Tired of freeze dried meals while on the trail? Do you enjoy fishing while backpacking, but don’t know how to prepare a tasty dish without your home kitchen? Try my ultra-lightweight Backcountry Fish Soup Recipe! Perfect for when fires are prohibited or on cold nights while camping on the coast.
As a trained chef, it’s hard to leave behind all my spices, pans and gadgetry— but who wants to lug the kitchen sink up a mountain? When you’re trying to shave every ounce off your pack it’s important to make what you bring count. Here’s what I bring backpacking and what you’ll need to replicate my Backcountry Fish Soup Recipe.
What you’ll need:
- Stove
- Cooking vessel (I’m using a 600ml Ti Mug)
- A sharp knife
- Eating utensil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Hot sauce/Sriracha
- Veggies (can be dehydrated— I usually pair a root veggie with a spring veggie)
- ‘Magic Rub’
- And, of course, a fish
Recipe for “Magic Rub” (makes 1 ounce – prepare at home):
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Red chili powder
- 1 tsp Green chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Hungarian hot paprika
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt
- 1 tsp Ground black pepper
- 1 tsp Herb de Provence
Before you start, if you are using freeze-dried or dehydrated vegetables, you’ll want to reconstitute them ahead of time in some warm water. Next you will need to scale, gut and fillet your fish. Once filleted, cut your fish into spoon sized pieces. Here’s a pro-tip: leave the skin on the fish and save a portion of the fish bones or head. Put your fish bones, fish and vegetables into your pot and fill 3/4 of the way full with water. Next drizzle in some of your hot sauce/Sriracha, sprinkle in a tsp of magic rub, give it a good stir and turn up the heat.
Once your fish turns from translucent to opaque, taste your broth. Add more magic rub and hot sauce if desired. Use the salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder to augment in order to suit your palate. Once your fish is opaque all the way through it’s time to kick your feet up and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Bon Appetite!
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