No refrigeration needed

[RememberTheFallen]

The only problem I have with canned soup is the empty cans take up quite a bit of space to pack out in your garbage sack. One alternative I've found though is in the health food isle there are some soups that come in a cardboard carton.

I dislike canned stuff because of this also. Still carry canned goods but look for alternatives. I did see where folks would use the can opener to open the other end of the can also, crush the can flat, and then sliding the two circular end caps into the flattened can. Kinda a PITA but would save a lot of room.

 

[FLYFISHEXPERT]

How about a quick 'No Refrigeration' recipe?

How about a recipe where the ingredients don't need to be refrigerated and the after everything is mixed, can be chilled in a stream?


Chia Seed Pudding with Strawberry Compote by Beau_Johnston, on Flickr

Ingredients (Pudding)

• 4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoon honey (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup water

Ingredients (Compote)

• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 quart strawberries, trimmed
• 1/2 lemon
• 3 TBSP sugar

serves 4

Preparation (Pudding)
In a small plastic container, we love using our BlenderBottles for this, combine the first four ingredients. Give it a good shake and refrigerate for at least one hour. After the first thirty minutes give the mixture a stir, so it doesn't clump together. The great thing here is you really don't need any artificial refrigeration. Have a stream nearby? Place your BlenderBottle in the stream to keep the ingredients chilled as the moisture from the coconut milk infuses with the chia seeds.

Once you're ready to eat, stir in the honey (add more if you don't think it's sweet enough) and water (to desired consistency).

Preparation (Compote)
Cupping the palm of your had, and using the thumb on the opposite hand like a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind the fennel seeds; place in a plastic zipper bag. Add to the bag the sugar, lemon juice, and strawberries. Mix, crushing the strawberries with your fingers, until fully incorporated. Let sit for 20-30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Serving
Layer the pudding and compote in your favorite clear glassware and enjoy.

Check out all of our FREE recipes over on our blog - www.LivingOverland.com

 

[magentawave]

Mmmm, those recipes sound good and healthy! I'm going to try them and check out your blog too. Thank you!

 

[magentawave]

I was wondering what everyone that has traveled extensively through Mexico, Central America, and South America thinks about taking a juicer with them? I can handle the energy usage since I'd use it for only ten minutes at a time and three to four times per week. I was wondering more about the quality/safety of the vegetables there for juicing and especially the green leafy stuff?
Thanks

 

[Arclight]

Fresh fruit in Mexico and elsewhere is just fine. When we lived in Mexico, my mom would soak all the fresh stuff in a mild Clorox solution prior to cutting up and eating. This pretty much prevents any illness you might pick up from dirty hands or questionable water that contacted them.

Arclight

I was wondering what everyone that has traveled extensively through Mexico, Central America, and South America thinks about taking a juicer with them? I can handle the energy usage since I'd use it for only ten minutes at a time and three to four times per week. I was wondering more about the quality/safety of the vegetables there for juicing and especially the green leafy stuff?
Thanks

 

[IdahoXJ]

I have been struggling with the whole refrigeration issue. This thread pretty much minimizes or even eliminates the refrigeration problems. Thanks to all. Another of the great ideas and sharing connected with this forum.

 

[AlbanyTom]

There are lots of great ideas here...love this forum.

Some things I didn't see mentioned, or w/ more detail added:

Anything sold in a gas station vending machine. Most is just sugar, but peanut butter/cheese crackers have a long shelf life, and more protein and calories than typical grocery store granola bars. Oh, and don't forget pop-tarts! And if you want to be healthier, quick cook or regular oatmeal.

For a protein boost to meals, I've found canned dark meat chicken, and the small cans of ham pretty good, even better than tuna. Canned beef I just can't stomach, though...just my personal taste, I'm sure, but I can't get past the look/smell of it. (A friend has the same reaction to canned ham.) Canned nuts will keep a long time, just be careful of people w/ allergies.

For canned meals, good old spaghetti-o's, canned pork and beans, and canned spaghetti are tasty enough for me. Yes, they're heavy, so certainly not for backpacking. I do see MRE's listed many places, but I see MRE's as expensive marginal canned food in a bag.

Bridgford summer sausage has something like a 6+ month printed shelf life. Like any sausage, fat content is very high, as well as sodium, but it's tasty and has plenty of calories and protein.

Name brand soft flour tortilas have a crazy long shelf life. To the point that I can't see how they they can be good for you....room temperature bread products aren't supposed to stay soft and tasty for months, but they do.

If the trip/event involves treating or filtering found water, then I'd add different kinds of instant drink mixes, especially if there are kids involved. Funny tasting water, even if safe, is tough for some people to drink enough of. Tang would be my choice, but there are lots of options.

Might be a good idea to consider a multi-vitamin supplement, too...I think it's tough to get enough vitamins when most of the calories are coming from highly processed or mostly grain/rice based foods.

Tom

 

[notdeankane]

One thing I had read about for sport fishing is that in the old days when ice was not an option, baits were kept in 'saltboxes'.
I should think this maybe an option for extended expeditions....hams, salt fish (cod/bacalao/mackerals). There are lots of way to use salt meats, but regrettably as an American, I do not know very many...

 

[madmax718]

I'll give you a few:
slim jim
summer sausages
beef jerky
chipped beef
fat back
salt pork
salted fish

If you are interested, there is a book, called "the settlement cook book" (its a free ebook now!)


http://books.google.com/books?id=19YqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA147&lpg=PA147&dq=dry+cod+fish+recipe+settlers&source=bl&ots=-oWRlfaRp2&sig=8AoUJx-WFo9VfABdcYxc1n4moe8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TnwTVMOKNpLhsATTrIH4DQ&ved=0CEAQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=dry%20cod%20fish%20recipe%20settlers&f=false

I have a particular interest in historical recipes and cooking techniques. Most of the ingredients available at the time did not need refrigeration (i.e. early settlers/expeditions, etc), or were supplemented with what was available at the time.

People of the past were a much tougher bunch- and had very simple pallets. Here's a sample middle class menu at home from the mid 1850's:
Sample bill of fare for middle-class home meals: 1853
In the days before home freezers and rapid transit, suggested family menus were grouped by season and presented for each day. Breakfast would have been served between 8-9AM. Dinner would have been the main meal of the day, served sometime between noon and three. Tea would have been a light meal (at that time this meal was often called supper) before retiring.


"Bill of Fare. Winter.
Monday.
Breakfast. Corn bread, cold bread, stew, boiled eggs.
Dinner. Soup, cold joint, calves' head, vegetables.
Dessert. Puddings, &c.
Tea. Cold bread, milk toast, stewed fruit.

Tuesday.
Breakast. Hot cakes,cold bread, sausages, fried potatoes.
Dinner. Soup, roast turkey, cranberry sauce, boiled ham, vegetables.
Dessert. Pie &c.
Tea. Corn bread, cold bread, stewed oysters.

Wednesday.
Breakfast. Hot bread, cold bread, chops, omelet.
Dinner. Boiled mutton, stewed liver, vegetables.
Dessert. Pudding, &c.
Tea. Hot light bread, cold bread, fish, stewed fruit.

Thursday.
Breakfast. Hot cakes, cold bread, sausages, fried potatoes.
Dinner. Soup, poultry, cutlets, vegetables.
Dessert. Custards and stewed fruit.
Tea. Corn bread, cold bread, frizzled beef, stewed fruits, or soused calves' feet.

Friday.
Breakfast. Hot bread, cold bread, chops, omelet.
Dinner. Soup, fish, roast mutton and currant jelly, vegetables.
Dessert. Pudding, &c.
Tea. Hot light bread, cold bread, stewed fruit.

Saturday.
Breakfast., Hot bread, a nice hash, fried potatoes.
Dinner. Soup, roast veal, steaks, oyster pie, vegetables.
Dessert. Custards.
Tea. Corn bread, cold bread, stewed oysters.

Sunday.
Breakfast. Cold bread, croquets, omelet.
Dinner. Roast pig, apple sauce, steaks, vegetables.
Dessert. Pie, jelly.
Tea. Cold bread, stewed fruit, light cake."
---Cookery As It Should Be: A New Manual of the Dining Room and Kitchen, by A Practical Housekeeper and Pupil of Mrs. Goodfellow [Philadelphia:Willis P. Hazard] 1853 (p. 310)

 

[ellisfamilyokc]

I would like to add that The 100 Day Pantry book is a great resource. It's focus is on cooking meals with dried and canned goods. The recipes require no water or refrigerated goods. This book would be most applicable to those of us with few weight limitations due to its heavy reliance on canned goods.

 

[PirateMcGee]

Was just about to start wiring a dual battery system, solar panel etc. and realized this is dumb and expensive. Why do I need a cooler or fridge...I am perfectly content without one while backpacking. Low and behold this thread!

 

[grogie]

Was just about to start wiring a dual battery system, solar panel etc. and realized this is dumb and expensive. Why do I need a cooler or fridge...I am perfectly content without one while backpacking. Low and behold this thread!

This thread is awesome! My trailer has a single battery that trickle charges off of my Jeep. And I've been using a decent, but not an expensive cooler (Coleman Xtreme). I don't want to go further then what I already have in place. Really, about the only thing that I think that I have to have ice for is for the beer. But even that, a good flask I suppose would as well work.

 

[kojackJKU]

There are obviously few aussies here, because Vegemite hasn't been mentionned yet !

Of course, you need something suitable to spread it on ...

Seriously, I have some bread recipes... I pack all the ingredients (flour, yeast, sugar ...) in a large "Ziplock" (that will keep a while) ...

All is needed is: water, kneading and cooking in a pot or oven = delicious hot fresh bread !

Must be an aussie thing...My aussie friend had some and I tried it....vomited a little in my mouth....its rancid. All it is , is the **** scraped from the bottom of beer vats. ha ha ha!

 

[RVandOffRoad]

Interesting thread. I cook and bake at home and I like to eat pretty much the same wherever I am. So, my galley box has flour, corn meal, yeast, bake powder, 9-grain cereal, canned meat, canned chicken, canned fish, canned fruit, canned soup and canned vegi's and what ever fresh produce I can reasonably handle. All of those canned foods are also canned water. Tortillas are easy and faster than bread which is not difficult once it becomes routine. My cold stuff is stored in a Dometic CF50 and is set at 27 F most of the time. Frozen stuff goes on the bottom.

Mitch Schliebs
Coastline Manufacturing Company

 

[stingray1300]

Hey Mitch! Nice to see you on here!
.
Anyone can say what they want about us fridge-pansies, but my wife loves loves loves our 37qt ARB (after a cooler for umpteen years). Solar panel takes care of the power needs. But we like to get creative with food on the trail too. Heading out to Toroweap in 6 days (with our new RV/Offroad RTT mattress, I might add...)
.
See ya on the flipside!