PreCooked Hunting camp meals. what works?

[2rocky]

I'm looking at a 7 day season in Early November most likely camping solo in my 12x12 tent and stove. I'm already vacuum sealing up precooked meals in anticipation of just heating up a quick dinner and going to bed.

One of the issues is going to be 2 days on the road getting there, 3 days scouting, and a 7 day season. I don't want to waste a hunting day getting ice or running out of food a day early. I think I'll have 3 separate coolers with the last one being frozen stuff with dry ice.

Besides Stews and Soups and Chili, what other foods fuel the fire for you?

I've had good luck with the Grains of Change and Uncle Ben's Easy rice packets, I'm trying to experiment with foil lined pots to reduce dish washing

I vacuum sealed a couple half racks of pork ribs.

I can bring some pre cooked/smoked sausages to grill on a portable gas grill. Wondering if I will have any issues camping at 9000 ft with it in the cold? Propane freezes up at what temp?

In Freezing weather, what is your best way to keep drinking water from freezing? Put it in the Cooler?

 

[sjl2012]

Taco meat, hamburgers, chili, red beans and rice, shredded roasts are my favorites when truck camping. Vacuum seal whatever you are precooking, including sides, and just bring a pot big enough to cover the bags with water. Warm it that way and no dirty dishes. Saves time and effort and keeps you in the field longer.

 

[Boarmaster]

I usually cook whole chickens and cut them in halves or qtrs then vac pak them. I also have had good luck with those mashed potatoes already prepared and in trays And reheat in whatever container is appropriate. You can heat depending on what kind of heat source you want. Boil in bag vegetables are good as well. I have made spagetti and meat sauce and vac’d it. Roast beef and country ribs as well. Anything you can precook and put in a vac pack bag that will withstand boiling is fair game. precooked roasted red potatoes heat quick and are good with about anything including a boiled egg for breakfast. Smoked sausage in a good meat to have as well.
I have precooked beans and franks And brought those. The main thing for me was to have things in meal size or portion size bags for real convience. Boil to heat, pour them on your plate , eat then toss the bags. I also did fahitas once or twice.

 

[JFish]

My last camping trip I made burritos and they were a huge hit, taco meet or shredded chicken in the crock pot, whatever seasoning you like, rice, cheese etc. roll them up in foil and freeze them. We threw them right in the fire to heat them up and they were a big hit. No utensils or plates needed, just tear the foil as you go. I think if you freeze them you should be able to do a few for the first couple of days.

 

[Ppartin4570]

Meat loaf works well

 

[prhunter]

pasta with meat sauce..

 

[wa_archer]

That time of year at 9000 feet I don't think you will have to worry much about them staying frozen. If you pack them into a good cooler you should be fine. Just remember to take out your dinner pack in the morning so it can thaw. Makes heating it up when you come in a lot quicker.

the burrito idea above is awesome. I have done that for breakfast burritos but for some reason never thought of doing that for a dinner. I do lasagna, enchiladas, taco meat, bbq meat (vaccuum seals better without bones), meatballs, meat and peppers for philly sandwiches, I like the chicken idea.

liquid propane's freezing point is -306.4 F so you shouldn't have an issue the -44 F is where the liquid turns to a gas, you probably have bigger issues if you hit that temp range as well. If your boiling meals I would bring a stove that puts out some high BTU's we use our camp chef but there are some smaller units and single burner options out there as well.

as for water bring it into the tent or wherever you are sleeping should help.

 

[Mule man]

Spagetti will keep you going ,also the Idaho mashed potatoes are super good and very easy to prepare. protein bars are a must also, can live off them if need be (emergency)

 

[Wildabeest]

Lasagna and smoked pulled pork in vac-sealed individual portions both work great for sous-vide reheating and eat right out of the bag.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Make burritos. Wrap in foil and freeze them. Then heat them up in the foil in the field. My buddy makes them. Its a tasty dish on the mountain.

 

[Bambistew]

Pasties, and not the kind that hang off your nipps. Bake/freeze/vacuum pack, Dip in boiling water to warm up, or wrap in foil and set on the stove and eat.

They are pretty easy to mass produce and cheap to make.

Speaking of which it time for me to make up a big batch for easy winter meals.

 

[MTLabrador]

Pasties, and not the kind that hang off your nipps. Bake/freeze/vacuum pack, Dip in boiling water to warm up, or wrap in foil and set on the stove and eat.

They are pretty easy to mass produce and cheap to make.

Speaking of which it time for me to make up a big batch for easy winter meals.

A Butte classic, and one of my favorites.

 

[Flyfish4ever]

a great thing i always do is fajitas, precook and vacuum seal, all you need to do is heat up tortillas and the meal and its good to go. if you are using game meat, just know that i have yet to figure out a way to cook it where its still rare inside when making fajitas.

 

[morley.tyler]

not the kind that hang off your nipps

Bwahahahaha

 

[MThuntr]

I have a pork shoulder that spend the day yesterday in a crockpot. I'll just eat it with a tortilla. I've been really lazy with my hunting meal prep and this week will suffer because of it. Nothing will be brought that requires cooking or anything that will suffer from being frozen...except some ramen for midday warm up, meals are eaten directly out of cans, jars or bags.

 

[406LIFE]

I do a lot of pastas. As we have our regular meals throughout the year and we have leftovers, I will take a serving or two, freeze it and vacuum seal it up. Then when fall arrives I have a menu ready to go and don't have to do large batches.

 

[ShadowValley]

Breakfast burritos - scrambled eggs, hash browns, meat of choice. Reheat for a few minutes in a pan and wrap in tortilla with shredded cheese.

 

[Flyfish4ever]

Breakfast burritos - scrambled eggs, hash browns, meat of choice. Reheat for a few minutes in a pan and wrap in tortilla with shredded cheese.

THIS!!!

Another way I like to do this is to wrap all the burritos ahead of time (make sure you let everything cool before wrapping the burritos or they will make the tortilla soggy). Wrap the premade burritos in tin foil and freeze/refrigerate. When you are ready to make them, just throw them in the coals from last nights fire, or heat them up on the stove in a covered pan.

 

[TheJason]

Breakfast burritos - scrambled eggs, hash browns, meat of choice. Reheat for a few minutes in a pan and wrap in tortilla with shredded cheese.

You can freeze these ahead of time and it works very well.

Edit. Looks like Flyfish scooped me

 

[ShadowValley]

I always find the tortilla gets soggy when prewrapped, but then again when out in the woods who really cares