View Full Version : Tortilla wraps
Mrs Baggins
03-31-2008, 09:42
I usually take along bagels for lunches but I want to try tortilla wraps this time - much lighter weight. I like the idea of the flavored one (especially the cheese and jalapeno :D) but I need to know - - how long do the wraps last as far as spoilage??? Do they get moldy fast?? Or hard and stale fast?? I'd do my best to keep them well sealed in a zip lock. I only need enough for a few days.
Two Speed
03-31-2008, 09:50
Tortillas are one of my favorite menu items. Travel well, tolerate smashing in the pack and don't go stale too quick as long as you seal the bag back up. Give it a shot. Tortilla wraps are great for lunch, and if you bring along some dehydrated refried beans and some cheese you can do tortillas and beans for dinner once or twice on each section.
bloodmountainman
03-31-2008, 10:01
They will last up to 10 days if in low humidity. They tend to get mouldy after 5 days in the wet. :eek:
Thoughtful Owl
03-31-2008, 10:15
Don't really know how long they will last. But I have taken them with me on week long trips and as long as I keep the bag sealed they stay fresh. I have diced up spam and cheese in them, spread PB or hummus on them, just ate them plain with a little olive oil etc. Besides bagels Tortialls are a favorite for backpacking.
NICKTHEGREEK
03-31-2008, 10:24
When they go stale, toast 'em and have fresh tortilla chips, fried till crisp in oilve oil, garlic and herbs works too.
Mrs Baggins
03-31-2008, 10:29
Thanks everyone! I thought I'd put tuna and sliced up cheese on them. It's only for 5 days so they should do fine. I don't do the dehydrate thing - don't have one but I'm thinking about it for longer hikes.
Fiddleback
03-31-2008, 11:03
This might be a hint... I have a package of flour tortillas sitting on top of my refrigerator. They are in their original packaging but I was a klutz when I first opened them and tore the package so it couldn't be resealed. So the package itself is in a sealed freezer bag.
The tortillas are soft and pliable and show no signs of mold or other spoilage. I bought them in mid-January.:) The brand is Don Pancho, of Salem, OR.
On the other hand, long ago I took flour tortillas spread w/peanut butter on a backpack. They were my first lunch of the trip but in that short time they turned drier and crunchier than cardboard. I haven't tried tortillas on a trip since. Perhaps some plastic wrapping or a freezer bag might change my luck.
FB
gsingjane
03-31-2008, 11:30
I've had better luck with tortillas not going moldy than with pita. Pita, I've found, rarely lasts more than 2-3 days. Tortillas seem to last for at least as long as you're going out, except perhaps in very hot/humid conditions, they might go "over" a bit faster.
Jane in CT
Some brands seem to last better than others. Get a good sell by date.
Corn ones last forever and two days, but are not as good with tuna type stuff, or as versatile.
Buy an unhealthy brand ;) Full of preservatives :D
Actually, I pack mine in a zip loc bag and line eaxh one with a paper towel to absorb moisture. That seems to work well - and you can use the paper towel for clean up!
AlwaysHiking
03-31-2008, 13:50
Buy an unhealthy brand ;) Full of preservatives :D
Actually, I pack mine in a zip loc bag and line eaxh one with a paper towel to absorb moisture. That seems to work well - and you can use the paper towel for clean up!
I was gonna say the same thing. First time I used a papertowl with tortillas was to protect them while taking them in the pack rolled. I find they travel better when rolled, anyhow, I noticed that they last a lot longer with the papertowl. It absorbs any humidity so they don't get moldy and at the same time keeps them from drying out too quickly.
Choose flour tortillas over the corn variety, they stay together longer and frankly I think they taste better. I leave mine in the original packaging and try to pack them flat in the bottom of the food bag. My favorite lunch consists of three or four slices of precooked bacon (which also lasts forever) with mayo wrapped in a flour tortilla. Add to that some sliced pepperoni and cheese and I guarantee you eat these at home also! They're just a little on the heavy side but well worth the carry, good luck!
Blissful
03-31-2008, 14:28
They can dry out too so make sure they are sealed or they break apart. Some brands are better than others in taste.
I took a kind of "tortilla hybrid" with me on my last section hike. It was thicker than a regular tortilla but had the same shape. I think the brand was "Flat Out" or "Roll Up" or something like that.
They were excellent - thick enough that when it was rolled up you could really get a bread taste but they were thin enough to fold and stuff in my pack without breaking them.
Good stuff...
Mrs Baggins
03-31-2008, 15:50
This is great! So many answers to such a simple question! The paper towel idea is excellent. I'll definitely do that. It would be a simple way to have a napkin with my lunch.
Fiddleback
03-31-2008, 19:39
Choose flour tortillas over the corn variety, they stay together longer and frankly I think they taste better. I leave mine in the original packaging and try to pack them flat in the bottom of the food bag. My favorite lunch consists of three or four slices of precooked bacon (which also lasts forever) with mayo wrapped in a flour tortilla. Add to that some sliced pepperoni and cheese and I guarantee you eat these at home also! They're just a little on the heavy side but well worth the carry, good luck!
Oh man!:banana Flour tortillas, mayo, bacon, cheese and pepperoni...together!! I think that would be all I need on the trail...plus my Zocor.:D
FB
p.s. I think so much of this combination of 'essential' foods that I believe this is my first-time use of the dancing banana...
Flour or wheat tortillas with Nutella and sliced banana. Yum! One of my fave snacks for day hikes.
Flour or wheat tortillas with Nutella and sliced banana. Yum!
You know it!!!!:banana
Flour or wheat tortillas with Nutella and sliced banana. Yum! One of my fave snacks for day hikes.
You know it!!!!:bananaObviously, great minds think alike. :D
I usually take along bagels for lunches but I want to try tortilla wraps this time - much lighter weight. I like the idea of the flavored one (especially the cheese and jalapeno :D) but I need to know - - how long do the wraps last as far as spoilage???
Not to worry. We've been buying giant Sam's Club sized packs of flour tortillas for a couple of years, and always leave them at room temperature with our bread in a cupboard. Sometimes it takes us a month to finish them and they are fine. We only recently noticed the package says to refrigerate after opening. We still leave them at room temp.
desdemona
04-01-2008, 22:36
Buy an unhealthy brand ;) Full of preservatives :D
Actually, I pack mine in a zip loc bag and line eaxh one with a paper towel to absorb moisture. That seems to work well - and you can use the paper towel for clean up!
Being an expert on them (see city) LOL! I think there is something to the "unhealthy" varieties besides preservatives (which aren't really common, afaik). It's the lard. They also taste better. I buy the ones without lard but I gotta admit that the ones with taste a lot better and last forever, just about.
YMMV.
--des
Tennessee Viking
04-01-2008, 22:56
Get the ones in or stash them in resealable bags, and push out all the air out when your done.
Also, put them in a paper sack with a sponge, you can extend their shelflife.
Being an expert on them (see city)
so... red or green?
The ones with lard would definitely have better taste and a longer shelf life. But sadly you don't see those up here in the PNW often. On the other hand we sadly have lots of commercial brands that pump the tortillas full of junk so they have 3 weeks to a couple months shelf life. yay.......though for trail use they come in handy ;)
Tortillas arent' popular here, so are you guys talking about flour or corn tortillas? I bought a package of corn tortillas and the directions say to heat them in a frying pan with a bit of oil. I tasted one before heating and it wasn't good at all. So is a flour tortilla the way to go?
Green.
Flour is the way to go...
Corn is an aquired taste, I think.
Hikes in Rain
04-02-2008, 12:57
Corn's the only acceptable toritlla grain for tacos, enchiladas and the like. Of course, we were talkiing wraps, so that little factoid is of no use. :)
For wraps, flour, hands down. Corn tortillas uncooked always taste "raw" to me.
Mrs Baggins
04-02-2008, 13:18
Tortillas arent' popular here, so are you guys talking about flour or corn tortillas? I bought a package of corn tortillas and the directions say to heat them in a frying pan with a bit of oil. I tasted one before heating and it wasn't good at all. So is a flour tortilla the way to go?
Corn is only good when they're the crispy corn shells like at Taco Bell. I grew up in California and nobody ate the corn ones except at places like Taco Bell. Always flour. When at home making a taco/burrito then go ahead and toss the flour tortilla in a pan large enough for it to lay in with just a light smear of oil and heat it just where you can still pick it up with your fingers. MMMMMMM!!!!!!! Then fill it with your favorite fillings and yum!
Corn is only good when they're the crispy corn shells like at Taco Bell. I grew up in California and nobody ate the corn ones except at places like Taco Bell. Always flour. When at home making a taco/burrito then go ahead and toss the flour tortilla in a pan large enough for it to lay in with just a light smear of oil and heat it just where you can still pick it up with your fingers. MMMMMMM!!!!!!! Then fill it with your favorite fillings and yum!
Ummm yeah! Or leave it in the pan, fill it with your favorite fillings, fold in half and fry until it's a little bit brown and crispy. :D
Tortillas are one of my favorite menu items. Travel well, tolerate smashing in the pack and don't go stale too quick as long as you seal the bag back up. Give it a shot. Tortilla wraps are great for lunch, and if you bring along some dehydrated refried beans and some cheese you can do tortillas and beans for dinner once or twice on each section.
...and add some dehydrated fried ground beef! I did this for the first time last year, and it worked out great. Fry up a pound of ground beef. When it's thoroughly brown, take out and drain. I usually run hot water through it to be sure I get all the fat out. Put back in skillet, add a cup of water and burrito mix. Cook till done. Take out and put in your dehydrator. When dry, pack in 4 different baggies (I think, when I weighed it last year, 1 lb of dehydrated ground beef weighed 4 ozs). A couple of hours before you plan to eat, add some water. Boil water and add at mealtime! Rehydrates extremely well, and with some cheese, refried beans and a packet of hot sauce, makes a great trail meal!
When they go stale, toast 'em and have fresh tortilla chips, fried till crisp in oilve oil, garlic and herbs works too.
Tortillas warm up nice over a burner. just a few seconds per side. Tortillas are the best trail food for wrapping up stuff. :sun
Corn's the only acceptable toritlla grain for tacos, enchiladas and the like. Of course, we were talkiing wraps, so that little factoid is of no use. :)
For wraps, flour, hands down. Corn tortillas uncooked always taste "raw" to me.
Flour tortillas are best for quick chicken enchiladas.
Flour tortillas and a little tube of tomato paste and a little tube of pesto sauce. A stick of string cheese, if you like. Smear on tortilla, wrap around the cheese. MMMMM.
Also excellent to have with whatever your freezer bag chili recipe is, just like tortillas :)
Ummm yeah! Or leave it in the pan, fill it with your favorite fillings, fold in half and fry until it's a little bit brown and crispy. :D
Sounds a bit like an "Indian Taco" (popular in Oklahoma).
Fill with hamburger, chili beans, tomatoes, onions, cheese, etc. fold the flour tortillia over in half, then fry crisp - YUMMY
Speaking of tortillas....I did trail quesidallas today (I have been shooting videos lately of cooking). Yumyumyum. There isn't much better than melty cheese in a crisped up flour tortilla.
Speaking of tortillas....I did trail quesidallas today (I have been shooting videos lately of cooking). Yumyumyum. There isn't much better than melty cheese in a crisped up flour tortilla.With thin strips of sliced steak, bleu cheese, a little monterey jack and fresh cracked black pepper! Yum! :D
hooch, now you made me hungry....thats my fave(need a drooling smiley)
desdemona
04-02-2008, 23:42
so... red or green?
Sorry for the slight OT, but...
Someone who actually KNOWS our state question (how many state's have a state question, we may have terrible schools, low health care rates, but heck we have a state question.
Green.
--des
fiddlehead
04-03-2008, 00:06
Hiked with people from san diego on the pct. They grew up on stuffing tortillas with different things. I think M&M's was the best!
or dehydrated eggs with some salsa from a taco bell for breakfast. (spicy)
Hiked with people from san diego on the pct. They grew up on stuffing tortillas with different things. I think M&M's was the best!
or dehydrated eggs with some salsa from a taco bell for breakfast. (spicy)
Yeah. Breakfast tacos. Eggs with a little bacon or sausage... Potato. Hot sauce to you taste. Two or three of those make a great breakfast. http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f112/MrGrover_uk/emoticons/EMOPOThumbsUp009HL.gif
budforester
04-03-2008, 07:33
The small- size flour tortillas (about 6" diameter) fit nicely in my little fry pan. For warming, I flip and remove them before they are to the finger- burning point. I use a sawed- off pancake flipper for making quesadillas and pizzas.
taildragger
04-03-2008, 09:24
I've always just kept them in the original baggie and they've done fine. 12 will last me about 6 days.
BTW, some zesty tuna, tomato basil cabot cheese, and PB...mmmmm mmmm mmmm delicious
Mrs Baggins
04-03-2008, 10:07
I've always just kept them in the original baggie and they've done fine. 12 will last me about 6 days.
BTW, some zesty tuna, tomato basil cabot cheese, and PB...mmmmm mmmm mmmm delicious
I found Thai chili tuna in these tiny cans - that has to be amazing! They come in these little "lunch kit" things. I just took out the tuna and threw away the rest of it. The cans are very small and weigh about the same as the little foil packets of chunk tuna - maybe less. Comes in other flavors, too.
budforester
04-03-2008, 10:23
I found Thai chili tuna in these tiny cans - that has to be amazing! They come in these little "lunch kit" things. I just took out the tuna and threw away the rest of it. The cans are very small and weigh about the same as the little foil packets of chunk tuna - maybe less. Comes in other flavors, too.
Sarbar also spoke of some flavored tuna thingys recently, here's a link (http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/myblog.htm?blogentryid=3151238)... sounds very good. The ones I found seemed pricy; I'm watching for them on sale.
Mrs Baggins
04-03-2008, 11:05
Sarbar also spoke of some flavored tuna thingys recently, here's a link (http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/myblog.htm?blogentryid=3151238)... sounds very good. The ones I found seemed pricy; I'm watching for them on sale.
Yep, that's the brand. I bought the little ones, not the 5 oz ones. It's enough for me.
envirodiver
04-03-2008, 11:12
Yep, that's the brand. I bought the little ones, not the 5 oz ones. It's enough for me.
Yup, the Thai chili tuna rocks. I haven't seen it around here in the lunch paks though, just the 5oz.. I'll keep an eye out for it. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/happy093.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)
I take the small tortillias and I have a small plastic cutting board that I take also. Put the tortillia's and cutting board together in a ziploc and they are protected from breakage.
Hikes in Rain
04-03-2008, 13:34
Flour tortillas are best for quick chicken enchiladas.
Absolutely correct! Thank you for reminding me not to speak in absolutes. (I almost always fix beef. At least that's my excuse)
Those Sensation tuna cans are good, the 5 ounce can is huge though. Really good on a wrap!
Pennsylvania Rose
04-03-2008, 20:59
Tortillas are our favorite trail bread (along with mini bagels). Never had a problem with them getting moldy or drying out. I like the smaller size best, but have used the huge ones, too.
Our favorite wraps: foil packet of tuna with a couple packets of Long John Silver's tartar sauce; pb and honey; cheese and Taco Bell sauce; Fantastic Foods instant refried beans and cheddar cheese - sometimes with instant rice.
Mongoose2
04-03-2008, 21:08
Question? How long will the chedder cheese last on the trail? Ziplock or foil??
Question? How long will the chedder cheese last on the trail? Ziplock or foil??
Buy it in small sizes, either in blocks or in single serving packs. Don't do shredded. The harder the better as well. Most of it will carry at least a week in your pack. Just don't touch it a lot with grubby hands! It will get oily, that is normal.
Pennsylvania Rose
04-03-2008, 21:32
I use a lot of cheese, so 8 oz blocks don't last long enough to get nasty, although in the summer the cheese gets oily. I keep it in a ziploc. Remember, cheese was invented long before refrigeration, and was a convenient long term way to store excess milk.
I have been eating the flour tortillias for many years, love no-cook meals. I like to wrap up a tortillia with ingredients from a block of hard cheese, summer sausage, and any small condiment, hot sauce, mayo, etc. The hard cheese and sausage will usually last for about 4 days before going bad on me, and that is in the middle of the summer. I also like tuna, salmon, and chicken tortillias. You can add whatever you want to them. I like to carry a little Texas Pete, Tobasco and Chinese mustard in the small condiment packs. I collect condiment packs throughout the year.
wpbucher
04-04-2008, 13:08
Sarbar also spoke of some flavored tuna thingys recently, here's a link (http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/myblog.htm?blogentryid=3151238)... sounds very good. The ones I found seemed pricy; I'm watching for them on sale.
So what can be made from the empty BumbleBee Sensations can? It weighs 13 g. Nice looking can. I guess because it is painted or somehow imprinted...rather than a paper label. Any ideas?
HippieHiker
04-16-2008, 13:47
My favorite food while out on the trail is rice, chicken and cheese rolled up in a tortilla. It makes a pretty tasty dinner. I also make thanksgiving dinner.....mashed potatoes, stuffing, and turkey all mixed together.
I don't know if you can post direct links to videos on YouTube here? Anyhoo, about 2 weeks ago I did a video on making warm, melty tortillas :)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Freezerbagcooking look for Trail Cooking: Episode 1 for the video :)
I don't know if you can post direct links to videos on YouTube here? Anyhoo, about 2 weeks ago I did a video on making warm, melty tortillas :)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Freezerbagcooking look for Trail Cooking: Episode 1 for the video :)
Excellent video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWwW5BPkCec), Sarbar. Thanks for sharing with us. I just happened to notice a couple from Skids (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITr1Ht4ndnY&feature=related) on there, too.
Mrs Baggins
04-16-2008, 14:15
So........I took along a package of spinach tortillas for my short section from Wayah Bald to Stecoah Gap. I ate precisely one of them. I had to fold the pack on itself a couple of times to get it into my food bag. When I opened it to take one out for lunch they were stuck together and the one I finally got was shredding as I pulled it away from it's friends. I put a whole packet of tuna in it and it was delicious. But I didn't bother with them again. I gave the packet to a hiker that had two dogs with her. I just ate the tuna. I took a block of Irish cheddar and dumped it at NOC - I hadn't used it and it was getting very yellow and oily looking. So lunches were just tuna, jerky, and Snickers Charged bars. Next time out I'll take the smaller wraps and give them a try. I'll take pre-sliced cheese (the kind that's individually wrapped) and of course more tuna. Especially the fabulous thai chili flavor!
So........I took along a package of spinach tortillas for my short section from Wayah Bald to Stecoah Gap. I ate precisely one of them. I had to fold the pack on itself a couple of times to get it into my food bag. When I opened it to take one out for lunch they were stuck together and the one I finally got was shredding as I pulled it away from it's friends. I put a whole packet of tuna in it and it was delicious. But I didn't bother with them again. I gave the packet to a hiker that had two dogs with her. I just ate the tuna. I took a block of Irish cheddar and dumped it at NOC - I hadn't used it and it was getting very yellow and oily looking. So lunches were just tuna, jerky, and Snickers Charged bars. Next time out I'll take the smaller wraps and give them a try. I'll take pre-sliced cheese (the kind that's individually wrapped) and of course more tuna. Especially the fabulous thai chili flavor!The cheese is going to get oily, that's normal for it to do. If you're having a problem with totillas sticking together, might I humbly suggest parchment or wax paper between each one before repackaging them in a ziplock. Works for me. :D
budforester
04-16-2008, 15:05
I use the smaller tortillas and pack them "flat" as best I can. Maybe against the pack's stays or rolled in a sleep- pad. If they must go in the grub- bag, I put them against the side and pack other stuff behind them. I still get some damage if I'm too rough with stuffing things in. I'll have to try Hooch's suggestion of separator sheets.
D'Artagnan
04-16-2008, 15:37
If you can find them, the sun-dried tomato and basil flavor are GREAT! I've also tried the jalapeno variety and like them with ham and swiss with a little onion and chive cream cheese. (Not for warm weather. ;))
I don't know if you can post direct links to videos on YouTube here? Anyhoo, about 2 weeks ago I did a video on making warm, melty tortillas :)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Freezerbagcooking look for Trail Cooking: Episode 1 for the video :)
Add some chicken or even sausage in there and a little onion and hot sauce and you are really cookin'. ;)
Mmmmmm!
Mrs Baggins
04-16-2008, 16:07
Add some chicken or even sausage in there and a little onion and hot sauce and you are really cookin'. ;)
Mmmmmm!
As wonderful as that all sounds, I don't see how on earth people can carry all that variety of food! I envy those of you who can manage it. I had just enough food for 3 days at a time - one packet of oatmeal/day; one small zip lock of dried fruits and nuts; 1 small pkt of tuna/day; 1 zip locked bag of Lipton sides/day; tea bags and coffee bags; 2 Snickers/day; 1 small zip locked bag of jerky.......and it was too heavy. Onions? Hot sauce? Sausages? I'll have to save that for town. This little Hobbit body can't carry all of that. :o
As wonderful as that all sounds, I don't see how on earth people can carry all that variety of food! I envy those of you who can manage it. I had just enough food for 3 days at a time - one packet of oatmeal/day; one small zip lock of dried fruits and nuts; 1 small pkt of tuna/day; 1 zip locked bag of Lipton sides/day; tea bags and coffee bags; 2 Snickers/day; 1 small zip locked bag of jerky.......and it was too heavy. Onions? Hot sauce? Sausages? I'll have to save that for town. This little Hobbit body can't carry all of that. :o
Chicken packet is like tuna pkt. Or a little sausage stik. A small onion weighs very little. Hot sauce packet (taco bell, etc...) or a small bottle of Habenero sauce or what ever. No biggie
If your tortillas are sticking together, try gently "kneading" them when you bring them from the store. Hold at 9 and 3, and bend back and forth. Then 12 and 6, bend. Gentle now.
They get stuck in the cartons, weight...
Store/carry them flatish.
As wonderful as that all sounds, I don't see how on earth people can carry all that variety of food! I envy those of you who can manage it. I had just enough food for 3 days at a time - one packet of oatmeal/day; one small zip lock of dried fruits and nuts; 1 small pkt of tuna/day; 1 zip locked bag of Lipton sides/day; tea bags and coffee bags; 2 Snickers/day; 1 small zip locked bag of jerky.......and it was too heavy. Onions? Hot sauce? Sausages? I'll have to save that for town. This little Hobbit body can't carry all of that. :o
Lol...I prefer food over clean underwear and extra pants :D My food bag is a scary site indeed. After starving myself one time I learned I can handle 4 day old socks but I NEED food that is tasty ;)
Lol...I prefer food over clean underwear and extra pants :D My food bag is a scary site indeed. After starving myself one time I learned I can handle 4 day old socks but I NEED food that is tasty ;)
No kidding! These things plus maybe a little Cajun seasoning and a Garlic clove or two make the eating part MUCH more enjoyable and the weight is almost negligable.
Carry spices, Herbs and life is mo' bettuh.