PreCooked Hunting camp meals. what works?

[Flyfish4ever]

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

If you put the eggs in the fridge to cool before you wrap them, I find that solves that issue. Trial and error helped me figure that out

 

[JohnCushman]

I make green chili and even though I was told it looks like vomit, it goes over well with friends with some boil in bag rice.

Sweet and sour meatballs are another hit that's easy to make and seals well to be warmed up later,

 

[ShadowValley]

Kroger 90 spanish rice, Uncle Ben's 90 fiesta beans, and premade taco or fajita meat is a winner as well. Throw in skillet till hot and serve. Works as a burrito or stand alone.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I usually take in a package of fresh tortellini, for me solo I have it for 3 nights.
All it takes is a pot and bring it to a boil with 1 inch of water.
First night with broccoli crowns, cherry tomatoes, olives, topped with parmesian cheese.
Second night with smoked salmon and cream cheese.
Third night with with pre-cooked bacon and broccoli crowns.

 

[BearFoot]

I like fajita meat, precook and vacuum seal. Roll up in tortilla with whatever other goodness.
Precooked pasta freezes into nice bricks. This year had mac & cheese that was a big hit.
Boil in water to warm up, no mess, or drop in pan with other stuff.

lasagna upper right

 

[BillDoe708]

@furfishngame

 

[HeadedWest]

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?

Sounds like you have it under control. With the cooler situation I'd pick some groceries up at the last town before getting into camp. Ice for the cooler/coolers if need be. Keep an eye on the drinks if the start freezing take them out of the cooler.

 

[Dakotakid]

I just looked and they make a gas powered slow cooker.

We do most of our meals in an electric slow cooker so when we get back it is ready, hot and takes little work.

Wife makes a killer cheeseburger stew, and the Bear Creek broccoli cheese can be enhanced with frozen broccoli and browned ground beef or ham.
Meatloaf works well also.

They make slow cooker liners, for easy cleanup.

My wife makes several dozen breakfast burritos before hunting season with ground meat and nacho cheese.

 

[longrunner]

Anything that reheats as leftovers.

Turkey, stuffing and mashers comes to mind right now post T-day.

 

[2rocky]

I just looked and they make a gas powered slow cooker.

We do most of our meals in an electric slow cooker so when we get back it is ready, hot and takes little work.

Wife makes a killer cheeseburger stew, and the Bear Creek broccoli cheese can be enhanced with frozen broccoli and browned ground beef or ham.
Meatloaf works well also.

They make slow cooker liners, for easy cleanup.

My wife makes several dozen breakfast burritos before hunting season with ground meat and nacho cheese.

Usually I'll do the slow cooking at home and freeze those to reheat in camp.

 

[David658]

Breakfast for me is usually store-bought - just a big bowl of oatmeal (age and regularity and all that). I make a whole stack of sausage biscuits before we leave, wrap each in foil, and a few of those go in my pack for the fat/protein (as though I need more fat in my diet). We (my wife and me) like both pulled pork and carnitas - pretty much same/same nutritionally, difference is seasoning and the kind of bread you surround it with. We also allow ourselves to be lazy and use freeze-dried stuff. Dessert is always "huntin' cookies" (those generic vanilla sandwich cookies).

My hunting buddy, Roger (still in Oregon, we grew up together in TN, hunted and fished together for almost 50 years so far) would bring meals cooked by his wife - great one-pot meals that were HUGE. But we also camped within about 20 miles of our favorite central Oregon restaurant, and would go in to town to eat as a treat. But then, we'd have to eat a boatload of his wife's cooking. I'd try and get Roger to just bury it, but he couldn't because then he'd either have to lie or get in big trouble. We always gained weight in deer camp, no matter how many miles we hiked.

 

[David658]

To keep water from freezing, we would keep it in the tent, since we had a stove. Be sure your coffee pot and cook pots get filled with water, since you can put them on the stove. Water bottles can go in your sleeping bag if it's getting that cold.

 

[huntin24/7]

For breakfast, it’s tuff to beat pre made breakfast burritos. Wrap the burrito in parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Hears up east just setting it on a buddy heater for a few minutes per side.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I like fresh tortellini because it is so versatile and does not require a cooler.
And quick...just steam in a pot so don't use much fuel.
I can usually get 3 dinners:
1) Tortellini with moose sausage and veggies

2) Tortellini with smoked salmon/cream cheese/veggies
3) Tortellini with veggies and parm cheese.

 

[JoMo]

This year I did meatloaf and mashed potatoes (potatoes were the instant ones and super simple), stroganoff and two different chiles. It was my first time doing the boil in the bag approach and I will never go back while I am truck camping. I plan to incorporate these types of meals into camping/rafting trips too to help ease the prep/cleanup and will also need to give the tacos/fajitas and tortellini's a go too. One thing I will keep in mind in the future too is vac seal bag selection if you plan to eat from the bag. Similar to freeze dried bags, the shape/design play into how you plan on eating it. I will go with shorter, wider bags in the future if I plan to eat straight from the bag so I am not digging around getting my hands and fingers in there - even with a long handled spoon.

 

[BillDoe708]

Just cut the bag open from the side

 

[JoMo]

Just cut the bag open from the side

Brilliant!

 

[2rocky]

this might have to be tried out....

 

[2rocky]

here's what I ate this year...

I had just about everything precooked, canned jarred or frozen for my hunt this year. I had a 6 day menu ready to go..

Breakfasts : 6 breakfast burritos with sausage, 3 strips of bacon, egg, and cheese

Lunches : leftover Dinners plus Salami, Cheese, Fruit Snacks, Mandarin oranges and Peaches

Dinners:
Grilled Carne Asada with Ben's Easy Spanish Rice
Pre grilled Pork Tenderloin with Ben's Easy rice Pilaf
Beef Burgundy with instant mashed potatoes
Frozen Pasta et Fagiole (minestrone like) add pasta
Pulled pork Sandwich or tortilla wrap
*Spaghetti or other pasta with pre cooked frozen ground beef in Marinara sauce
*Pre cooked-frozen Taco meat

Back up meals:
*Bratwurst with Mac & cheese
*Canned Chicken soup starter. Just add noodles and some stock
*Dennison's Chili with beans and Mac & Cheese.
*Dinty Moore Beef Stew
* didn't get to it.

I ended up fixing dinner for 2 nights of scouting and tagged out on Opening Day. I fixed dinner for three more nights in camp and one full day on the road. The pork tenderloin was 2 nights' dinners.