[Kyle Smith]

I have a big trip coming up, which will require that a friend and I have 7 dinners made in the dark. Dinner will follow 10 hour days fishing for steelhead in the nastiest forest I have ever encountered. So quick and easy will be key. We have decided to use as little instant crap as we can, but mashed potatoes or Lipton pastas are fine as sides.

We will have the opportunity to pre-cook and freeze stuff the night after we fly to our destination. Options currently considered are:

spaghetti
steak and potatoes
pork chops and mac & cheese
fajitas
1 Mountain House garbage food night
Dolly varden fish fry, pasta

Anything else sound good and quick to prepare either at the usfs cabin or the place we are staying 1 night with a full kitchen?

 

[Spg]

Thai curries. Freeze perfectly, easy to portion, can make a variety of combinations/flavors. just add rice. I used to do these all the time hiking.

 

[Kilchis]

If you can freeze your meals in vac bags it makes it really easy to just boil water and toss the bags in to heat. No muss, no fuss, cocktails while it heats.

 

[Guest]

Kilchis has the right idea. You can premake all sorts of dinners before you leave Montana, vacuum pack them if possible, otherwise just put them in ziplocks (the downside is they leak when they melt if kept in a cooler), and freeze them.

Jumbalaya with shrimp or andouille
Stew
Chicken and rice
Meatloaf
Pork chops and gravy
Lasagna
Sweet-sour pork over rice
Marinara, meatballs, pasta

If it were me going, and the FS cabin has power, I'd bring this little gem along. It has a delayed time start option so you could put the food in frozen before you leave and set it to start slow cooking a few hours before you get back.

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/...MI_MmSr_j12QIVWJJ-Ch3IqA9MEAQYAiABEgJCMPD_BwE

 

[Kyle Smith]

Kilchis has the right idea. You can premake all sorts of dinners before you leave Montana, vacuum pack them if possible, otherwise just put them in ziplocks (the downside is they leak when they melt if kept in a cooler), and freeze them.

Jumbalaya with shrimp or andouille
Stew
Chicken and rice
Meatloaf
Pork chops and gravy
Lasagna
Sweet-sour pork over rice
Marinara, meatballs, pasta

If it were me going, and the FS cabin has power, I'd bring this little gem along. It has a delayed time start option so you could put the food in frozen before you leave and set it to start slow cooking a few hours before you get back.

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/...MI_MmSr_j12QIVWJJ-Ch3IqA9MEAQYAiABEgJCMPD_BwE

The cooking in the cabin will have to be done with isobutane or Tongass "firewood" aka lighter fluid and steam.

I will certainly explore the idea of cooking at home before leaving. Gotta determine how much over my 40lb luggage limit I want to go.

Thanks guys, and now I want Thai food at 7 am.

 

[Guest]

Kyle. People fly frozen food all over Alaska and even some small airports have the means to hold it for you. You might look into Fex Exing it up there vs the cost of adding it to your extra luggage weight costs.

Also, the cost of food in Montana is MUCH cheaper than Alaska although Juneau has a CostCo where you can buy Alaska Brewery beer cheaper than at the brewery a few blocks away.

If you get a chance visit downtown Juneau. It's pretty cool.

 

[jersey]

Tongass air and an Alder fire cooking dinner... holy smokes man enjoy yourself!

If you can vacuum pack and freeze...
Pulled pork over griddle bread, bolognese, ziti lasagna, BBQ beef, Chicken stew, there are some higher end freeze dries Asian soups that are,lights out good.

Have a great trip

 

[Tristan Mikoleit]

You already have a lot of great suggestions from others, so a quick general suggestion:

If you have the ability to dehydrate vegetables, it is super simple to dehydrate a mix (onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots, etc) and vacuum pack it. Then pair those vegetables with instant potatoes, couscous, or quinoa (for the healthiest base) and you have a very easy, healthy stew (bring along seasoning as well if you like). If you are out in the woods with limited gear, save your mountain house bag to re-use as a cooking bag for your home made dehydrated meals.

Here is a good blog on ways to prepare your own quinoa for backpacking:

http://blog.outdoorherbivore.com/vegetarian/why-eat-quinoa-when-backpacking/