Hunt camp.... whatcha cookin?

[wildmeat]

im not sure if this thread was started already here or on another forum... but what do you guys like to cook while in camp? i know some guys like to go big and some guys like to pack light... im looking for good suggestions for both

[sheepguide]

Normaly things like bacon, eggs, pancakes,  steak, fried potatoes, hamburgers, spaghetti, chili, hamburger helper and usually a pack or two of hot dogs and macaroni for quick meals. For lunches usually sandwiches or soup if near camp. Also for lunches I use mountain house meals lots and carry my jetboil. That's the basics if I'm near the truck or using my Ranger or  horses. Backpacking well then it's 100% mountain house.

[Weste]

Pretty much agree with Sheepguide.  Mountain house are great on the backpack trips.  I also tend to bring quite a few CLIF bars or other brands of energy bars.  They are light and are great energy when you need them.

[BruceW]

We're using our 16' raised forget the name trailer as our base, so we've got a propane fridge and a 3 burner stove as well as a little barbeque.  That opens up a lot of options.
July 13th we'll start planning what to can for meat.  Meat is always the kicker.  You can take enough fresh meat for about a week.  After that it's either what you've got hanging (ideally), or canned.  2 yrs ago we picked up a little pressure canner.  Very simple to can meat, and it's surprisingly good.  I'll can about 3 or 4 pints of chicken and maybe 2 of homemade ham just for a changeup.  Oh, and of course, I'll can a few pints of homemade bacon. 
Another nice thing to take is a pint of bananna peppers to put in with the beans, nice flavor burst.

Canned potatoes are really not bad.  Canned vegetables are edible.  The other shortage is bread.  We take about a 4 day supply for sandwiches, and take some frozen bun dough which my wife bakes in the barbeque.  Works surprisingly well.  After that we're down to flatbread.

We also take a few cans of mussels and those laughing cow cheese for lunches.  Have some kind of nuts/chocalote trail mix type of thing for snacks over the crib board.  You walk all day you need the calories.
Ya, we eat pretty good when hunting out of the trailer. 

[wildmeat]

Pretty much agree with Sheepguide.  Mountain house are great on the backpack trips.  I also tend to bring quite a few CLIF bars or other brands of energy bars.  They are light and are great energy when you need them.

great replies guys... how is that mountain house stuff?

[walleyes]

The skies the limit really, we eat pretty much the same thing as at home other than we definitely throw a few more beans and wieners into the mix.. Usually take along at least 2 meals of some nice thick cut Rib steak, a nice roast for my rotisserie over the open fire, a tradition we do is Ham and Cabbage with boiled potatoes. Just cut a nice picnic ham into chunks and boil a whole cabbage and a few taters. Bacon and eggs for breky or dinner. Gots to have some nice baby backs done over the coals as well can't go with out that. And the usual few rings of some good quality garlic sausage, lots of diferant crackers and pickles and cheese for snacks. Smoked oysters and mussels, canned shrimp with lemon juice is awesome.

Yah we are rigged pretty good for outdoor cooking, have the nice big Camp Chef with the top barbe I use as an oven, tripod grill, rotisserie for the open pit, quite a few big coolers to pack it all in. heck if your going may as well go in style..

[wildmeat]

The skies the limit really, we eat pretty much the same thing as at home other than we definitely throw a few more beans and wieners into the mix.. Usually take along at least 2 meals of some nice thick cut Rib steak, a nice roast for my rotisserie over the open fire, a tradition we do is Ham and Cabbage with boiled potatoes. Just cut a nice picnic ham into chunks and boil a whole cabbage and a few taters. Bacon and eggs for breky or dinner. Gots to have some nice baby backs done over the coals as well can't go with out that. And the usual few rings of some good quality garlic sausage, lots of diferant crackers and pickles and cheese for snacks. Smoked oysters and mussels, canned shrimp with lemon juice is awesome.

Yah we are rigged pretty good for outdoor cooking, have the nice big Camp Chef with the top barbe I use as an oven, tripod grill, rotisserie for the open pit, quite a few big coolers to pack it all in. heck if your going may as well go in style..

ha ha.... canned oysters and mussels.... no need for bear bait when u eat those

[ishootbambi]

great replies guys... how is that mountain house stuff?

a little expensive and downright inedible.  that schit is unfit for human consumption in my opinion.  i think it was springer that had a pretty good post explaining things that cost about a fifth what that garbage does, weighs no more, and tastes a heck of a lot better.  i thought i was the only one that knew better, but he was on top of things for sure.

mountain hunts do limit your options some, but ill take my trailer to deer camp.  that allows me to cook anything i want.  i usually eat pretty good with all the normal stuff, and at least once a week ill make something a little more extravagant.  lobster bisque and seafood portofino seem to be some of the favorite among our group.  its funny that they think its an epic event to whip up some of htis stuff, but neither takes more than 20 minutes. 

[Springer]

Yes you would be surprised how much stuff is in the grocery isles. Mountain house does work in a pinch and convenient because of the bag it comes in holds the hot water and does not leak while the dehydrated food absorbs the water , then just throw the bag into the fire or pack it out, your choice.

If its trailer camping , well most meals have been made and frozen in casseroles so when your tire ass gets back to camp you just heat it up ( Also remember to take the frozen meal out of the cooler before leaving camp). Crack a Beer and relay the day's hunt with your buddies.

If it's backpacking Hunt style , I like to use a Insulated lunch bag that i put a couple pre frozen marinated steaks or smokies, butter etc into, Cheese that lasts quite awhile etc. The steaks usually get cooked day one or two . Other Things like Pita breads and Bagels last  a long time . Tortilla's with a small can of chicken, tomatoe paste and shredded cheese cooked in a skillet tastes pretty damn good made into a quesadilla.

Knorr food mixes , 5 minute rices with cinnamon Powder sugar and raisins are a great desert, indo asian foods are numerous in the grocery isles , couscous , pastas etc. 

I believe Good nutrition is beneficial when you are using up so much energy mountain hunting , something i am not sure the Dehy Mounatin house etc have.

Also a dehydrater is a great tool for leftovers from almost any meal , and can be done through the year and kept in a tupperware container so when it comes time to hit the trail short notice , its on hand.

Theres lots of books on trail foods and cooking , its just a good idea to give them a try at home in the kitchen prior to experimenting on the trail.

Myself , i enjoy a small fire to heat my water  or cook a smokie and have a rest on the mountain and enjoy a break , that much needed refueling the body may get you over that next saddle in the distant mountain you may otherwise have not had energy for.

Alpine fishing trip meal.....Spam, Mountain house pasta, Baby potatoes, with butter ....


Bison t-bones , Beans and potatoes. sure a little heavier but if your buddy does not mind packing the canned goods..lol

[BlueNorther]

I like to take along a few pre made meals, stuffed cabbage and peppers, chili,stew,etc. Then there's the standard fare, steaks, chicken, pork chops, spuds and assorted vegetables. Breakfast usually consist of eggs, fried potatoes and onions, sausage and or bacon or any grouse we shoot for the skillet.

It's nice to get back to camp after a day of hunting and not having to prep and cook a meal, just set it on the tent stove and heat it up while enjoying a beer or whiskey. After a few days of hunting I'll take a camp day and cook a roast in the dutch oven, make a pie and biscuits depending on what I feel like making. The other guys sure don't refuse the vittles when they get back in.

[sheepguide]

Cheapest place to buy Mountain House I found so far is Mountain Equipment Coop. Ya Ya I know what people say but some things you just cant get anywhere else and when buying Mountain House there I saved close to $50 on one 14 day hunt last year. Sure some meals arent that great but some I find very good. I eat close to 30 MH in a hunting season and find its by far the most filling, longest lasting and best tasting of the foods in its class. Biggest thing I do is buy the meals with the higher values in nutrients, calories and such as they do vary allot between meals.

One thing with these types of meals is that name brand means allot. I found lots of MH that I like but in brands like the Backcountry Pantry in Springers Pic the only thing I really like of them is the desserts. Many lump all backpack meals companies together and call them Mountain house but it does make a huge difference on the Brand in my opinion.

The other difference I was told is feeze dried(mountain house) as apposed to dehydrated. Ive never checked into this to much as I just go with what I like and see most backpack hunters using but I have been told that Freeze dried offer more nutients at less weight. Have no clue if this fact but was told that by a NWT guide that helped me get started.