DIY Backcountry Meals

[Archelk]

Does anyone have any good resources or recipes to share on how to make my own “tasty/healthy” backpack meals? I wish Big Fin would do an extensive video for youtube on some of there camp recipe meal preps. But some dehydrated meal recipes would be great as well!

 

[Gellar]

https://www.backpackingchef.com/

 

[wistowy]

https://www.backpackingchef.com/

X2

 

[ntodwild]

Great podcast

 

[MT_Chad]

Great podcast

They have some good recipes. I used their meal bar recipe to make my own bars for lunches when I'm hunting.
To the OP, I haven't done any dehydrating of my own meals but I would like to start. For car camping though, I freeze individual servings of chili, gumbo, etc in vaccuum bags and heat them up in a pot of water.

 

[Archelk]

Thanks guys!!!!!

 

[Qubo]

I’ve been experimenting for the last year since I’m planning first backpack hunt this season. I’ve come up with. Few good ones and some other things I’m still tweaking. Dehydrating your meals taste so much better than freeze dried and are a fraction of the cost. Without my recipe book next to me I’ll just give you some quick stuff. Also I don’t measure much. You’ll need to buy Mylar bags or use freezer/vac seal bags and make an insulating pouch. Google backpacking food pouch. First tip. Any time you make ground beef/venison by itself to dehydrate and then mix later you must mix bread crumbs with the raw meat first in order to rehydrate best. If you cook the beef with something then you don’t have to but it helps. I think it’s 1/2 cup per pound but google it to be safe. Also only use lean beef. Dehydrated fat turns rancid. Second tip, only used canned chicken or pressure cook your own chicken. Do not use grilled, fried, or boiled chicken. Also shread chicken up small before dehydrating. Third tip experiment. Don’t take any of these to the field without trying. I’ve had some gross ones. Also it took me like ten tries to stop using too much water. You need less than you think.
Recipes.
First one is venison/beef spaghetti.
1.Just make spaghetti with meat sauce however you would normally, but maybe a little saucier. (Beef breadcrumbs optional)
2. Mix sauce noodles and meat together in a bowl. Let sit over night on the counter. It’s an odd step but the noodles soak in the sauce and that’s what you want. Next day use a knife to cut spaghetti up. You what short 3-5in
3. Place on trays and dehydrate 6-8hrs. May have to use parchment paper depending on trays.
4. Package in bag of choice with leftover Parmesan packets from pizza delivery.

Another great choice is chili mac. Use your favorite recipe. I have a great one for for the instant pot I can give you. Only thing is don’t add cheese to it. It doesn’t dehydrate well. Just like spaghetti let it sit out over night. Then dehydrate and and package with powdered cheddar. You can get it on amazon.

Take your favorite boxed Mac and cheese that uses cheese powder. (Organic stuff seems to have the best real cheese) if you just want to add boiling water like a mountain house you have to boil noodles like normal then dehydrate them. Divide up the dehydrated noodles and powdered cheese equally. Add a spoonful of powdered milk to each meal. Get the whole milk stuff in the yellow tub. Sometimes it’s in the Hispanic section sometimes it’s with powdered milk. Don’t buy the skim stuff. Lastly add meat of your choice, previously dehydrated beef/venison, dehydrated chicken, or bacon bits.

These are the cooked meals I make most. I also have made several different meals by just buying the different Knorr brand rice sides and pasta sides as well as the Idahoan powdered potatoes and adding previously dehydrated beef, chicken, or buffalo ranch chicken, and dehydrated vegetables. Throw in some additional spices and you have an easy meal. You can make meals like burrito bowls, beef stroganoff, shepherds pie, and chicken Alfredo this way.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have additional questions or want more specific recipes.

 

[wa_archer]

I would love to get into the freeze drying for backpacking meals but haven't bit the bullet on one of those pricy units. I have a dehydrator may need to try some of the above. I do dehydrate a lot of fruit throughout the summer for hunting season, either by itself for for adding to homemade oatmeal packs. I do like using the knorr packets and idahoan potatoes for backpacking. I bought some zip food grade stand up bags so I can make my own quantity and packets. I was actually eating a packet of soup last year when i shot a bull on a pouring down rain day.

For base camp type meals at the truck, I have been working on that this week. Made big pans of enchiladas, lasagna and crock pot full of elk shank with fresh serrano and jalapenos for taco meat. I vaccuum seal it all in individual meal size. Pull out dinner before leave camp so it will thaw from the cooler and throw in pot of boiling water when get in for a quick hot meal.

have to check out backpackingchef.com

 

[Pucky Freak]

I’ve been experimenting for the last year since I’m planning first backpack hunt this season. I’ve come up with. Few good ones and some other things I’m still tweaking. Dehydrating your meals taste so much better than freeze dried and are a fraction of the cost. Without my recipe book next to me I’ll just give you some quick stuff. Also I don’t measure much. You’ll need to buy Mylar bags or use freezer/vac seal bags and make an insulating pouch. Google backpacking food pouch. First tip. Any time you make ground beef/venison by itself to dehydrate and then mix later you must mix bread crumbs with the raw meat first in order to rehydrate best. If you cook the beef with something then you don’t have to but it helps. I think it’s 1/2 cup per pound but google it to be safe. Also only use lean beef. Dehydrated fat turns rancid. Second tip, only used canned chicken or pressure cook your own chicken. Do not use grilled, fried, or boiled chicken. Also shread chicken up small before dehydrating. Third tip experiment. Don’t take any of these to the field without trying. I’ve had some gross ones. Also it took me like ten tries to stop using too much water. You need less than you think.
Recipes.
First one is venison/beef spaghetti.
1.Just make spaghetti with meat sauce however you would normally, but maybe a little saucier. (Beef breadcrumbs optional)
2. Mix sauce noodles and meat together in a bowl. Let sit over night on the counter. It’s an odd step but the noodles soak in the sauce and that’s what you want. Next day use a knife to cut spaghetti up. You what short 3-5in
3. Place on trays and dehydrate 6-8hrs. May have to use parchment paper depending on trays.
4. Package in bag of choice with leftover Parmesan packets from pizza delivery.

Another great choice is chili mac. Use your favorite recipe. I have a great one for for the instant pot I can give you. Only thing is don’t add cheese to it. It doesn’t dehydrate well. Just like spaghetti let it sit out over night. Then dehydrate and and package with powdered cheddar. You can get it on amazon.

Take your favorite boxed Mac and cheese that uses cheese powder. (Organic stuff seems to have the best real cheese) if you just want to add boiling water like a mountain house you have to boil noodles like normal then dehydrate them. Divide up the dehydrated noodles and powdered cheese equally. Add a spoonful of powdered milk to each meal. Get the whole milk stuff in the yellow tub. Sometimes it’s in the Hispanic section sometimes it’s with powdered milk. Don’t buy the skim stuff. Lastly add meat of your choice, previously dehydrated beef/venison, dehydrated chicken, or bacon bits.

These are the cooked meals I make most. I also have made several different meals by just buying the different Knorr brand rice sides and pasta sides as well as the Idahoan powdered potatoes and adding previously dehydrated beef, chicken, or buffalo ranch chicken, and dehydrated vegetables. Throw in some additional spices and you have an easy meal. You can make meals like burrito bowls, beef stroganoff, shepherds pie, and chicken Alfredo this way.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have additional questions or want more specific recipes.

Great ideas! Thanks

 

[Irrelevant]

@wa_archer turned me onto instant mashed potatoes and single serving spam packets. You can't do them everyday, and they're a LONG way from healthy, but dang are they good.

@Archelk What makes you want healthy food for the week or two your in the mountains? I generally want feel good, taste good, and calories.

 

[Werty]

Use the search FUNCTION, it will tell you everything you desire.

 

[NVDesertHunter]

7 DIY Dehydrated Meals For The Trail Or On-The-Go - The Hippy Homemaker

AFFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging and social media activities, I may receive monetary compensation for links to products from this post. However, I only recommend products that I personally love and use myself!.Our very first family backpacking trip was a HUGE...

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