[pct-l] How to Use a BakePacker

[reynolds@ilan.com]

A Bake Packer is a metal grid that sits inside a standard backpacking pot.
Assuming you carry such a pot the BakePacker adds about 4 ounces to your
pack weight if you leave the outer ring on and about 2.5 ounces if you
remove it [removing the outer ring is easy but you risk cutting your hands
on the exposed metal]

A BakePacker allows you to "bake" food in a plastic bag [standard 1 gallon
plastic storage bag]. The following things are trivial to cook in a
BakePacker

1-Omelots/Scrambled eggs-I use cheap powdered eggs available from REI. I
add water according to directions and cook in the BakePacker. For scrambled
eggs it is best to stir the eggs midway because the edgs cook firmer than
the inside. For a firm omelot this is not necessary. I do not bother with
butter, salt or anything like that. I have tried bacon bits [very nice] and
things like that but I prefer to keep it simple.

2-Cake-I use Pillsbury or Betty Crocker cake mix. I prefer the "pudding in
mix" variety. I use 1 teaspoon of powdered egg [mentioned above] per 1/2
cup of cake mix. I don't bother with oil, butter or anything else. Since
the cake will come out hot and moist you wil not need frosting. The top of
the cake [the open end of the bag] will look ugly. Usually we "Flip it
over" on the top of the pan to show the bottom that looks like a cake.

3-Corn Bread-Same as above

4-Bisquits-I use Bisquick and water. This is so trivial it is amazing. 1/8
cup of Bisquick will provide a 6" round by 1/2" thick "pancake" that you
spread jam, honey or peanut butter on.

5-Fish-I use a handcasting line [4 ounces total including weight and flies]
to catch fish. I fillet them [not necessary] and kind of steam them in a
bag. It is not as good as a fryingpan because there is no butter or grease
but the meat comes out firm and well cooked.

6-Rice-I used to use instant rice but is had no taste. Then I used standard
rice but the rice stuck to the pan making a mess. Now I add 2 parts of
water to 1 part of rice and dump it in the bag. In about 20 miniutes I have
a riceball and no mess. I tend to use gravy mix as a sauce but a small
amount of chile [made from powder] will really liven up the taste. With
only 1 pot I find it useful to set aside the rice in the bag while I
prepare the chile or gravy.

You can do lots fancier things such as pizza but these are "keep it simple"
items. Cornbread for eggs or breakfast, PB&J on cooked "pancake" for lunch
and an egg, rice and fish burrito [I happen to carry tortillas because they
keep well but you could make one out of bisquick I you wanted] for dinner
topped off by a hot cake.

Using this method I use more fuel but limit my food weight to one [skimpy]
to 1 1/2 pound [generous] per day. Most thru and section hikers carry much
more. [Note to thru hikers: Yes I know, more than a pound a day of food is
required to sustain a thruhiker. The facts are, however, that most
thruhikers carry easy to prepare junk that doesn't any more calories than
my plan. They just gorge at town stops]

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