Focused on a tenting meal you could eat the place ever on Thanksgiving? Attempt the Trailspoon Thanksgiving Tenting Meal! It’s tough to inform your loved ones that you simply’re going to be out within the woods on Thanksgiving somewhat than tolerating kin and avoiding falling asleep earlier than halftime. Fortunately whereas being out on path, I’ll have some meals that may remind me of the heat of dwelling and the flavors of turkey day!
Welcome to our recurring collection of “The Path Much less Traveled.” On this collection, we wish to take you alongside for our exploits out within the wilderness whereas mountaineering, tenting, exploring, and basic adventuring. This may embody our small day by day victories, foibles, suggestions, tips, and critiques of drugs we authentically respect and regularly make the most of. Whereas a well-worn path can typically be the pathway to a leisurely day, the paths much less traveled can typically spur on among the best reminiscences, misadventures, and enjoyable we may think about. Be part of us within the Feedback 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 Meals Protection
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 Proper freeze dryer, it was time to start out making meals for others to take pleasure in. Merchandise could 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 will probably be in full swing and I don’t react properly to bullets. Most of my native mountaineering and mountain biking areas, even when designated are too sketch to hike throughout searching season.
Everyone knows household get-togethers are both nice occasions 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. Fortunately, my household will get alongside properly and lacking their firm and meals is an enormous deal this vacation. Fortuitously, I’ve developed a meal that may convey a style of dwelling 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 could be bland. Everyone knows my abhorrence for any tenting meals that comprise greater than 1000mg of sodium of per bag, so balancing taste and nonetheless having a fall turkey as the principle protein was powerful.
Fortunately, I used to be capable of resolve upon a turkey meatloaf with sufficient flavors to sway even the mightiest meatloaf naysayers. 5 kilos of lean floor turkey was used to cut back oils and fat which might lower the shelf lifetime of a product.
“However why didn’t you utilize beef?“
93/7 beef shouldn’t be cheap in 2022, and with the thanksgiving theme, turkey was a smart alternative. The extent of protein it gives out on path will guarantee one’s abdomen stays full and atrophy is not going to be thought-about! Sautéed onions, garlic, together with eight regionally sourced eggs and ten ounces of bread had been added.
To prime 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 could possibly additionally say it provides a little bit of acidity to spherical issues out.
The meatloaf got here out advantageous, and took about 26 hours to freeze dry. To make sure the meals was as dry as attainable, I flipped all the 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 had been dry!
Stuffing
There are various base carbs which can be utilized in mountaineering meals. I’m positive all of us can assume of some like couscous, rice, pasta, and so forth. When testing out varied multi-ingredient meals, I attempted freeze drying Stouffer’s Roast Turkey with Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. The mashed potatoes turned 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.
Through the use of a starch for carbs that’s doesn’t flip to mush was secondary to having Thanksgiving vibes to this meal. To make sure shelf stability, I skipped including oil to the stuffing, however did use natural rooster broth to assist taste the stuffing past what got here within the field.
A number of handfuls of carrots and celery had 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.
Inexperienced Beans
When considering of Thanksgiving greens, my thoughts goes straight to corn, inexperienced beans, leafy greens and asparagus. Fortunately, I had tons of inexperienced beans frozen from the backyard this 12 months.
Reheating the inexperienced beans with bacon, onion, and a few decreased sugar cranberries doesn’t make this a inexperienced bean casserole, but it surely undoubtedly has these vacation vibes and flavors!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
When mountaineering in Ohio, two of my prototype tenting meals I made had cheesecake bites added in. These had been such a morale booster, I utterly disregarded the thought of a pumpkin and/or candy potato pie and went with a Sam’s Membership Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Yeah, I do know… Being lazy not hand crafting my very own cheesecake from natural cream cheese, and so forth. What is going to I ever do?!
Neglect 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 Tenting Meal revealed shiny greens and Minecraft formed blocks of meat, cheesecake and stuffing.
The uniformity of all of it made it considerably tough to select all the cheesecake bites. These had been picked out as they’re meant 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 conserving the cheesecake items within the pouch when rehydrating the remainder of the meals.
The crust has a robust crunch and the dense cheesecake is heartwarming and decadent. I may eat these by themselves at any time!
Whereas 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. Whereas poultry MREs could be hit and miss (Anybody strive a Hen 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. Whereas 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 may have taken a bit longer to reconstitute. The ketchup topping remained on the meatloaf and offered a shiny 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 prime 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 offered the salt wanted with out having so as to add additional salt! Inexperienced beans had been nice and bacon taste was current. Bacon items had been a bit arduous to seek out, however had 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 might mince them or hold them out as they simply didn’t get smooth. They had been tasty, however remained a bit chewy and hard. This was presumably the one draw back to the meal. That and never sufficient bacon.
Whereas 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 primary dish had sufficient too to maintain me full, and snacking on a number of of the cheesecake bites earlier than and after dinner was the best way to go to forestall a sugar overdose.
- Would I eat it once more outdoor? Zero doubt.
- Would I eat it at dwelling? I can’t say no.
- General Ranking: 87/100. I’m happy with my first meal and count on to do higher with each meal ahead!
Comparability
There are not any actual vacation primarily based meals to match to. I’ve discovered three meals which can be comparable in worth, substances or caloric content material.
Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai – $15.89
6.2 oz, 730 energy. Substances: Rice noodle, sauce, natural cane sugar, white vinegar, savory soup base, natural textured soy protein, peanut butter, dry roasted peanuts, purple bell pepper, sriracha powder, tomato powder, inexperienced onion, non-gmo crystallized lime
Peak Refuel Homestyle Hen and Rice – $13.99
5.15 oz, 740 energy. Substances: Creamy rooster sauce, vegetarian rooster bouillon, enriched prompt white rice, cooked diced seasoned rooster chicken
Heather’s Alternative Grass-Fed Beef Shepherd’s Pie – $15.95
4 oz, 510 energy. Substances: Grass-Fed Floor Beef. Onion. Dehydrated Potato Flakes. Dried Mushrooms, Inexperienced 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
Substances – Meatloaf: Lean Floor Turkey, Eggs, Italian Bread, Ketchup, Brown Sugar, Sriracha, Salt, Seasonings. Stuffing: Carrots, Celery, Complete Wheat Flour, Dehydrated Onion, Sea Salt, Tapioca Syrup, Natural Spices, Sunflower Oil, Wheat Gluten, Tapioca Syrup Solids, Yeast. Inexperienced Beans: Inexperienced beans, Onion, Bacon, Diminished Sugar Dehydrated Cranberries. Sam’s Membership Pumpkin Cheesecake: Cream, Sugar, Milk, Pumpkin, Eggs, Wheat Flour, Water, Lower than 2% of; Palm Oil, Brown Sugar, Honey, Graham Flour, Nonfat Milk, Lemon Juice Focus, Lemon Oil, Vanilla Bean Extractives, Whey, Baking Soda, Pure Flavors, Carrageenan, Dextrose, Cheese Tradition, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Modified Meals Starch, Spice, Cornstarch, Niacin, Diminished Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Tara Gum, Citric Acid, Soy Lecithin.
Come be part of Alloutdoor’s Discord server and chat about Archery, Firearms, Fishing and different subjects with others! Sneak peaks, early notifications, and perks await. Now we have a Tiktok account, too!
PS: Did this text make you hungry? Have belongings you’d like to have as a tenting meal, but it surely isn’t bought? Let me know within the feedback what you wish to see subsequent!
