How to Eat Real Food While Backpacking: Cooking Delicious Backcountry Meals

In this video:
Jetboil Minimo: bit.ly/3pvrWxL
Jetboil Skillet: bit.ly/3Au14ow
My favorite backpacking gear list:
Backpack:
Sleeping Bag: bit.ly/3JTea1h
Sleeping pad/mattress: bit.ly/3QMETz1
Satellite Communicator: bit.ly/3HvEqMQ
Camp Stove: bit.ly/34mBc06
Cook pot: bit.ly/3tdCZ23
Freeze dried Food: pinnaclefoods.co/
Headlamp: bit.ly/3sYXKOS
Rain Jacket: bit.ly/3JGoOYU
Fleece Mid-layer | ALL-PACA Fleece Hoodie: bit.ly/3HCrpAN
Down Puffy Jacket (warm!): bit.ly/32Jn5Sb
Down Puffy Jacket (lightweight):
Hiking Boots: bit.ly/3eSMmvy
Hiking Socks: bit.ly/3qLVyaI
Gloves | Hestra Bike Ergo Grip Glove: amzn.to/3pCuGu2
Water Filter:
Water Bladder: bit.ly/3t2SrxF
Camp Pillow: bit.ly/34n4749
Folding Knife: bit.ly/3sXQNNH
Trekking Poles: bit.ly/3Hzq4LB
NOTE: These are affiliate links where I'll earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you, but it's a great way to show your support. Thanks!
Tired of eating freeze dried meals on your backpacking trips? I walk you through how to make two of my favorite backcountry meals while on a backpacking trip in Montana.
00:00 Intro
01:01 Food Prep
05:45 Dinner One Curry with Rice Noodles
07:58 Dinner Two Fancy Mac n Cheese
13:00 Food Network Quality Food Image
Dinner One: Butter Curry with Rice Noodles
Ingredients: Annie's Rice Noodles, Aidell's Mango Jalapeno precooked sausage, onion, bell pepper, broccoli, sweet potato, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, coconut oil, "Kitchens of India" Butter Chicken Curry paste.
Dinner Two: Annie's Mac n Cheese, Aidell's Mango Jalapeno precooked sausage, broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, onion, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, SECRET INGREDIENT cream cheese.
Food cooked in Jetboil Minimo with Skillet
Special thanks to
WileyX: www.wileyx.com/
Follow me on social media:
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Blog: www.in4adventure.com/

[@hindsfeetonhighplaces]

If you want to carry the precooked sausages and you want to make them safe longer, pre-freeze them. I've been known to take them OUT of the original package and individually vacu-seal them and freeze them. That way they keep the rest of your food cooler (like icepacks that you'll eventually EAT) and and when you open one, you're not opening the whole package. This is great for solo hiking, so you don't have to eat them all in one meal. Once the package is open, they go bad much faster than while they are still sealed.

[@WildernessGrandpa]

Yes, freeze them and then wrap them in hand towels so they are insulated. I have done this with meats, veggies, and even scrambled egg skillet meals. It's a great way to eat well and not have to gag down dehydrated food.

[@SpaceCaptnFace]

I do that with bacon... freeze it in a quart bag and keep it next to my water bladder. Last 2 days but it is fall in the rockies and below freezing extends the shelf life a bit

[@shoakimoto2517]

That's a great tip!

[@dieselmax8606]

This is a great suggestion and possibly a cooler lunch bag to put the more sensitive items..cheese and meat

[@jasondavis4421]

Omg if the world ends your gonna be the first too die!! Growing up my mother was natorious for leaving food out on the counter for a day or two and im still alive!! Granted ive had too poop out a few illnesses!!!

[@bpong151]

Thanks for the recipes! I’ll try this next time! Maybe you should do a video showing how to clean the pot and pan in the backcountry?

[@bernie1327]

Really happy about your cooking system, it really does have endless possibilities. All you need now is the French press add on 😁 for your freshly brewed morning ☕

[@Colorado_Kkid]

Nice to see you "cooking" in the backcountry ... From watching your other videos I have tried and taken a liking to the Aidell's sausages ... I'm definitely going to have to try both of these recipes ... Thanks for sharing ...

[@sheila5707]

It looks delicious! If someone only backpacks a couple of times a year, then sure, dehydrated food is fine...but since being outdoors is our lifestyle, then real food is necessary. Plus, there is nothing like having an authentic meal at the end of an adventurous day! If you get to eat peppers and mushrooms by a waterfall...you're living the dream! Shout out to Chef Corso...I just kayak camped on an island of Lake Ouachita, AR. We cooked up a Corso Mediterranean dish with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives with a balsamic glaze over couscous...it was perfect!

[@gerardogarcia-trio3572]

Very interesting method, thanks! I'm going to adapt it to my needs. Everything looks delicious (and I´m hungry). I only use dehydrated food now when I go light, all my life I used to cook on my camping journeys, It's a moment that I just love to do, part of the trip. I use a Trangia: integrated windshield, a frying pan, pots with a lid (two pots, good to cook complex recipes), a totally adjustable burner, a kettle if you want and even a plastic colander/chopping board with that accessory. For me, it's still the best camping cooking system I know.

[@Pacwar3000]

This is a nice video and it reminded me of when i used to bring a skillet on trips as well. My favorite memory is when I got 4 friends to hike in with me and i brought bacon and liquid eggs. In the morning we had bacon and eggs. I saved the bacon grease for later and we spent the day fishing. We caught enough fish for a small fish fry and even had some fried spam as well. Enjoy cooking in the Backcountry, It can be wonderful.

[@CampfireKodiak]

I'm happy to see people do this. I often bring real food. But then again that's my thing. I just found your channel and subscribed!

[@nickgentile944]

What do you do in terms of cleaning your cookware?

[@ZachBrimhall]

From my experience and exact system, this is similar to what I eat backpacking. You just feel better than eating freeze dried bags.

[@RealEstatetheHolisticway]

Thank you! Great recipes and ideas ❤

[@roadrunner3505]

Good presentation ! Don't overlook the giant refrigerator just behind you. We live and hike/basecamp along the Gila River in SW NM and have cold storage for our 1/2 and 1/2 for coffee as well as our other food. A mesh bag, zip locks and a bit of paracord. Cold and animal safe storage. thanks for your work.

[@tbmpoy9375]

Hi! Wonderful video, I really enjoyed watching it. Have a lovely day my friend ☺

[@mindygeist7157]

This looks soooo good! I’ll be making it for diNner to check it out- thanks so much!

[@josiebones1]

Really good stuff here. I suppose if you want to cut down on the prep time you can just buy the pre cut bags of veggies and save a couple of steps of cutting and bagging them up?

[@wr1120]

Dehydrated meals are pretty useless if you carry water on a short trip with you anyway. You are basically carrying around the water you will add all that time. Meanwhile you pay 3 times the price of a regular prepacked meal. It 's different for a long trip but I usually take a few .5 kilo non dehydrated meals with me that will last me two days each.

[@dietitianwithamission]

We do fancy Mac as well. Some mods we have : use soyrizo instead of meat - it’s definitely shelf stable and has lots of flavor, and oil, out veggies are peppers and mushrooms as they are lighter

[@robinthurston3382]

I carry a frozen 9 Oz ribeye pan fried with green peppers and onions. I was thinking of making fancy Mac with frozen precooked burger and peppers etcetera. I use a modified jet boil pot support on my msr windburner for some nice heat distribution.

[@elpatudo3670]

Yowza, now my stomach is GROWLING SO LOUD it'll wake up the kids!! An XLNT feast for sure & the backdrop ain't too shabby either 🤙🏼✌🏼🍻

[@overengineer7691]

You can also bring the non-refrigerated coffee creamers for the milk portion of that Mac and cheese. Just steal a few from an IHOP

[@BillyGirlardo]

Before I even start the video, that pan of food looks awesome!

[@wouterrombouts9347]

You convinced me to invest in real cooking gear. Just ordered an msr pocket rocket 2 and jetboil skillet. A 750ml pot and I'm good to go on the West Highland Way.

[@danielcluley870]

I like spinach, hang a bag of spinach off the pack can eat it as salad with tuna pack that day or save a bit for throwing in a boil pot meal. Every resupply store I will buy fresh fruit such as apple/orange/avocado and eat one at the store and carry one for that day or the next day. Yes, it's heavy, but totally worth it. You can use a net or legging-hose sock to dangle outside of your pack so doesn't bruise.Other things I have done before are Garlic Cloves (seriously add to flavor of regular 1 pot or freeze dried meals), red pepper flakes, kinda like at the pizza shop, hard boiled or pickled eggs (you can get premade at a lot of grocery stores or gas stations along trails, or just buy a half dozen eggs and boil them that day).

[@nebc_yukonyeti]

I’ve also had good results adding powdered milk & ghee for like at home mac & cheese. Would be excited to add cream cheese to stroganoff!

[@WestonUSofA]

Great video. Only thing I would change is using a 6.5inch cast iron skillet instead. Ya it adds weight but I am not a fan of the teflocancer pans. They never last too.

[@samswain1162]

Finally a channel that’s against taking glass in the backcountry!

[@BackpackingTV]

I gotchu.

[@toddwilson1230]

So what's the craziest meal you have hike in ? When I was younger I carried a 6kg (14 ish pounds) pork roast, a spit pole and little motor to run it. I was hiking with friends and one of them carried the bag of potato's. It was delicious made better by lugging it on a hard off track 15.5km (10 miles ish) route. I bet you have had some doozies guiding.

[@totoroben]

If you're taking in veggies and meats that aren't dehydrated or freeze dried, you can cook it in your base camp, then freeze it solid, and put it in a thermal bag

[@n7honeybadger103]

Loved the video I think it'd be cool to see you do a backpacking review using the military surplus molle ii rucksack.

[@jenniferstanton202]

I second this. We're just getting into backpacking and my husband wants us to get rucksacks because its what he knows and I'm like that osprey anti-gravity system looks pretty sweet. Lol

[@ryanl3106]

As a person from a region full of delicious cuisine. The worst camping meal I had was instant noodles. Choose one from Japan, Korea, or China, and add vegetables (prep some freezer-mixed veggies at home and bring them on the trail); add one egg or sausage. If it is one night, I will also bring hotpot meat and freeze it down to add proteins...the better one is curry rice with real chicken(pre-cooked at home if you want to preserve it longer). If the condition is not good or it is a long distance, I will bring sausage for protein, not the fresh one sold in the fridge, but the one processed like the Spam and can eat right away ( or maybe that is an Asian-only thing?) Also, if I bring enough rice, I'll also bring some Chinese sausage along. It is a"dry sausage," so it does not require much preservation in the field. This sausage combined with rice can create a great "clay pot rice," but with an aluminum pot, of course. I tried those bagged dry foods from the US and my country(Asian style), and they both tasted bad. Especially after a day of long outdoor activities, I want something that tastes good to freshen my mouth. Some of the luxury type food I ate during my backpacking trip was hotpot/Shabu-shabu. I tried it on a cold, rainy night, and it warmed me the entire night. Once, we hiked as a group and actually made the Chinese-style BBQ in a desert hike, which is the one that strings meat dice on a wooden stick and places it above the fire. It was crazy heavy, but we had much fun that night.

[@RAMtrails]

the spicy bit with the sound effect and facial expression got me! 🤣

[@christianjorgensen7192]

This is excellent. Thank you.

[@SpaceCaptnFace]

I try to cook frozen bacon first night and mix with broccoli and rice. I let the bacon greese harden and scoop it into a old prescription bottle for cooking fat for veggies the next day.

[@1Grumpymonk]

I do just add water protein pancake mix with thin sliced very crisped maple spam on the side (better than bacon and the only spam worth eating imo.) Doesn't go bad, on the lighter side to pack as far as "real food" goes and you have a decent breakfast for everyday of your trip. Then good ol' mac and cheese / dehydrated spaghetti with a loaf of garlic bread for my other 2 meals.

[@trinaedwards9863]

Love seeing people cook real food when doing overnighters. Just off topic but what jacket are you wearing when cooking the Mac n Cheese?

[@GustavoScarpellini]

nice, was waiting for this one.

[@aw8674]

Great video! Thanks for all the tips. Where in Montana is this? It's so beautiful!

[@mattsorensen5486]

Love the van!!

[@maggiemyrtlebeach2701]

I m totally going to do this at home!!! For sure

[@BackpackingTV]

It's great at home too!

[@Laffa777]

it's alot wath i am doing when i am on like a week hike. first night i have a feast with a steak or taco and so on with fresh meat and wegies and saus. it makes it a good start on the trip.and the first day when the pack is full and your tired as hell, you need a booster. if you are lucky and you go to a place when you have a good swamp to cool your meat, then you can have a great meal later when you need it

[@rossjamieson2681]

Ditch the dehydrated I say, for all but more than 4 day trips! have recently lashed out for an Evernew alloy pan with non stick titanium coating - 150g of weight that is worth it for cooking fresh food. Also makes a great bowl. Good on you 👍🏻

[@BackpackingTV]

Thanks Ross! Yeah fresh food is definitely worth it when you can carry a little extra.

[@wcoreya]

What brand was that yellow fuzzy hoodie that you used to wear in a lot of the videos. Maybe a base layer video would be great some day. I enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work.

[@alexabney7913]

Craft singles or any other cheese/product with emulsion salts. That’s what makes velvets so velvety. You can even buy the salts but that’s more involved than buying cheese slices. A couple slices of craft can emulsify the rest of the cheese. You can do a bit less than half and half I think. Check Adam ragusea for his video on smooth Mac.

[@natesummers3280]

Can you do a video on how you do dishes in the back country after cooking?

[@ittotaq]

How do you clean all this stuff in the Backcountry? Especially where bears frequently check out bear canisters

[@danielsingh9415]

Don't cook where u sleep, and don't store cooking clothes where u sleep either. I would wear a cooking smock &/or eating bib, as I have been known to miss my mouth a few times...😅 So 4 separate places for sleeping, storing food, cooking food, cleaning dishes/disposal of soapy dishes water etc right? I live in black bear/grizzly country

[@bengarver8914]

More please. Love the verve

[@thegingerpowerranger]

The thumbnail made me think i was watching an Andrew Neeme poker vlog

[@eric55406]

That food looks fantastic, and also WHERE IS THIS PLACE? BEAUTIFUL! (somewhere near Glacier National Park?)

Salivating

[@JohnathanAulabaugh]

So I seen dried beef steak at Buckees that I was thinking might work for rehydrating into a meal like the Mac n cheese. Would that work or would it just be like a mountain house?

[@lildevilgamer]

Corso is amazing!

[@BackpackingTV]

Indeed he is!

[@yeswecanlaugh]

Which 2? They both look freaking good

[@jc3940]

Looks amazing, where'd you guys go?

[@richbanister]

Thanks for the video and the recipes! How do you handle cleanup?

[@BackpackingTV]

Patience and water! I just use a little water and my camp spoon and I scrape around with my spoon until it's clean and I drink the "dirty" water. Repeat a couple times and it's clean! For easier cleanup, cook up some ramen or brothy soup and that'll do most of the work for you. Rinse with water and you're good to go!

[@littlescott3349]

I have used a had full of pine needles and a little bit of water to clean my pot. Then wipe it down with my microfiber towel. Just clean the towel in the river after and hang it up.

[@barneyrubble1754]

wow. awesome. yabadaba doo ! 🤙

[@perishark234]

Velveeta would be something id try

[@timmo971]

I’m still searching for an ultra light or nearly ultra light two pot nesting combo that not only good on gas but also on a twig stove or hanging above a campfire. Two pot because I still want a water only smaller pot that stays clean for coffee especially

[@dalesmith9741]

Yummy!

[@alanbierhoff6831]

I’d make those at home!

[@TineyGrouse]

How many days this keep in a pack during the hot summer weather?

[@wildchild795]

Obviously freeze dryers are expensive but dehydrators really do cut the water weight off vegetables especially, and meats obviously but they still come out really great

[@iamdew]

It depends on your destination also. Does it have a lot of water source or not, because smelly unwashed cooking wares could attract some animals.

[@tuckerg1975]

The van looks great. Are the plants real?

[@whitemorphius4496]

Dope video

[@expectamiracle.406]

I love the dark scenes! More… :)

[@BackpackingTV]

Well thank you!

[@robertestrada9643]

Ghee is my go too

[@snakeplisken2123]

I always take a frozen steak or two wrapped up in the middle of my cloths for insulation. I’m eating steak on the third day and my friends are eating Mountain House.

[@freethinker5225]

So the minimo has temperature control? I just ordered the flash 😐

[@tomsitzman3952]

This in reality is meal is a style of cooking requiring one skillet or one pot that originated in the middle east several thousand years ago. One version is the Spanish paella. in a skillet or in a a pot like a Louisiana gumbo.

[@usmcdoc2512]

I guess if you want to keep your food colder longer you can stick it a waterproof roll top bag and put it in the river. Don't forget your dummy cord.

[@danielsingh9415]

Stick some rocks in it to hold it down?

[@freethinker5225]

I see alot of guys using dehydrated meats in their cooking on the trail because they usually have alot of flavor already incorporated, last forever, and lightweight

[@eldiablo2044]

Ive eaten enough just add water meals at this point that this is how i cook and good food is now my luxury weight everyday

[@114mad114]

You forgot to fold out the pot support legs correctly therefore you can't lock it in place on the minimo 😉

[@larchlarch9851]

This guy is freakin incredible ! Oh my God !

[@BackpackingTV]

I hope you're not being sarcastic!

[@larchlarch9851]

I'm not. Love your channel. You are a great asset to the backpacking community. I appreciate your work in creating these videos. Always useful.

[@MoeBergOSS]

Good video. I’m sure the ultra light snobs are freaking out about “all the weight”. Lol “Omg he is carry 8 extra ounces”……

[@aguiarmand]

I have a question that might get the chat all riled up... How does the Jetboil Minimo compare to systems like the msr whisperlite international/universal? I get the MSR line is more geared to alpine/higher altitude bc liquid vs gas fuel, but what are the benefits of going with the Jetboil system? I have the wisperlite international, and the only benefit I can see is my system might be heavier bc of the fuel canister/ liquid fuel. But yet again, the Jetboil seems pretty large in its own right XD... Idk I never owned a Jetboil system, so I have legitimately no clue of pros vs cons.

[@toddwilson1230]

I have both a whisperlight and mini-mo, for alpine you need to use the wisperlight but for the rest I prefer the jet boil from an ease of use and weight factor. I will say I recon the whisper light is a little more stable with a bigger pot.

[@TOMinPDX]

I have the Whisperlite Imternational too. I think the biggest advantage of the Jetboil systems which I have never used, is probably ease of use. No need to prime the stove or to pump when pressure runs low.

[@janehammett2089]

Looks yummy however a great bear attractant with those odors & cooking so close to your tent?

[@goofyshorts5508]

We’ll work on rebuilding trust…hahahahaha

[@VincentMurphy000]

Key grip? Obviously Kuvoo(sp?) is “best boy” :)

[@BackpackingTV]

Heyo! Good one!

[@jmbailey7220]

Can you use pre-cooked chicken instead of sausage?

[@BackpackingTV]

Of course!

[@tom6363]

How did raw broccoli and sweet potatoe get cooked in just a short time in the skillet with other foods?

[@BackpackingTV]

I cooked it pretty hot and it all worked out. Some items got nice and carmelized, which was perfect.

[@Mechman0925]

Glad you mentioned Chef Corso because I was going to accuse you of stealing his thunder, but you didnt, so....... thanks

[@BackpackingTV]

He's a solid dude! Gotta give credit where credit is due.

[@anabosquez7250]

What is the name of this trail?

[@myname-mz3lo]

if hikers stopped worrying about added weight maybe they wouldnt be so frail looking lol. love to see people are still cooking real food on the trail .

[@petercabanillas244]

I dig all the fresh cooking,BUT,and this is for all the utubers working on thins kinda content. Nobody covers doing the dishes. I’m not taking camp clean I’m talking wash yer frying pan, disposing the gray water and such.

[@PapaYapp]

Didn't see a link for the chef you're talking about at the end of the video, could you point me in the right direction?

[@alicer7271]

His KZbin name is Chef Corso and he also have a website with lots of recipes and tips on how to cook good food on the trail. Highly recommended!!!

[@BackpackingTV]

Alice is right! kzbin.info

[@PapaYapp]

Much appreciated to both of you 💓

[@diywithalittlehelp9162]

What do you do to keep your food/trash, from attracting bears or different animals? Does it not attract because its all in ziplock bags? 🤔

[@will592]

Love this, but I’d try packing some hard cheeses and make *real* mac-n-cheese. If you’re gonna ditch processed and dehydrated foods for fresh it’s a shame to just go ahead and use that powdered cheese stuff that comes in the box.

[@cashroyale9001]

One backpacking hack I use is I always bring a good size piece of aluminum foil to cover my pan. Plus aluminum foil has infamous other uses when backpacking 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻

[@Tofu_Pilot]

Nice to see freshness heading for the wilderness. I'd rather be lit on fire and put out with a trekking pole than to watch someone eat a dehydrated meal with a long handled spoon. Worse yet, the shot of the water heating, like we didn't know that was the secret ingredient.

[@robertpeters3426]

Hi there, looks good makes me hungry. But too take everthing with you , not for me. So my question is why don't you fish or hunt with of course all the vegetables you have with you instead of factory sausage.

[@JamesGMunn]

Maybe separate out the sausages and cook and sear them first for even better flavor before adding the veggies!

[@BackpackingTV]

That could be really good! Honestly everything was super delicious as it was though. Goodies got nice and carmelized.

[@RAMtrails]

4:12 🤣

[@kevinalvarez7389]

Be honest, did you ask chef corso to approve your dishes? 🤣

[@BackpackingTV]

haha, I went thru training. They're all vetted now.

[@BinManSays87]

Can you not get sun dried tomatoes in a bag in the states? I struggle to find anything else in the UK.... shop bought Chinese curry paste and powdered coconut milk makes awesome chicken curry BTW and you can't beat charcuterie for on trail as it's shelf stable until you cut into it

[@LMay64]

I find them in a bag as well as in a jar. There are many stores like Whole Foods, Sprouts and Natural Grocers on a national level and then great local natural food grocery stores that carry many things like that. Even better, I found that tomatoes dehydrated at home become incredibly delicious and sweet when added to any meal like this. I would simply make sure to add them to the noodles a minute or two before they finish cooking or soak them in the pasta water for a few minute.

[@Cooper1]

Trader Joe’s has ‘em.

[@derekwilliams2059]

All looks good but I would never take meat way to risky

[@Pclab101]

Why not cook with ghee? It provides the butter flavor and requires no refrigeration.

[@maxwillmarquez7203]

I've been searching how to pack sausages on a backpacking trip but google and all the liberals tell me its only good 2hrs out of the fridge. Thank you for being a man and seeing how long you can stretch it.

[@danielsingh9415]

Could freeze them, individually and use them as ice blocks in an insulated lunch bag from the dollar store... Buried in the middle of ur pack, could last for days. Or use an outer bag filled with snow, as ur cooler?

[@15halerobert]

Where is the non glass bottle of vino?

[@jonastrex05]

Steve1989MRE doesn't approve

[@Spazz983]

Hahah

[@boobalooba5786]

My goal is to take 140ish pounds of food on a backpacking trip so I can be out for over 3 months without resupply.

[@danielsingh9415]

How'd they do it in the olden pioneering days? Pemmican, look it up 👍