How and what do you cook?

[TFin04]

From day hikes to long treks in the wilderness, what cooking set up do you use and what type of foods do you generally cook?

I use two set ups for two different purposes. Like buying knives, my kits are ever evolving but I think I have them down pretty good. One thing to note is that both can be used in a fire as well as the provided stoves.

First set up:

Lightweight solo kit
Used for day hikes, overnight stays, kayaking, etc.

Contains:
- Snow Peak 700 Mug/Pot
- Brawny disposable kitchen towel
- 1.25" x 2.5" aluminum cylinder, used as a stove (think tea light candle, but taller)
- 4 oz bottle of alcohol
- Hardwardware cloth pot stand
- Aluminum wind screen
- Folding Spork

This kit is derived heavily from what an ultra light backpacker would carry these days. It all fits in the mug and is about as light as you can go.

Foods cooked:
Ramen noodles, hot cocoa, instant side of rice/pasta, dehydrated meals (both commercial and home made).

Pros
- Light
- Small

Cons
- Fairly limited to what it can do.
- ON or OFF, no simmer

Second set up:

Long trek, or hiking with another person
Used for 3+ days outside, or when my girlfriend, or non-outdoorsy friends join me in the woods.
These trips usually require a larger pack, so the bigger set up isn't too much of a hassle.

Contains
- REI .9 Liter Ti pot
- Brawny Towel
- MSR Pocket Rocket
- Fuel Canister
- Aluminum windscreen
- Two folding sporks
- Bandana

Foods cooked
- Any of the above instant items
- Longer cooking items like spaghetti
- Meats/Fish

Pros
- Larger capacity
- Long run time on one canister
- Ability to simmer
- Pot is wide enough to be used as a frying pan
- Still pretty light for what it is

Cons
- Heavier than above set up
- Bigger than above set up

If I plan on doing any fishing while I'm out, this pot along with a bag of breading and some canola oil comes along. I can catch, fillet, and fry some panfish pretty easily with this pot and stove. Works just like at home.

 

[Erasmus]

What I will cook controls what pot or stove I bring. For drinking, I always bring a titanium Trek 700 cup. Could hardly be expected to do without hot tea.

For cooking actual food, it could be the lightest/thinnest 1 or 1 1/2 liter pot I have. Frying is done in a thickish aluminum British Army mess tin, or a 1 1/2L JetBoil pot.

Trouts are baked in foil in the coals, with a dash of olive oil, piece of onion, garlic, salt and pepper.

 

[TFin04]

Trouts are baked in foil in the coals, with a dash of olive oil, piece of onion, garlic, salt and pepper.

Mmm that sounds good. I haven't tried that yet but I want to.

Guess I should learn where and how to catch trout first, huh?

 

[tyuio]

Usually use several thick aluminum foil sheets for my windscreen rather than the single thick one that comes with the msr stove. That way if i catch some fish can bake them in the fire by just taking a layer off my windscreen and throwing in some salt and pepper. Other than that, i bring oatmeal, top ramen, minute rice, foil packed chicken or tuna. I sometimes bring a dehydrated backpacking meal if i need a change of pace. Snacks i like granola bars, trail mix (m&m's and mixed nuts) and black licorice.

 

[TFin04]

Usually use several thick aluminum foil sheets for my windscreen rather than the single thick one that comes with the msr stove. That way if i catch some fish can bake them in the fire by just taking a layer off my windscreen and throwing in some salt and pepper. Other than that, i bring oatmeal, top ramen, minute rice, foil packed chicken or tuna. I sometimes bring a dehydrated backpacking meal if i need a change of pace. Snacks i like granola bars, trail mix (m&m's and mixed nuts) and black licorice.

Sounds like a lot of the same. Those foil packets are awesome for a little extra flavor and some easy protein to keep you going.

I'm going to work on my fish cooking abilities over the fire.

 

[quietmike]

Mostly the same as above with the addition of jerky and dehydrated fruit-esp. bananas.

The best pre-made backpacking meals I've found are these:


Enertia trail foods

All the ones I've tried taste like food you'd make at home. Lightweight, fast cooking and minimal prep time.

 

[Chosen-frozen]

Powdered milk, powdered eggs. sugar, and minute rice, maybe some raisins. Bring it to a boil and you have rice pudding.

Fine cornmeal, sugar, maybe some raisins and nuts. Bring it to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, you have hasty pudding. If you let it cool you can slice it and eat it that way or fry/grill it.

For use the first night out....put a couple of eggs, a handful of shredded cheese, browned meat, and diced veggies in a zip-lock bag. Boil the bag until the eggs have set and you have a tasty omlette in it`s own bowl.

Mix bisquick with water or powdered milk to make a stiff dough. Wrap it on sticks and roast over coals for bread or bisquits.

Asian grocery stores have blocks of reux to make curry or stew in just a couple minutes. Carry a couple potatoes, a carrot, and an onion w/ you. Cut `em up, boil `til they`re tender. Dice up the reux and drop it it simmer 5 minutes. The reux has all the spices and thickeners to make a really good curry or stew. Great w/ rice or bread.

 

[northern1]

my cooking kit is an MSR POCKET ROCKET and i have the hiking sized titanium pot and stainless bowl they make too.for eating utensils i use light-my-fire sporks.

i usually just eat dehydrate meals or cook hot dogs.my whole cooking/eating kit fits inside a medium/small sized blackhawk pouch

here's the kit

and here it is all packed up.its the green pouch to the left of the katayden water filter which i guess is another part of my total eating/drinking kit

for plates i just use paper or plastic and burn them in the fore when done.i dont like doing dishes at home and i have a dishwasher so i really dont like the idea of doing dishes in the woods at some stream.no thanks,its disposable for me thank you.

 

[PB Wilson]

Ever since being put on KP duty in Boy Scouts for being a wise-ass I've always hated cleaning pots and pans. I mainly go with dehydrated food that cooks in the bag. I used to have a link to a site with recipes so you don't have to rely on sodium-packed ones you might find at the store, but my other computer is on the fritz. If I find it, I'll post it here. A small pot, lexan spoon and a Pocket Rocket round out the cook kit.

 

[eomeo]

I usually bring pasta, sauce, and some broccoli or carrots to put in. I've got a LMF mess kit and I bring that to use as a bowl/plate. 1 person gets the pot, the other gets the plastic. I use the larger spork to stir and eat with.

For snacks, I rely on clif or power bars and jerky. Mmmm Jerky.... the bacon of the woods.