Food + Drink

When i go touring or fishing i generaly just take lots of pot noodels, pot rite, spagetti hoops with sausages, soup, sausages and bacon, fue eggs, fue hash browns. Bread, water, diet coke with a secret stash of scotch. Thats about my limit. When we had a caravan the meals were good but i find my options faily limited in a fishing bivy portable stove and bbq.

What food + drink do you all carry when touring or overlanding?


Talk to me


TJ

Yuk, Yuk YUK!

Where is the throwing up icon?

Diet coke, only use is cleaning metal. Pot noodles? Probably more goodness in the cardboard packet. Spagetti hoops? Yuk


If you want easy cooking and reasonable food ex military ration packs.

For really good home cook food when I am travelling it is simple.


























I take Barbara with me




Brendan

HaHa thats good.

I have seen the ex army food rations but i thought they would be fairly dry and flavorless like in the film tremmors if any of you have seen it. But i might see if i can get a fue "demo" sashets and give them ago.

When in France I always bring back some tins of Cassoulet. It's a real winter warmer but equally as good in the summer. In case you haven't heard of it, it's a bean casserole with pork, sausages, goose (best quality brands only) and it's mmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!

Ex military rations comes in boxes of about a dozen day packs which includes tea/coffee/soup/chocolate/paper tissues. About 20 different packs. Find a decent supplier and they will do a mixed box for you.

Cassoulet is good as Tom says


Brendan

Military rations are good, and the main meals are boil in the bag. So you can use the water for tea/coffee just by cooking on one ring.

I usually have tins of all day breakfast that I buy in France (Carrfour) and fresh eggsfor breakfast (unless I'm in Scotland in which case it is tattie scones, black pudding, square slice etc).

For lunch bread,cheese,tinned fish etc with a cold beer.

Usualy bbq or a stew at night.

no excuse to not eat "proper food" when traveling if you have an Engel.
i've even cooked steak and chips at 7,000 feet up a mountain...local meat and potatos
Ration packs? wheres the YUK smiley? but thats just my personal taste.
I also carry pasta/rice, tinned veg and believe it or not tinned steak and kidney puddings which only take 10 minutes to boil.
Another tip if you have an Engel is to pre freeze meat or indeed preprepared meals ..these will last a good week, then you can replace with fresh meats when passing a supermarket.
HTH?

Why carry rubbish when you can do good food with a little preperation, Tom and Brendan have offered a few options with a little preparation, i am no Gordon or Jamie but i like cooking and have just improved with many years practise.

By preparing ahead you can make some fantastic meals using fresh food, you can vacuum pack or freeze them and take them with you.

Take tomatoes fresh from the greenhouse, cut in half and put them into a saucepan, just cover with water and boil for 10 minutes, this will remove the skins, then force through a strainer, this will remove the pips and any remaining skins, and leave you with fresh tomato sauce diluted, return to the pan and reduce. This will leave you with fresh tomato sauce.
Make a bain marie, put cleaned jars into this and add the hot tomato sauce straight from the hot pan, fill to the top and screw on the caps, as they cool it will vacuum seal them.

If you like salsa then add some raw chopped chilli, chopped spring onion, chopped mushroom, and a selection of herbs as you bottle.

Just add a variety of herbs for a tomato and herb base, the variations are endless.

All you need to do is add the base to a pan and cook a variety of meat and vegetables for a fresh and nutritious meal.

How about a simple sausage strogonoff for two:

Place six good sausages in a pan and part cook, add one medium onion coarsely chopped and continue frying, once they are nearly cooked add a cup of mushrooms coarsely chopped, and fry until they are cooked. Cut the sausages into quarters then add one tin of condensed mushroom soup, and half the can of water and simmer until it thickens up.
When nearly cooked add pasta to another pan until it is cooked, serve the pasta and pour over the strogonoff.

You can replace the sausages with any meat, pork works well, as does chicken or lamb.

If you cook it for two and there is only one, then place the remaining in a plastic ealable food container and keep it, it will only want warming through, and some more pasta cooking.

How about a simple corned beef hash:

Save some mashed potato and put it into plastic sealable containers, finely chop a medium onion and fry until softened, add a small tin of corned beef and warm through until it breaks down into a fine mush, add the cold potato and cook through, delicious with tomato sauce, particularly your fresh tomato sauce.

I don't actually tend to take much with me at all except oil, spices etc or dried goods like rice and pasta. I'll try and get as much fresh stuff as I can to last a few days and adjust the menu accordingly.
I'm quite satisfied with a one pot meal where loads of things are chucked in it either with bought or made bread. It's rare I've ever been in a place where I couldn't get a few veg and stuff every few days. I'll carry a couple of tins as a 'just in case' thing but I normally just bring them back again.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with both Hillbilly and Assassin about fresh food, but after Terracan's initial post about Pot Noodles and spag hoops & sausages washed down by Diet Coke we were trying to open up Terracan's horizons by suggesting a halfway house of ration packs and cassoulet - 'cause it's obvious he doesn't like too much washing up!

Best steak I ever ate was in a campsite on the last night of Landy Rally. My co-driver and I hadn't used the stove all week as every time we pulled into campsites the caferteria/restaurant had such good, cheap food that it just wasn't worth the effort of doing it ourselves. That last day we saw the most gorgeous fat steaks sitting in a French supermarket, we just had to buy them. Washed down with a local red, they were sooooo tender and tasty. Mmmmmmm ... time for dinner methinks!

Tom Mc wrote:

Don't get me wrong, I agree with both Hillbilly and Assassin about fresh food, but after Terracan's initial post about Pot Noodles and spag hoops & sausages washed down by Diet Coke we were trying to open up Terracan's horizons by suggesting a halfway house of ration packs and cassoulet - 'cause it's obvious he doesn't like too much washing up!

Best steak I ever ate was in a campsite on the last night of Landy Rally. My co-driver and I hadn't used the stove all week as every time we pulled into campsites the caferteria/restaurant had such good, cheap food that it just wasn't worth the effort of doing it ourselves. That last day we saw the most gorgeous fat steaks sitting in a French supermarket, we just had to buy them. Washed down with a local red, they were sooooo tender and tasty. Mmmmmmm ... time for dinner methinks!

You all know me so well. I only young

Thanks for the tips evryone, at the mo Hillbilly and Assassin's ideas re a little advanced. But....... Im fishing saterday so tomorow im preparing some food. Im basicaly cooking spaghetti bolognese, well the sause and the lean mince. On saterday i will baicaly re-heat the meat and sauce on one stove and cook the spaghetti in a seperate pan on another stove. Might not be as impressive as some of you have said but im going for it. I might even replace the diet coke with 12x cups of coffiee.

TJ

if im away for the weekend i put two 1ltr frozen bottles of water in the cool box that keeps it cool for two days then put in fresh meat,,sausage bacon burgers chops steak,, , take some fresh veg,, ,,and the BBQ,,,and another cool box with cold beer,, ,,,then find a beach and camp,,,,,,now thats a good recipie,,,,

TJ...that's just what a lot of men eat when camping.....over here they love jaffles coz they are easy.

Me? I eat whatever I eat at home. I guess if you never cook at home, and aren't taking the little lady with you, then you are at your own mercy

It helps to have a fridge. With that, a BBQ plate & a stove you can do anything you do at home out on the road

Tom and I were trying to give TJ a different idea to Pot Yuk.

Steak and chips is a very easy meal to cook

There are also so semi decent sauces available as well

Military rations gives everything from chocolate/paper tissues/soup/tea/coffee/sweets/biscuits/3 meals etc. As Mac says they are boil in bag and gives you hot water for tea. Great for a quick stop/when travelling solo and you are cream cracker. Yes they are short of fresh fruit etc but for about a fiver a day great value.

Fridges are useful but are not cheap! The ARB fridge has several advantages over the Engel

Fresh fruit and veg are important when travelling. Grapes are great as you can nibble them as you drive rather then boiled sweets etc

Brendan

Dam not one other person had a Bombay Bad Boy Pot Noodle King?! Get the bread, dip it in?!

On a healthier side - has anyone cooked fish out camping/overland? Can it be done on a bbq? Maybe Fillets in a pan on the bbq?

TJ

Terracan Jas wrote:

Dam not one other person had a Bombay Bad Boy Pot Noodle King?! Get the bread, dip it in?!

On a healthier side - has anyone cooked fish out camping/overland? Can it be done on a bbq? Maybe Fillets in a pan on the bbq?

TJ

Definitely not to1. Bet you use plastic bread as well!

2) Definitely yes? Make a Ali pouch, butter,some lemon juice and herbs. Poach over low heat.

Sounds like you should (a) go to Scandinavia (b) become a kitchen slave to Barrie on one. Of his Waypoint Tours

Brendan

I use one of these to cook fish:



Also useful for cooking meat. I have even cooked slices of potato and pumpkin with it.

Cheers
KarlB

KarlB wrote:

I use one of these to cook fish:



Also useful for cooking meat. I have even cooked slices of potato and pumpkin with it.

Cheers
KarlB

Ill have to look at getting that. Could be useful!

And dont worry about the bread 4x4Overlander, the bread was real, not plastic.

Ive got to admit, its looking up on the food front. Ive got atleast 3 meals reccomended that i will do over the next month when im off camping/fishing. I will post a special of mine later on today. - A real gud'en that evry one will like.

I have here two pics showing what you will need:



1x cup, 1x tea spoon coffiee, 2x tea spoon of sugar. Fill cup 2/5 with water, 2/5 of your selected scotch. 1\5 milk. Enjoy.

Or



1x cup, 1x tea spoon coffiee, 2x tea spoon of sugar. Fill cup 2/5 with water, 2/5 of your selected Vodka. 1\5 milk. Enjoy.


Both are great for warming you up in cold conditions. I prefer the scotch version myself, if you use vodka it must be a true russian version like Stolichnaya or it will taste poor, fishing, camping, overland. Great at warming you up, tastes great.

TJ

Like it!

yes steak and chips are easy, but boy do they taste good and dont take too long to do, i like to sit and enjoy the evening not spend it washing up
btw not being funny but i wouldnt recommend using the water from boil in the bag to make the tea

for a pudding try ....
one packet cake mix
one orange
scoop out insides of orange
mix cake mix
pour into orange
wrap in tin foil and place in campfire for approx 10-15 mins

Hillbilly Raider wrote:

yes steak and chips are easy, but boy do they taste good and dont take too long to do, i like to sit and enjoy the evening not spend it washing up
btw not being funny but i wouldnt recommend using the water from boil in the bag to make the tea

for a pudding try ....
one packet cake mix
one orange
scoop out insides of orange
mix cake mix
pour into orange
wrap in tin foil and place in campfire for approx 10-15 mins

The pudding sounds like it will blow my mind. Maybe even add some rum to spice things up abit.

Ive not tryed it on a stove or fire, but i have made a sponge cake by boiling it. Just put your ingredients in a small glass bowl, cover top with tin foil and tie it down with some string, pop it in a pot of boiling water making sure the water does'nt go above th bowl then cook for 1hr, the water should simmer not boil. I suppose it could be done with just a stove and pan of water.

try wraps with chocolate and marshmellows.. same thing.. place choc and mellows inside wrap cover in foil and place in fire
or
fray bentos steak and kidney puddings..simple boil in a pan.. much better than compo rations and takes about the same time

Terracan Jas wrote:

I have here two pics showing what you will need:



1x cup, 1x tea spoon coffiee, 2x tea spoon of sugar. Fill cup 2/5 with water, 2/5 of your selected scotch. 1\5 milk. Enjoy.



TJ

I have SERIOUS concerns about your taste buds TJ

I suppose your proposed method of drinking that paint stripper, just about makes it palatable but I do have serious reservations about that even.

Personally I prefer my single malts neat or maybe with a dash of water if it is one of the 60%ers.

Certainly think someone should start educating your taste buds TJ. No insults meant TJ


Brendan

T.J.

Whats diffucult about frying sausages, onions, and mushrooms on a pan until they are just cooked, then adding condensed soup and a little water? then putting on another pan and doing spaghetti or pasta.

Can you cook fish on a barbeque? yes of course you can, you can cook anything on it, meat, fish, game, vegetables, fruit, yes fruit.

Peel an orange and remove the pith, break into segments and form back to its original shape inside a foil parcel loosely, add a pteaspoon of brown sugar and a teaspoon of brandy to it, and seal the parcel so it does not leak.

Place on a cooling barbeque for about 10 minutes and turn regularly, beautiful as a dessert, and cheap and easily done.

How about some more fruit on a barbeque, add a cup pf blackberries and a cup of raspberries to a frying pan, place on the heat and add 1/4 cup of water, splash of whiskey, and cook gently while mashing it down to a paste, cut four hard pears in half lengthways, core, and add to the pan of sauce, poach gently for 30-40 minutes, delicious and easy to do.
All fresh ingredients which can be purchased locally, tasty, and healthy.