Backpack Sheep hunt food help.

[chasewild]

Angry Pika.

 

[Steve O]

What’s your process for rehydrating/heating? I’ve been real curious about doing more DIY meals, and the actual hydrate and heat step is my head scratcher.

You can weigh the food before and after you dehydrate it. Then weigh out that much water and mark down the amount on the bag; 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup ect. I always pour in more than I need as one never gets enough water in the mountains.

 

[Steve O]

Home made is the way to go. MH makes me gag just thinking about choking down another.

 

[Schmoops]

I tried dehydrating already-cooked or leftover meals for backpacking, but they never hydrated well enough.

The ramen and potatoes hydrate well, as well as the freeze dried bulk meats.
The knor rice sides are a little more difficult to get right. Some hydrate quicker and better than others. I found adding boiling water, letting it sit a ~3-6 minutes, then adding some more boiling water helps. Overall, the knor sides just take a little longer.

I forgot to add, that we usually add either some more seasoning, gravy or buillion to the dinner meals. Like taco seasoning pakets to the knor's taco rice, brown gravy to the mashed potatoes, etc.

Awesome! Are you putting the dry in a pot, or some other container to rehydrate?

 

[Schmoops]

You can weigh the food before and after you dehydrate it. Then weigh out that much water and mark down the amount on the bag; 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup ect. I always pour in more than I need as one never gets enough water in the mountains.

Awesome, I appreciate the info!

 

[V2Pnutrition]

Here's a link to the food and gear I took on my sheep hunt in 2024. Some of it won't be new or shocking, but the DIY bars + AM granola mix were both excellent. I would choose different ingredients to keep the variety high to avoid exactly what you're talking about, too.

Both recipes for two bars are here.

The recipe/make-up for the DIY granola and oats is listed in the sheet and modified from my buddy Mark's recipe.

 

[CMF]

Awesome! Are you putting the dry in a pot, or some other container to rehydrate?

hydrate in freezer quart ziploc slider. Might be worth carrying one of those insulated bag holders if you do a late season hunt, be we usually hunt early.

 

[Exxonvaldeeznuts]

Not a sheep hunter, but for backpacking dinners I do fast-cook cous cous with pesto, grated cheese, and dehydrated package chicken. It cooks well, is filling, and real food rather than backpacking meals.

Breakfast is mixing oatmeal, protein powder, chia seeds, dehydrated berries and coconut flakes.

Lunch is a mix of banana chips and salted cashews; a snack bag full is 500 cals.

In between are some combination of fig bars, clif bar nut butter bars, stroopwafels, and dried mangos.

Second the couscous recommendation!!! It’s the way to go!

 

[Schmoops]

hydrate in freezer quart ziploc slider. Might be worth carrying one of those insulated bag holders if you do a late season hunt, be we usually hunt early.

Slick. I’ve been curious how those hold up to boiling water, I’m glad it works!

 

[Steve O]

You can cook in FREEZER Zip lock Bags but the best way to do it is to pour the hot water into the freezer zip lock food bag, stir it up, and put it in a hat/vest/insulated coozy, and let it rehydrate for at least 10 minutes. 15 is better.

 

[Grassymike]

I stated dehydrated meals three years ago. AS was stated above weigh meal before and after dehydrating to figure out how much water weight to replace. There is a formula to convert weight to liquid volume (my wife does this part) .I have determined that for me I use about 20% less water to rehydrate. meals go in quart freezer bags. Rehydrating is the key. Time is your friend. I use a rubbermaid jar with a srew on lid that is watertight tough and light(2.1oz). I will dump meal in with appropriate water amount an hour before supper. I carry a whole days worth of food every day, so usually dump in when we begin to walk down mountain from last glassing spot of the day. Once at camp I simply dump in my cook pot and warm it up, saves fuel not having to get to a full boil. google 'cold soaking jar', this is an ultralight idea ,I just use a stove to heat it ,many of the ultralighters don't.

 

[P Carter]

I stated dehydrated meals three years ago. AS was stated above weigh meal before and after dehydrating to figure out how much water weight to replace. There is a formula to convert weight to liquid volume (my wife does this part) .I have determined that for me I use about 20% less water to rehydrate. meals go in quart freezer bags. Rehydrating is the key. Time is your friend. I use a rubbermaid jar with a srew on lid that is watertight tough and light(2.1oz). I will dump meal in with appropriate water amount an hour before supper. I carry a whole days worth of food every day, so usually dump in when we begin to walk down mountain from last glassing spot of the day. Once at camp I simply dump in my cook pot and warm it up, saves fuel not having to get to a full boil. google 'cold soaking jar', this is an ultralight idea ,I just use a stove to heat it ,many of the ultralighters don't.

I do the same. Sometimes for a luxury I’ll boil water while glassing and dump it in the Rubbermaid jar, put it in the pack to keep it hot. Works really well. I’ve been toying with making a copy for the Rubbermaid, but I’m reluctant to bring something else to keep track of.

 

[Grassymike]

Just use your puffy or a toque.