Bushcraft meal recipes, no refrigeration required.

Discussion in 'Adventure, Hiking, Backpacking and Travel' started by BlueDogScout, Apr 28, 2018.

  1. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    So I have seen many posts on here about different meals, etc. My goal is to start a thread about recipes to help people plan meals for a weekend or longer and not have to hike in with a cooler. I know that mountain house makes many freeze dried meals and military MREs are readily available. I don’t want those things. I want DIY items and shelf stable items that can be used in different ways and easy to pack. I want the items to be ingredients and cooking over a camp fire or stove to be required. For example, bannock dry mix can be used for bread, batter, pancakes etc. if you are fishing or hunting you could supplement the meal plan. I want to see what everyone else is doing, thanks in advance for your participation!
     
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  2. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    Cant go wrong with tinned smoked sardines and herring. Easy to pack, easy to use as is or added to other ingredients .

    Same with spam or tuna or salmon.
     
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  3. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    I figured you would be along! Thank you those are good meat options that are readily available. I also like fried chipped beef;

    image.jpg

    I did find a place in Virginia that sells salted shelf stable bacon that is very tasty but with shipping is $8 a pound. I tried some and it’s good but too expensive. That’s why I liked your salt pork post. I’ll have to try it sooner or later.
     
  4. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    I watch a lot of YouTube and coalcracker bushcraft and Dave Canterbury pack in large round tons with food in them. I like the concept as it is a borrowed idea from Kephart if I remember correctly. I guess I could buy the setup and use it but I wanted to go my own route in the concept. So I have roll top bags (tinder pouches from The Hidden Woodsman) that I want to use for dry goods. Here was my breakdown;

    1) freeze dried hash browns (could be ground down for mashed potatoes or potato cakes)
    2) Rice or Orzo pasta
    3) oatmeal
    4) cornmeal (ash cakes or breading or corn bread)
    5) bannock mix (bread, pancakes etc)
    6) coffee??? I don’t really drink coffee but in a group setting it’s required. Maybe powdered milk since it has more applications.

    We have chickens so I can haul in farm fresh eggs. (2-6 I have containers for both) meat can be canned or the salt pork for breakfast. Planning on meat from fish and rabbits or squirrels when in season. This is what I’m trying to base my rations around. The nice thing is the bags are roll top so I can adjust qty unlike the tins.
     
  5. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    add little spice bags too....salt, sugar, pepper, savoury herbs etc. check out Townsends Spice Kit

    http://www.townsends.us/pocket-spice-psb20-p-1066.html

    - tin of bouillon cubes

    canned tuna and herrings and mackerel can all be removed from their cans and dehydrated quite nicely, 4 cups worth wet dries down to about 1 cup dry. Very light, easy to rehydrate and add to soups for a flavorful protein punch. You could even grind them up into coarse meal to further save on space.

    - consider dried salt pork or beef (Bresola) or cured , dried sausages too.....

    - mac and cheese (remove from box and store in heavy duty freezer bags)
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2018
  6. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Those Townsend kits are nice. I keep bouillon cubes in my cooking pot with a small jar of lard, a small flask of sesame seed oil, and then my spices. I keep 3 of these;

    https://www.msrgear.com/cookware/camp-kitchen/alpine-salt-pepper-shaker

    91301623-677C-44A6-844C-83B2450957E2.jpeg

    One with salt and pepper, the second with garlic powder and Lawry’s seasoned salt, and the third with old bay (it is a single spice not dual) then I have my new red eyed hog spice. I also keep a tin with tea bags and a tin of white willow bark and cleaning supplies.

    I keep thinking I will need to get a gehydrater, the tuna idea sounds good. I want to try the salt pork and have read your post on it many times. I guess beef is the same process? I don’t have any place near me that sells dried sausages that don’t require refrigeration, they all say they do, i guess I could try to make some and have bought a few books on it but I would need a smoker first or build a smoke house. Both are future plans for the farm.
     
  7. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    beef is similar prepared except you marinate it in salt, spices, herbs and red wine for 48 hours or longer, then dry off ad wrap in linen and hang.
     
  8. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Very interesting!
     
  9. STPNWLF

    STPNWLF Member

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    Did you see @Black5 's post on canned bacon? Life is always better with bacon.
     
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  10. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    I’ve seen the tactical bacon, dunno if I saw the post. I agree on the bacon if I can get a cost effective way I could die happy. Lol
     
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  11. Rick R

    Rick R Member

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    The pre-cooked bacon that grocery stores now offer wouldn’t be a bad option. With the grease removed the weight is reduced and no refrigeration is required till you break the seal. Heat it a bit in a pan and you have bacon!
     
  12. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    I e seen that stuff at sams but never tried it. I wonder if you could repackage it in smaller quantities with a vacuum sealer? That might be a good option. I like normal black label bacon anyway.
     
  13. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    Pre cook it almost crisp, dry the grease off it and vacuum seal before you leave.

    If you have asian markets near you look for the giant baskets full of dried shrimp and fish......easy to store and they rehydrate well. And its cheap.
     
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  14. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    I think the sewers on the forum would make a killing selling simple linen sacks (open top, tied off with jute cord)

    Small ones, sized for 1-3 cups of flour or rice......perfect size for carrying a day or two worth of ingredients ..

    :)
     
  15. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    I’ll ask around I work for a Japanese automive company.

    My original idea was to sew up some basic bags, I ended up getting the hidden woodsman stuff but same concept. When I was a reenactor I made sacks out of linen for salt sugar flour and coffee but they were 30-50 pounds
     
  16. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    if you do sew up some open top small linen bags,lemme know. I'm down for some.

    that Armour beef, is that just ground hamburger formed into slabs , dried and sliced?
     
  17. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Let me know the sizes you want. You want just plan linen? Basically yes that is dried beef. It’s very salty and shelf stable. I love it but it’s really good fried and added to biscuits and gravy for SOS.
     
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  18. Adventurer

    Adventurer Member

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    Great idea to start up this thread. As far as backpacking trips go I have only been on a few overnight backpack/kayak in trips. Nothing longer so it is great to see what everyone else packs for meals. For us it was sandwiches, mountain house meals, bagels, and snacks... At some point in the coming years will be making a trip to Isle Royale, that is still on my bucket list...
     
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  19. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Thanks, I like the freeze dried meals but I like the historical idea of doing it like our ancestors did. Meat should be hunted or caught and everything else should be gathered or brought with.
     
  20. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    Ive always wanted to go hiking / camping with a giant salt cured leg of ham or goat. Something about getting to camp, building a fire, and carving off a chunk of meat and hanging it on a hook by the fire appeals to me.
     
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