Taking fresh meats on hikes – how long does it last?

[Pedro Arvy]

Many, many years ago, before the era of political correctness, before the era of absurd insurance every which way you turned, while dinosaurs still roamed the earth somewhere in the deep dark early 80’, I was a boy scout. Back in those days we were sent on overnight hikes on 30 degree (90F) temperatures and our leaders gave us meat for our evening meal. Typically this was a piece of chicken which we’d cook up after it had been exposed the full force of the day’s heat. And as far as I can remember no one ever got sick.

Turn to 2015 and the thought of taking unrefrigerated meat on an overnight hike is something I simply wouldn't contemplate. I have been brainwashed by our molly-coddled society into thinking this couldn't possibly be safe. By could I get away with it?

I have read reports of people taking frozen steaks that thaw by the time it gets to dark and that sounds quite safe. But I am wondering if unfrozen steak would really go off after a day in a pack. Two days in a pack? What about if it was vacuum sealed, how could bacteria get to it? Would it last longer or would it also go off eventually? Is there anyone who really pushes it and eats fresh meat on the second or third day of a hike?

[Bob Gross]

On a backpacking trip, there are too many things over which I have no control. The one thing that I don't want to have to worry about is food spoilage. So, I carry forms of meat that have a bit of preservation going on, like sausage. Summer sausage, specifically, was developed so that it wouldn't go bad in summer weather.

–B.G.–

[David Thomas]

The risk with chicken isn't the meat so much as the samanelia on the skin. Ground meat of any type is riskier than a cut of meat.

In 20C / 70F temps, two frozen steaks would last over 24 hours kept wrapped in your sleeping bag(s). I've done that with frozen salmon, wedding cake and champagne on backpacking trips.

Meats last many days at refrigerator temps. Letting it get cold at night and keeping it well insulated during the day could often be done for days in the mountains.

Another approach is to cook it first, saving you weight and time and fuel on the trail. Frozen, cooked fahjati meat, dehydrated beans, hard cheese, etc could make tasty burritos or soft tacos 2-3 nights out.

[Pedro Arvy]

Point taken about the chicken Dave, I didn't know that.

The meat I am most interested in taking is rib eye steak.
Add some fresh mushrooms to fry, a spud or two to bake in coals, mustard and that's a great meal.
Its heavy but on an overnight hike, which is the majority of what I can these days, I can live it up.

I don't like freezing steak, doesn't it affect the taste?

[Katherine .]

how do you like your steak cooked? I'd count rare v. well done among the risk variables.

[Ken Thompson]

I hiked with a guy who hiked in a marinated pork roast. He said the marinate helps keep it from spoiling. Salt.

It was delicious.

[Pedro Arvy]

I like it medium rare, a pit of pink inside is nice. I see people are posting all about risk, and yes I get that, but my question is, with steak, is there any real risk at all? Does steak go off after 24 hours? And with a vacuum sealer, which I'd be quite prepared to buy, would it last even longer?

The marinade sounds good as it improves the flavour. What's the recipe exactly? How long does it need to soak?

[Katherine .]

Probably too many variables for you to get a definitive answer.

If I were hiking with you in not-too-hot weather and you insulated it in some way and cooked it the first night, I'd eat it!

[Ken Thompson]

Google will be your friend here as there must be a thousand recipes to satisfy any tastes.

[David Thomas]

I'm less knowagable about steak storage than fish, but fish is touchier than steak and I am expert on preserving salmon and halibut.

Skip the vacuum packer if just for this app. Trim the steak, add just a few ounces of marinade in a freezer bag, and "burp" most of the marinade out of the 90% sealed zip lock with a friend (or practice) to seal the bag 100% as you reach maximum compression. That way, there is no air in the bag – only marinade. Even better for long-term storage than vac-packing. Then put it in a really cold freezer. I keep one of out three freezers really cold for flash freezing and long-term storage. Put it on a wire rack so it freezes fast from both sides. A small fan in the freezer does even better.

[Pedro Arvy]

This steak marinade looks pretty kick ass to me

[James Marco]

Yeah, a salt and vinegar marinade is the old recipe for pickling meat. (Pickled heart, pickled tongue, pigs feet, etc.) Spices are optional. I never considered these as "fresh" meats. But packed in brine, they are good indefinitely. I believe they used to sell pickled sausages this way in small packets.

As David said, get all the air out when repackaging. Even rinsing and adding a bit of water will help a lot. Chicken is the worst, since it spoils easily, but there is a couple ways things can spoil. One is mold, which inhibits bacterial growth (the second way.) Mold is not dangerous. Bacterial growth is. Aged beef is really good and tender. Often it is moldy on the outside with a whitish rind. Just cut this away to get at the good meat. Internal enzymes will start breaking down the connective tissue making it much more tender. But this also requires a good sized chunk of meat.

I sometimes bring a couple steaks, they are good for about 24 hours with no real problems. I try to get it cooked up the first night. From there I get another 24 hours making a stew the second day from bones/fat/meat scraps. This is taking no special precautions, just dropping them in a closed baggie with a bit of water. I never have a cooler. Nor do I go out of my way to keep it from spoiling. I know it is safe for 24 hours either side of cooking. More if you are out in cold weather(<40F.)

[Richard Lyon]

Often I'll pack a frozen steak or kebab for dinner the first night. If it's steak I prefer it rare.Great way to celebrate being in the backcountry! David is right – airtight repackaging really helps preserve the meat and avoid bacteria.

[Sumi Wada]

I take steaks on overnight trips. I would normally avoid freezing steaks but will do it for warm-weather trips. Trust me, when you've been hiking all day, and you're eating steak instead of rehydrated-dried-stuff-in-a-plastic-bag, you won't care.

Marinades definitely work as a preservative, especially if it's acidic. A classic gremolata is good — chopped parsely, minced garlic and grated lemon zest. Add a small amount of olive oil and rub it in; you can just put it right in the pan/grill.

Another good strategy is to quick-sear the steak at home in a really hot pan, cool it immediately in the freezer (you don't have to freeze it) and wrap it as airtight as possible.

[Adrian Swanson]

The problem with acid (citrus, vinegar, etc.) is that it often has a negative impact on the texture of meats–making tender cuts tough (i.e. Ribeye) and tough cuts mushy.
A little is OK, but it's better to add the acid after cooking to balance flavors.
Fresh meat, liberally salted before hiking would certainly be fine for at least 12 hours.

[Sumi Wada]

>> The problem with acid (citrus, vinegar, etc.) is that it often has a negative impact on the texture of meats–making tender cuts tough (i.e. Ribeye) and tough cuts mushy.

Huh? (I'm guessing you're not a chef.)

Acidic marinade ingredients like lemon/lime/orange zest (not the juice), herbs like rosemary, sweeteners like honey, sugar, and oils will all work to extend the shelf life of fresh meats. Restaurants and chefs have been using this strategy forever.

Classic Florentine steak is a thick porterhouse (i.e. ribeye+tenderloin) marinated in balsamic vinegar, usually with rosemary and olive oil added.

Traditional roasted pork in any Latino cuisine (Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican…) involves long marinades in various combinations of orange/lime juice and vinegar, with spices/herbs and usually some sweetener. We're talking the big tough cheap cuts. Nothing mushy about it.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Well…for one thing HOW animals are raised and slaughtered has changed. Also, how you cook said meat plays into it. Chicken isn't the issue for example, but not cooking it well enough is. The nasties are there, but you can char them dead usually. Modern is….keep meat cold, cook fully. But that is also insurance talking there. You are usually safer with home grown meat than big ag.

Now then….one run in with Salmonella will cure you of ANY love of poultry I can tell you.My idiot roommate in college poisoned us one Thanksgiving with undercooked turkey. No way would I want that ever on a trail.

So no, I do not carry raw meat. To me the risk isn't worth it.

PS: Vac sealing DOES NOT stop bacteria. What makes food shelf stable is the process of canning – which is how you can have packets of meat. It is never raw though. It is cooked. And unless you know exactly what you are doing, this is something no one at home has any business trying (botulism).

[Bob Shaver]

Its hard to beat steak for dinner the first night, with fresh potatoes and onions. I'd risk having steak from a frozen piece on the second night, if the nights are cold. Expect a lot more interest in your food from bears if your camp smells like steak, and there is steak in your hung food, and your hair and clothes smell like cooked steak.

[Jerry Adams]

Hot dogs – freeze to start and they should be thawed the first night – easy to cook over fire

Kind of disgusting "food" if you think about it too hard, so don't do that

[Dale Wambaugh]

Hot dogs are already cooked. Sausages vary, but most need some level of refrigeration. Dried/cured sausage is another species.

I could see keeping a well wrapped steak on ice until the last minute at the trailhead and having it for dinner. You could use some dry ice to keep it cold, reduce the weight, and escape the terrors of melting ice in your pack. With it buried in insulated clothing and/or a Reflectix cozy it would stay pretty cold. Of course you must add a beer with all that cold handy :)

My daughter had a bout of e coli and spent a week in the hospital. Believe me, you never want to go there.

[Charlie W]

It's a different world today — it's not just modern PC or liability. In the 80s we kept eggs unrefrigerated for months (this was on a submarine) and never had any problems. You'd be totally screwed if you did this today at least in the US. There's just too much salmonella everywhere now.

Beef is less risky, but your mass-produced beef cow lives in conditions that promote hazardous bacteria, including overcrowding and contact with a lot of concentrated poo. The inside of the meat is OK and probably safer (less parasites) than ever in the past. But you are counting on the butcher to give you a clean cut not contaminated by the surface of the animal.

Salty marinate should at least slow growth of surface contaminants, which is good.

You can buy from a local farmer and reduce risk resulting from overcrowding and concentrated poo, but you may be trading those risks for others (e.g., how good is the butcher?, parasites, etc.). I do that but it is a complicated choice.

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