Make ahead meals for a passage

[weavis]

On land, I sous vide a lot of stuff. Leave it in the freezer. I take out and let defrost and then slam the meat under the grill and the veggies in a pot... meat takes 4 mins, veggies as soon as hot...

Perfect steak cooked medium or medium rare, or lamb, or duck or pork or whatever...

I think this will work on a boat easily...

[SSgtPitt]

Jerky....lots of jerky.
We buy large roasts at Costco, soak them in our favorite spicings, dry them and then vac seal them. They last for months / years and are perfect for rough nights.
A case of real MRE's makes for perfect "Oh Sh*t" events. Approx 2K calories per meal and a tough as nails outer covering makes them a must have in your ditch bag; food, toilet paper, matches, salt, pepper, tobasco sauce and a wet wipe.....pure heaven....for a Jarhead.

[wrwakefield]

Hi Redhead,

Smart move having a few quick meals in the larder...

Since you are currently in the land of Trader Joes, you might consider stocking up on some of their precooked meals. They have a wide selection.

We often cook extra and vacuum bag it for later consumption. We freeze it if we have space, otherwise it will last a week or two in the fridge...

We also make use of our Thermal Cooker. Instead of pre-cooking, we might pre-prep instead [e.g., chop everything up and put in a ziplock for dumping into the pot in the morning, adding water and boiling for 10 mins, then sealing it up for consumption that afternoon/evening.] Works great, and requires no power unlike a crock pot.

Depending upon your route and chosen weather window, you may find it more benign than anticipated in summer. But it is good to plan for inclement conditions just in case... Therefore, also consider putting a little more 'bland' into those first few meals...

We typically stay on the inside route, so we find yourselves anchoring in calm conditions most days, allowing for cooking, or just opening the thermal cooker at the end of the day... [You only have a couple of half-day crossings where you will be exposed to the swell from the Gulf of Alaska on your way north, and those have sheltered routes to avoid inclement conditions as well...]

Best wishes gearing up for your impending adventures!

Cheers!

Bill

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by SSgtPitt

Jerky....lots of jerky.
We buy large roasts at Costco, soak them in our favorite spicings, dry them and then vac seal them. They last for months / years and are perfect for rough nights.
A case of real MRE's makes for perfect "Oh Sh*t" events. Approx 2K calories per meal and a tough as nails outer covering makes them a must have in your ditch bag; food, toilet paper, matches, salt, pepper, tobasco sauce and a wet wipe.....pure heaven....for a Jarhead.

I agree, Sarge...

MREs are hard to beat for emergencies- in the ditch bag especially...

Coastal cruising in Alaska we keep a separate bail-out bag with tent, Hennessee hammock tent [for deployment between trees or rocks when no level tent areas around...], sleeping bags, MREs, etc. as our worst case scenario is bivouacking on land in a remote location for some period of time without the boat...

May none of us ever need them for survival...

Cheers!

Bill

[SeeLevel]

I like things that make me fart . . . so we can laugh alot.

[PuttingDoctor]

I carry packages of Raimen spicy soup. To this I will add the liquid from a small half can of chopped clams. Then just as it come to a boil in go the clams. I will also from time to time also add 5-6 frozen shrimp that thaw just enough in a bowl of water as I begin preparation. They go in at the very last minute.

I also have purchased full rotisserie chickens from the grocery store at the dockside prior to setting off. I can pick on a whole chicken for a week. It gets lots of variation at meal time depending on sea state.

In a pinch or should I say pitch... I like pita bread as it makes a handy pocket to accept anything and everything you can stuff in a half of one.

[TeddyDiver]

I do bake bread into freezer. Warm up in the micro and it's as good as fresh. Warm meal allways done every day except two times when I had "mal de mer" and couldn't eat.. Bad weather it might be rice noodles with shrimps and vegs or any other 5 minute meal.

[Allanlowery]

Whole chicken salt and peppered, put in slow cooker with 1" of water only( not 1/2" not 2") cook on low for 8 hours. There will be broth that will come up to 3/4 of your pot .
Takes 5 minutes to prepare and then leave alone for the 8 hours. Store or freeze or put into a thermos hot.
Don't underestimate this simple recipe.
It's good and nutritious !

[knockabout]

we have lived aboard for 19 years / no fridge / no oven / no microwave. one pan wonders work fine / fresh fruit keeps for a while and is handy in bad weather / after the fruit is gone then dried fruits / rip top canned fruits / the same with vegetables / fresh vegetables till they are gone / then freeze dried / rip top tins. there are many types of freeze dried rices and pastas with vegetables that don't seem to have too much poisonous processing ingredients / are quite tasty and filling they just require heating water / pour contents of satchel into pot / 10 - 12 mins later you have hot food / there is a new type of baked beans and spaghetti made by spc called sneaky veg / made for school children that contains tomatos and a mixture of pureed vegetables instaed of sauce which is close to a complete meal nutrition wise / no matter how rough it gets drink a mug of clean filtered water occasionally and keep warm /// too rough to boil water or the cooker has temporarily re-located itself / a couple of pieces of 80% cocoa chocolate, dried fruit / tin of bully beef eaten out of a handled mug with a teaspoon takes like it has been cooked by jamie oliver when hungry / all sorts of rice meals can be made into rice cakes in preparation for approaching weather patterns /just as important as preparing the storm sails / oops! forgot honey and powdered egg in hot or cold water / you can live on freeze dried peas and rice if you have plenty of water / they to can be prepared in advance

[anacapaisland42]

Baked potatoes with butter and cheese are so easy and taste so good
Bill

[wolfesmy]

Its been said a couple of times already but here goes.
Our passage prep includes boiling a dozen hard boiled eggs, making a dozen+ savory muffins or biscuit's (Bisquick add, cheese, bacon, green onion etc.). this is easy finger food and provides calories.
For passage quick meals we like lasagna and stew. Lasagna can heat in the oven (safe) and served in bowls. Stew in mugs or bowls. Instant soup, Raman Noodles, can be made in a thermos and served in cups.
If you have foods that can be prepared in the oven they are safer than stove top in a rolling sea where risks of spills are more prevalent.
You can always heave-to to get the last serving and prep done though.
Consider high carb foods for passages as they generate more heat and warm the soul.
Have coffee , hot chocolate or soup available for those coming off watch.
Remember that nothing tastes better than a hot meal at sea after a cold watch.


Have fun

[Hud3]

Get a vacuum sealer.

Before sailing from Virginia to the Virgin Islands, we'd cook, seal and freeze 10-12 one-dish meals. Move them from the freezer to the fridge side a day ahead so they thaw (and help keep the fridge cool). Heat them up in sea water on the stove and serve up in bowls. No pots and pans to clean, and the hot sea water can be used for washing bowls and utensils. One-dish meals can be eaten easily in rough seas with a spoon. One had for the bowl and one for the spoon.

BTW, cooked rice and pasta to accompany the one-dish meal vac-seal and freeze very well. Coat the pasta with a little olive oil before vac-sealing so it doesn't stick together.

[sparrowhawk1]

Vacuum sealing is amazing. I prefer to use mason jars but it's the same principle. You just have to be careful not to heat them up too fast or the glass will break.

[PommyDave]

I learned this recipe(?) from an elderly French-born prospector when I was on a camping trip, fossicking for gold here in New South Wales.

Come dinner time, he would throw a can of sliced green beans (haricots vert) into the pot with a can of corned beef, and eat it with bread. I have learned to do the same, except I cook it together with about two cups of (dry, uncooked) white rice.

Get the rice boiling first and when it's almost cooked, after about 20 minutes, I add the green beans and the tinned corned beef and mix it all in. The meat can be cut into cubes first, or it can be chopped up with a spoon or a knife while you stir and the whole meal cooks. Add salt and pepper to taste.

If you want a nice sauce or gravy with the stew, I mix a tablespoon or so of cheap gravy mix powder with a little cold water to make a smooth paste, and quickly stir it into the rice stew. For more flavour and a bit of adventure, you may wish to add some curry powder or chilli to the concoction. Soy sauce, hot chilli sauce or ketchup (tomato sauce) can help as well.

The amounts mentioned (two tins plus the two cups of rice) makes three large meals or four more moderate serves. If you pop them hot into plastic 2-cup food containers (500 ml) they will keep a day or two without refrigeration, or a whole week in the fridge.

It tastes more appetising when its hot and takes just 2-3 minutes to microwave; but it is still a filling and reasonably nutritious meal when eaten cold. You just need more sauce! ;-)

The old gold prospector was born in Normandy, and told me he remembers the D-Day invasion, and the American fighter aircraft strafing abandoned German trucks. He said the occupants had already fled for their lives. Interesting times, eh? Then as an adult, he was a French soldier in Algeria. Wow.

[bobofthenorth]

It's clear that everyone's standard for a non-cooking passage is different. In our case there's "normal" days where we just eat what we would have at anchor. On the moderately off days SWMBO likes to have a lasagna in the freezer. A few minutes in the mic and it's a complete meal. I make amazing ribs and we will often do a triple batch of ribs at the dock and then freeze them in meal size packages. On days when the furniture is relocating itself it's cheese and cold sausage or when it's really tough just pretzels and water.

R.J.(Bob) Evans
www.bobandmarilyn.ca