1 T dried egg powder (this can be hard to find, but King Arthur sells it online)

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 t salt

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 1/2 t vanilla 

4 T butter, chilled, diced 

At Home:

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand whisk) combine all ingredients, cutting in butter slowly.  It will resemble coarse meal when complete.   Store in a zippie bag. 

Cooking at Camp:

Combine filtered (or treated) water with pancake mix in a bowl, until batter reaches desired thickness.

Add blueberries or other desired additions (M&Ms, perhaps?  It IS vacation, after all!).

Warm a nonstick skillet over the camp stove or campfire. 

Working in batches, cook one or two pancakes at a time, flipping with your handy camp spatula.

Top as desired and enjoy a well fueled day of hiking.
 

Macaroni and Cheese

1/2 pound pasta, par-cooked and dehydrated

3 cups shredded aged sharp cheddar cheese
1T all purpose flour

2 T nonfat dry milk

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

At home:

In a ziploc bag, combine all ingredients.

Cooking at Camp:

Dump pasta kit into a saucepan.  Add enough filtered (or treated) water to just barely cover the pasta.  Let rest and rehydrate about 15 minutes.  Bring to a simmer and cook until pasta is done and water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Pasta with Red Sauce

1/2 pound pasta, par-cooked and dehydrated

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce, dehydrated to a paste

1/2 bunch kale, dehydrated

10-12 mushrooms, sliced and dehydrated

1/4 pound Italian Sausage, cooked and dehydrated

At home:

In a ziploc bag, combine all ingredients.

Cooking at Camp:

Dump pasta kit into a saucepan.  Add enough filtered (or treated) water to just barely cover the pasta.  Let rest and rehydrate about 15 minutes.  Bring to a simmer and cook until pasta is done and water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Chicken Burritos

chicken (I prefer retort chicken)

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed and dehydrated

cilantro, chopped and dehydrated

a couple shakes of chili flakes

1 T taco seasoning mix

aged cheese 

tortillas

At Home:

Combine all dehydrated ingredients in a ziploc bag. 

Pouch together retort chicken (if using), tortillas, cheese and dried ingredients to make a meal kit.

Cooking at Camp:

In a saucepan, add dried ingredients and enough water to just cover.  If you are using retort chicken, add it at this point as well.  You may want to cut down on water due to the water in the pouch.

Bring to simmer and cook until beans are done and water is absorbed, about 3 minutes.

Assemble your burrito using the tortillas, cheese and warm bean/ chicken filling.