camp cooks, whats for dinner?

[JJ Overkill]

my hunting partners like to bring up my wifes cooking on here from time to time. so what do you bring from home for dinner?

heres what I get to bring from home. my wife cooks a big pan of lasagna, and 2 to 3 other pans of some type of casseroles. she freezes them for me and I put them in a small chest freezer that I plug in a couple of days before putting it in the back of my truck and freeze 10gals of ice. I lock it down in my truck bed and forget it. my food stays cold for up to 10 days if I only go in the freezer once a day. at night I wrap a 3/4 ton come-a-long around it to keep critters out of it.

I have a stove/oven I removed from a camper. I hook up a 30# propane tank to it. when we get in from hunting I fire up the oven set it at 275 put a pan of food in there and it 15-20 min its time to eat. no pans to wash or other dishes to do.

this is only for a weekend type hunt. if im out longer she makes 5 pans of food and each pan makes to solid meals for me if im hunting solo. if my partners are with it makes one meal for all of us.

[Toby]

We do something similar with bringing most of our major meals frozen. I bring along my gas burner/turkey fryer. We vacuum pack our frozen meals and when it is time for supper we boil a big pot of water, put the vacuum packed meal in and it is done on a few minutes. No pots and pans here either. I also fire up the burner inside the wall tent for a few minutes in the morning, it is amazing how quickly it warms the ten. We are of course cautios a out fumes.

I carry homemade soft shelled burritos wrapped in tin foil during the day and make a small twig fire to heat them, works great.

[zpd307]

in spike camp its dehydrated noodles or those bear creek soups with packets of tuna or sliced pepperonis. instant oatmeal for breakfast. granola bars and slim jims for lunch. we ate like kings last year as we camped next to the truck. hamburgers, brats, chicken breasts, and we brought from home some deer steaks. we don't bring a freezer. we plan on bringing the elk to town to a butcher shop who will store it for a fee.

[Indian Summer]

I'll usually start by feeling like I've won the battle by having an elk steak dinner. I might have one more night of fresh food and then after that I go to Mountain House meals. Quick filling and zero cleanup. I do have a Camp Chef oven with 3 burners on top so at some point I might make elk burgers or throw a frozen pizza in there for a change of pace. I might bake some chicken in there a night too. The killer lasagnas from the wife are for my muskie fishing trips.

[Lefty]

Im too tired to cook
I pre-make sandwiches, and keep fresh fruit and veggies in the cooler. I often eat in the blind or while in glassing location
No breakfast or supper in camp, When I m back at camp

[Swede]

I depends. I am often gone for over a month. I have some frozen items in the freezer of the trailer. I also have some elk meat. The fridge has what I need for several days. When my brother is there, I eat well. I usually have some friends in camp for a few more days, and they cook too. I heat what is easy or fry/barbeque something when alone. I don't do anything fancy. When I need to go to town, about once a week, or to take in some animal, I buy a store bought meal.

[timberland]

Five guys twelve days, every guy responsible for two frozen meals for everybody. We filled in the gaps with 25 lbs of brats and weiners from a local butcher. Also do the freezer thing after I had to buy one in gunnison to put to elk in cuz we couldn't find a processor.

[jswbga]

as the trip organizer, I assign all meals in the planning spreadsheet, trying to make meal assignments even between hunters.

I'll confess I assign more meals to the better cooks.

we normally have power in camp, so everyone just pre-cooks the entire meal before we leave for the trip, then freezes it. we use a crockpot on a "warm" setting all day, so it'll be ready when we walk in at the end of the day when we crawl in.

the last meals of the trip are assigned to "elk killer" whoever that turns out to be. nice to have fresh grilled backstrap or loin steaks.

[WapitiTalk1]

I need to visit some of these camps. Some fine eating going on.

[JJ Overkill]

I need to visit some of these camps. Some fine eating going on.

if you made plans to hunt CO im sure both daves and myself could show ya a great camp and good hunting, well maybe on the hunting

[WapitiTalk1]

I need to visit some of these camps. Some fine eating going on.

if you made plans to hunt CO im sure both daves and myself could show ya a great camp and good hunting, well maybe on the hunting

I accept. Perhaps if WA gets their stuff together and gives us a decent season, you two vagabonds can come up for a Roosey hunt.

[JJ Overkill]

I need to visit some of these camps. Some fine eating going on.

if you made plans to hunt CO im sure both daves and myself could show ya a great camp and good hunting, well maybe on the hunting

I accept. Perhaps if WA gets their sh!! together and gives us a decent season, you two vagabonds can come up for a Roosey hunt.

I would love a chance at a roosey

[danarnold]

4 guys, 15 days our wives pre cooked stuff like elk stew, white chilli, pulled pork, mostaccioli, then the elk killers made fried fish and steak, fried potatoes and soup. we eat good
I'm the only that eats breakfast in camp, and when I go out I'll bring a big sandwich or 2, gorp bag, and a cliff bar thinking I might starve and usually come in for lunch too

what the hell? we're havin fun

[elk-n-walleye]

my dad and I bring a camper fridge run off propane to keep our frozen goods. a simple two burner camp stove for meals. the only thing we pre-prepared were two dozen biscuits for biscuits and sausage gravy or hashbrowns in the morning with eggs. Canned soup, PBJ or Tuna on a bagel in the day pack and protein bars. At night meals the entre ranged from burgers/brats, elk steak fajitas, spaghetti with elk burger meat sauce. A bag of potatoes and a variety of pre-packaged sides (various noodles and rice mixes) goes a long way for meal planning. Basically, we ate to our hearts content but I still lost 10lbs in 8 days of hiking the mountains. Another reason I love hunting. The pounds just melt away.

[pointysticks]

I marinate meats and freeze everything. I cook stews and sauces. Usually too tired to do more than reheat things.

[Indian Summer]

my dad and I bring a camper fridge run off propane to keep our frozen goods. a simple two burner camp stove for meals. the only thing we pre-prepared were two dozen biscuits for biscuits and sausage gravy or hashbrowns in the morning with eggs. Canned soup, PBJ or Tuna on a bagel in the day pack and protein bars. At night meals the entre ranged from burgers/brats, elk steak fajitas, spaghetti with elk burger meat sauce. A bag of potatoes and a variety of pre-packaged sides (various noodles and rice mixes) goes a long way for meal planning. Basically, we ate to our hearts content but I still lost 10lbs in 8 days of hiking the mountains. Another reason I love hunting. The pounds just melt away.

I thought your answer would be short and sweet: elk & walleye

If I had a group I'd do the same as others above. We fish Canada for muskies every year and have 6 in the cabin for 7 nights. So each guy has to do just one diner and the last night is leftovers or pizza. Since you only have one dinner to worry about everyone takes the time to make a nice meal. It sure is nice getting your meal out of the way and then for 6 nights knowing you can stay out late and dinner is on the table. I always go first if I can. Has worked well for over 10 years and we eat like kings up there!

[elk-n-walleye]

Thats like the pot calling the kettle black. . But I guess i'm in good company. Right Indian Summer?

[Indian Summer]

Yes. I had Erie walleye last week and I eat elk every week!

[elk-n-walleye]

Yes. I had Erie walleye last week and I eat elk every week!

I'm jealous. I have had walleye for a year or so. I need to make a boundary waters trip again.

[Triplebhunters]

My wife is my camp cook. We have a little 21 ft camp, that we have a portable oven and generator for, cast iron over the fire. Hoping to take a freezer this year. We eat well, bis quits and gravy, burgers, brats, chilli, stew, helped a guy pack his bull out last year so we had a elk roast. Never can tell when I come strolling in. Always have something cooking when I come in. And some hurry up and eat food in the fridge for those days I need energy fast.
Come on September!!!

[jswbga]

TripleB, my hat is off to you. you sir, are a genius (or at least, a great negotiator).

I'd love for my family to come out on an elk hunt someday.

[Fridaythe13th]

We had a fellow hunter who loves to cook. He ask us if he could do all the cooking and we would split the cost equally. We had Steak 2 night, pork chops 2 night, chicken 1 and filled in the rest with stew and hot dish. all that for $55 per person

[Triplebhunters]

TripleB, my hat is off to you. you sir, are a genius (or at least, a great negotiator).

I'd love for my family to come out on an elk hunt someday.

Thanks. Yep I'm spoiled, but so is she. She enjoys it as much as I do.

[six]

My contribution last year. 2 gallons zip lock bag of chicken chili. 4 racks of ribs pre cooked then frozen in zip locks. A dozen or so smoked pork chops cut 1" thick.

Everyone's on their own for breakfast and sometimes we'll eat our big meal for lunch depending on what the plans are for the day. Oh and it doesn't get any better than fresh elk steaks cooked over an open fire.

[zpd307]

my wife would love to hunt elk out west too. she has been bugging me the last two years. unfortunately we have nobody to take care of the boys for two weeks. the grandparents aren't old enough to be retired and the boys themselves are too young yet.... 8, 7, and almost 6. drooling as I sit here thinking about be able to cook fresh elk steaks over a fire for the first time.

[cohunter14]

Ours is similar to what has been mentioned here... 7 to 8 guys, each prepare a meal and freeze it for dinner for the week long trip. The night before the opener is typically a full on beef back strap tenerloin with mashed potatoes. Other nights, it ranges from chili to bbq beef sandwiches to shepherds pie. The occasional fresh elk back strap doesn't hurt either

[Triplebhunters]

my wife would love to hunt elk out west too. she has been bugging me the last two years. unfortunately we have nobody to take care of the boys for two weeks. the grandparents aren't old enough to be retired and the boys themselves are too young yet.... 8, 7, and almost 6. drooling as I sit here thinking about be able to cook fresh elk steaks over a fire for the first time.

Get yourself a camper and take them, game plan ahead with school work etc. if you don't have a camper you could rent one. Park that sucker up on national forest set up an outdoor latrine and enjoy the good life. Just schedule a little extra time so you can hunt and spend a little time with them.

Dave.