Camping meals ?

[beeryboats]

I've been looking for a camp stove, and wondered what I'm going to cook in it. Ewan and Charlie ate a lot of boil in the bag meals, but I haven't found any here in the states. Just military MREs. MRE's are not bad, and have their own heater.

Does anyone want to share some camp meal recipes?

[Newstar]

I can't speak from experience on quality and taste but your large camping stores seem to have a large selection of dehydrated meals. (REI, Eastern Mountain Sports, etc.)

[Astir]

I will watch this thread closely, as I am also very interested in camping recipes for the road.

We use an MSR Reactor. Have thought about a three fuel to use gasoline, but haven't traveled where it has become a priority yet.

Easy recipe:
1 box of Mac & Cheese
1 can tuna
1 can mixed veggies.

When the noodles are almost ready, add the drained veggies to heat up.
Drain it and mix in the cheese stuff (a little extra water if you use the powder cheese stuff). Once thoroughly mixed, add the tuna.

[tommcgee]

The boil bags work fine, but I tend to hit the prepared food section of the supermarket sometime during the day.

[Maylett]

The most important thing to remember about cooking while camping is minimizing the hassle and maximizing the convenience. Packing all the cooking stuff, hauling it around, unpacking it at the camp site, using it, then cleaning it, then repacking it, hauling it back home, then unpacking it, is tons of trouble, and it can make camping a chore when it should be relaxing.

Typing "camping recipes" into Google will call up all kinds of good recipes, so I won't post any myself. Instead, I'll just recommend keeping it simple, making it convenient and preparing as much as possible at home before you go. Anything that you can throw into a pot or pan, heat up or boil, then eat is good. Better still is combining that with things that can be eaten with no preparation or clean-up at all, like chips, fruit and snacks. Paper plates, cups and plastic utensils don't have to be washed, which is always good. And above all, don't overpack this stuff. Plan the meals out, and don't take more than you'll actually eat.

Also, don't bother with the pre-packaged meals from the outdoors stores — freeze-dried vegetables and meat are expensive and, yuck, awful. Even when I backpack, I don't bother with that stuff. Oatmeal, noodles and cereal are far better and much, much less expensive.

Keep the elaborate meals at home, where there's a refrigerator, oven, stove and dishwasher. Really, it's surprising how good the simple things taste outdoors.

[angysdad]

I love the MSR 'international' stove. It was developped for the swiss special forces and burns white gas (coleman fuel), unleaded gas, kerosene and jet fuel. I like to 'hunt' for my food. Buy small amounts towards the end of the day...1 pork chop or chicken breast, a few vegies...maybe some instant rice or couscous brought from home...voilà! Add a bottle of wine...Pick up a whole melon for breakfast...someone will help you finish it.

[PGlaves]

There's camping and then there's camping - and which you are doing influences what/how you cook and eat.

Voni and I just got back from a weekend trip to a remote 300,000 acre state park where it is 27 miles of rock road from the pavement to the park headquarters, and then 5 more miles on the graded road and 1 mile on a track out across the rocks to a picnic table and fire ring. We cooked coffee but everything else was prepared at home in advance. We didn't take the bikes either - drove a 4 wheel drive high clearance vehicle. One evening was chilli cooked by some friends, one noon meal was a barbeque put on by the park for their Fiesta. The rest was hardboiled eggs and muffins for breakfast, etc, ham sandwiches for lunch, etc.

Then there is camping when we camp when we travel on extended trips on the motorcycle. We carry a decent travel stove (Coleman Dual Fuel) and cook kit and can cook most anything in small portions if we wish to bother. We shop late afternoon before we wind up at a camp site. Here we usually have a couple of liters of water along but intend to have a potable water source at the campground. We almost always eat a hot dinner; anything from burgers to steaks, to chilli, to stew to soup with a sandwich, to fried chicken, to spaghetti. We always eat a lot of fruit. It varies.

I always try to have one good meal in a can - hearty beef stew or something similar - requiring neither campsite water nor a nearby grocery, just in case we stop to camp before we've done any shopping. And as soon as that gets used we get another.

Dehydrated food in a bag is great convenience one-pot foot - if you have potable water provided where you camp. If you have to haul the water in too then the level of convenience goes wayeown.

So we try to plan meals around the nature of the camping site. If it is rustic then weprobably cook foods that don't need reconstitution with water. If it is a campground with amenities like flush toilets, running water, and a store nearby then most anything works, unless it is already dark. Then out with the can of stew.

[John Brase]

I've become a fan of Knorr Pasta Sides for camp meals. With the addition of some canned or packaged chicken or tuna one package will make a full meal deal.

Where the recipe calls for milk I use a small can of evaporated milk and adjust the water amount to compensate. Instead of butter you can substitute olive oil. Evaporated milk and olive oil don't need refrigeration.

Knorr also makes a variety of rice based packaged meals and the red beans & rice is not bad. If you can pick up a small amount of sausage and/or diced ham at a grocery on the way to the campsite it is a good addition to the dish.

Plus, they are cheap at around $1.30 a package and I think a lot better than the freeze dried stuff made for camping.

John
Iron Chef Moto

[jamesdunn]

I keep it simple. Having done a lot of backpacking I like one dish meals that weigh but little and pack easy. Knorr sides or similar are good. Maylett mentions oatmeal. And as mentioned by Paul G. canned is fine, on a bike, not backpacking. I always make sure I've fresh coffee and carry water. Potable H2O may be scarce when camping.

[ChrisF]

Here's a site I found helpful - www.trailcooking.com . Shopping at the local supermarket and using freezer bags provides more choices at a lower cost vs. dehydrated camping meals, along with better portion control.

BTW, skip the dehydrated eggs - :sick

[From MARS]

+1 on the Knorr pasta or rice dishes. They use 2 cups of water and will feed two. Figure another cup of water for cleanup if you don't burn them. The "plus sides" ones have a serving of vegetables, too. I add a little jerky or precooked sausage and season with Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning. A little powdered milk is added to the pasta dishes if they call for milk.

Tom

[andrewjones]

Instant potatos in the single packs I've found to be great! They've come along way & now come in different flavors for around a $1.20 each. Make a great quick side for a steak, or my quicky meal in the Jet Boil is one packet, then tuna and a small can of mushrooms & hot sauce. Might sound gross, but it's actually pretty good, quck, & filling.

[sjbmw]

We recently had the opportunity to cook the REI sold brand of backpacker meals, and Nissin Ramen for late night snacks at the Finger Lakes Rally.

http://www.backpackerspantry.com/

These are tasty. Each packet serves 2, so be hungry. REI stocks them, and they discount them on their outlet site.

We used a Jet Boil. Another guy with us had the Jet Boil cook set, but he ended up using my regular Jet Boil, as the JB cook set needs washing after use, the original Jet Boil does not, it just boils water, so there is no cleanup.


Ramen is king for Jet Boil. Every supermarket has a Ramen aisle. The "Souper" meals from Nissin are really good.

http://www.nissinfoods.com/

Take along beef jerky, cut it up, and drop it in your Ramen with the hot water, it turns back into tender beef in a few minutes. Beef Ramen is very very good.

[KGT1200]

What, are we on an expedition? Don't carry food from home, R U nuts?

Buy local, it's cheaper, and way tastier! Backpacking food, Raman...yuucccchk! I ate too much of that crap backpacking in my 20s! I had no clue how to cook then, and now I'm wiser!

Buy local perishable nutritious foods, save the top ramen for when you're old and don't care about the 6 times the daily allowable sodium that they and other quick food type packages contain!

Corn on the cob, thick steaks, camp chili (three kinds of canned beans, 1 lb of hamburger, 1 tiny can of tomato paste and some hot sauce of some type to taste.

Bagels and lochs, lochs and bagels! Cream cheese! Brats, sauerkraut, biscuits and sausage..(Bizquick, water, oil in a hot hot aluminum camping pot pan till she smokes, pour in 1 inch of batter on a thin layer of oil, shut off and bury in a bunch of leaves, wala! The best biscuit ever!

Real Butter!Celebrate!You’re not at home with your diet! (Burp!):eat:eat:p

Deli meat and deli cheese, eat it up for it goes bad!

Seriously though I carry two or three of those give away string pull back bags, and just before reaching destination, stop and fill up with fresh eggs, fresh veggies and the like and eat like a king! Save your "whip it up” food for when you are far from anything.

At Gillette, I rode to Yellowstone, stopped in Cody, filled my packs and headed into Montana for 3 days of eating the best to offer along with many, many little brook trout!

You don’t need the instant stuff eat real, eat local!

[tommcgee]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2722/4108614861_4b3a64783d_o.jpg

[AKBeemer]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2722/4108614861_4b3a64783d_o.jpg

Pity the person sharing your tent.

[tommcgee]

Pity the person sharing your tent.

Yeah, we wonder why the women won't camp with us. :D :buds

[BuddingGeezer]

Moto Campers has a forum on meals and recipies
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/index.php

Ralph sims

[criminaldesign]

My Fri-Sun excursion 2 weeks ago consisted of:
- jar of peanut butter/jelly mix
- 2 packs of bagels
- bag of gold fish
- beer

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-QwlstzxZzv8LO0sqsYS7Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QUlLxCsQNp0/SvmVbYsoYPI/AAAAAAAAA8w/pHFGCtDqCb4/s800/Lunch-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/houstonmcintyre/SouthEastWV?feat=embedwebsite">South East WV</a></td></tr></table>

[SIBUD]

My Fri-Sun excursion 2 weeks ago consisted of:
- jar of peanut butter/jelly mix
- 2 packs of bagels
- bag of gold fish
- beer

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-QwlstzxZzv8LO0sqsYS7Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QUlLxCsQNp0/SvmVbYsoYPI/AAAAAAAAA8w/pHFGCtDqCb4/s800/Lunch-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/houstonmcintyre/SouthEastWV?feat=embedwebsite">South East WV</a></td></tr></table>

Breakfast of Champions :clap

[Bob_M]

I like to stop for a burger a couple hours before I get off into the woods. While in town I pick up some water, beer and jerkey and some granola bars for the morning. Never be without granola bars. Did ya know that if you cut the top off an empty half gallon water jug it will hold 4 bottles of beer and some ice? You will just have to drink the first two beers before they get warm

:clap

[criminaldesign]

...Did ya know that if you cut the top off an empty half gallon water jug it will hold 4 bottles of beer and some ice?

:clap

add some duct tape for aesthetic value and your golden!

[BubbaZanetti]

2 subway subs, stuffed in a small soft cooler with an ice pack. they're so terrible and full of preservatives they'd probably last the whole weekend without refrigeration.

in case you couldn't tell, i'm not a cooker, especially when i camp.:D

most i ever do is stuff like rice or potatoes and a cut of meat and some veggies, one part of being an eagle scout i never got into was cooking at camp, i think i started doing the subway thing when i was 13 and heavily into backpacking.

[jamesdunn]

[QUOTE=criminaldesign;516333]My Fri-Sun excursion 2 weeks ago consisted of:
- jar of peanut butter/jelly mix
- 2 packs of bagels
- bag of gold fish
- beer

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-QwlstzxZzv8LO0sqsYS7Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QUlLxCsQNp0/SvmVbYsoYPI/AAAAAAAAA8w/pHFGCtDqCb4/s800/Lunch-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/houstonmcintyre/SouthEastWV?feat=embedwebsite">South East WV</a></td></tr></table>[/QUOTE

Criminal, this photo is quite artistic! Almost makes me wanna smoke Pall Mall! One question though. Why so elaborate on the meals?!:rofl:rofl]

[john1691]

Last spring at the Frosty Nutz we brought eggs and bacon from PA, cracked the eggs into platic ware before we left, and got the precooked bacon that doesn't need refrigeration. The eggs stayed cool in the saddle bags due to the cooler time of year, but fresh/non refrigerated eggs will last a couple days just fine without refrigeration. I also found that the precooked foil packaged meats aren't bad, tuna steaks, salmon, chicken, and no refrigeration required. +1 on buying local produce just prior to arriving at camp. And while fresh coffee is preffered, I'll settle for the dryed International Foods flavored stuff if I have to, easy to pack, just add hot water. As long as a store isn't too far away, empty the side bags and head back out to shop, as you can cart more beer with empty bags............

[RTFlyer]

I always bring a half-dozen mini-bagels and a small jar of peanut butter. It's hard to destroy the bagels no matter how you pack them. It's a great substitute for my usual PB on toast breakfast that I eat at home most days anyway.

Another favorite is smoked salmon or flavored tuna steaks in the foil packets (sold near the canned tuna). I just set the packet on the engine while I set up camp and the residual heat warms it nicely, even after some time. You can use the engine to warm just about any canned or foil packed food. No burner, no timer, no sweat. I've been thinking about creating some recipes for engine cooking. I know there was a book about doing so with car engines some time ago. Just think, you could wedge a foil packet of your own creation somewhere (depending on engine type), ride the last 60 miles, and have a hot meal when you stop for the day!

[beeryboats]

I've been thinking about creating some recipes for engine cooking. I know there was a book about doing so with car engines some time ago. Just think, you could wedge a foil packet of your own creation somewhere (depending on engine type), ride the last 60 miles, and have a hot meal when you stop for the day![/QUOTE]

That may work for most, but it takes me soooo long to set up the tent the food would be cold and taken away by racoons before I even got one tent stake in the ground!

[AKBeemer]

Snowmobilers have long used the exhaust pipe to cook things like hot dogs, or other fast foods. You strap a hot dogger (see below) to the exhaust pipe and in a few miles you have a hot corn dog. I ran into a trapper once that was cooking a roast on the exhaust of her Tundra. It is unpleasant to discover a hot dog that was left in the hot dogger in April when you fire up the machine for the first time the following October.

[tommcgee]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2512/4113073657_e3d09587b3_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/4113841398_b257c55c90_o.jpg

[john1691]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2512/4113073657_e3d09587b3_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/4113841398_b257c55c90_o.jpg

Probably not a good product to be riding along with in Alaska! Here.... grizzly grizzly grizzly......................:D