New food option question

[Tbob]

So I usually go on quite a few solo pack trips and am getting a little tired of the MT House dinner options for every night in the back country. So here's my new plan, just wanted to get some opinions.
Last month I smoked a few pork shoulders and shredded them all up into pulled pork. With all the left overs I just put dinner sized portions in the food saver and vacuum sealed them and then popped them all in the freezer. So the other night I pulled one straight out of the freezer and dropped into a boiling pot of water.. Within 10-15 min I pulled it out, cut the bag open and it was Delish! Hot and juicy just like I pulled it off the grill..
So now I'm thinking for a 3 day trip, I could freeze a few portion size bags of protein of some sort (pulled pork this time) put it in my pack like a frozen brick and then just throw a vacuum pack of meat in my jetboil when I'm ready to eat. I figure as long as I'm not in the hot desert these packets should stay frozen or cold enough for a few days of dinners.. Maybe take a Mt House for the last night or something...
Anyone else do this?? Just seems like a better way to go not eating those sodium bombs every night that are now sort of all tasting the same to me.. Any thoughts on this? Good or bad?

 

[Daniel_M]

Portion sized packs won't last more than 4-5 hours at best. I do the same for my Kodiak trips including moose and extended back country trips. I'll pack dinners ahead of time and unless I have a full cooler, everything is thawed the first day.

 

[Tsnider]

yeah i wouldnt do that man. i camp a lot in higher cooler elevations, and the meat in my pelican cooler will be thawed out within a day if im using ice that weekend (sometimes use ice packs). those things arent going to stay cold enough in my opinion. dehydrate it.

 

[Daniel_M]

Shameless plug for these guys. I was looking for something equal in weight and just as high if not higher in protein, carbs and fats but an alternative to Mtn House. I go all summer eating them, and when August/Sept rolls around I'll stick with the Beef Stro and Biscuits..other than that, I'm burnt out.

Heather's Choice

Dinners | Adventure Appetites

 

[COLOelkman]

I've heard "Good to Go" is another brand that's not as high in sodium and are o retry good. I'm planning to try some this year but no experience yet.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

[couesbitten]

Dehydrate your food, add boiling water back, just like a Mt. House. This is all the girlfriend and I ate last year, and now's the time to experiment and get your portions/water right. Having said that, pork is not a great choice for dehydrating because of the fat content, when it came to meats, we only did chicken and elk burger, specifically because of the low fat content.

 

[archer wapiti]

These guys are telling you the safest option.

But I think you're on to something for short term. Yeah, it thaws in 4-5 hours, but it's not spoiling at 5:01. If you're in a situation the temps aren't getting that hot, you ought to be able to keep it at least a couple days cool enough that it's not going to cause any problems. If you have a cold creek nearby, store them under a rock in the creek. If you're certain the packages aren't going to leak, and they're clean on the outside, Your sleeping bag is a great cooler for the pack in, which will buy you some more time. Just be sure there's no food residue, no need to be a pig in a blanket for a bear. Of course you take the weight penalty by not dehydrating, but for a few nights, could be a timesaver.

I'm not saying it's your best option, but I do think it's viable if you manage it carefully.

 

[mtnrunner260]

Add it into an idahoan potato packet for additional calories.
I think you'd be fine for a couple days at least.
I would personally dehydrate, mix in potatoes and maybe a bbq sauce pack from the gas station.

 

[Tbob]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to give it a try for at least a 2 day trip.. Now I know by day 2 things will definitely be defrosted, but I still think it will be cold enough to safely eat on night 2 for dinner.. I'll let you guys know if i die from rancid meat. Lol....
I'm just trying to avoid dehydrating and eating something more fresh tasting.

 

[Daniel_M]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to give it a try for at least a 2 day trip.. Now I know by day 2 things will definitely be defrosted, but I still think it will be cold enough to safely eat on night 2 for dinner.. I'll let you guys know if i die from rancid meat. Lol....
I'm just trying to avoid dehydrating and eating something more fresh tasting.

I wouldn't sweat the death part, rather the woodsy shits or bubble guts on a trip. Those always suck. I try to add some extra care to perishable foods, granted in Alaska it's fridge/freezer temps come September.

 

[COLOelkman]

One other quick thought is you could wrap it in dry ice. A little extra weight going in but none going out!

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

[dog812]

Dehydrator s are cheap... I take all my left over meals for the couple week s before, dehydrate them... Good to go. Some things come back great, others a little soupy....but you already ate them so you know what they taste like anyway.

 

[Brad@Argali]

There are some pretty simple meals I wrote about a while back that you might find useful. I'd strongly recommend dehydrating. It's cheap and easy to do and will save you a lot of money in the long run (plus you don't have to eat Mountain House). Here's the article: Making Your Own Backcountry Meals - Argali Outdoors.

 

[gudspelr]

Brad-
Ended up reading a bunch of your articles. You have me wishing for more .


Jeremy

 

[Middleofnowhere]

My hunting buddy introduced me to the dehydrated food approach this last season. He made a lentil stew from a package he picked up at a hippie market in Frisco and added ground turkey. He dehydrated it after it was fully cooked, vacuum sealed and then froze. I think this method ought to have several days of shelf life in the field. With packets of cholua or tapatio it is delicious.

 

[dariian]

Another vote for Heather's Choice. The breakfast in particular is great.

I bought a $30 dehydrator last year before an Idaho elk hunt and it paid for itself easily. I made fish jerky and dehydrated rice and beans and veggies. I like to know what I'm eating and using the dehydrator to make my own meals was easy as filling it up, turning it on and coming back a few hours later.

I smoked a bunch of tuna and vacuum sealed it also and after two days it was still good. It wasn't cold but it was doable. Definitely a nice treat after a long day.

 

[Idahomnts]

Often times I make a "burrito " from left overs to what ever I wan, pre cook the ingredients, let them cool before wrapping in tortilla to avoid condensation and sticking of tortilla to tin foil , some cheese in there , wrap in foil and food saver bag and freeze hard, ive packed couple of them for a couple day pack in insulation of some sort, make a nice fire and cook till cheese melts and tort is golden brown,
Still experimenting with filling content , have noticed eggs don't do so good , elk spaghetti is my favorite, yes weight deduction but damn a hot burrito is good on cold days , great for day hunts ,