Posted 2012-06-05 11:14 PM (#144585) Subject: ice chests.. how to
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
Since I can't afford my fridge this year like I thought. What is the best way to prepare the ice chest? I used 3 block ice last time and it lasted way longer than crushed ice of course. But.. is there more I can do to make sure the meats and cheeses will be ok for a 7 day camping trip? I have a separate chest for the drinks. I am just worried about the meat mainly. How long is too long in an ice chest? I put all in the freezer at home the night before I left. Should I place the meat on top of the ice blocks and then bags of crushed ice on top? What do you do that works longest? Do you drain the ice chest as needed or does this change the efficacy of the cooling?
Posted 2012-06-07 9:08 PM (#144653 - in reply to #144585) Subject: RE: ice chests.. how to
Regular
Posts: 54 Location: cleburne texas
I always double bagged the meat, and placed it between the ice. I also drained the water off, and replaced the ice. This year, I moved up just a little as we camp in a bumper pull...I bought one of those small fridges like you get at Walmart,a little dorm type, and place most of my meat and veggies in it, drinks in a cooler. In Texas, summer gets plenty warm and this works well.
Posted 2012-06-08 8:22 AM (#144664 - in reply to #144585) Subject: RE: ice chests.. how to
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326 Location: central IL
I bought a fridge which hooks into the cigarette lighter (12v) or a 110 outlet. I bought it some years ago off Craigslist. We hook it in the night before and then we put it in the truck to keep our things cold. As for the frozen things, we bought one of those "super insulated" coolers for our frozen things. We use bags of cubes. The cooler has a split lid, so you never have to open the entire lid and lose your cold air. I always pack frozen things in containers so they never get wet from any ice thawing.
We've kept things frozen for days on end this way. We've found that campground hosts are usually very accommodating when it comes to letting us put things in their freezers. Especially if it's homemade ice cream. lol
Posted 2012-06-09 10:05 AM (#144690 - in reply to #144585) Subject: RE: ice chests.. how to
Regular
Posts: 54 Location: cleburne texas
The fridge I have now is 110, and we use it where we have access to electric. I have the adapter that converts it to work off the truck though but just don't use it like that. Walmart sells a little cooler fridge that plugs into the 110 or the truck and works great. We had one of those but on one of my moves, it got left and i have not replaced it. I am planning a camping trip in a few weeks and instead of carrying the fridge I have, I will probably go to Walmart and get another one of these coolers, I think it and the power adapter together are like $89.00. It is the size of a regular cooler.
Posted 2012-06-09 11:43 PM (#144701 - in reply to #144585) Subject: RE: ice chests.. how to
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
Ok - cool ..dry ice. I was wondering about that, if anyone uses it.As for the 110v fridge, doesn't that run your truck battery down? Wouldn't you have to un-plug as soon as you get to and stop the engine? We go places where there are no electric hook-ups and such.
Posted 2012-06-10 10:44 AM (#144703 - in reply to #144585) Subject: RE: ice chests.. how to
Elite Veteran
Posts: 656 Location: Rayne, LA
Yes the ones that run on 12 volt are hard on the battery. They normally come with an adapter to run on 110 volt also. We have one that I use standing up on the back seat when we travel and plug it in the cigarette lighter. My wife puts a few drinks, grapes, etc in it for snacks along the way and this helps. It woks like a regular refrigerator except it will cool down to 40 degrees cooler than the ambient air around it.One very unique thing about this is it has a plug with blue dots and red dots. If you plug it in with the blue dots aligned it is a cooler. If you plug it in with the red dots aligned it warms things up.
Posted 2012-06-10 10:45 AM (#144704 - in reply to #144585) Subject: RE: ice chests.. how to
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Before I got my LQ I would take the big plastic coffee cans and freeze water in them then replaced the lids. They worked great and didn't melt as fast as regular ice..I also put the meat in double bags and laid them on the coffee containers..Never had any problems doing it...
Posted 2012-06-10 5:00 PM (#144711 - in reply to #144585) Subject: RE: ice chests.. how to
Member
Posts: 10
Location: Mariposa, California
Have a good ice chest with a tight lid. Freeze all meat except for first night dinner. [We always set this meal in our drink chest or another ice chest] Double wrap all your meat in zip lock bags and try to keep air out of bag, if you have a vacuum sealer use it to package your meats. You don't want water to seep into your meats or whatever you place in this chest. Wrap your meats in newspaper when placing in chest. Dry ice in center, never touch it directly, wrap in brown paper bags. Block ice will last longer than crushed ice. If you layer blocks then meats, topping with blocks. Duct tape the chest along the lid for better seal. Keep the chest in shade, under blankets and tarped over if possible. Desert camping last 8 days. Make a list of where your meats are in layer so you don't spend a lot of time searching around for the meal. Happy camping.
Posted 2012-06-11 11:57 PM (#144732 - in reply to #144585) Subject: RE: ice chests.. how to
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
I've done a lot of river running in white water rafts. we pack food and keep it cold for 7 days no problem. Even digging Ice Cream out on Day 5 or 6 of a river trip. But you have to plan ahead. Don't open the cooler any more than necessary. We plan our meals and stock coolers by the days they will be used. So Cooler one may be used day1-day2, Cooler 2 gets used day 3-4 etc. And they never get opened prior to the days they need to be used.
Freeze or super cool everything going into the cooler. Thats not practical with lettuce and salad makings, But all meats can easily be frozen in advance and will help extend the ice.
There is a difference between a $20 cooler at walmart and a the better brand coolers. Spend the extra money and buy a better quality cooler.
A small piece of dry ice can add days to regular ice. So a couple of milk jugs frozen and 1lb of dry ice can keep a large cooler very cold for 6-7 days.
Posted 2012-06-19 5:51 PM (#144963 - in reply to #144585) Subject: RE: ice chests.. how to
Veteran
Posts: 186
My dad used to dig a hole in the ground when he went trought fishing for weeks, to set their beer cooler in, that isn't pratical in most places. I set my bagged sawdust for the ride home on top the cooler for added insulation also I freeze in milk jugs, thats my drinking water as it thaws, & freeze juice bags/boxes for ice.
ice chests.. how to
My dad used to dig a hole in the ground when he went trought fishing for weeks, to set their beer cooler in, that isn't pratical in most places. I set my bagged sawdust for the ride home on top the cooler for added insulation also I freeze in milk jugs, thats my drinking water as it thaws, & freeze juice bags/boxes for ice.