Keeping food cool without a cooler?

[bluepoof]

I don't have a trailer or tons of storage space on the bike. :(

Generally, I stick to shelf-stable cheeses and freeze dried foods, but occasionally I'd like to bring thawed ground beef to that night's campfire.

My first thought is one of those thermal bags, but I've only ever used them to carry meat from one person's house to another. Would filling it full of ice and putting beef in it still leave the meat edible a few hours later?

http://www.koldtogo.com/images/25-liter-grocery-thermal-bag.gif

Any other ideas for keeping food cool/cold while motocamping if you don't have a cooler?

[Ironheadziggy76]

I use one of the small soft coolers that fit in a saddlebag. It also helps if you can start out with your meat frozen if you are going to be a day or two.

For just a few hours you should be fine with the thermal bag with ice in it.

[Clamper]

Ritz and Cheez Whiz, mmmm who needs a cooler. :D

I've seen those bags and never gave them much though.

[bigTom]

I use a soft cooler and frozen water bottles. You have to know it gets pretty warm in this part of the world...

[ImRubicon]

You need a cooler if its going to be more than a couple of hours . they have all sorts of softside ones that will fit in the sidebags . I have a Jeep logo one that has a couple of pockets that I strap on the back rack. Through in a couple of froozen water bottles and what ever fits is cool for a day

[Yamifj1200]

I use a polar bear soft sided cooler. I have a the 12 pack cooler and it fits inside my top case. It can easily keep drinks and meats cold for over 24 hours. It also packs nice and flat when needed. I can higly recomend them...
http://www.polarbearcoolers.com/

Eric

[Ripshod]

Any decent foldable soft cooler will keep food edible for a long day's ride. some are better than others, of course. The Polar Bears look like high quality.

For camping trips, I try to make the first night's meal first-class by taking along some choice cuts from the local butcher. I usually stick the empty cooler in the freezer overnight before departure. It might be overkill, but every little bit helps. A couple of frozen water bottles under the meat, then a pre-chopped, ready-to-cook foil pouch of veggies and potatoes, sized to fit the cooler's interior, on top of that will keep it all perfect for over 12 hours. For hamburger, go ahead and freeze it. Wrap it in foil and plastic wrap and it probably won't completely thaw for a couple of days.

It's perfectly okay to refuse to eat less-than-delicious food while camping. We always make it a point to pull into the last grocery store and/or beer store before hitting the campground. You never know what you'll find. Sometimes the steaks look fresh and delicious, sometimes it's the salmon filets. In many cases, there's a store close-by enough to go back after dumping gear at the site. Just toss in a bag of ice and the beer will stay cold way past bedtime. I also like to toss in a couple of bottles of orange juice for a good shot of energy in the morning. If you work at it, there's no reason you can't eat just as well while camping as you would at home.

[Yamifj1200]

Any decent foldable soft cooler will keep food edible for a long day's ride. some are better than others, of course. The Polar Bears look like high quality.

For camping trips, I try to make the first night's meal first-class by taking along some choice cuts from the local butcher. I usually stick the empty cooler in the freezer overnight before departure. It might be overkill, but every little bit helps. A couple of frozen water bottles under the meat, then a pre-chopped, ready-to-cook foil pouch of veggies and potatoes, sized to fit the cooler's interior, on top of that will keep it all perfect for over 12 hours. For hamburger, go ahead and freeze it. Wrap it in foil and plastic wrap and it probably won't completely thaw for a couple of days.

It's perfectly okay to refuse to eat less-than-delicious food while camping. We always make it a point to pull into the last grocery store and/or beer store before hitting the campground. You never know what you'll find. Sometimes the steaks look fresh and delicious, sometimes it's the salmon filets. In many cases, there's a store close-by enough to go back after dumping gear at the site. Just toss in a bag of ice and the beer will stay cold way past bedtime. I also like to toss in a couple of bottles of orange juice for a good shot of energy in the morning. If you work at it, there's no reason you can't eat just as well while camping as you would at home.


I totally agree......lol

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/Yamifj1200/IMG_1821.jpg


Eric

[TJ Willy]

I like to grill fish over a primitive camp fire when possible. To do this, I have to plan ahead. I am one of those minimalist guys - sort of... so any meats I pick up close to camp. It has been as far as a couple hours from camp or a lot closer. But I just don't like to pack along stuff from home. I have asked the butcher to put filets in a zip lock bag of ice before then wrap it all real good in freezer paper. It has always lasted long enough to get to camp. I never leave without a couple of MREs.. the new kind. And when I can, I love to try the local favorites.

My last trip ended with a good time a local micro brewery where the garlic texas toast bbq sandwich was fabulous! The party afterward was great too. I am an official honorary citizen of Trinidad CO now! (This is coming in a ride report near you soon. :) )

[Motocentaur]

I've had good luck packing a frozen steak or whatever, which is then thawed (but still cool) by dinner time.

[ZZRrocket]

I've had good luck packing a frozen steak or whatever, which is then thawed (but still cool) by dinner time.

That's an great idea! I will have to try that on my next trip. Thanks

[Black and Blue]

I use a polar bear soft sided cooler. I have a the 12 pack cooler and it fits inside my top case. It can easily keep drinks and meats cold for over 24 hours. It also packs nice and flat when needed. I can higly recomend them...
http://www.polarbearcoolers.com/

Eric

I finally splurged and bought the 12 pack cooler by Polar Bear. What an awesome cooler. By that I mean, it is REALLY insulated! I put ice in it, sat it in the yard in the sun all day and it is not melted yet. I like to try anything new out before taking it on the road if possible and I agree that this will work wonderfully. The plastic liner is a solid piece (with no seams), so when the ice does melt, it won't leak out all over everything.

[Yamifj1200]

I finally splurged and bought the 12 pack cooler by Polar Bear. What an awesome cooler. By that I mean, it is REALLY insulated! I put ice in it, sat it in the yard in the sun all day and it is not melted yet. I like to try anything new out before taking it on the road if possible and I agree that this will work wonderfully. The plastic liner is a solid piece (with no seams), so when the ice does melt, it won't leak out all over everything.

Im glad you like it, I have used mine for the past couple years on the bike and it looks like it will last a very long time. Its well made and worth the money in my opinion. Sometimes the good stuff cost extra because its worth it.....lol

Eric

[Ripshod]

I have already used up my yearly gear allotment but for next season a Polar Bear will definitely be at the top of the list. That and a new helmet.

I plan to get the biggest cooler that I can fold to a manageable size and I suspect that with the solid construction and extra insulation it might not be as compact as the cheap one I use now. What sizes do you guys have and how small do they fold?

[Yamifj1200]

I have already used up my yearly gear allotment but for next season a Polar Bear will definitely be at the top of the list. That and a new helmet.

I plan to get the biggest cooler that I can fold to a manageable size and I suspect that with the solid construction and extra insulation it might not be as compact as the cheap one I use now. What sizes do you guys have and how small do they fold?


Jerry,
This is the one I have been using for the past couple years.
http://www.polarbearcoolers.com/PB123-medicaltravelcooler/
The dimensions are listed... good quality stuff..

Eric

[Black and Blue]

Jerry;

I got the exact same one that Yamifj shows -the 12 pack-.
I am able to use that size on my rig and be able to carry a good amount of ice in it.
I imagine you can smash it down (or fold it), but it won't be easy with the hefty insulation in it.

[Ripshod]

Yeah, I suspected that they wouldn't fold very flat. I guess I'm still on the fence concerning upgrading in that case. For me, when it comes to camping gear the top priority is always pack size. Utility comes in at a close second.

[jkane13]

We have half a dozen soft sided bags at home. We tend to buy one on the road to bring something home, and then forget to bring one along next trip. :eek: Oh well!

[flailer]

I've had good luck packing a frozen steak or whatever, which is then thawed (but still cool) by dinner time.

Ditto. This works GREAT. particularly if the meat is seasoned BEFORE you freeze it.

1) Season meat.
2) Bag it in Zip-lock style bag
2.5) Remove all air so that, later, when you pack it no blood squeezes out as it thaws
3) Lay flat in freezer.

Before packing it, wrap it up in as many brown paper bags as you want.
One layer (lunch-sized brown bag) means it will take 2 to 4 hours to thaw. if properly packed in the middle of saddle-bag or the like (so that there is no air movement) it will take even longer, a lot longer, to thaw.

For long-long periods of storage: zip-lock the meat item again, AFTER it has been frozen in the first zip-lock, and slip it between your change of clothes. Here we are talking about a premium BBQ'd Steak dinner, on your second, or even third day out.

Buy a cup of ice from quikie-mart for $0.79 , before making camp, drop leftover bbq steak into, using zip lock bag of course .... and "SHAZAM" you gotz STEAK and EGGS for B-fast the next morning. This is just too cool to express :cool: The best eating; No muss, No fuss. No worry about packing the right spices

No cooler or ice-chest required, EVER. P^ P^ P^