Mountain House questions

[MUDDYCRICK]

After having my food freeze on a mule deer hunt last year I decided to buy a jetboil and cook some food while hunting. I looked at mountain house and have a few questions:

Do you all buy the 1 serving size or 2.5?

Does anyone buy the bulk can and package their own?

Any other meals I can cook in my jet boil that don't cost $5 a meal?

 

[RockyMtnHigh]

Boil up a package of ramen noodles and add one of the foil packets of flavored tuna. Ramen isn't the healthiest thing going, but the combo gives you a good amount of carbs and protein for only a couple bucks.

 

[Shrek]

I buy the 2 serving size packages and eating them grows old really fast. I'm not particularly salt sensitive but darn are they salty. Other issue I have with MH is that most of the calories come from starches. They're basically salty starch with a small amount of protein and very little of any other nutritional value. On a positive note they are hot food and reasonably tasty which goes a long ways at the end of a long cold day. They will also plug you up and give you gosh awful gas. I'm planning on limiting my MH to dinner this fall and rely on protein bars , Nuts and dried fruits , and some oatmeal to get through the day. Maybe some buthole sandwiches if I can get them together on the road. Keeping and then cooking bacon is the issue I haven't gotten past .

 

[ridgefire]

I typically buy them when they are at Costco so usually have the 2.5 servings. If buying elsewhere I will buy the propack.

 

[orelkaddict]

you can also look at things like Knorr noodle and rice packets. I like to wander through the grocery store and look for some backpacking variety. I'm not 1 of those guys that enjoys eating the same ol stuff every dam day. A little change can go a long ways now and then. I buy the 2 serving size Mountain House when I get it. A buddy of mine bought the big can and tried to separate and vacuum seal it into smaller portions, it kinda worked but was a pain. Backpackers pantry makes some pretty good stuff as well, but I test run every meal at home to see how it is before packing it up the mountain only to discover that it sucks!

 

[colonel00]

Search around in the food forum on here. There have been discussion about repackaging MH meals and creating your own stuff too.

 

[Shrek]

I test run every meal at home to see how it is before packing it up the mountain only to discover that it sucks!

Like chicken and mashed potatoes ! The worst MH meal I ever ate ! I really should have tried it before I headed out. I wasn't paying real close attention when I packed that time either because three out of the five packages of daily food had that as the dinner in them.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

...Keeping and then cooking bacon is the issue I haven't gotten past .

You can buy precooked bacon. It will keep without refrigeration for at least a week.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I like most of the Mountain House meals that don't contain rice....chicken and mashed potatoes is one of my favorites.
Very rarely do I do the cans anymore, just more work and less shelf life...so I guess I'm lazy.
Might want to check out freezer bag cooking, lots of good options.

 

[Shrek]

You can buy precooked bacon. It will keep without refrigeration for at least a week.

I haven't tried the precooked bacon but I've looked at it in the store. It all looked burnt to a crisp so I've passed so far. I'm going to pick up a package of it to try tomorrow.

 

[Shrek]

Another thing to do is spruce up the MH. Pat suggested adding a condiment pack of philly cream cheese to the beef stroganoff and olive oil to the spaghetti and Chilli mac. I tried it and it really made a difference. Especially the cream cheese in the beef stroganoff. Pepper and a pad of butter would probably take the chicken and mashed potatoes from nasty to a favorite.

 

[Ranger619]

Shrek,
I just cooked (actually did it on the grill) my bacon at home and vacuum sealed it for both of my hunts last year. I froze the packages until right before I left. I never had any problems with spoilage. I ate them on tortillas for lunch.

 

[airlocksniffer]

If bacon will last 5 days in a BHS, why wouldn't it last that long by itself? Honey? My brother makes glazed bacon he calls sticky pig. I bet if you used honey for the glaze it would last awhile.

On topic, MH are fairly tasty but damn expensive (and salty) for the amount of calories you get. The Knorr noodle packs are pretty good and cheap, couscous, etc. Bring a little bottle of olive oil to spike for extra calories, add chicken, etc. Trailcooking.com has a ton of good freezer bag recipes.

 

[Shrek]

Problem with the bacon is I'm leaving from Florida on the Saturday the weekend before the opener in Montana and then staying for weeks there. Buthole sandwiches warmed up on the stove are pretty darn good and filling so I'll work something out. I'll have the Sequoia this fall instead of the Ranger so way more room to take things. Might take a grill to cook on.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

MH meals are the reason I carry a jetboil skillet and fishing rod.

 

[rayporter]

the precooked microwave bacon works pretty good to spice up most stuff, especially if you have tenderloin to roast. i have carried it for days in the summer.

there is also canned bacon. bass pro had it last year. it is about the same bacon now. years ago it was real bacon in a can.

the single serve macaroni packets make a good lunch. chunk up a spam slice for some meat in the mac n cheese.
http://www.baconfreak.com/yonders-canned-bacon.html

 

[NEhunter]

Another good option I found to add to the menu is Idahoan Potatoes at 99 cents for 4 servings.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I haven't tried the precooked bacon but I've looked at it in the store. It all looked burnt to a crisp so I've passed so far. I'm going to pick up a package of it to try tomorrow.

All the stuff I had was stiff (not my favorite way), not burnt, but still was good. I leave it in the packaging until ready to eat, and make the meal right there.

 

[hobbes]

We only eat MH in the evening, but we like them. I don't feel they are terribly expensive since it is only one a day. Their cost doesn't touch the cash I spend to keep us (especially my son with the growth spurts) in the woods. My son and I usually split one of the two serving pouches (mac&cheese, spaghetti, chilimac, beef stew, etc.) and one flavored instant mashed potato pouch (not MH). We add boiling water to the MH, boil another batch of water for the taters. I have the flavored taters in a ziplock with butter flakes and salt&pepper added. I add that to the boiling water. It isn't much after finishing mixing the taters that the MH is ready. He's really grown the last couple years, so it may not be enough food for us now.

For breakfast it is usually maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal. We have an assortment of items throughout the day that don't require boiling water, but we do occasionally boil water in a metal cup for soup and maybe coffee.

 

[full draw]

After having my food freeze on a mule deer hunt last year I decided to buy a jetboil and cook some food while hunting. I looked at mountain house and have a few questions:

Do you all buy the 1 serving size or 2.5?

Does anyone buy the bulk can and package their own?

Any other meals I can cook in my jet boil that don't cost $5 a meal?

I am a fan of MH and own a jetboil you can be grubbing a hot meal in 3 minutes (including cool down)

just like regular eats you will have your preferences. ALthough I like all things food, if im in the sticks I want convenience and packabilty. Jet Boil and MH your good to go. I buy the over size ones and often finish them im 6 foot + and 175 .lbs