Camping/Backpacking food

[toughgirl]

I'm planning a camping hiking trip and was looking at all the freeze dried foods thinking.. this stuff just can't be healthy (plus my food allergies really limit my choices). So I ask, do you guys have any favorite camping recipes?

 

[Consuela]

Hi TG,

Will you have an ice chest? i.e. Use a car camp site as home base and do day hikes out from there?

Or are you backpacking into your camp area?

If you are doing the first w/ ice chest, then you have a ton of fun options. If you are pure backpacking, then... hmmm I don't have any great ideas outside of the usual trail mix, beef jerky, dehydrated fruits, and the prepackaged freeze dried foods. Out of these four, I suspect only the trail mix and dried fruit could count as "healthy"

Cheers,
Connie

 

[SouthernSkier]

If you are backpacking, and plan on doing so regularly, then I recommend a dehydrator. You can dehydrate just about anything. I like stews, and they re-hydrate well, but you have plenty of options. It is also good for dried fruit, which is great in trail mixes.

 

[toughgirl]

This trip we will be car camping and day hikes, so it's pretty much anything we want. But we like to go backpacking too and I'm alway afraid of getting dairy in those freeze dried meals.. nothing like allergy food attack 10 miles into the trail :P ...

I'm also interested in what peoples stand bys are when they are camping. I've thought about purchasing a dehydrator but i'm afriad it would be too hard

 

[Pequenita]

I had the impression that a dehydrator wasn't that tough to deal with; I've friends that did a canoeing trek in Vietnam and they brought over all their meals dehydrated.

I've got different dietary issues now than in the past, but what's worked in the past for car camping and shorter backpacking trips that have a "base" are things like already made polenta and sun dried tomato spread for dinner, summer sausage and cheese, pasta, cous cous, etc. I think the only way to get away from the pasta/rice stuff would be to use a dehydrator....

 

[Consuela]

The first night is hotdogs and canned chili.

We like to marinate a steak and freeze it to help keep the other food in the ice chest cold. It's usually pretty defrosted by the second night. That's when we throw it on the grill along with some potatoes.

I'm sugar-free, so I can't enjoy the traditional somores. But, do love to wrap a banana in foil and cook it in the embers while others roast marshmallows. Some friends also roast the banana and put chocolate in it.

 

[Pequenita]

But, do love to wrap a banana in foil and cook it in the embers while others roast marshmallows. Some friends also roast the banana and put chocolate in it.

Ooh. Roasted banana sounds great! I've turned mostly sugar free and have been racking my brains as to what a girl can do while camping to still get veggies and fruits w/o the dried stuff (which often has sugar added).

 

[pinto]

One of my favorites for car camping:

Campfire Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin roast (boneless chicken breasts can be substituted)
5 small red potatoes
3 carrots
1 medium onion (sweet if possible)
2 zucchini
1 tomato
1/4 lb fresh green beans
4 half-ears of corn
garlic salt
olive oil
ground pepper

Spread 2 layers of heavy duty foil side by side, with middle overlapping. Drizzle olive oil onto foil.

Place tenderloin in the center (lengthwise) of the foil. Cut potatoes into 1/4-in slices and place on and around the meat. Cut other vegetables into large pieces and place on and around the meat. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.

Cover food with another piece of foil and fold the top and bottom foil together to seal the packet.

Place on hot coals for 60 to 90 minutes.

You can also use Italian dressing instead of the olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper; I've done it both ways, but I prefer the original.

 

[Consuela]

Ooh. Roasted banana sounds great! I've turned mostly sugar free and have been racking my brains as to what a girl can do while camping to still get veggies and fruits w/o the dried stuff (which often has sugar added).

Hi Pequenita, the banana is awesome! I like to split the peel down the middle on inside of the curve and then carefully slice the banana in it's peal. Then wrap it. When it's done, it's gonna be HOT and soft, so hard to handle. I eat the slices out with a plastic fork.

Pinto, your Campfire Pork Tenderloin sounds awesome! nom nom nom... I love roasted red potatoes, but hardly ever make them. You are definately a campfire gourmet!

 

[playoutside]

When we car camp we make all sorts of foil food. Couple of tips though--invest in the heavy duty foil and make sure you really let the fire embers get going. Put olive oil as a first and last ingredient so nothing sticks to foil.

Some foil food favorites:

• sliced potato (regular or sweet), onions, peppers (jalepenos make it fun), garlic, salt + pepper, olive oil (best part of this is that if there are leftovers, we make them into hashbrowns or just mix with scrambled eggs for breakfast)
• Any and all veggies you can slice. Zucchini, summer squash, carrots, onions, peppers, tomatoes, etc. Add salt + pepper and olive oil. (again leftovers get added to breakfast)
• Fish. Layer sliced lemons and diced onions on a sheet of foil, next is any piece of boneless fish, salt + pepper, lemon slices and diced onions. Close the foil around the fish and cook turning once or twice. There is lots of moisture from the lemons and it cooks in 10-15 mins usually.

 

[OnAPlank]

i have this awesome chicken dish that you can cook over a fire. Basically you just throw chicken in some tin foil with a creamy dressing and all of your favorite veggies, when the chicken is cooked, enjoy.