One-Pot Meal for a Backcountry Thanksgiving

Just in case anyone is thinking of heading for the backcountry this Thanksgiving, we decided to help you out by testing this one pot traditional turkey dinner.  It’s a tough job, we know.  Luckily for us, and for you, it turned out to be delicious – certified tasty by over a dozen staff and volunteer taste testers!  It is lightweight, high calorie, has all those nostalgic flavors people want on Turkey Day, and it all fits in a one liter pot!

One Pot Thanksgiving Dinner Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup stuffing
• 8 oz canned turkey (or foil packet chicken, or turkey jerky, or dehydrated ground turkey)
• 2 tsp gravy mix
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup freeze dried vegetables
• 1/4 cup instant mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup french fried onions

To fit this in a 1 liter pot, you won’t be able to use the whole package of each ingredient, so unless you’re planning to share or cook in a much larger pot, it might be best to measure out the ingredients at home and bring them in a ziploc bag.

Instructions:

Boil the water and then turn your stove off.  Add stuffing, meat, gravy mix, cranberries, and vegetables to the pot.  Stir together, then add instant mashed potatoes to one side (you could mix the potatoes in now but keeping them to one side to rehydrate keeps the meal slightly less mushy).  Put the lid on and place the pot in a cozy or wrap it in a fleece or hat.  Wait a few minutes (4-5 minutes got everything hydrated for us).  Open the pot, stir everything up, and add the french fried onions for some crunch.  Enjoy your Thanksgiving feast!

This one pot meal provides a whopping 970 calories so it’s a great way to cap off a long day of hiking.  If you feel the need for even more calories, just add butter.  Let us know if you decide to try it!