I read in a trip journal on this site of a group eating fajitas.  

I'd like to try that.  But how to prepare in advance, (freeze?) without the peppers and other ingredients getting soft and soggy?  

I envision cooking it up, cooling, putting it in a foodsaver bag; then once in the bush heating it up and pouring it over tortillas.  

Any advice on preparing fajitas for a canoe trip?

prouboy

last few trips i've brought bags of cooked/frozen fajita meat, steak and chicken...keeps several days in sealed pouch....mmmm....mmmm....good!

Lately I've been doing carnitas on the first night of canoe trips.  I use smoked pulled pork (vac-packed), tortillas, lime juice, fresh red onion and avacado, and some pico de gallo.  It's a quick, no-cook meal at the end of a long hard day.  Hardly any dishes to wash either.  Heat the bag of pork in boiling water or not, it's good both ways.  If its been a hot day, I eat it cold.  On cold days, I heat the pork.

If you're in the Twin Cities, Baker's Ribs in Eden Prairie has the best smoked pulled pork you'll ever eat in your life and they'll sell it by the pound.  I don't even bother to smoke my own.

I am in the Cities, so I'll check out Baker's Ribs.  But what is a "carnita" versus a fajita?  

prouboy

I think you have it right prouboy, or if it's for the 1st day you could pack in frozen meat and grill it on-site.  The veggies should last several days if not cut up.  Put 'em in tupperware and keep out of the heat.

What I like to do with tortillas is toast them over the fire.  Stuff 'em full, wrap 'em up like a burrito, toast to golden brown.  The tortilla stiffens up and you can stuff one in your pocket, walk around munching.

Carnitas are fairly similar to fajitas.  The main difference is the meat used...pulled pork for carnitas...and the temperature of the meat.  The pork can be hot, warm, or cold.  Usually carnitas use fresh veggies like slices of onion, tomato, and avacado along with a squeeze of fresh lime over the top while fajitas tend to use grilled veggies, guacamole and sour cream.  Both use pico de gallo.

Don Pablos has a pretty decent carnitas plate...about as good as you'll find in Minnesota.  It'd be better if they used smoked pork but they are still quite enjoyable.

Thanks Snow_Dog.  

I need to get out more!  I'll try Don Pablos' carnitas.  

I may have to try both carnitas and fajitas on my next trip.  My goal is to add diversity to the camp menu.  We try to bring in fresh meals for the first day or two.  So I'm interested in finding meals that are fresh yet don't weigh a ton.  After twenty years of brats, spaghetti, or stew, it's time for change.

Last year I added sweet and sour walleye in tempura over rice to the menu.  After years of pan-fried walleye, I wasn't sure how the guys would react.  It was a huge hit.  

Then again, everything tastes good in the backcountry.

prouboy

I believe true carnitas are made with very, very slow-cooked pork that is pulled into small pieces that are then broiled to carmelize them.  They are seasoned during the initial cooking with orange juice and orange peel, cumin, garlic and chili spices.  Any carnitas I have had in Mexican restaurants have had cilantro on top, and lime to squeeze over, and flour tortillas.

They are my favorite Mexican food. I like them much better than fajitas.

There is a little taco house on Ogden Avenue somewhere around Westmont/Downers Grove, Illinois that has the best carnitas I have ever eaten.  Buenas!

Spartan 2 -- Wow, you've got some experience with carnitas!  Not sure I'll make it to Illinois to try your spot.  Have you ever taken carnitas into canoe country?  

prouboy

Puckster wrote on Feb 4^th, 2011 at 3:55am:

But how to prepare in advance, (freeze?) without the peppers and other ingredients getting soft and soggy?   I envision cooking it up, cooling, putting it in a foodsaver bag; then once in the bush heating it up and pouring it over tortillas.   Any advice on preparing fajitas for a canoe trip? prouboy

We tried this last year and all I can say is that it turned out way better then the time we tried to make soft shell taco's using foil bag chicken.  :P  Fresh has to be better then frozen, but the tradeoff was very little time for food prep. The carnitas sound pretty good also!

D said she added cheese and rolled them up in a flour tortilla to heat in a frying pan lightly coated w cooking spray... similar to a burrito. We made them a few days prior to leaving for the trip and they seemed pretty good to me.

Good ideas for reheating the meat in a plastic pouch, we probably used a ziplock for the freezer.

How did you toast your's over the fire preacher?

No, MIke, have never taken any kind of fajitas, tacos, carnitas etc. into canoe country.  This past year took a ground beef wrap entree from Packit Gourmet that was supposed to have tortillas, but I bought corn tortillas from Zup's and they were god-awful.  They were the most crumbly things we ever saw--even on the second day of the trip!  (I was trying not to use the flour tortillas because they have more calories/carbs and more sodium.)

I liked the beef stuff a lot, Spartan1 thought it was a bit too spicy.  We'll have it again, though, but I'll take flour tortillas.

We don't take fresh meats and fresh foods.  Our evening meals are all freeze dried except for the first night.  I am not into fussing much about the food up there.  I figure we eat pretty good 50 weeks out of the year, and there are just other things (like photography) that I want to concentrate on in the canoe country.  We do take fresh eggs and have good breakfasts, though.

My vote is for Snowdog's carnitas. We had them this past year on our trip. They were easy & delicious. Hit the spot after a long day of paddling & portaging. [smiley=thumbup.gif] [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Thanks Lynda.  Good points about food.  I guess I'm getting kinda wrapped up (pardon the pun) in trying fajitas or carnitas!

And Old_Salt, with a recommendation like yours, Snow_Dog's fajitas are now on my menu list!  (Now I'll just have to practice making them.)

prouboy

If you are looking for a quick Mexican or Tex-Mex meal, beef and bean burritos are easy to do.  

Dehydrated seasoned beef/hamburger, an "add water only" refried beans (I like the Rosarita brand in a plastic bag), dehydrated salsa, shredded cheese (cheddar is OK for this), onion, and tortillas (the over-sized ones are particularly good for this).  A couple of these makes a pretty good meal.  

Of course, I don't share a tent when on canoe trips.

dd

Per the PM

In case I was not real clear earlier, we didnt freeze the flour tortillas, just the meat/peppers/onions etc that we prepared at home. The one problem with the tortilla is they tend to get stuck together, and it only gets worse the longer they are in your pack.

Perhaps wax paper is the answer?

Quote:

Perhaps wax paper is the answer?

From home freezing of Burritos for re-heating, I think waxed paper will solve your problem.
Nice added benefit, is that it's also a pretty decent fire-starter as well ;)

solotripper wrote on Feb 7^th, 2011 at 5:47pm:

Quote: Perhaps wax paper is the answer? I think waxed paper will solve your problem. Nice added benefit, is that it's also a pretty decent fire-starter as well ;)

The tortillas seem to last pretty long, but they tend to stick together especially after being compressed in the pack.

I like tacos!

I really like FISH tacos!   8-)

we took some pre made salsa that was packaged for travel and we fried some fish and wrapped them in tortillas and slathered the salsa on. It was pretty dang good.

I had real fish tacos for the first time at the eatin place that is connected to Bass Pro shops. awesome [smiley=thumbup.gif]

I like tacos, and I like fish.  The thought of fish tacos grosses me out.  Kinda like beer and peanut butter.  I like 'em both, but together????

prouboy

I thought the same thing.........I'm fond of putting the wait staff on the spot at eateries by asking them what they think I should get.....I figure they work there they know what's good.

Sooooo.....I gave fish tacos a shot and I thought they were fantastico [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Puckster wrote on Feb 10^th, 2011 at 10:24pm:

I like tacos, and I like fish.  The thought of fish tacos grosses me out.  Kinda like beer and peanut butter.  I like 'em both, but together????

Yet, I bet you have had peanuts with your beer!  Picky eater are we.  (Just think of peanut butter as "pre-chewed" peanuts!)

I think someone should offer you a fish taco and not tell you what it is ... I think you'd be surprised.

How do you feel about escargot?

dd

So DD, you've got a recipe for escargot fajitas?  Or escargot tacos?


prouboy

Puckster wrote on Feb 12^th, 2011 at 2:49pm:

So DD, you've got a recipe for escargot fajitas?  Or escargot tacos?

Beyond a garlic/butter sauce, escargot needs no such adornment.

How do you feel about fish roe?  After all, they are just "pre-fish."  A bit salty, but unlike escargot, it is better raw.  Laker roe is particularly nice.  Just think of it as "Quetico Caviar."  Maybe. with a modest RED wine.  How about a Blackstone Cab?  No. Wait!  What did my son say about a Blackstone Cab?  Ah, yes!  Its a good wine with hamburgers. (Dang Wine School ruined him!   ;D)

dd

Hmmm, I have often thought of bringing wine in, but my buddies bring in bourbon and brandy, so I guess I figure enough is enough. Although some good cab with spaghetti would be wonderful.

prouby

I fixed stuffed portabellas last night and while whipping these up, I was wondering if anyone uses portabella mushrooms as a beef substitute (e.g., fajitas).

dd

We've used dried morels as a beef substitute in stroganoff - pretty darn good!