I'm asking for some recipes...

[Zack]

I just got back from an overnight trip just outside Annapolis, MD. The Naval Academy had some neat things going on, so we spent Friday night down there at a campsite just outside the city, and spent Saturday at the Academy. We had fun and all, but I realized a couple things. One was that I need a couple recipes:

1. Some sort of trail food. Most stuff is pretty expensive, and the rest is so processed and unhealthy that I might as well just take cans Crisco and a spoon. Ideas? I'm especially interested venison jerky recipes, but if you have any good trail mix combinations or anything else, I'd love to hear it!

2. I need a lunch recipe, too. I've got some Dutch Oven books, and a Civil War recipe book, but they mostly have breakfasts, breads, and dinners. I prefer a recipe that I could use on a weeklong trip (light, compact, easy to cook in a frying pan or mess kit, and not dependent on extended refrigeration). As of now, I think dehydrated soups and such would be good, and I like Ramen Noodles, but it's nice to have something homemade. Thoughts?

3. I'd like a recipe for some sort of dessert. Just like the one above, I'd like to be able to take it backpacking or camping for a longer period of time than an overnight.

I appreciate any replies and ideas, I'm sure that I'm not the only one benefitting from them. Thanks for reading, please reply. Also, I'll be posting questions in other threads, so watch out!

[tjwilhelm]

How about a bag of homemade parched corn? This was a trail staple for many trappers and explorers. Simply heat/toast/parch dried whole kernel sweet corn in a skillet until it cracks /pops a bit. It's crunchy and sweet . Be sure to eat it while sipping water. It swells in your stomach and satisfies your appetite. Google it for more information.

[LowKey]

Granola is so easy to make I'm not sure why anyone spends so much money on it.
Here is a "no oil" recipe I like. You can sub maple syrup (real) for the honey and/or sugar if you want. I'd follow the recipe the first time you make it so you know the consistency of the coating before changing to something else.
http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/01...a-without-oil/

Rick has a killer jerky recipe around here somewhere. Mighty tasty.

Recently I've gotten old enough not to call lunch "lunch". Lunch is usually last night's leftovers. Any dish you can make for supper or breakfast can be lunch. Lately we've been having fried eggs and bacon, or french toast, or waffles for supper, mostly cuz they are easy to make and work has been running long hours.

I can't think of anything for dessert that you want to be carrying around with you. Our favorite was a very simple cherry cobbler made in a dutch oven, but it requires carrying around a can of tart cherries in water, and some butter and some quick rise flour with the sugar mixed in. But we car-camped most of the time.

[tjwilhelm]

Parched corn links:

http://www.utahpreppers.com/2009/10/...-parched-corn/

[Zack]

How about a bag of homemade parched corn? This was a trail staple for many trappers and explorers. Simply heat/toast/parch dried whole kernel sweet corn in a skillet until it cracks /pops a bit. It's crunchy and sweet . Be sure to eat it while sipping water. It swells in your stomach and satisfies your appetite. Google it for more information.

Thanks! I hadn't even thought about that, and I'm glad you posted the video. I'll have to investigate a little more on that...

[1stimestar]

Look into quinoa. It's a great camping/backpacking food.

[Rick]

Beef Jerky


2 lbs. of flank steak
2/3 cup of soy sauce
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons of seasoning salt (recommend Lawry's)


Slice flank steak diagonally with the grain of the meat into very thin slices (If slightly frozen it slices more easily). Combine ingredients and marinate meat overnight or 12 hours. Be sure all pieces are covered (coated) with marinade. Drain excess marinade. Place meat on paper towels to soak up marinade. Meat should be squeezed as dry as possible in paper towels. Place individual pieces of meat on rack in oven at 140 to 160 degrees for seven to 12 hours, or until meat is dry throughout. Leave oven door ajar (slightly open) during the drying process. Meat can also be hung in the oven by placing a wooden toothpick in each piece and strung from the rack. Store finished jerky in an airtight container. It keeps for several months, but it is likely that it will be consumed by the master hunter, kids, or the cook within a few days.

[Zack]

Beef Jerky


2 lbs. of flank steak
2/3 cup of soy sauce
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons of seasoning salt(recommend Lawry's)


Slice flank steak diagonallywith the grain of the meat into very thin slices (If slightly frozen it slices more easily). Combine ingredients and marinate meat overnight or 12 hours. Be sure all pieces are covered (coated) with marinade. Drainexcess marinade. Place meat on paper towels to soak up marinade. Meatshould be squeezed as dry as possible in paper towels. Place individualpieces of meat on rack in oven at 140 to 160 degrees for seven to 12 hours, oruntil meat is dry throughout. Leave oven door ajar (slightly open) duringthe drying process. Meat can also be hung in the oven by placing a woodentoothpick in each piece and strung from the rack. Store finished jerky inan airtight container. It keeps for several months, but it is likely thatit will be consumed by the master hunter, kids, or the cook within a few days.

Thanks. Do you know how well this will work with wild game (particularly venison).

[Zack]

Look into quinoa. It's a great camping/backpacking food.

We've had it for dinners in recipes that call for rice, but I've never heard of it for "snacking" use. Do you have a recipe?

[Zack]

Granola is so easy to make I'm not sure why anyone spends so much money on it.
Here is a "no oil" recipe I like. You can sub maple syrup (real) for the honey and/or sugar if you want. I'd follow the recipe the first time you make it so you know the consistency of the coating before changing to something else.
http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/01...a-without-oil/

Rick has a killer jerky recipe around here somewhere. Mighty tasty.

Recently I've gotten old enough not to call lunch "lunch". Lunch is usually last night's leftovers. Any dish you can make for supper or breakfast can be lunch. Lately we've been having fried eggs and bacon, or french toast, or waffles for supper, mostly cuz they are easy to make and work has been running long hours.

I can't think of anything for dessert that you want to be carrying around with you. Our favorite was a very simple cherry cobbler made in a dutch oven, but it requires carrying around a can of tart cherries in water, and some butter and some quick rise flour with the sugar mixed in. But we car-camped most of the time.

I have considered granola, but I've never seen a "no oil" recipe. I like the idea of that, have tried it?

[Rick]

Zack, I have never made it with wild game so I can't comment on it on how good it is. I would think it would work fine though.

[Zack]

Zack, I have never made it with wild game so I can't comment on it on how good it is. I would think it would work fine though.

Maybe I'll try it with beef first, then step up to wild game. Thanks for the recipe.

[TXyakr]

Some of the differences between beef flank and some wild game like venison, elk, wild boar are that wild game will typically be leaner therefore less shrinkage, may be tougher so cut thin cross grain depending on part of animal. Personally I would never use backstrap/tenderloin for jerky. Perhaps shoulder or ham, I pull out ligaments or cut across them.

I like a mix of nuts and seeds for snacks on the trail, they are relatively high in protein and complex carbs and some fat is good for you and digests slowly. Which ones depends on your personal taste. Buy in bulk from bins at super market. I like sunflower, almond, peanut, but for variety even pumpkin seed is OK not great. If I need a quick lunch while hiking or kayaking I use vacuum packs of tuna/salmon/chicken/beef on flat bread but if car camping there are great Dutch Oven recipes online at several sites that taste MUCH better. One friend of mine peels fresh apples and makes a great cobbler, I am more lazy and use mostly ready to eat canned or frozen items, boxed cake mixes etc. Most is personal preference and depends on your method of camping and transportation.

Edit:
Quick Lunch Idea: Not as good as fresh but when I don't have a cooler I have used vacuum packs of chicken (bit better than dehydrated) heat up in fry pan put on flat bread (tortilla), add whatever veggie. If I have a large enough pot and time I will add fast cook rice or noodles to boiling water, then meat, then freeze dried vegetables, i.e. one pot meal. A dry soup mix or tiny ziplock bag of premixed spices. Also root crops like large carrot scrubbed and cut up and cooked with rice/noodles is also a good choice. Fresh carrot or sweet potato lasts a long time (days perhaps) with no cooling.

There are several online sources of dehydrated vegetables and fruit by the pound that seem very expensive but when you consider that most of these items fresh or frozen in the grocery store are mostly water then the price per pound is really not that high dehydrated. If you buy a lot of something in season fresh you can also dry it yourself in just about any oven (wire tray) with a regular light bulb small fan for a day or two or buy a good quality dehydrator if you do this often. Wife is like, what the hey! I want to bake a pizza! LOL

[randyt]

here's a link to hudson bay bread

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content...bread-1380.asp

[1stimestar]

We've had it for dinners in recipes that call for rice, but I've never heard of it for "snacking" use. Do you have a recipe?

Oh sorry, for meals not snacking.

[randyt]

there is hardtack, words of wisdom, soak it before eating. It comes by its name honestly.

http://kenanderson.net/hardtack/

[Zack]

Oh sorry, for meals not snacking.

My bad, I misunderstood you. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

[Zack]

Some of the differences between beef flank and some wild game like venison, elk, wild boar are that wild game will typically be leaner therefore less shrinkage, may be tougher so cut thin cross grain depending on part of animal. Personally I would never use backstrap/tenderloin for jerky. Perhaps shoulder or ham, I pull out ligaments or cut across them.

I like a mix of nuts and seeds for snacks on the trail, they are relatively high in protein and complex carbs and some fat is good for you and digests slowly. Which ones depends on your personal taste. Buy in bulk from bins at super market. I like sunflower, almond, peanut, but for variety even pumpkin seed is OK not great. If I need a quick lunch while hiking or kayaking I use vacuum packs of tuna/salmon/chicken/beef on flat bread but if car camping there are great Dutch Oven recipes online at several sites that taste MUCH better. One friend of mine peels fresh apples and makes a great cobbler, I am more lazy and use mostly ready to eat canned or frozen items, boxed cake mixes etc. Most is personal preference and depends on your method of camping and transportation.

Edit:
Quick Lunch Idea: Not as good as fresh but when I don't have a cooler I have used vacuum packs of chicken (bit better than dehydrated) heat up in fry pan put on flat bread (tortilla), add whatever veggie. If I have a large enough pot and time I will add fast cook rice or noodles to boiling water, then meat, then freeze dried vegetables, i.e. one pot meal. A dry soup mix or tiny ziplock bag of premixed spices. Also root crops like large carrot scrubbed and cut up and cooked with rice/noodles is also a good choice. Fresh carrot or sweet potato lasts a long time (days perhaps) with no cooling.

There are several online sources of dehydrated vegetables and fruit by the pound that seem very expensive but when you consider that most of these items fresh or frozen in the grocery store are mostly water then the price per pound is really not that high dehydrated. If you buy a lot of something in season fresh you can also dry it yourself in just about any oven (wire tray) with a regular light bulb small fan for a day or two or buy a good quality dehydrator if you do this often. Wife is like, what the hey! I want to bake a pizza! LOL

Thanks for the ideas!

[Zack]

there is hardtack, words of wisdom, soak it before eating. It comes by its name honestly.

http://kenanderson.net/hardtack/

I like to consider myself a Civil War buff, and I have thought about hardtack before. But, I've always thought that it was too hard to eat practically (recall account of nearly destroying rifle butts when trying to break it up). Maybe I'll try to bake a batch.

[tjwilhelm]

How about "Mountain Man Bread" or Bannock? A lot of folks make it more complex than it needs to be. I just use whole-grain wheat, ground not-to-fine. No salt. No baking powder. Just flour and water.

Allegedly, mountain men and trappers would carry their flour in a waxed or oiled sack. They would use their finger to make a well in the flour, inside the sack, add a small amount of water, and then roll it into a dough ball. When done correctly, all the added moisture is accumulated in the dough ball and the rest of the flour stays dry.

I like to work dried berries into the dough and then bake it over a fire, like stick bread. I have a video (a few years old) doing this in the winter, meaning it should to easy
to do at any time of the year...