Basic Recipes for Backcountry Cooking

Whether you’re loading up for a canoe trip or packing light to bag some peaks, we’ve got a range of recipes that we love for backcountry cooking.

Ramen Bomb

This is an Aaron classic. It’s the kind of meal we love in the backcountry and refuse to think about at home. Pick your favorite instant ramen flavor (beef for Aaron, soy sauce for Lily) and boil it in water with the flavor packet. Once the noodles are cooked, add shredded cheddar cheese to make a goopy mix. We like to sass it up with some fresh scallions. They’re light and the flavor packs a punch. If you’re really looking for some extra sustenance, toss in a partial packet of instant mashed potatoes. You’ll be full and warm all night.

Taste: 3/5

Packability: 5/5

Pesto Paradise

In high school Lily was on a two week backpacking trip where every meal went awry. A little pesto packet went a long way for morale and now this meal is in good backpacking food history. Get yourself your noodle of choice. We like cavatappi if we’re worried about weight or tortellini if we’re not carrying everything on our backs. Cook your noodles like regular then treat yourself to a fat slab of that good salted Irish butter with a few packets of dried pesto sauce. We would recommend sundried tomatoes and sunflower seeds to bring more texture.

Taste: 4/5

Packability: 3/5

Good Ol’ Grilled Cheese

You know it, you love it. It’s grilled cheese! Grab the cheapest loaf and a brick of sharp cheddar to get you started. We rotate between apple slices, bacon, and spinach to get different flavors. Grill everything up on a cast iron over the fire to give it that smoky taste. If you want to go the extra mile, pick up a tomato soup for dipping.

Taste: 4/5

Packability: 4/5

Dirty Mac

This is a heavy hitter for when you want food and you want it now. Make a boxed mac and cheese with the brand of your choosing. We always go for a lot of salted Irish butter and a little extra shredded cheese if that’s what you like. Then add pepperoni to your heart’s content. The key here is to bite it off with your teeth, no knives necessary. This one is sure to make your belly feel satisfied and mildly disgusted.

Taste: 2/5

Packability: 5/5

If these recipes are your cup of tea, great! If you’re reading this and thinking, “who are these dirty scoundrels?! I wanted real, helpful recipes!” then you should visit Fresh Off the Grid. We often use their recipes when camping. Best of luck out there! Eat up!

Love,

Lily and Aaron

**Fresh Off the Grid did not sponsor this post. We just like their recipes.