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BACKPACKING COOKING
by David Rozelle
Venture ASM
Troop 464

RESOURCES
TTF = "Trailside’s Trail Food" by John Viehman, Rodale Press, 1993
WFB = "The Well-Fed Backpacker" by June Fleming, Vintage Books, 1986
Camp = "Camping" merit badge book pages 40-44
Bkpk = "Backpacking" merit badge book pages 28-32

Backpack Menu Planning sheet

SELECTED MENU IDEAS

DINNERS

Cashew Rice Curry (WFB-77, TTF-100)
Chicken Rice Almandine (TTF-100)
Curried Vegetables (Rice) (TTF-104)
Lentil & Rice Casserole (TTF-106)
Ramen / Curried Mushrooms (TTF-103)
Meatless Goulash (TTF-107)
White Mountain Stew (TTF-114)
Cheesy Baco-Spuds (WFB-75)
Devil’s Thumb Stew (TTF-104)

SOUPS

Curried soup (WFB-70)
Instant Packet Soups - Chicken Noodle, Onion, etc.

DESERTS

Grasshopper pie (WFB-95)
Rice Pudding (TTF- )
Grocery Instant Puddings w/ Instant Milk
Rice Crispy Squares
Cookies - Fig Newtons, Oatmeal

BEVERAGES

Coffee
Hot Cocoa
Spiced Cider
Tang
Kool-ade

LUNCHES / TRAIL SNACKS

Tuna / Salami / Peanut Butter (Grunch TTF-96)
Jerky
Bar’s - Power, Wilderness Logs (TTF-96)
GORP (Granola/Oats/Raisins/Peanuts) also known as "Trail mix"
good to add M&M’s, Sunflower seeds, yogurt covered raisins, etc.
Breads/Crackers - good source of Carbohydrates for quick energy
Tortillas
Bagels
Pilot Biscuits
Fry Breads (Biscuit mix/Corn bread mix made like pancakes)
Pretzels
Spreads/Bread Toppings to use on Breads
Honey,
Humus or Bean Spread
Peanut Butter
Tuna
Sardines
String Cheese
Fig Newtons
Dried Fruits!!

BREAKFASTS

Oatmeal/Cream of Wheat/ Cream of Rice Packets
Granola
Familia (TTF-74)
Sunrise Spuds (WFB-59)
Breakfast Bars (WFB-80) or Store Bought

Menu Plan from Venture-Patrol John Muir Long Term  8-96
Breakfast Choices - Each Chooses his own

Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
Granola
Muesli
Tang
Sunrise Spuds

  

 
Lunch #1 -

Summer Sausage
Pilot Biscuits
Gorp
Dried Fruit
Power Bar

 Lunch - #2

Cheese
Tortillas
Gorp
Dried Fruit
Power Bar
Lunch #3

Peanut Butter/Honey
Bagels
Gorp
Dried Fruit
Power Bar

 Lunch #4

Tuna & Mayonnaise
Pita Bread
Gorp
Dried Fruit
Power Bar
Lunch #5

Beef/Turkey Jerky
Rice Cakes
Gorp
Dried Fruit
Power Bar

Lunch #6

Cracker/Cheese Snack Kits
Gorp
Dried Fruit
Power Bar
Dinner #1-

Soup
Lentil-Rice Casserole

 

 Dinner #2

Soup
Cheesy Bacospuds
Peas
Dessert #1

Chocolate Pudding

 Dessert #2:

Cobbler
Dinner #3

Soup
Cashew Rice Curry
Fry Biscuits ?

Dinner #4

Soup
Devil’s Thumb Stew
Peas & Carrots
Dessert #3

Marshmallow Munchies

 Dessert #4:

Cobbler
Dinner #5-

Soup
Ramen & Curried Mushrooms

 Dinner #6

Soup
Freeze Dried Spaghetti & Meat Sauce
Dessert #5

Strawberry Cheesecake

 Dessert #6:

Grasshopper Pie

A Selection of Recipes Used on Venture Outings
Traveling Grasshopper Pie (WFB pg. 95)
Serves 3 or 4

Package into 1-qt ziploc bag:

  • 1 sm. package instant pistachio pudding
  • 2/3 cup instant dry milk
  • ½ teaspoon mint flavoring

Smash & bag separately:
12 chocolate-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

 In camp:
  • Add 1 ¾ sup cold water to pudding bag
  • Seal & knead to mix thoroughly
  • Chill a few minutes to thicken if possible

Put Into Each bowl:

  • a layer of cookie crumbs
  • pudding
  • ore crumbs
 
Dinner Recipe#1  
Lentil-Rice Casserole (TTF pg. 106)

Serves 4

  • 1-cup lentils
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • ¼ cup onion flakes
  • 1 cup dried tomatoes
  • garlic powder to taste
  • chicken bouillon, enough to make 4 cups
  • 1 tsp. Cumin
  • 4 cups water
  • ¼ cup butter
 In camp:
  • Pour all ingredients except water and butter into a skillet
  • Add water, stir & bring to a boil
  • Lower heat, cover & simmer 45 minutes

(or until rice is tender)

  • Stir in butter & serve

 

 
Dinner Recipe #2  
Cheesy Bacospuds (WFB pg. 75)

Serves 4

Package into 1-qt ziploc bag:

  • 2 ¼ cup instant potato flakes
  • ½ cup instant dry milk
  • 1 packet Butter Buds
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon dried onions
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • pepper
  • ¾ cup Baco-bits (or crumbled bacon)
  • 1 pkg. Powdered Cheese spread
    (can use cubed fresh cheese but reduce water by 1 cup)
  • 4 ½ cups boiling water w/ powdered cheese
  • (3 cups boiling water if fresh cheese)
 In Camp
  • Bring 4 ½ (or 3) cups water to a boil
  • Add all ingredients
  • Stir
  • Let Stand a minute
  • Stir to fluff - add more water if too dry
Dinner Recipe #3  
Cashew Rice Curry (WFB pg. 77 or TTF pg. 100)
serves 4 (increased by 3/2 for larger portions)

At home package in small bag

  • 1 ½ tsp. salt
  • 4 ½ tsp. curry powder

also package

  • 3 cups instant rice
  • ¾ cup instant dry milk
  • ¾ cup cashew pieces
  • 4 oz Jack (or Havarti) cheese (~1 cup)
  • 6 cups boiling water
    •
In Camp
  • Mix salt & curry powder w/ a little water to make a paste
  • Add 6 cups Water, mix well & bring to boil
  • Stir in Rice
  • Cover & simmer gently until soft
  • Blend in dry milk then add nuts & cheese
  • Serve when cheese has melted
Dinner Recipe #4  
Devil’s Thumb Stew ( TTF pg. 104)
Serves 4

At home package

  • 1 pkg. Vegetable Beef Soup mix
  • 1 box (7¼ oz) macaroni & cheese dinner
  • 1 can (6½ oz) tuna
  • 1 cup instant rice
  • 4 ½ cups boiling water
 In Camp
  • Bring water to a boil
  • Add soup & macaroni
  • Simmer until macaroni about ½ done
  • Add cheese & tuna
  • Add enough rice to obtain desired consistency
  • Cook until macaroni & rice are done
Dinner Recipe #5  
Ramen & Curried Mushrooms ( TTF pg. 103)
Serves 4

At home package

  • 2 oz. Sliced dried mushrooms
  • 2 cup water
  • 4 ox curry seasoning mix or 7 Tbs. curry powder
  • 4 pkgs. beef, chicken or pork Ramen noodles
 In Camp
  • Soak mushrooms in water for 20 minutes
  • Pour mushroom water in another pan adding enough water to make 9 cups
  • Bring to a boil
  • Add curry & noodles
  • Boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Remove from heat & stir in seasoning mix from noodle package
  • Serve immediately
Dinner Recipe #6  
Mountain House Freeze Dried Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce
Serves 4

At home package

  • Prepackaged
  • 2 cups boiling water
 In Camp
  • read package

 

Koosah (Sky) Mountain Stew
(2 BIG SERVINGS)

Try the basic recipe first, or put together variations that are cheaper, lighter or quicker to suit the needs of your particular journey. Adaptations follow the recipe.

At home, pack in a 1-quart ziploc bag:

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Also pack:

In camp: Cut the clean, unpeeled potato into small dice and cook it and the green beans for about 8 minutes in 2 1/2 cups boiling water. While this simmers, add 1/2 cup cold water to the sour-cream sauce bag, seal and knead until well mixed. In the can, cut the turkey into bite-sized pieces. When the veggies are tender, add the sauce mix and turkey, stir well and heat through.

A cheaper and lighter version of this stew can be made by substituting 1/3 cup chicken-flavored TVP for the canned turkey. Increase the water to 3 1/2 cups and rehydrate the TVP with the vegetables as they cook.

If cooking time needs to be shortened, substitute a 3-ounce package of ramen noodles for the potato and 2 thinly sliced fresh carrots for the green beans. These will cook in about 3 minutes.

 

 

Juncal Trail backpack 6/26-28/98

Breakfast(2):

Oatmeal/Museli
Breakfast Bars
Coffee

 Lunch:

Tuna/Cheese in Pitas (w/ Mayo)
Powerbars
Dried Fruit
Gorp

 Dinner:

Cashew Chicken Wrap

Grasshopper Pie

 Cashew Chicken Wrap
(Definitely a "Do Again" receipe!)
(serves 2 - multiply up as needed)

  • ¾ cup dried cabbage
  • ¾ cup thinly sliced dried mushrooms
  • ¼ cup dried pineapple w/o added sugar (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons dried onion
  • 2 tablespoons flaked coconut w/o added sugar (can substitute 1 ½ teaspoons coconut cream powder)
  • 8 tortillas (7 ½" diameter)
  • 1 ½ cup cashews
  • 1 or 2 - 5-oz cans chicken

At home:

  • Package veggies and fruit in zipper-lock bag
 On trail:
  • Pour fruit/vegetable mix into insulated bowl or pot and add 1 ½ cup boiling water
  • Stir well, cover, and let stand 10-min

Meanwhile:

  • Briefly heat tortillas in frying pan or pot lid
  • When the filling has rehydrated, drain excess water
  • Add cashews, chicken, and salt to taste
  • Spoon ½ cup of filling onto each tortilla, turn in the ends, then roll

Backpacker magazine - may 1998

 

From the Rozelle's Green Creek backpack 7/98

Breakfast(1):

Oatmeal
Breakfast Bars
Coco/Coffee

 Lunch:

Tuna/Cheese in Pitas (w/ Mayo)
Powerbars
Fresh Fruit
Gorp

 Dinner:

Szechuan Vege Wrap

Coco
Pudding

 Szechwan Vege Wrap
(another "Do Again" recipe!)
(serves 2 - multiply up as needed)

  • 1/2 cup toasted chopped cashews
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
  • 1 tablespoon powdered milk
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced dried mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup dried cabbage
  • 4 teaspoons dried onion
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 tortillas (7 1/2 inch)
  • salt or soy sauce (optional)

At home:

  • Combine and mix well in a plastic bag:
    Cashews, peanut butter, bouillon, powdered milk
  • Vegetables & spices in a separate bag
  • Tortillas in a bag
 On trail:
  • Place vegetable & spice mix in a pot and add 1 1/4 cups water
  • Stir well, bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat.
  • Let stand 10-minutes

Meanwhile:

  • briefly heat each tortilla in a frying pan.
  • When veggies have rehydrated, stir in peanut butter mixture add salt or soy sauce to taste.
  • Reheat mixture if necessary
  • Spoon 1/2 cup filling onto each tortilla, turn in sides, then roll.

Backpacker magazine - august 1998

 

Menu Plan from the Crew 464's La Jolla Valley backpack 3/00

Lunch:

Crackers
Sliced Luncheon Meat (Turkey)
Cheese
Mustard/Mayo Packets

Trail Snacks:

Powerbars
Granola Bars
Pop Tarts

 Dinner:

Shell Noodle Surprise
Fruit Cocktail (canned)
Hot Cocoa

Drinks:

Powdered Juice Drinks
Cocoa
Coffee

 Breakfast:

Oatmeal/Granola (Dry Milk)
Breakfast Bars
Orange Drink
Coco/Coffee

Return Lunch
In-And-Out Burgers

 Shell Noodle Surprise

  • 3c.  small pasta shells
  • 2c. dried tomatoes (cut in half)
  • 2 Tbsp. powdered shortening
  • 3 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 pkg Mrs. Grass Onion soup mix
  • 1 pkg. Uncle Ben's cream of mushroom soup mix

At home:

  • Premix ingredients in Zip-Lock bag - tape shup.
 On trail:
  • Boil 6 cups water
  • Add ingredients
  • Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Remove from stove, cover & wait for 5-minutes
  • Don't drain any excess water; drink it for dessert!

internet article by Drew Ross