The most important item you will ever carry with you while engaging in the great outdoors is good nutrition. It affects your stamina, vitality and mood.
Food should be thought of as a catalyst, each bite changing you in some way. For example, sugar is the quickest way to obtain quick energy. Fructose sugars found naturally in fruits, will give you a more sustained energy. Choosing your food wisely will make a world of difference in your body.
Over the years I have tried many of the packaged freeze-dried meals found in the camping stores. While the meals were quick and filling, they tended to be too salty, and I found myself carrying additional spices and other ingredients to enhance the taste. Gradually, I began preparing my own recipes using a dehydrator and was surprised at how delicious the meals were in addition to the significant cost savings.
We all know that for enjoyable hiking, weight matters. Over time, most backpackers will accumulate higher quality and more featherweight gear aimed at lowering their base weight as much as possible. Selecting lighter-weight meals and better nutrition to support your efforts should also be of primary importance. A freeze-dryer is expensive, yes. But it has other uses in addition to backpacking foods. I have found my freeze-dryer has paid for itself many times over.
While there are several recipes and resources shown on this site, if you would like the complete book, click HERE for options to buy the full cookbook.
RESOURCES FOR DEHYDRATION RECIPES
Chef Glenn McAllister is famous for helping people learn how to prepare backcountry foods using a dehydrator. He carries a wealth of information and recipes on his website: www.backpackingchef.com. He also sells a number of cookbooks and guides from his site and you can sign up for his free “Trail Bytes” email, which are always inspirational.
Inga Aksamit has devised many quick gourmet meals for the backcountry and has written several books. She a great resource as you plan the food for your trip: https://ingasadventures.com/
Recipes that can be found on this site:
DINNERS
Beef Stroganoff
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 pound uncooked wide egg noodles
¼ cup butter, divided
1½ pounds thinly-sliced flank steak, cut across the grain in ½ cubes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
1 pound sliced mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup plain Greek yogurt or light sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Cook egg noodles in a large stockpot of generously-salted water until they are al dente, according to package instructions, then drain.
As the pasta water is coming to a boil, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak in a single layer, seasoned with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper, and let it cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes to get a good sear. Flip the steak, and cook on the other side until browned, another 2 minutes. Then remove cooked steak from pan with a slotted spoon, transfer to a clean plate, and set aside.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Once it has melted, add the onions and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for an additional 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mushrooms are cooked and the onions are soft.
Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Then add the white wine and deglaze the pan scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture cook down for an additional 3 minutes.
While the wine cooks down, whisk together the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and flour until smooth in a separate bowl. Pour the beef stock mixture into the skillet, stir to combine, then let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and cooked steak until combined. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Stir together stewed steak, vegetables and gravy with drained noodles and parsley until well combined. Add more salt and/or pepper, as desired.
Cool completely.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Spread the mixture evenly onto freeze-dryer trays or dehydrator trays and process normally. When dried, divide the mixture into 6 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to cover the mixture about ½ of the way and place in a cozy. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better.
Chicken Pot Pie
Servings: 12
Ingredients
2 pie crust, unbaked (homemade or purchased)
⅔ cup butter
2 cups onions, diced
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups half & half, or evaporated milk
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
One whole chicken, cooked and shredded (about 8 cups)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Make the pie crusts, if not premade.
Roll out on a floured surface into a large square and place it in the bottom and up the sides of the 8×12-inch pan, leaving enough dough for an irregular topping after it is filled.
Variation for crust: you can create 1-inch strips of the pie crust that can be baked separately at 425°F for 10 minutes. These can be dried separately, broken up in large pieces and added to the filling as you package the meal. It all rehydrates the same, whether it is baked with the filling or not. I find it easier to just bake everything together, then chop it up in large pieces for the freeze-dryer or dehydrator.
To make the filling:
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the diced onions, celery and carrots and cook until they begin to soften.
Add the remaining butter along with the garlic.
Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and stir until the raw flour taste has cooked out (about 3-5 minutes).
Once the flour has turned a golden brown, add the broth and milk and continue stirring. Be sure that the flour mixture is very hot, or you will get lumps.
Add peas, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper (to taste) and continue stirring while the liquid thickens.
Add the cooked chicken meat, stirring to evenly distribute throughout the mixture.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
If baking the pie together with a crust, fill the prepared 8×12-inch pan and top with the bits of irregular crust. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, until the crust is slightly brown.
Cool completely.
Gluten-free option: use gluten-free pie crusts and replace the 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 4 tablespoons of corn starch.
To freeze-dry
Chop up the completed pie (crust and all) and fill the trays. If you are preparing the crust separately, put those on a separate tray. Once dry, break up into bite-sized pieces, dividing them up into 12 servings and store in labeled air-tight mylar bags with oxygen absorbers.
To dehydrate
Spread the filling mixture evenly onto dehydrator trays. Bake the pie crust separately and crumble the cooled crust onto the dehydrator trays. Process normally. When dried, divide the mixture into 12 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to cover the mixture about ⅓ of the way and place in a cozy. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better.
Hearty Beef Stew
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2½ pounds stew meat, cut into ½ inch chunks
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon celery salt
¼ cup all-purpose flour (or 2 tablespoons corn starch, for gluten-free)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup high-quality red wine
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound red potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks
5 carrots, cut into ½ inch chunks
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 cup frozen peas
Serve with
Cornbread or bannock
Instructions
Cut and discard as much fat as possible from the meat. Cut meat into smallish pieces of no more than ½ inch square.
Sprinkle beef with pepper, powdered garlic, salt and celery salt. Toss to coat. Sprinkle flour or cornstarch over the meat and toss again to evenly coat.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté until all sides are seared and brown.
Place seared meat into a slow cooker.
Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more. Add a splash of wine to scrape up the good parts at the bottom of the pan. Transfer all to the slow cooker.
Add remaining ingredients except the peas and cook on low for 8 hours.
Add the peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Remove and discard the bay leaves and the rosemary stem. Cool.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Spread the mixture evenly onto freeze-dryer trays or dehydrator trays and process normally. When dried, divide the mixture into 6 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to cover the mixture (a little more if you want it soupier) and place in a cozy. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better.
Meatloaf
Servings: 12
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef (90% or leaner)
½ pound ground turkey
1 large egg, whisked
1 cup old-fashioned oats (or small pieces of sandwich bread)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup milk
Seasoning Blend
2 tablespoons dried chopped onion
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Glaze
¾ cup ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground mustard
Individual ketchup packets
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper if you do not want to slice the meatloaf in the pan.
In a large bowl stir together the whisked egg, oats or bread, Worcestershire sauce, milk and seasoning blend and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
Add the ground beef and turkey to the oat or bread mixture, and use your hands to fully combine. Do not overmix the meat or the meatloaf will be tough.
Add the meat mixture to a loaf pan. Pat the meat down into an even layer.
In a small bowl stir together the glaze ingredients. Pour the glaze on top of the meatloaf and spread it into an even layer.
Bake on the middle rack for 1 hour and 15 minutes. or until the internal temperature reaches 160°.
Let the meatloaf completely cool before cutting.
Gluten-free option: use gluten-free oats instead of regular old-fashioned oats or bread.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Slice the cooled meatloaf into ⅔-inch slices and place on dryer trays and process normally. Once dry, break up into bite-sized pieces and store in 12 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to cover the meatloaf half-way and secure in a cozy. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes. While waiting, pour hot water into freeze-dried mashed potatoes and/or other vegetables to rehydrate. Add individual packets of ketchup to meatloaf, if desired.
Salmon Croquettes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
10 saltine crackers, crushed, can be gluten-free
½ cup green onion, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
3 – 5 oz cans wild sockeye salmon
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ cup corn flakes, crushed
Instructions
In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients except the vegetable oil and corn flakes. Form into 4 patties.
Roll each patty in crushed corn flakes.
Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Add patties to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Goes well with a side dish of mashed potatoes and a vegetable, like peas or green beans. This meal is also delicious with individual packets of self-stable tartar sauce.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Break up each cooled patty into bite-sized pieces and spread out into trays. Process normally. Once dry, store in 4 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to cover the mixture about ⅓ of the way and place in a cozy. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better.
Three Cheese Mac & Cheese
Servings: 8
Ingredients
16 oz dry elbow macaroni (the thinner version is best)
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
Dash cayenne pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
12 ounces freshly grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
6 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut in cubes
6 ounces gruyere cheese, grated
Black pepper, to taste
¼ cup bread crumbs, lightly buttered
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 8×8-inch baking dish.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of salted water to boil. Cook the macaroni until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly to prevent sticking.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and add flour to make a paste. Whisk constantly over low heat until it turns yellowish and begins to smell fragrant (1-2 minutes).
Slowly whisk in the milk, turning the heat up a bit. Whisk in the mustard, cayenne pepper and garlic.
Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce bubbles and thickens (7-10 minutes).
Once thick, remove from heat and whisk in the cheeses – a small handful at a time. Once the sauce is smooth, pour over the cooked macaroni.
Pour entire mixture in prepared baking dish. Top with buttered bread crumbs.
Bake for 20 minutes, until top is browned.
Cool completely.
Gluten-free option: use gluten-free macaroni, substitute 1/4 cup all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons potato starch and either omit bread crumbs on top, or use gluten-free bread crumbs.
Add-in Variations
You can add in just about anything you would like to this recipe. Consider small chunks of ham, canned tuna, ground beef, small cooked shrimp, assorted vegetables (tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, peppers, celery, broccoli, zucchini, or green beans) or a variety of spices.
Cool completely.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Spread the completed pasta thinly and evenly onto trays. Process normally. Once dry, break up into bite-sized pieces and divide into 8 servings. Store in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to cover the mixture about ⅓ of the way and place in a cozy. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better.
LUNCHES
While some are fine with grabbing an energy bar and a handful of gorp for lunch, it really makes the day so much brighter by eating a “real” lunch. Even if you have only a few minutes to eat, consider taking a longer rest and enjoying some delicious food.
With a little planning after breakfast to start pre-soaking, you can have a delicious salad or hearty soup by lunch time. No need to break out the stove at lunch break. Just open the rehydrated bag or Talenti jar and enjoy.
Other lunches I have enjoyed include freeze-dried hummus. You can buy this already dried in your supermarket, or you can easily freeze-dry it by buying a container of premade hummus (or make your own) and spreading it thin on freeze-dryer trays. When dry, crumble it up and put in individual bags. It does include a lot of oil, so I always keep the dehydrated hummus in my freezer until I am ready for my hike to prevent it from becoming rancid. However, personally, I have had it after two weeks on the trail and it was still delicious with no noticeable rancid taste or ill effects.
Other lunch favorites easily found in the supermarket are individually packaged:
• olives
• almond butter
• SPAM (individual slices)
Asian Cabbage Slaw
Servings: 6
Ingredients
6 cups shredded Chinese cabbage (about 1 medium-size head)
¼ cup finely minced scallions
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
⅓ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
⅓ cup sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh cilantro
Hot red pepper flakes to taste
Optional: chow mien noodles and/or slivered almonds
Instructions
Put cabbage, scallions and ginger in large bowl and toss.
Put the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat and toast until golden, about three minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
Mix the vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil together. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss gently. Add the cilantro and red pepper flakes and toss thoroughly.
Option: you can also add shredded cooked chicken or a can of well drained tuna (packed in water), if you want to increase the protein of this lunch. My favorite is to add tiny cooked shrimp. Add the protein along with all the other ingredients before freeze-drying.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Spread the salad thinly and evenly onto trays. Process normally. Once dry, break up into bite-sized pieces and divide into 6 servings. Store in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
About 2-4 hours before you will eat it, add cold water enough to cover the mixture about ½ of the way. Toss the bag or jar until all ingredients are fully covered with water. Make sure the bag or jar well sealed in the pack so that it doesn’t leak. At lunchtime, remove the bag or jar, add a sprinkling of chow mien noodles and/or slivered almonds for crunch, if desired.
Cream of Tomato Soup
Servings: 8
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup yellow onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 (28-oz cans) crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
½ cup heavy whipping cream
⅓ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
Heat a nonreactive pot or enameled Dutch oven over medium heat. In a large soup pot, heat butter over medium heat until melted, then add chopped onions. Sauté 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden. Add minced garlic and sauté 1 more minute.
Add crushed tomatoes with their juice, chicken stock, chopped basil, sugar and black pepper. Stir together and bring to a boil then reduce heat, partially cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup in the pot creamy.
Add the heavy whipping cream and grated parmesan cheese and return to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed and turn off the heat.
Completely cool.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Spread the soup onto freeze-dryer trays or dehydrator trays and process normally. Once dried, crumble and divide the mixture into 6 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to cover the mixture (a little more if you want it soupier) and place in a cozy. Toss the bag or jar until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better. You can also rehydrate with cold water for about 2-4 hours before you eat.
Nachos
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1 pound lean ground beef
½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons taco seasoning (see separate recipe)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ can refried beans
½ cup water
6 individual bags of Fritos (or other corn chips)
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and onion and cook until the meat is well done and onions tender (about 5-7 minutes). Drain all fat. You may need to use multiple layers of paper towels. If dehydrating, you may want to rinse the cooked ground beef in hot water first before adding to the other ingredients.
Add the seasoning, tomato paste, beans and water and continue to cook until sauce has thickened.
Cool completely.
Variations: this is a very versatile recipe. You can also eat this with tortillas, and with freeze-dried cheddar cheese, black beans and/or rehydrated slaw.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Spread the mixture onto freeze-dryer trays or dehydrator trays and process normally. Once dried, crumble and divide the mixture into 6 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to cover the mixture about ⅓ of the way and place in a cozy. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better.
Pizza Bagels
Servings: 1
Ingredients
1 bagel, split in half
3 tablespoons tomato sauce, rehydrated
6 slices of pepperoni
1 package of string mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Rehydrate the pizza sauce. This can simply be a jar of pizza sauce dehydrated. Spread it on both sides of the bagel.
Add pepperoni (and any other toppings desired) and cheese. Fold the halves together and tightly wrap in foil.
Pour a small amount of water in the cook pot and place the foil wrapped bagel on the bottom so that water does not seep into the food, with the heat setting as low as it can go. Carefully watch to make sure the bread is not burning, flipping it frequently. You want a warm, gooey pizza sandwich, not burnt.
Variations: There are so many ways to make these little pizzas. My favorite is freeze-dried chicken and mushrooms (rehydrated) and single serving of olives in a package, sliced.
Split Pea Soup
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups yellow onion, finely diced
1¼ cups celery, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1 (16 oz) bag dried split peas, picked over and rinsed
2 bay leaves
1½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1½ pounds meaty ham bone
1 cup carrots, finely diced
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer.
Pour in chicken broth and water. Add split peas, bay leaves and thyme.
Place the ham bone into soup mixture. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally until peas and ham are tender, about 60 – 80 minutes.
Remove ham from soup, let rest 10 minutes then shred or dice meat portion into pieces and set aside.
Meanwhile add carrot to soup. Cover soup and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until peas have mostly broken down, about 30 minutes longer. Note that if the soup is not thick enough, let is simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add more water.
Stir ham into soup, season with salt and pepper, as desired.
Completely cool.
Variation: you can also add a few diced potatoes in with the carrots, to make it even heartier.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Spread the soup onto freeze-dryer trays or dehydrator trays and process normally. Once dried, crumble and divide the mixture into 6 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot or cold water enough to cover the mixture (a little more if you want it soupier) and place in a cozy. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better.
BREAKFASTS
Bran Pancakes
Makes six 3-inch hotcakes
Ingredients
6 tablespoons whole wheat flour
6 tablespoons all-purpose white flour
1 tablespoon powdered egg
2 teaspoons white sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon powdered milk
¼ teaspoon cardamom, ground
¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
2 tablespoons bran cereal
2 tablespoons chopped nuts or seeds, optional
At camp
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil or ghee
Oil for frying
Maple syrup
Instructions
Combine all the dry ingredients into one zip-lock bag, large enough to hold the batter at camp. Carry the oil or ghee and syrup separately.
At camp, pour the water and 1 tablespoon of oil or ghee into the zip-lock bag and mix until all ingredients are combined and the batter is thick, but pourable. Add more water, as needed.
Prepare a hot skillet with oil and pour in the batter. If you have found some wild berries, sprinkle those on top. Or use any freeze-dried fruit to sprinkle on top. Cook on one side until small bubbles appear, then flip to cook the other side.
Serve hot from the skillet spread with butter or ghee and syrup.
Variations
Carry an individual serving (1 oz) of cream cheese (these are self-stable for a few days, so serve this option early in your trip). Mix the cream cheese with a teaspoon of brown sugar and spread on the hotcakes. Top with syrup, if desired.
Or try fresh raspberry jam spread on top, for a real treat.
Breakfast Burritos
Makes 10 burritos
Ingredients
16 oz breakfast sausage
½ cup onions, finely diced
½ cup green peppers, finely diced
1 fresh jalapeno (with seeds, if you like it hotter), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 large eggs
⅓ cup milk
8 oz (¼ bag) frozen tater tots, thawed
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
10 flour tortillas, cut into strips
Instructions
In a large skill, fry the breakfast sausage along with onions, peppers and garlic until thoroughly cooked and in small pieces.
In a small bowl, mix the eggs and milk and blend well. Then add to the skillet and cook until done. Remove from heat.
Mash the tater tots and add to the mixture, along with the cheese. Let the cheese melt.
Let cool completely.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Spread the mixture evenly onto freeze-dryer trays or dehydrator trays and process normally. If freeze-drying, slice fresh flour tortillas into strips and freeze-dry separately. Otherwise, you will want to just care fresh tortillas with you in a plastic bag. Once dry, break up the filling into bite-sized pieces, crumbling the freeze-dried tortillas on top. Store in 10 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to cover the mixture about ¾ of the way and place in a cozy. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better.
Steel-Cut Oats (Instant Pot)
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2 cups steel-cut oats
3 cups water
1 cup milk (or almond or other milk)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
3 tablespoon maple syrup
Add ins
Peanut or other nut butters
Chopped fresh fruit, such as apples, pears, peaches, etc.
Raisins or currants
Pumpkin, sunflower, chia or flax seeds
Chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts
Separate pouch of honey to drizzle on the top at camp
Instructions
Place the first six ingredients in an Instant Pot. Cover and seal. Cook on high pressure (manual) for 4 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then fully release. Carefully remove the lid. Alternately, you can cook the mixture on the stove top, following package instructions.
Stir the mixture, and carefully taste, adding additional spices, chopped fruit, peanut butter, seeds or more syrup to taste. Do not use honey, as it does not freeze-dry and will prevent the porridge from drying completely.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Spread cooled mixture, including the add-ins, onto freeze-dryer trays or dehydrator trays and process normally. Once dry, break up into bite-sized pieces and store in 4 mylar bags with oxygen absorbers or freezer-type pint sized bags. Label and date each bag and store in cool place, or freezer until ready for trip.
To rehydrate
Add hot water enough to completely cover the mixture. Add any foraged berries you might have found on your trip. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better. Add more water to achieve the desired texture.
Build Your Breakfast
Personal preference for breakfast ranges from very light (or nothing) to hearty and sweet to savory. You can have left-overs from the previous night or a salad. However, most breakfast foods are savory (usually egg based) or sweet (yogurt, oatmeal or bread based).
Egg Scramble – sauté preferred meats, tofu and/or veggies in a small amount of oil. When almost done, add eggs that have been whisked with a bit of milk. Cook until eggs are just about done, then add shredded cheese. Remove from heat and cool completely. To freeze-dry or dehydrate, spread mixture onto freeze-dryer trays and process as normal. Divide into preferred serving sizes and store dried scramble in labeled mylar bags. To rehydrate, add enough hot water to cover mixture about ⅓ of the way. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better.
Oatmeal – steel-cut oats hold up much better than rolled oats, which tend to turn to mush when rehydrated. Make steel-cut oats, per package instructions. I tend to make a large pot in my Instant Pot. Add the milks and sweeteners, like brown sugar or maple syrup during the cooking process. Once done, stir in your favorite toppings. Cool completely. To freeze-dry pr dehydrate, spread mixture onto trays and process as normal. Divide into preferred serving sizes and store in labeled mylar bags. To rehydrate, add enough hot water to cover mixture. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes for at least 10 minutes, longer is better. Add more hot water as needed.
Yogurt – blended Greek yogurt is easy to freeze-dry or can be readily purchased. The fat content and whether it is sweetened or not makes little difference, so choose the one you like best. To freeze-dry, simply spread the yogurt on the freeze-dryer trays and process as normal. Do not fill the trays more than ¾ full. When dried, pulverize the yogurt with a rolling pin in a plastic bag or with a food processor until it is finely ground. Add your preferred toppings. Note: do not add non-freeze-dried seeds or nuts to the mixture. Seeds and nuts hold moisture and will start to rehydrate the yogurt mixture in the bag. To prevent this, package these elements separately. Divide into preferred serving sizes and store dried scramble in labeled mylar bags. To rehydrate, add enough cold water to cover mixture about ½ of the way. Toss the bag until fully covered with water every few minutes, adding more water as needed.
Here are some ideas on how to create your own:
BREADS
Bannock
Servings: 6
Ingredients
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup unbleached white flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons powdered milk
At camp
4 tablespoons oil
6 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
Carry the first 5 ingredients in a plastic bag. Oil to be carried separately.
At camp, add the oil to the bag and mix until oil feels fully incorporated.
Gradually add water, to make a stiff dough.
Press the dough to about ¼ inch thickness and 4-inches in diameter with your hand. Place on a hot, dry skillet (no oil) on very low heat. If you have some sort of riser between your flame and skillet, the better. The dough can burn very quickly if you have a quick burning stove. Moving it farther above the flame will help. A cover of foil or lid is also helpful. Bake for about 1 minute on each side, then take from the flame and let it continue to bake until ready to eat. I have also placed a small foil coil in the bottom of my cook pot, added a bit of water and let the bannock steam until done. They become more like dumplings, but still very good.
Split open and liberally spread with ghee.
Cornbread
Servings: 2
Ingredients
2 tablespoons cornmeal
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon powdered milk
2 tablespoons powdered egg
1 tablespoon freeze-dried cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon white sugar
At camp
2 tablespoons oil, divided
Instructions
Combine the first 8 ingredients into one bag. Wrap any variation add-ins (see below) together in a separate bag.
At camp, add 1 tablespoon of the oil into the flour mixture, along with enough water to make a thick batter. Pour the batter into a well-oiled pan (covered, if possible) and cook as you would a pancake.
Liberally spread warm cornbread with ghee.
Variations: try adding these to spice it up:
½ teaspoon freeze-dried jalapenos
1 tablespoon freeze-dried corn
¼ teaspoon dried onion flakes
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
If using any of these add-ins, rehydrate them a few hours before you plan to use them. Drain, reserving at least ¼ cup of liquid. Mix the vegetables/spices into the batter, using the reserved liquid as needed.
SNACKS AND DESSERTS
Nothing is better after a hard day of climbing than to grab a sweet or salty treat to recover some of your energy. Nor is the day complete until I have enjoyed a delicious dessert after dinner.
Snack and dessert ideas
• Camp Popcorn
• Candy
• Cookies
• Dessert from the store
• Fruit shortcake
• Ice cream
• Tarts
• Trail mix
• Pies
• Pickle chips
• Yogurt drops
Camp Popcorn
Heat a small amount of oil in a pot and add enough popcorn to cover the bottom. Heat and shake constantly until popping stops. Add salt, nutritional yeast or ghee. For kettle corn, mix with a small amount of honey or sugar with ghee and pour over the top of the warm corn.
Cookies
Cookies like snickerdoodles, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies freeze-dry well. They usually take 20 to 30 hours to freeze-dry. Eat without rehydrating. They are crunchy and melt in your mouth.
Dessert from the store ideas
• Cheesecake (1/3 of the box per person)
• Instant pudding (1/4 box per person)
For these ready to go mixes, be sure to bring the ingredients needed, such as powdered milk and butter (or ghee)
Fruit Shortcake
Bake or buy pound, chocolate or angle-food cake and cut into small bite-sized pieces. Place on the freeze-dryer trays no higher than the thickness of the tray side. Freeze-dry as normal. Package the cake with a separate package of freeze-dried fruit. l like to put a teaspoon of sugar in with the fruit. At camp, start rehydrating the fruit at lunch time, so that it has time to become syrupy by dinner time. Pour the syrupy fruit over the dried cake. And let sit for a few minutes, according to how crunchy you like the cake. The cake is delicious by itself, but especially yummy with the fruit syrup. This is also good with some instant pudding thrown in at the end.
Ice cream
Simply place a scoop of ice cream on a frozen freeze-dryer tray. Make sure it is not taller than the tray height. Immediately place the ice cream back in the freezer. It should be solidly frozen before putting it in the freeze-dryer. Best results are with blended solid ice cream (without chunks of fruit or syrups) or ice cream sandwiches. Eat without rehydrating.
Tarts
Line the freeze-dryer tray with vanilla wafers. Add a dollop of pudding and a piece of fruit on each top. Freeze-dry as normal. Note: be aware that if you use strawberries as the fruit, it will take a very long time to freeze-dry because of the seeds. I prefer peaches or mangoes.
Pies
Freeze-dried pies are my very favorite dessert. I love rhubarb, apple and peach. You can also do custard pies, such as pumpkin. Cut up the pies, crust and all, into bite-sized pieces. Place on freeze-dryer trays, pre-freeze and process as normal. Avoid berry pies, because of all the seeds. To rehydrate, pour in a small amount of hot water and let sit for at least 10 minutes, mixing to ensure all the pieces are coated. The end result is warm and gooey pie with a slightly crisp crust.
Pickles chips (sweet and dill)
Empty a jar of sweet or dill pickles in a strainer and rinse with water to wash off some acidic pickle juice, which can be harmful to the freeze-dryer. Place the drained pickles on the freeze-dryer trays, pre-freeze and process as normal. Store in air-tight bags or jars with oxygen absorbers.
Yogurt Drops
Freeze-dried yogurt drops are extremely easy and great to add to your gorp. Use a plastic bag (small tip cut off one edge) or cake decorating bag to squirt small bite-sized dollop of blended yogurt on the freeze-dryer tray, pre-freeze and process as normal. Make sure the yogurt is blended, for best results. Store in air-tight bags or jars with oxygen absorbers.
Crisped Rice Treats
Yield: one skillet full (about 10 servings)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons ghee
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2½ cups crisped rice cereal
Instructions
At camp, warm ghee in a skillet. Add the marshmallows and cook, stirring constantly until melted and creamy.
Remove from heat and add rice cereal. Stir until well coated.
While warm, smash the mixture into the skillet. Let cool completely.
Variations: you can toss any other sweet treats in with the cereal, such as a handful of trail mix, chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, candy, etc.
No Bake Cookies
Yield: about 12 cookies (4 servings)
Ingredients
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons powdered cocoa
3 tablespoons powdered milk
2 tablespoons freeze-dried peanut butter
1½ cups quick oats, uncooked
1 tablespoon ghee (or butter)
Instructions
Combine the first 4 ingredients in one bag. Separately package oats. Carry the ghee or butter in a separate container.
At camp, in a pot over low flame, combine the dry ingredients with about ¼ cup of water and the ghee or butter. Cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add oats, stirring until well blended. Drop by spoonsful on a plate to cool. Or just eat it out of the pot.
Trail Mix
Trail mix, or gorp, is a long-enduring staple in the hiker’s diet. Everyone has their favorite.
Below are some suggestions on how to create your own trail mix.
Consider adding a flavoring to your trail mix. You can simply toss all your favorites together in a bag and go. Or you can bake them with flavorings. To bake, mix nuts, seeds and savory or sweet elements together with the flavoring desired. Make sure every piece is well coated with the flavoring desired. Do not include the fruits or pieces that could melt, like chocolate or candy. Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes. Allow to completely cool, then toss in the fruits, chocolate, etc. Keep in an airtight container.
I typically will put these in sandwich-sized bags and pull them out as needed on the trail.
Here are some element ideas:
DRINKS
Hydration on the trail is vitally important. We all know to drink as much water as possible during strenuous activity. However, in some cases, drinking water is not enough to fully hydrate our bodies, when we are putting it under so much stress. Many times, I have not wished to take the extra weight of a powdered drink mix. That changed when I ended up in the emergency room after a hike due to severe dehydration. Now it is a priority!
Consider using electrolyte drinks in powder form, such as LMNT, Gatorlyte, Ultima, etc. or electrolyte chews, like Clif Bloks or GU Energy. One shot per day, makes a significant improvement in my energy level and outlook on the trail.
Other favorite drinks when at camp include:
• Tang (a big cup at breakfast really starts my day!)
• Apple cider
• Hot chocolate
• Lemonade
• Coffee (Starbuck’s Via’s are very good)
• Eggnog
• Nesquik (chocolate or strawberry) with powdered milk
As most of these drinks can readily be found in the supermarket in powdered form, there is generally no need to freeze-dry your own. However, your home-made hot chocolate or eggnog (made especially the way you like it) that is freeze-dried, is much tastier than the processed powder at the store. Experiment with what you might enjoy. To freeze-dry, simply pour the blended product into the freeze-dryer trays, pre-freeze and process as normal.
Or make your own favorite smoothie to rehydrate for an energy boost or delicious treat (see Build Your Smoothie recipes).
Eggnog
Servings: 6
Ingredients
⅓ cup sugar
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash nutmeg
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, beat the sugar into the eggs until sugar is dissolved. Add salt and stir in the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats a spoon. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool completely (about 3-4 hours).
Carefully pour into freeze-dryer or dehydrator trays and pre-freeze. Process as normal. Once done, pulverize into a powder and store in labeled, air-tight bags with oxygen absorbers.
To rehydrate
Scoop 1 part drink mix to 2 parts water in a water-tight bottle or jar. Shake well and let set for 5 – 10 minutes, shaking occasionally. The longer the wait, the smoother the drink.
Hot Cocoa
Servings: 4
Ingredients
⅓ cup cocoa, dry
⅓ cup sugar
Dash salt
½ cup water
3 ½ cups milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, mix cocoa, sugar and salt. Add water. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil one minute until sugar is dissolved and it becomes a rich syrup.
Stir in milk. Heat to boiling point, but do not let it boil.
Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Cool completely.
Carefully pour into freeze-dryer or dehydrator trays and pre-freeze. Process as normal. Once done, pulverize into a powder and store in labeled, air-tight bags with oxygen absorbers.
To rehydrate
Scoop 1 part drink mix to 2 parts water in a water-tight bottle or jar. Shake well and let set for 5 – 10 minutes, shaking occasionally. The longer the wait, the smoother the drink.
Build Your Own Smoothie
There are an unlimited number of ways to build a smoothie and everyone has their favorite. All are excellent candidates for freeze-drying. Pick the one that you like the best, blend it smooth, pour onto freeze-drying sheets and process as usual.
Note: consider excluding seeds (chia, flax, pumpkin, etc) from the base that you are freeze-drying. It takes an inordinate amount of time to freeze-dry seeds. You can always add them in before you package them for your trip. Likewise, if you like the taste, you might also consider using only the juice of highly seeded fruit, like blackberries or raspberries. Simply smash the fruit and strain out the seeds first. Not only are they difficult to freeze-dry, but almost impossible to rehydrate.
Keep in mind, the more flavorful the fruit, the better the smoothie. Some people use frozen fruit, but I have found that it is “hit or miss” on the fresh flavor. If you are going to all this work to get a spectacular treat on the trail, use the most flavorful ingredients.
There is a general “rule of thumb” for fashioning a smoothie: select one or a combination of items in each category below. Note that if you are using fruit juices, use a smaller amount than 1 cup. Place it all in a high-powered blender (such as a VitaMix or Magic Bullet) and blend until completely smooth. Pour into freeze-dryer trays and pre-freeze before processing. Process as normal in the freeze-dryer.
Once dried, powder the smoothie. You can use a food processor or blender, but sometimes that process causes heat to build up and starts to rehydrate the product. If using this technique, be sure to pulse it and frequently check to make sure moisture does not inadvertently become included. Another method is to place the product in heavy-duty gallon plastic bags and whack it with a rolling pin until powdered.
Once powdered, store in air-tight bags or jars with oxygen absorbers.
To rehydrate, use a ratio of 1 part powder to 2 parts water. For a small person, I suggest ⅓ cup powder to 2/3 cup water. Double that for a larger person. Place the powder and water in a bottle or jar. Shake and let it sit for at least 5 – 10 minutes before drinking. The longer you wait, the creamier it will become.
SEASONINGS & SAUCES
Fajita Seasoning
Yield: 3 tablespoons (about 10 servings)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground paprika
½ teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
Put all ingredients into a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
Ghee
Yield: 1 cup (about 32 servings)
Ingredients
16 ounces unsalted, organic butter (best quality you can find)
Instructions
Gently melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Once melted, the butter will separate into three layers. Foam forms on the top , which sputters as the water evaporates. Skim that off with a spoon (you’ll have to do this several times). As the ghee continues to cook, that foam turns into clear bubbles and the middle layer becomes translucent. You should also start to see the milk solid sludge sticking to the bottom of the pot.
After 25-30 minutes, your ghee should be done. Turn off the heat and let it cool for a couple minutes, then strain it into a glass storage container. The ghee will become opaque and light yellow as it cools.
Next, carefully pour the golden central layer through a strainer, into a clean glass jar, leaving the milk solids at the bottom of the pan.
If you were able to get all the solids out, and use clean and dry utensils in the jar, ghee will keep at room temperature for months.
When backpacking, pour the liquid in a small well-sealed bottle and use as needed. I always double-bag it into another small bag, in case of leaks. Great for anything you would need butter for: pancakes, popcorn, tortillas, etc.
Ghee with garlic
For delicious buttery, garlicy noodles as a sauce, pour a small amount of ghee over hot noodles and add granulated garlic or other herbs.
Tomato Sauce
Yield: 2 cups (about 4 servings)
Ingredients
1 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup onion, finely diced
1 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1-2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Instructions
Heat oil over medium heat in a medium size pot.
Add the onions and peppers and sauté for 5-7 minutes to soften.
Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano and basil and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for around 45 minutes, stirring periodically.
Puree the sauce with an emersion blender until smooth.
Completely cool.
To freeze-dry or dehydrate
Carefully pour into freeze-dryer or dehydrator trays and process as normal. Once done, pulverize into a powder and store in labeled, air-tight bags with oxygen absorbers.
To rehydrate
Add 2 tablespoons of hot water to 1 tablespoon of powdered sauce. Let sit for at least 10 minutes until smooth and creamy, longer is better.
DOG FOOD
There is nothing like experiencing the great outdoors on a multi-day backpacking trip with your trusty dog. But dog food can be heavy. Even if you have a dog backpack for her to carry her own food, you will want to lighten the load as much as possible so you both can enjoy the trip.
Of course, you could simply buy canned dog food and process it in the freeze-dryer (low fat does the best). Or you can make “real” food for your dog and freeze-dry it. Once you create the food you want to take, be sure that your dog has eaten it for a few days prior to your trip to ensure it agrees with her system. You do not want to spring a new diet on your dog when she is already going to be under stress.
Making your own dog food is easy. Select the ingredients (see suggestions below), cook them, spread onto freeze-dryer trays and pre-freeze before processing. Process as normal in the freeze-dryer. If you prefer a raw food diet, simply do not cook the meats and freeze-dry directly onto the trays for processing.
An excellent source for making a well-balanced “Pup Loaf” is Dr. Judy Morgan. Look her up on YouTube.
To rehydrate at camp, pour in cold or warm water (enough to just cover the food) and let it sit for 10 minutes. I like to use warm water, as it rehydrates quicker. Dogs will not care if it is not fully rehydrated, so it can be given without rehydration at all. If you use this method, be sure to offer your dog plenty of water too.
To determine how much to take on your hike, this guide might be helpful:
The quantity of each ingredient is personal preference. Generally, you will want 3 parts meat, 1 part cereal, 1 part veggies and fruit, smaller amount of booster and a tiny amount of flavoring.
MENU PLANNING
When designing the menu, remember that variety is important. Try to blend course together. For example, lamb stew pairs well with cornbread and dessert should be something lighter, like ice cream. The hearty chicken pot pie pairs well with the lighter crisped rice treats for dessert. If you plan a heavier dinner, consider something lighter for breakfast, like cinnamon rolls or French toast.
The routine I have found most helpful, is to organize the rest of the day’s meals right after breakfast, while all the food bags are still unpacked. If I am going to have soup for lunch, that is when I fill the thermos with hot water and soup mix or simply with cold water for a cold soup (also delicious).
By planning the days meals in this way, there is no need to stop and pull out the stove for lunch to prepare a nutritious break.
Here is an example of how you can plan the food for a six-day trip.
