Not sure if I should be putting this here or in the gear forum, but here goes. How do you bring in foods that should be refrigerated? I'm thinking steaks for the first night and eggs for the following morning. Going in June so it could be hot or cold, and I'm not sure if I need to worry about keeping the eggs cold overnight after we take the steak out.

Could we just freeze the meat in zip-locks and pack them next to the eggs and call it good? Maybe newspaper to insulate and to use as fire starter once we are done with it? I'm just a little worried about going too far in either direction, too cold and we have frozen meat that I'm not sure how we would thaw, too hot and it spoils before we can eat it.

I try to buy eggs from a farmer or farmer's market and get eggs that have not been refrigerated. They will keep fine unrefrigerated for the duration of your trip. I have kept store-bought eggs unrefrigerated during a trip with no problem, but the farm eggs are better.

As for steaks, freeze 'em and use when thawed on the first or second day.

quote bobbernumber3: "I try to buy eggs from a farmer or farmer's market and get eggs that have not been refrigerated. They will keep fine unrefrigerated for the duration of your trip. I have kept store-bought eggs unrefrigerated during a trip with no problem, but the farm eggs are better.


As for steaks, freeze 'em and use when thawed on the first or second day."

Pretty much exactly that. I usually will duct tape the eggs in the paper carton directly to the underside of the stern seat. Sometimes they get bubble wrapped first, but not always. We've carried eggs up to day 5 or so on August trips.

Last August we made soft tacos with romaine that I had separated, washed, and dried off ahead of time at home on day 3. It was always kept at the top of the barrel to avoid bruising.

Other folks mess around with soft sided coolers or dry ice or frozen jugs of water to keep fresh stuff for longer. I've always wanted to try evaporative cooling but so far haven't had the opportunity or need.

A lot of times foods are kept cold for appearance or long shelf life. Some cheeses are a good example here. They might get oily after a few days but they're still good. I usually carry one string cheese per person per day on trips including August and they're still edible by the end of the trip. One suggestion for string cheese, however, is to find a brand ahead of time that doesn't package their cheese 'damp.' Last summer I found Frigo string cheese to be noticeably moist direct from the fridge at home which translated to almost sour first bites towards the end of the trip. Sargento string cheese so far seems drier.

You're in the right place...
I vacuum seal our steaks & freeze them, ziplocks work the same. If I had multiple steaks, I would freeze them separately & place plastic wrap, non stick foil or something between the steaks so they don't end up a solid block that you can't separate. I pack ours buried in ice for the trip up north along with other frozen items, like pre-cooked chicken or sautéed veggies etc. Once we are ready to go, everything goes into a small soft sided cooler (no ice). Never had a problem with items getting warm or being too frozen. Make sure to check on your steaks when you get into camp & either leave them in the cooler if they are ready to go or take out to thaw some more. If you feel they are too frozen, one trick I use at home is to place them on metal such as a griddle or pan...It draws out the cold for easier defrosting...but you can put a frozen steak on the fire grate no problem.

Onto the eggs...I switched to ova easy powdered. Previously I used to take a rediculous bulky egg carrier. Then started bringing them cracked in a nalgene. Here is a link to a previous thread that should give you...lots of info. Ahem. Lots.
Eggs...every which way & a lesson on fresh

We usually go for 7 days and base camp and I save the steaks for late in the trip depending on the weather. I freeze and vacuum seal everything I am bringing. We typically bring:

1 large pack of hot dogs in case we get skunked fishing
4 Nice Ribeye's
2 bottles squeeze butter
4 dozen eggs
3 bricks of cheese
4 pounds of sausage
2 pounds venison snack sticks

I freeze everything except the eggs solid before I go and make sure that everything is vacuum sealed. I pack as much ice in as possible and then I buy a big chunk of dry ice that I add to the cooler immediately before going in. I have used both a soft sided cooler in the past and now a smaller regular coleman cooler. I have a small Duluth pack dedicated to the cooler and we make sure to leave the cooler in the pack and cover it with what ever extra packs we have in camp for additional insulation. I look for an area that won't receive sun, usually under a pine tree is a good spot. It's not uncommon for us to have ice on the last day of a 7 day trip. I try to only open the cooler once a day.

I've found going in October helps.

Do scan through the Gear posts, too. Quite a few threads on insulated packs, ice/no ice, etc.

Eggs straight from the farm that are unwashed will keep for around 40 days unrefrigerated. In Europe eggs are sold off grocery shelves and stored at home in the kitchen cabinet rather than in refrigeration. Or so I've been told.

I will usually take as small as a soft sided cooler as I can with the amount of food I am taking. I have steaks and frozen vegetables the first night. I will take frozen egg beaters and use that to make French toast for second day breakfast. I also take in some lunch meat for the first 2 or 3 lunches. I will have a couple of Gatorade bottles. I start the trip with everything frozen solid and only open the cooler when needed. Items are usually cold through the send supper. Cold Gatorade is usually drank the second supper.

quote boconorm: "I will usually take as small as a soft sided cooler as I can with the amount of food I am taking. I have steaks and frozen vegetables the first night. I will take frozen egg beaters and use that to make French toast for second day breakfast. I also take in some lunch meat for the first 2 or 3 lunches. I will have a couple of Gatorade bottles. I start the trip with everything frozen solid and only open the cooler when needed. Items are usually cold through the send supper. Cold Gatorade is usually drank the second supper."

About the same for me except the Gatorade gets drank the first night and then the bottle becomes my old man middle of the night "pee" bottle.

quote A1t2o: " I'm just a little worried about going too far in either direction, too cold and we have frozen meat that I'm not sure how we would thaw, too hot and it spoils before we can eat it."

Quite frankly our meat thaws on day one.

We leave the cities on Friday's late morning - with a frozen steak in our cooler (on ice) - and put in - on Saturday morning - leaving the cooler behind. By the time we reach our campsite, and get ready for the night -the steak is thawed.

I personally wouldn't count on your frozen meat staying frozen for too long - unless you brought an 8# whole chicken with... ;-)

quote ObiWenonahKenobi: "Eggs straight from the farm that are unwashed will keep for around 40 days unrefrigerated. In Europe eggs are sold off grocery shelves and stored at home in the kitchen cabinet rather than in refrigeration. Or so I've been told."

Since unwashed farm fresh eggs are likely to have things like chicken poop on them, I curious how you handle them.

I've taken fresh fro the store - usually Zups - for two weeks with no concern - but September and October trips usually.

quote MNLindsey80: "

quote A1t2o: " I'm just a little worried about going too far in either direction, too cold and we have frozen meat that I'm not sure how we would thaw, too hot and it spoils before we can eat it."

Quite frankly our meat thaws on day one.


We leave the cities on Friday's late morning - with a frozen steak in our cooler (on ice) - and put in - on Saturday morning - leaving the cooler behind. By the time we reach our campsite, and get ready for the night -the steak is thawed.


I personally wouldn't count on your frozen meat staying frozen for too long - unless you brought an 8# whole chicken with... ;-)"

I don't know where you stay that night before entry but our outfitter puts our whole softsided cooler in their freezer. Pretty solid when we shove off.

We've always used a soft pack cooler with dry ice. Never a problem keeping meats frozen and veges in gd shape. We're big foodies so fresh ingredients are essential.

quote billconner: "

quote MNLindsey80: "

quote A1t2o: " I'm just a little worried about going too far in either direction, too cold and we have frozen meat that I'm not sure how we would thaw, too hot and it spoils before we can eat it."

Quite frankly our meat thaws on day one.



We leave the cities on Friday's late morning - with a frozen steak in our cooler (on ice) - and put in - on Saturday morning - leaving the cooler behind. By the time we reach our campsite, and get ready for the night -the steak is thawed.



I personally wouldn't count on your frozen meat staying frozen for too long - unless you brought an 8# whole chicken with... ;-)"

I don't know where you stay that night before entry but our outfitter puts our whole softsided cooler in their freezer. Pretty solid when we shove off."

AS long as you remember to get it when you shove off. I have read some sad trip reports about steaks left behind.... not good

dr bob

Knock on wood, so far so good, and our outfitter is pretty good so usually has gotten it when he saw us in the morning. Only have done it 2-3 times, and fresh is mostly limited to first night brats from Zups.

quote billconner:

Since unwashed farm fresh eggs are likely to have things like chicken poop on them, I curious how you handle them.
"

Pack, store, handle and use as store-bought eggs... only skip the refrigerator. Whatever is on the outside of the egg does not affect the inside due to the natural protective layer called "bloom". Washing right before use is a good idea, but I have never bothered.

We drive 1000 miles to Ely, so we buy chicken fillets,steaks,sausage,hard salami,cheese,butter and freeze it all the evening before at the bunkhouse/outfitters. We wrap it in newspapers,block it in a double paper bag and nest it in the food pack. The chicken is used first and usually bacon last. By day three's breakfast we only have salami and cheese to "use up". We trip in late May or early June and even in a warm year have never had a problem. Use it S it thaws, take some care to 're-wrap'it and nest it.......no cooler needed with a little shade and thoughtfulness. Eggs?.....they will keep No problem. The worst problem we had was the Swiss cheese getting a bit oily by day 4 in a warm week. We adjust our menu to the "thaw" and usually out of fresh meat by day 4.

With some planning and care, it's not difficult at all to keep fresh meat cold into Day 3. Sure, the pack's going to be heavier than with freeze dried items, but it's easily done if that's the route you choose. Lots of threads here to search and find.

quote bobbernumber3: "

quote billconner:


Since unwashed farm fresh eggs are likely to have things like chicken poop on them, I curious how you handle them.
"

Pack, store, handle and use as store-bought eggs... only skip the refrigerator. Whatever is on the outside of the egg does not affect the inside due to the natural protective layer called "bloom". Washing right before use is a good idea, but I have never bothered."

It's the handling I was concerned about. Like how to crack it into a pan.

Not sure store bought bother me.

quote billconner: "It's the handling I was concerned about. Like how to crack it into a pan.


Not sure store bought bother me."

Wipe the side you're going to crack on your pant leg. This takes care of the big chunks. Frying will take care of the rest of the minor bacteria.

Really, how is this a problem?

quote schweady: "

quote billconner: "It's the handling I was concerned about. Like how to crack it into a pan.



Not sure store bought bother me."

Wipe the side you're going to crack on your pant leg. This takes care of the big chunks. Frying will take care of the rest of the minor bacteria.


Really, how is this a problem?
"

Many sources recommend washing unwashed eggs in warm water before using, and warm water is not always plentiful in camp. And then washing hands again. That's all. I prefer to take my chances with washed store bought eggs kept un-refrigerated versus unwashed eggs.

But interesting to find in a little looking: "A 38-country survey by the International Egg Commission found that people feel strongly about how their eggs should look. The Irish, French, Czechs, Hungarians, Portuguese, Nigerians and Brits hanker for brown eggs. Canadians, Finns, Americans and Indians prefer white shells. Dutchmen and Argentines don't seem to care." My aunt and uncle raised chickens and sold eggs, always brown, so I ended up thinking brown were better than white - not that I care much. Diversity is a good thing in eggs too I guess - brown vs. white, washed vs. unwashed.