Recipe Hub — Preparedness Cooking
Food security is not just storage — it's the ability to turn what you have stored into meals your household will actually eat. This hub organizes all recipe and cooking content on Survipedia by situation, cooking capability, and complexity. Start with the method you have, then expand.
Every recipe page linked here uses shelf-stable or foraged ingredients, works on variable heat sources, and includes fuel-saving variations.
Recipe collections by situation
Pantry meals
Your primary cooking scenario: a stove (camp, gas, or rocket), a stocked pantry, and no functioning refrigerator. Pantry meals are designed for daily rotation over a 14-day outage. Every recipe uses shelf-stable ingredients and one pot.
Includes: One-pot rice and beans (four flavor rotations), kettle stew, lentil soup, skillet flatbread, tuna pasta, six-can tortilla soup, spam fried rice, oat porridge, cowboy coffee, and haybox cooking technique.
Outdoor cooking
You're cooking outside with minimal equipment — at a campsite, in a backyard after evacuation, or in the field. These recipes in Outdoor Cooking work with one pot, a knife, and available heat sources.
Includes: Bannock on a stick, hobo stew, ash cakes, rock boiling, mud-baked fish, pine needle tea, cattail pancakes, acorn flour, earth oven, and the Dakota hole fire.
Comfort food and classics
Morale matters. These recipes in Comfort Food and Classics turn a preparedness pantry into meals worth looking forward to — desserts, historical rations, and satisfying mains that don't taste like emergency food.
Includes: No-bake peanut butter bars, skillet cinnamon donuts, rice pudding, shelf-stable flatbread pizza, black bean burgers, hardtack, and pemmican.
Cooking without power
The heat-source guide behind all of the above. Cooking Without Power covers propane camp stoves, rocket stoves, Dutch oven coal cooking, solar ovens, and open fire — with fuel math, safety rules, and a 14-day fuel planning worksheet.
Five recipes everyone should know
These five preparations cover the range from emergency minimum to comfortable long-term. Learn them before you need them.
1. One-pot bean and rice
The caloric backbone of any shelf-stable diet. One cup (240 ml) dry rice and one cup (240 ml) dry beans together yield approximately 1,345 kcal and 54 g protein — half a day's needs in one pot. Add a bouillon cube, garlic powder, cumin, and black pepper. Cook 4 cups (950 ml) water with soaked beans first (25–30 minutes), add rice, simmer covered until dry (20 minutes).
Works on any heat source. See Pantry Meals for four seasoning rotations.
2. Basic hardtack
A cracker with a four-year shelf life that was standard military ration from the Civil War through World War II. Combine 2 cups (240 g) flour, 2 teaspoons (10 g) salt, and enough water (roughly 1/2 cup (120 ml)) to form a stiff dough. Roll to 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, cut into 3×3 inch (7.5×7.5 cm) squares, punch a 4×4 grid of holes with a nail or skewer. Bake at 375°F (191°C) for 30 minutes per side — or in a Dutch oven using 14 coals (see Cooking Without Power for coal-counting method). Completely dried hardtack stores indefinitely in a sealed container.
3. Fire-cooked root vegetables
The simplest cooking technique: wrap whole, unpeeled potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, or carrots in two layers of wet leaves or foil. Bury directly in embers at the edge of a fire. Potatoes (3–5 inches (7–12 cm) diameter) are fully cooked in 45–60 minutes; smaller roots in 20–30 minutes. Test with a skewer or sharpened stick — it should pass through with no resistance.
No pots, no equipment, no fuel other than what you're burning anyway. See Outdoor Cooking for expanded fire techniques.
4. Simple sauerkraut
Fermented cabbage requires zero heat or equipment beyond a jar and weight. Shred one medium cabbage (about 2 lbs (900 g)), massage with 1 tablespoon (18 g) non-iodized salt until liquid releases — about 10 minutes. Pack tightly into a clean quart (1 L) jar, pressing until cabbage is submerged under its own liquid. Weight it down with a small bag of saltwater or a smaller jar.
Cover with a cloth. At room temperature (65–75°F (18–24°C)), sauerkraut is ready in 7–14 days. It stores for months in a cool location and provides probiotics that preserve gut health during periods of limited food variety. See Fermenting for the full process and troubleshooting.
5. Rendered fat and lard
Fat is the most calorie-dense food you can store — 9 kcal per gram vs. 4 kcal per gram for carbohydrates and protein. Rendering (slowly melting) animal fat over low heat converts raw fat trimmings into stable cooking lard that stores at room temperature for 6–12 months and indefinitely in cold storage. Dice fat trimmings into 1/2 inch (12 mm) pieces. Cook over the lowest possible heat — 220–240°F (104–115°C) — for 2–4 hours, stirring occasionally, until solid white pieces (cracklings) float and the liquid turns golden-clear.
Strain through cheesecloth into sterilized jars. Seal immediately. Rendered lard, duck fat, and beef tallow are all shelf-stable cooking fats with practical calorie density for extended scenarios.
Ingredient substitutions for pantry gaps
A well-stocked pantry doesn't always have the exact ingredient a recipe calls for. Knowing the functional substitutions before you need them prevents wasted effort and failed meals.
| Missing ingredient | Pantry substitute | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh eggs (1 egg) | 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, let set 5 min | Works in flatbreads, pancakes, baked goods; not for scrambled |
| Baking powder (1 tsp) | 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar | Same leavening effect; requires cream of tartar in stock |
| Fresh milk (1 cup (240 ml)) | 1/3 cup (30 g) dry milk powder + water to make 1 cup | Store powdered milk for this reason |
| Fresh onion | 1 tbsp onion flakes or 1 tsp onion powder per medium onion | Rehydrate flakes in a tablespoon of warm water first |
| Fresh garlic (1 clove) | 1/8 tsp garlic powder | Powdered garlic has longer shelf life and no prep |
| Butter (1 cup (227 g)) | 7/8 cup (200 g) rendered lard or coconut oil | Flavor differs; function in baking is nearly identical |
| Fresh tomatoes | Canned crushed or diced tomatoes, drained | 1 can (14 oz (400 g)) replaces approximately 1 lb (450 g) fresh |
| Wheat flour | Rolled oats ground in a manual grain mill or blender | Produces dense results; works in flatbreads and gravies |
| Sugar (1 cup (200 g)) | 3/4 cup (250 g) honey | Reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup (60 ml) when substituting |
Adapting recipes to available heat sources
The same dish requires different technique depending on what you're cooking on. Matching your method to your heat source prevents overcooking, fuel waste, and failed batches.
Propane camp stove: Closest to a standard kitchen stove. Heat is controllable, immediate, and clean. The limitation is fuel supply — a 1-pound (453 g) propane canister provides roughly 1 hour of cooking at full burner output. Simmer-heavy dishes (beans, stews, soups) use less fuel than boiling at full output. Pre-soak dried beans overnight to reduce simmer time from 90 minutes to 25 minutes — this alone can double how far a fuel supply stretches.
Open wood fire: Produces high, variable heat that requires technique adaptation. The main distinction is direct flame versus coal heat. Direct flame scorches the bottom of pots rapidly and heats unevenly. Cooking over a bed of coals (hardwood burned down to a bed of glowing red embers, not flame) produces steady, even heat comparable to a medium stovetop burner. Position your pot 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) above coals on a grate or green-wood tripod. Lid-on cooking conserves heat and dramatically reduces cooking time. See Cooking Without Power for the Dakota hole fire technique that produces a hot, smokeless coal bed efficiently.
Rocket stove: A rocket stove uses a small amount of wood burned in an insulated elbow to produce concentrated, hot output from minimal fuel. A 30-minute cooking task on a propane stove may require only a handful of dry sticks on a well-designed rocket stove. The tradeoff is setup time — 10–15 minutes to establish a sustained burn — and the need for dry wood. Best for sustained cooking tasks (soups, grains) rather than quick heats.
Dutch oven coal cooking: A cast-iron Dutch oven with a flanged lid accepts charcoal briquettes on top and below, functioning as a portable oven. The standard rule is: for a 10-inch (25 cm) Dutch oven, 10 coals below + 14 coals above ≈ 350°F (177°C). Remove 3 coals below and add 3 above for each 25°F (14°C) increase. This method bakes bread, roasts meat, and produces results indistinguishable from a kitchen oven. Briquettes are more predictable than hardwood coals for this purpose.
Solar oven: Produces temperatures of 250–400°F (121–204°C) depending on cloud cover and sun angle. Best for slow cooking: dried beans (5–6 hours), rice (1.5 hours), bread (2–3 hours). No fuel cost, no fire risk, no carbon monoxide. The constraint is weather — overcast days reduce performance to minimal or nothing. Solar works as a primary heat source in sunny climates; treat it as supplemental where cloud cover is frequent. Cooking time is roughly double a conventional oven for most recipes.
Haybox (retained heat) cooking: Bring your pot to a full boil on any heat source, then immediately insulate it — wrap in blankets, sleeping bags, or place in a insulated box. Dense items like beans, lentils, grains, and potatoes continue cooking from retained heat for 4–8 hours without additional fuel. One-third of the fuel, same result. This technique is underused and high-value in any fuel-scarce scenario. See Pantry Meals for specific haybox timing by food type.
Six core recipe frameworks
A recipe framework is more useful than a specific recipe when your ingredient list changes daily. Each framework below scales to available quantities and tolerates substitution.
Framework 1 — The porridge: Any grain (rice, oats, millet, cornmeal) cooked in water or broth at roughly 1:3 grain-to-liquid ratio until tender. Season with salt, fat, and any available flavor (garlic powder, bouillon, dried herbs). Works at any scale. Provides carbohydrates at any time of day. Oats cook in 5 minutes; whole grains take 30–45 minutes or finish in a haybox.
Framework 2 — The stew: Protein (canned meat, dried beans soaked overnight, jerky reconstituted in water) simmered with starch (potato, rice, pasta) in seasoned liquid (bouillon cube dissolved in water, canned tomatoes, or broth). One pot, 30–45 minutes, feeds 4. The ratio is roughly 2 parts liquid to 1 part solid. This framework absorbs almost any available ingredient without failing.
Framework 3 — The flatbread: 2 cups (240 g) flour, 1 tsp salt, 3/4 cup (180 ml) water, 2 tbsp (30 ml) fat (oil, lard, shortening). Mix to a stiff dough, rest 10 minutes, divide into 8 pieces, roll flat to 1/4 inch (6 mm), cook on a dry skillet over medium heat 3–4 minutes per side until brown spots form. No leavening required. Serves as bread, wrap, or cracker depending on how thin you roll it. Doubles as a haybox-compatible recipe if you have a lidded skillet.
Framework 4 — The soup: Boil any aromatics (onion flakes, garlic powder, bay leaf) in water with a bouillon cube. Add any available vegetables (canned, dried and rehydrated, or foraged greens). Add protein (canned beans, fish, meat). Simmer 20 minutes. Thin with more water or thicken with flour stirred into cold water first to prevent lumping. A soup with minimal ingredients is more sustainable over days than a stew that requires specific components.
Framework 5 — The fry: Heat fat (2 tbsp (30 ml)) in a skillet. Fry any cooked grain or starchy base (leftover rice, mashed potato, cooked beans) in thin patties until crust forms, 3–4 minutes per side. Season with salt and available spices. This converts leftover starch into a different texture without additional ingredients and improves palatability of repeated meals.
Framework 6 — The brine cure: Dissolve 1 tablespoon (18 g) non-iodized salt per cup (240 ml) water. Submerge any sliced vegetable (cabbage, carrots, radish, cucumbers) fully. Cover loosely and hold at room temperature. In 24–48 hours, a light brine results in a fresh pickle; in 7–14 days, full fermentation. This extends the useful life of garden surplus by weeks at minimum, months at cool temperatures.
Preservation recipes (by technique)
Recipes for making food last are as important as recipes for cooking it. The following foundations cover the full preservation pipeline:
| Technique | Where to find recipes |
|---|---|
| Fermentation (sauerkraut, pickles, kvass, kimchi) | Fermenting |
| Smoking (fish, meat, jerky) | Smoking |
| Dehydrating (fruit leather, jerky, dried vegetables) | Dehydrating |
| Canning (water bath and pressure) | Canning |
| Salting and brining | Salting |
Emergency nutrition basics
During extended disruptions, caloric adequacy and micronutrient balance both matter. The most common deficits in a shelf-stable diet:
- Vitamin C: Lost when fresh produce is unavailable. Mitigate with: dried rose hips (1 tablespoon (7 g) = 400 mg), canned tomatoes, dried peppers, or pine needle tea (small amounts only).
- Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K): Canned fish, cooking oils, and rendered animal fat cover most of this. Salmon and sardines in cans also provide vitamin D.
- Fiber: Beans and lentils are adequate; supplement with dried fruit when available.
- Protein: Bean and grain combinations provide complete amino acid profiles. See Nutrition for macro targets.
An active adult requires 2,000–2,500 kcal per day under moderate physical exertion. A family cooking primarily from a well-stocked pantry should verify caloric adequacy for the first week before rationing habits drift below maintenance levels. See Long-Term Storage for quantity planning and Pantry for stocking strategy.
Recipe planning tools
- 7-day rotation table: See the main recipe overview for a day-by-day breakfast/lunch/dinner rotation that prevents menu fatigue.
- Caloric math: 1 cup (240 ml) dry white rice = 675 kcal; 1 cup (240 ml) dry lentils = 680 kcal; 2 tablespoons peanut butter = 190 kcal.
- Fuel-saving toolkit: Haybox cooking, lid-always-on, pre-soaking, and batch cooking are covered in Cooking Without Power.
Field note
The best time to practice these recipes is before you need them. A "no-grid cooking day" — turning off your kitchen appliances for one day and cooking everything from stored food on a camp stove — reveals gaps in your skill set, equipment, and pantry that you cannot discover by reading alone. Run one every six months and treat any meal that fails as free training.
Where to start
- Read Cooking Without Power to select and stock your heat source
- Cook one Pantry Meal this week using only shelf-stable ingredients
- Learn hardtack and bean and rice before anything else — they are the foundation
- Make one batch of sauerkraut so you understand fermentation timing before you need it
- Check Long-Term Storage to verify your pantry has the ingredients these recipes require
- Run a no-grid cooking day — kill the breaker and cook every meal from storage