Jamaican Jerk Chicken Dinner Ideas

[litetrek]

I've been thinking about a grilled jerk chicken dinner for an easy backpacking trip. Since the trip shouldnt be too hard I can stand the extra weight for an overnight.

Here's what I'm thinking. Marinaded skinless chicken breast meat that will be frozen and eaten on the first night. The chicken will be cut into chucks or strips and grilled over a campfire or some charcoal briquettes. Sides will be saffron yellow rice and dehydrated black beans.

I cook something like this frequently at home. I need your help to adapt it for backpacking. I have considered marinating the chicken and grilling it at home and the freezing it for the trail. The other idea is to marinate at home and freeze and grill on the trail. If campfires are allowed grilling at the campsite is no problem. If campfires are not allowed I have found a small disposable aluminum pan with an aluminum grill on it that doesn't weigh too much. I have used these car camping and they are very cheap, easy and super convenient and they stay hot enough for grilling for a long time. Since I am cooking for a group the weight of the disposable grill (around a pound) isnt that much of a burden.

So, has anyone done anything like this? If so, what would you recommend for adapting the chicken for the trail? The grill at home option has the advantage of not having to carry the charcoal and less worry about keeping raw chicken cold until cooking it. The dowside is grill at home probably wont be quite as good.

The point is an excellent grilled meal on the trail. I dont want to put jerk marinade on a piece of cooked chicken from a mylar packet, so please dont suggest that. I can handle adapting the rice and beans myself.

Any comment based on your personal experience would be really helpful. Thanks.

[WingedMonkey]

"Backpacking Chef" has a good recipe for making and dehydrating the beans and rice part, but he uses either pouched or dehydrated canned chicken for the meat.

Serves 4:
Ingredients:


4 7oz pouches or cans of pre-cooked chicken, dehydrated
2 15 oz cans black beans
1 13 oz can lite coconut milk
3 tsp Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Mix (McCormick's)
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 cups long grain rice
2 slices dehydrated jalapeno peppers

At Home:
Drain liquid from cans of beans into a measuring cup. Add the can of coconut milk to the measuring cup and add enough water to make 4 cups of liquid.
Place the liquids, seasonings, and beans into pot and bring to a boil. Add rice and stir for one minute. Reduce heat to simmer. Put 2 slices of dehydrated jalapeno peppers on top of the water and cover tightly for 30 minutes.
Let cooked rice cool. Place on parchment paper, or fine mesh screens in a single layer and dry at 125 degrees for 5-7 hours. Break up the rice and beans about half way. Put 1 cup of dehydrated rice into storage bag for each person and seal.
Dehydrated Chicken - drain liquid from canned or pouch chicken. Break into small pieces and put of parchment paper or fine mesh screens. Dry at 155 degrees for 4-8 hours until dry and brittle. Bag and store in FREEZER.
The night before trip, add ½ cup of dehydrated chicken from freezer to 1 cup of dehydrated rice mixture.
On the Trail:
Add approximately 1.5 cups of boiling water (start with less, add more if needed). Let sit for 10 minutes in cozy. Enjoy.


http://www.backpackingchef.com/yr-squidbillys-wife-jamaican-jerk-chicken.html

[litetrek]

"Backpacking Chef" has a good recipe for making and dehydrating the beans and rice part, but he uses either pouched or dehydrated canned chicken for the meat.

Serves 4:
Ingredients:


4 7oz pouches or cans of pre-cooked chicken, dehydrated
2 15 oz cans black beans
1 13 oz can lite coconut milk
3 tsp Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Mix (McCormick's)
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 cups long grain rice
2 slices dehydrated jalapeno peppers

At Home:
Drain liquid from cans of beans into a measuring cup. Add the can of coconut milk to the measuring cup and add enough water to make 4 cups of liquid.
Place the liquids, seasonings, and beans into pot and bring to a boil. Add rice and stir for one minute. Reduce heat to simmer. Put 2 slices of dehydrated jalapeno peppers on top of the water and cover tightly for 30 minutes.
Let cooked rice cool. Place on parchment paper, or fine mesh screens in a single layer and dry at 125 degrees for 5-7 hours. Break up the rice and beans about half way. Put 1 cup of dehydrated rice into storage bag for each person and seal.
Dehydrated Chicken - drain liquid from canned or pouch chicken. Break into small pieces and put of parchment paper or fine mesh screens. Dry at 155 degrees for 4-8 hours until dry and brittle. Bag and store in FREEZER.
The night before trip, add ½ cup of dehydrated chicken from freezer to 1 cup of dehydrated rice mixture.
On the Trail:
Add approximately 1.5 cups of boiling water (start with less, add more if needed). Let sit for 10 minutes in cozy. Enjoy.


http://www.backpackingchef.com/yr-squidbillys-wife-jamaican-jerk-chicken.html

Thanks. I found that recipe earlier today myself but its not what I want to do. The key ingredient I am asking for personal experience about is grilled chicken ... have you tried it and how did you accomplish it?

[chknfngrs]

Never done what you're talking about but how about skewering the chicken to cook over coals? It can't be hard and you wouldn't need all that hardware. Get the right coals and you're golden

[KidA24]

I've done a lot of grilling (lots of wings, really) and then freezing of chicken to reheat and eat on another day. It works just fine, the biggest key is to cook the chicken in a whole piece and let it cool at room temperature or in the fridge before you slice and freeze it. This allows the juices to redistribute themselves through the meat. Also, freezing it in as close to airtight as you can is another helpful thing.

Long story short: Freezing it may not be as good, but it will be 85% as good and it will be 43 times easier to reheat on the trail :)

[Farr Away]

We've done grilled steak (& veggies) on an overnight. Steak went in double bagged ziplocs with the marinade and then into the refrigerator the night before. Just before heading out in the morning, bagged steak was buried in the pack (somewhat insulated). Grilled steak over campfire that night.

I absolutely would not recommend this method for raw chicken, but it worked for the steak.

-FA

[litetrek]

I've done a lot of grilling (lots of wings, really) and then freezing of chicken to reheat and eat on another day. It works just fine, the biggest key is to cook the chicken in a whole piece and let it cool at room temperature or in the fridge before you slice and freeze it. This allows the juices to redistribute themselves through the meat. Also, freezing it in as close to airtight as you can is another helpful thing.

Long story short: Freezing it may not be as good, but it will be 85% as good and it will be 43 times easier to reheat on the trail :)

Thanks good info that helps.

[litetrek]

Never done what you're talking about but how about skewering the chicken to cook over coals? It can't be hard and you wouldn't need all that hardware. Get the right coals and you're golden

Thanks. Unfortunately, campfires are not allowed where i'm going. i wasn't sure when I started this post but i confirmed it last Thursday. This fact has me reconsidering my menu, although I think I could grill on my stove with a few simple modifications. I have a canister stove which has a tube between the canister and burner head so the canister isn't close to the heat.

[litetrek]

We've done grilled steak (& veggies) on an overnight. Steak went in double bagged ziplocs with the marinade and then into the refrigerator the night before. Just before heading out in the morning, bagged steak was buried in the pack (somewhat insulated). Grilled steak over campfire that night.

I absolutely would not recommend this method for raw chicken, but it worked for the steak.

-FA

Thanks. Unfortunately, no campfires allowed where I'm going. I agree that steak would be far safer and i had considered that I may switch to steaks. However, I'm going in december and if the meat is frozen solid, insulated and buried in the pack I bet it will easily stay cold all day. Steaks will be much harder to grill over a modified stove though. Chicken cut in thin strips would cook pretty quickly. you could do the same thing with steak but it would seem like a waste.

[litetrek]

We've done grilled steak (& veggies) on an overnight. Steak went in double bagged ziplocs with the marinade and then into the refrigerator the night before. Just before heading out in the morning, bagged steak was buried in the pack (somewhat insulated). Grilled steak over campfire that night.

I absolutely would not recommend this method for raw chicken, but it worked for the steak.

-FA

Thanks. Unfortunately, no campfires allowed where I'm going. I agree that steak would be far safer and I had considered that. I may switch to steaks. However, I'm going in december and if the meat is frozen solid, insulated and buried in the pack I bet it will easily stay cold all day. Steaks will be much harder to grill over a modified stove though. Chicken cut in thin strips would cook pretty quickly. You could do the same thing with steak but it would seem like a waste.

[slbirdnerd]

I do marinated steak cubes on a stick (any old stick will do) on many short trips. The other hikers (and their dogs!) are in envy. Before the trip, cube your meat, marinate it, put it in a Ziploc freezer bag (I double bag it), freeze it--and then write yourself a note to take it with you! By the time you get to camp it's thawed. I'd be careful with chicken, though, just make sure it cooks through.

GO MEAT!

[litetrek]

I do marinated steak cubes on a stick (any old stick will do) on many short trips. The other hikers (and their dogs!) are in envy. Before the trip, cube your meat, marinate it, put it in a Ziploc freezer bag (I double bag it), freeze it--and then write yourself a note to take it with you! By the time you get to camp it's thawed. I'd be careful with chicken, though, just make sure it cooks through.

GO MEAT!

One of my hiking buddies brings a twelve pack of Dale's Pale Ale each trip. I've been trying to think of a way of doing my share to provide for the first nights dinner. The no campfires allowed has thrown a wrench in the works....

[slbirdnerd]

One of my hiking buddies brings a twelve pack of Dale's Pale Ale each trip. I've been trying to think of a way of doing my share to provide for the first nights dinner. The no campfires allowed has thrown a wrench in the works....

You can also just stir fry the meat in a lightweight frying pan, maybe even throw in some pre-cut fresh veggies, cover it with a piece of foil or something. There's no limit, really, when you're talking being out for just a night or two. This past weekend, a friend made pizza. From scratch, dough and all. Cooked it in a small backpacking fry pan on some olive oil. It was incredible!

[litetrek]

You can also just stir fry the meat in a lightweight frying pan, maybe even throw in some pre-cut fresh veggies, cover it with a piece of foil or something. There's no limit, really, when you're talking being out for just a night or two. This past weekend, a friend made pizza. From scratch, dough and all. Cooked it in a small backpacking fry pan on some olive oil. It was incredible!

True, many options exist.

[Just Bill]

Chicken is the one I don't mess with- burgers, ham steaks etc. work well.

That said- it's december and yer heart is set on it.

Get some good sized chicken breasts and marinate them well. Cook a few extra and choose the best to bring.
Grill the chicken at home to near done (medium rare if it was a steak- a bit squishy on the poke test).
Let it rest as mentioned until cool enough to slice by hand.
Slice to desired size and keep in the fridge.

Check the weather before you go... wrapped in foil and stored in your sleeping bag if it's not much warmer than 45 or so out you don't need to freeze it- it will stay cool enough that way. If ambient air is 40's or lower- just store it in your food bag (same as a fridge, and it's mainly cooked).

What you may consider freezing is a small bit of your marinade to flavor the rice. A cube or two will come in handy.

Bring a decent sized fry pan along.
Cook up your rice and beans (assuming you want to do it in camp and not just cook and carry it for re-heating).
Put a your marinade cubes if you brought them in the fry pan, add the rice and partially cooked chicken and stir fry. just enough to combine flavors and finish off the chicken. The reason to leave it a bit undone is so that this brief bit of heating finishes it- not overcooks it.

A few minutes in the frypan and your rice and chicken will be done and ready to rock.

[Just Bill]

Oh, since you got the frypan along and want to surprise your buddies... good time to whip out some bacon and eggs in the morning too.

[litetrek]

Oh, since you got the frypan along and want to surprise your buddies... good time to whip out some bacon and eggs in the morning too.

Thanks. I'll have to think hard about chicken. I didn't initially think about salmonella.

It will be cool in December in the South but not cold. I moved here from Chicago (previously from upstate new york near canada) so I know what cold is. Cool is around 45-50 daytime highs heer in the Southeast(usually).

I didn't mention it in my post but I plan to make a little super light insulated box for whatever meat I take. You can buy the insulation foam board for cheap and it weighs almost nothing. I have a scrape left over from a home improvement project. If the insulated box only contains frozen meat for one meal it also doesn't have to be very big. My idea is to just hot melt glue the panels together and put the meat in a ziplock and not worry too much about the panels getting damaged. Most of the weight in a big insulated cooler is the plastic protective covering.

[Just Bill]

I wouldn't bother with the "cooler"- just put the chilled or frozen stuff in the foot of your sleeping bag and bundle it around so it stays in the center. I've kept beers cold in 90 degree heat for 8-10 hours that way no problem. Though you're in a no-fire area this trip- I like to make "treasure chests" and bring those. I've done fish, burger, and steak. Just slice some onions, taters, and carrots, season to taste. Spray some aluminium foil with oil, then layer the veggies, put the meat in the middle, and another layer on top and cook in medium coals for about 20 minutes per side. Those packs will last in a sleeping bag for up to 24 hours unfrozen in all but high summer. In cooler temps they can make it 48 hours. Ham steak lasts longest of all and real bacon will last quite some time as well.

Actual duct tape (the metal stuff) works well for making a cooler BTW. Reflectix or just 3/8" closed cell foam works just as well if you go that route. The hot melt glue cracks, where the tape can flex a bit.

[litetrek]

Yeah, I've insulated beers with my ridge rest. Put three cold ones in the center and roll it up. 8 hours later it was still cold. The sleeping bag thing is a good idea that I didn't think of. Thanks for suggesting that. I am a design engineer and a DIY'er. Those elevated water towers all over the Chicago Suburbs came from my first employer, Chicago Bridge & Iron Company which used to be located in Oak Brook ... now in Texas. I may have designed one near you! I design some of my own gear and I have plenty of that aluminum tape. Its awesome stuff and it doesn't weigh much. I'm not a big fan of the hot melt glue either for the reasons you mention. It also is pretty heavy. Your idea to use aluminum duct tape is a great idea for the foam board if I don't just use the sleeping bag idea you gave me (or ridge rest that I've done before).

[litetrek]

I've done the treasure chests too but mostly when car camping. It was my job at Scout camp to teach the Scouts on Wednesday nights how to do them at their campsites.

FYI, I was born in Chicago over by midway airport and lived there again in the 80's (western suburbs). My time as an adult in Chicago was like being in exile from my backpacking hobby. Today I live less than an hour from Springer Mountain. The southeast is a backpackers heaven. The only thing better is maybe out west if you're into that.

[litetrek]

So, I'm morphing my menu to something steak related due to concerns with chicken and food poisoning. Kroger had bacon wrapped 6 oz filets on sale for $3.50 on Saturday so I bought one for some testing and for lunch. Earlier in the day I found a cheap coated 8.5 inch aluminum frying pan at Walmart for about $6.00. Its pretty light once you remove the handle. It has a grooved bottom so it doesn't slide around on the stove. The steak cooked up nice in about 12 minutes on my MSR windpro to about medium rare. I don't know how that would translate time-wise into to doing 6 steaks at once, but its a starting point. If you like the steaks at Longhorn you might be surprised to know that they are pan fried and not grilled. You can cook up a good steak in a frying pan. Unfortunately, no campfires allowed on the hike I'm taking.

Planning to pair the steak with Idahoan instant potatoes (4 cheese maybe) and some sort of other side. I've been having trouble coming up with the other side. Some sort of soup might do it or possibly sliced avocado with some olive oil for dressing. Ideas?

[Just Bill]

Steak and taters is a pretty good meal... if you're into it making a light sauce or gravy for the taters while the steaks rest using the juices would be a very nice touch without going nuts or requiring another pot/pan for a side.

If you still want to keep it going- I'd suggest not another side- but dessert.
Good dark chocolate (and some booze/cigars) are a fantastic finish to steak and taters.
If you want to go a bit more exotic, strawberries, asiago cheese, and 70% dark chocolate are good and suprisingly filling.

Unless you really have a nice spot to sit, set up, etc... I've found that backpacking gourmet is best kept simple... you can only carry so many pots and pans and balancing a heaping plate of multiple dishes for your campmates complicates things and takes away from the experience IMO. A steak and pile of taters fits a small plate just fine without leaving you nervous you're going to dump the whole mess in your lap.

Go slow and steady on the steaks and rotate their position in the pan frequently as there will be hot spots...
I like to let my dinner companions "suffer" through the smells of cooking without feeding them as driving them mad with hunger tends to make the meal taste better when it arrives... but if you wanted to be kinder an appetizer that's easy (good cheese, crackers, meats) while you cook is an easy way to add a "course"

The other thing... if you're not a frequent backpacker I've noticed that the first day or three out appetite varies greatly and some folks don't even really want to eat... so your meal plan for example; if folks are having a bit of the early days adjustments, you can always serve an app or dessert and an on trail treat/snack/lunch. If they happen to be starving you can whip up multiple courses, if not, you can spread out your surprises over a day or two.

[mississippi_dan]

I often carry steak or other meat for first evening meal. When I do chicken, hamburger, or pork I fully cook it, put it in a seal-a-meal bag or zip-lock, then freeze. Wrapping in several layer of newspaper provides enough insulation to keep it cold in the pack. If the weather is cool it may not be fully thawed by dinner time. Steak is better cooked in camp and doesn't have the same problems with bacteria. In summer I freeze the steak ahead.

[litetrek]

Thanks for the ideas folks. I've been backpacking out there for over 40 years. In the past 5 years I've been doing meals that just involve boiling water and I'm kind of sick of that. That's why I thought I'd try something that is actually better than freeze dried. My daughter who occasonally hikes with me and I call the freeze dried offerings "PLOPPAGE", although we''l eat ploppage just like everyone else.

My concern for another course was twofold. First, I wanted some some gooy carbs to keep us warm at night. Second, the steaks are those vacuum packed 6 oz tenderloins so they will fit into the pan. I'm allowing 2 each but thats a smallish portion.

There will be the usual libations and cigars.

Its been my experience that a piece of meat , even though its tastes great, isn't the best meal to keep you warm on a cold night in the woods. We'll be camping near the summit of cold mounatin. I expect the temps will be under 20F with a stiff wind. That's cold for the Southeast but it doesn't compare to the midwest and northest cold. I've camped in -10F weather and I can say that I don't really like being cold. The positive in the SE is that it isn't that cold and you won't get over run by other hikers.

This trip is an out and back overnight. Limited water available. I like the dessert suggestions. My hiking parterners aren't into sharing gear so I'll have three stoves and three cookkits available to me

[Just Bill]

Too much heavy food also chills you. Blood diverts to the tummy to digest and leaves you chilled after a big meal... so spreading the meals out a bit helps in the cold. But a side of grains (say rice pan fried for a few minutes in the bacon and steak drippings) would work well. And a quick toss of the rice in the pan just before serving is easier on the chef than timing three stoves worth of food to finish all at once. You can also top the taters with cheese for some added fats.

A nice winter cocktail that goes over well...
Fire in the Hole-
Chamomile tea, a tablespoon of butter, and a nip of whiskey.
If you want more of a spiced hot toddy; a few whole cloves in the water, a cinnamon stick with one lemon zinger teabag.
(3 bags chamomile, one bag lemon zinger per quart)
Served right before bed with the dark chocolate (and some PB if you want a bit more fat) does wonders.

That said you likely know the rule with booze in cold weather;
A nip warms the belly, a bellyful nips the toes.

[litetrek]

Too much heavy food also chills you. Blood diverts to the tummy to digest and leaves you chilled after a big meal... so spreading the meals out a bit helps in the cold. But a side of grains (say rice pan fried for a few minutes in the bacon and steak drippings) would work well. And a quick toss of the rice in the pan just before serving is easier on the chef than timing three stoves worth of food to finish all at once. You can also top the taters with cheese for some added fats.

A nice winter cocktail that goes over well...
Fire in the Hole-
Chamomile tea, a tablespoon of butter, and a nip of whiskey.
If you want more of a spiced hot toddy; a few whole cloves in the water, a cinnamon stick with one lemon zinger teabag.
(3 bags chamomile, one bag lemon zinger per quart)
Served right before bed with the dark chocolate (and some PB if you want a bit more fat) does wonders.

That said you likely know the rule with booze in cold weather;
A nip warms the belly, a bellyful nips the toes.


Thanks for the wisdom. Just a nip will do you. Good rice advice. I'm a pretty good amateur chef at home. I've never tried in on the trail. I think its easily doable to have a very nice trail meal on an overnight.