Interested in a tenting meal you could eat the place ever on Thanksgiving? Try the Trailspoon Thanksgiving Camping Meal! It’s tough to inform your loved ones that you just’re going to be out within the woods on Thanksgiving moderately than tolerating relations and avoiding falling asleep earlier than halftime. Luckily whereas being out on path, I’ll have some meals that may remind me of the heat of house and the flavors of turkey day!
Welcome to our recurring collection of “The Path Less Traveled.” In this collection, we need to take you alongside for our exploits out within the wilderness whereas mountain climbing, tenting, exploring, and common adventuring. This will embrace our small each day victories, foibles, ideas, methods, and evaluations of substances we authentically admire and often make the most of. While a well-worn path can usually be the pathway to a leisurely day, the paths much less traveled can usually spur on a number of the best recollections, misadventures, and enjoyable we might think about. Join us within the Comments as we share our travels and hopefully, we are able to all come collectively for a larger appreciation of the outside.
Mmm… Chomp on this Food Coverage
Full Disclosure, I began Trailspoon in September, 2022 to start promoting freeze dried tenting meals. After experimenting with 26 totally different batches within the Harvest Right freeze dryer, it was time to start out making meals for others to get pleasure from. Products may be discovered on Trailspoon.com.
Heading out on a Virginia journey this Thanksgiving weekend to part hike a part of the AT as searching season shall be in full swing and I don’t react properly to bullets. Most of my native mountain climbing and mountain biking areas, even when designated are too sketch to hike throughout searching season.
We all know household get-togethers are both nice instances the place you carouse across the dinner desk and TV whereas having fun with one another’s firm… or a time the place Uncle Carl brings up bizarre tales and racist remarks about coworkers he in all probability secretly has murdered. Luckily, my household will get alongside properly and lacking their firm and meals is a giant deal this vacation. Fortunately, I’ve developed a meal that may carry a style of house out to the path!
Turkey Meatloaf
In earlier checks and experiences with freeze drying meats, I’ve discovered that chunks of meat lower up and simply freeze dried are usually not the tastiest factor, as unseasoned meats may be bland. We all know my abhorrence for any tenting meals that include greater than 1000mg of sodium of per bag, so balancing taste and nonetheless having a fall turkey as the primary protein was robust.
Luckily, I used to be capable of determine upon a turkey meatloaf with sufficient flavors to sway even the mightiest meatloaf naysayers. Five kilos of lean floor turkey was used to scale back oils and fat which might lower the shelf lifetime of a product.
“But why didn’t you employ beef?“
93/7 beef isn’t cheap in 2022, and with the thanksgiving theme, turkey was a smart alternative. The degree of protein it supplies out on path will guarantee one’s abdomen stays full and atrophy won’t be thought-about! Sautéed onions, garlic, together with eight regionally sourced eggs and ten ounces of bread have been added.
To high this loaf of meat, I used a secret recipe handed down from era to era Google however added my very own twist. Half a cup of ketchup, half a cup of darkish brown sugar, and as a lot Sriracha as you need. This topping will get a contact crispy, and provides a candy and warmth to the savory portion of the meal. You might additionally say it provides a little bit of acidity to spherical issues out.
The meatloaf got here out high quality, and took about 26 hours to freeze dry. To make sure the meals was as dry as attainable, I flipped the entire slices after the primary freeze dry run, and added two hours. Just a few style checks of the most important piece per tray confirmed they have been dry!
Stuffing
There are many base carbs which might be utilized in mountain climbing meals. I’m certain all of us can assume of some like couscous, rice, pasta, and many others. When testing out numerous multi-ingredient meals, I attempted freeze drying Stouffer’s Roast Turkey with Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. The mashed potatoes grew to become very delicate puffs of air, and the gravy was additionally delicate and flaked aside if touched in any respect. When consuming a meal with a protein and vegetable, I discover it turns into an unrecognizable mess.
By utilizing a starch for carbs that’s doesn’t flip to mush was secondary to having Thanksgiving vibes to this meal. To guarantee shelf stability, I skipped including oil to the stuffing, however did use natural hen broth to assist taste the stuffing past what got here within the field.
Several handfuls of carrots and celery have been added to extend mise-en-place taste, in addition to add a little bit of fiber to the meal!
It took 30 hours, 47 minutes to totally freeze dry the stuffing and inexperienced beans in the identical batch on largely separate trays.
Green Beans
When considering of Thanksgiving greens, my thoughts goes straight to corn, inexperienced beans, leafy greens and asparagus. Luckily, I had tons of inexperienced beans frozen from the backyard this 12 months.
Reheating the inexperienced beans with bacon, onion, and a few lowered sugar cranberries doesn’t make this a inexperienced bean casserole, nevertheless it undoubtedly has these vacation vibes and flavors!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
When mountain climbing in Ohio, two of my prototype tenting meals I made had cheesecake bites added in. These have been such a morale booster, I fully disregarded the thought of a pumpkin and/or candy potato pie and went with a Sam’s Club Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Yeah, I do know… Being lazy not hand crafting my very own cheesecake from natural cream cheese, and many others. What will I ever do?!
Forget that, this cheesecake is wonderful and solely took 20 hours to totally freeze dry as a result of small sizes I lower it into.
Observations
Opening the Trailspoon Thanksgiving Camping Meal revealed vivid greens and Minecraft formed blocks of meat, cheesecake and stuffing.
The uniformity of all of it made it considerably tough to pick the entire cheesecake bites. These have been picked out as they’re supposed to be eaten whereas ready for the meal to reconstitute, or after having the meal as a tasty dessert! I don’t assume I’d like holding the cheesecake items within the pouch when rehydrating the remainder of the meals.
The crust has a powerful crunch and the dense cheesecake is heartwarming and decadent. I might eat these by themselves at any time!
While the meatloaf was not the primary multi-ingredient meals I’ve freeze dried, it was the most important quantity of meals I positioned within the machine at one time. While poultry MREs may be hit and miss (Anyone attempt a Chicken a la King?), I had confidence the rehydration of a properly porous blended protein would do properly.
Alas, it did! When placing seven or seven and a half ounces of boiling water within the retort pouch, the meatloaf resumed its smooth and flavorful texture. While I used to be impatient and didn’t full wait ten or fifteen minutes like most freeze dried backpacking meals state is required, solely two items might have taken a bit longer to reconstitute. The ketchup topping remained on the meatloaf and supplied a vivid little bit of tang and warmth!
The stuffing with carrots and celery rehydrated ideally! I’ve seen folks out on a path simply dump range high right into a cup of boiling water and chow down earlier than, however I had by no means tried it.
Having a textural selection between vegetable items and the bits of bread within the stuffing was welcoming and rounded out that vacation really feel whereas filling my abdomen.
From prior research and vegetable checks, I do know that inexperienced beans rehydrate properly, however I used to be uncertain whether or not they would nonetheless have the bacon style from cooking them with chipped up bacon so as to add that contact of aptitude.
Bacon additionally supplied the salt wanted with out having so as to add additional salt! Green beans have been nice and bacon taste was current. Bacon items have been a bit laborious to seek out, however have been tasty treats after they touched the tongue. I imply, who doesn’t need extra bacon in issues?! The craisins had a candy-like texture to them and didn’t rehydrate properly.
I feel if I added them to one thing else, I’d mince them or maintain them out as they simply didn’t get smooth. They have been tasty, however remained a bit chewy and difficult. This was probably the one draw back to the meal. That and never sufficient bacon.
While I needed to eat one in all these to make sure my freeze drying strategies labored properly, I loved consuming each portion of this meal. The major dish had sufficient too to maintain me full, and snacking on a couple of of the cheesecake bites earlier than and after dinner was the way in which to go to stop a sugar overdose.
- Would I eat it once more outside? Zero doubt.
- Would I eat it at house? I can’t say no.
- Overall Rating: 87/100. I’m pleased with my first meal and count on to do higher with each meal ahead!
Comparison
There are not any actual vacation based mostly meals to check to. I’ve discovered three meals which might be comparable in value, components or caloric content material.
Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai – $15.89
6.2 oz, 730 energy. Ingredients: Rice noodle, sauce, natural cane sugar, white vinegar, savory soup base, natural textured soy protein, peanut butter, dry roasted peanuts, pink bell pepper, sriracha powder, tomato powder, inexperienced onion, non-gmo crystallized lime
Peak Refuel Homestyle Chicken and Rice – $13.99
5.15 oz, 740 energy. Ingredients: Creamy hen sauce, vegetarian hen bouillon, enriched on the spot white rice, cooked diced seasoned hen chicken
Heather’s Choice Grass-Fed Beef Shepherd’s Pie – $15.95
4 oz, 510 energy. Ingredients: Grass-Fed Ground Beef. Onion. Dehydrated Potato Flakes. Dried Mushrooms, Green Beans, Corn, Carrots. Balsamic Vinegar. Tomato Paste. Garlic. Buttermilk Powder. Butter Powder. Tapioca Flour. Sea Salt. Parsley. Thyme. Rosemary. Black Pepper.
SKU: 1124
MSRP: $18
Ingredients – Meatloaf: Lean Ground Turkey, Eggs, Italian Bread, Ketchup, Brown Sugar, Sriracha, Salt, Seasonings. Stuffing: Carrots, Celery, Whole Wheat Flour, Dehydrated Onion, Sea Salt, Tapioca Syrup, Organic Spices, Sunflower Oil, Wheat Gluten, Tapioca Syrup Solids, Yeast. Green Beans: Green beans, Onion, Bacon, Reduced Sugar Dehydrated Cranberries. Sam’s Club Pumpkin Cheesecake: Cream, Sugar, Milk, Pumpkin, Eggs, Wheat Flour, Water, Less than 2% of; Palm Oil, Brown Sugar, Honey, Graham Flour, Nonfat Milk, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Lemon Oil, Vanilla Bean Extractives, Whey, Baking Soda, Natural Flavors, Carrageenan, Dextrose, Cheese Culture, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Modified Food Starch, Spice, Cornstarch, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Tara Gum, Citric Acid, Soy Lecithin.
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PS: Did this text make you hungry? Have stuff you’d like to have as a tenting meal, nevertheless it isn’t bought? Let me know within the feedback what you need to see subsequent!
