eggs with salmon and dill
You just woke up in your warm sleeping bag, and you smell something incredible coming from outside the tent… could it be scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and dill, with a side of sweet potato hash browns? Yes!
Having lived in land-locked states for years, I feel lucky to now live in the pacific northwest (PNW) where I have access to fresh local fish. During salmon spawning season, I go down to the local locks, where boats pass the dam on the canal between Puget Sound and Lake Washington. At the locks is a fish ladder, a series of small steps built through the dam to assist salmon in finding their way back upstream to spawn at their birthing grounds in the fresh water lakes and rivers above. The fish ladder has a long wall of large windows where you can watch the fish swim up. The first time I saw a big ‘ol fish swimming by, I felt like a hungry grizzly in a mountain river. FOOD! It actually made me laugh – I’m the wanna-be vegan on the autoimmune paleo diet… can you feel my pain? But yes, I do see food when I look at fish.
a big ol’ boat in the locks, waiting for passage
Here in the PNW, smoked salmon is easy to come by. There’s a great smokehouse nearby, and I have to watch it or I go there way too often! Local smoked salmon isn’t a lot cheaper than in land-locked states, but it’s fresher here and so amazingly delicious!
This tasty recipe is good enough to make at home (all camping recipes ought to be!) and an easy one for the trail. All the ingredients are items you might use in other recipes, so I recommend bulking up on the drying and making extra for later.
Tip: Any time you dehydrate food, if you have leftover room in your dehydrator, dry something else to take up the space; having a full dehydrator makes the food dry more evenly, you’ll save a lot of time (by not doing as many separate drying sessions) and you’ll thank yourself (and me!) later when you go to prep food for a trip and you need a dried ingredient that’s already prepared. Remember that meats, veggies and fruit all have different drying temperatures, so plan accordingly for bulk drying sessions. I grocery shop for multiple recipes, and do all the meat together, all the veggies together, etc. Voila, lots ready to go!
Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs with Sweet Potato Hash Browns
Serves: 1 (multiply as needed, it’s easy!)
Complete List of Ingredients for the Trail
3 heaping Tbs dried egg powder (1 heaping Tbs = 1 normal ‘large’ egg)
1/4 cup dried smoked salmon, or 1/4 cup smoked salmon in the can/package
(you can sub 1/8 cup dried canned salmon but you’ll need to add some flavor to replace the smokiness)
1/2 cup dried shredded sweet potato for hash browns
1/2 tsp dried dill or 1/4 tsp dried tarragon
salt to taste
black pepper to taste (NOT AIP)
2 Tbs coconut or olive oil for preparation in camp
1/2 cup filtered water
Optional: Dried veggies of your choice to sautee up with the hash browns
How To Put It All Together At Home
Dehydrate, package, put it in your pack! Below are links to instructions for drying the eggs, salmon and hash browns. Once you dry them, just package up the amounts listed above, and remember to bring the herb, spices, and oil for sauteeing.
- Once dried and cooled completely, package the eggs in their own sturdy, airtight ziploc bag for the trail.
- You’ll need three eggs for this one serving recipe, but dry more so you have backstock for more meals. They keep a long time sealed tightly in the fridge.
2. Dehydrate ¼ cup smoked salmon (use canned or the fresh refrigerated kind)
- Once dried and cooled completely, package the salmon in its own sturdy, airtight ziploc bag for the trail.
- If you are going out on a short trip, you might decide to bring the canned or packaged salmon without drying it. Canned salmon will have an expiration date, and the can is crushable (carry it out!). Fresh, quality packaged salmon reportedly will last up to 7 days without refrigeration. Carrying the opened can/package will be more of an attractant for bears and other critters, and is heavier, but it sure tastes great fresh! One benefit to bringing dried salmon is that you bring the exact amount you need, with no waste/carrying leftovers. But if you love salmon like I do, it’ll all get eaten anyhow! Please pack out all your trash!
3. Dehydrate 1 medium sweet potato for hash browns
- Once dried, package the sweet potato hash browns in their own sturdy, airtight ziploc bag for the trail.
- 1 serving = 1/2 cup dried sweet potato = one medium spud.
- The white kind are best with this dish but yams work too.
- As with the eggs, dry lots of sweet potatoes – you’ll end up using them at home, too!
4. Include salt, pepper (NOT AIP), dill or tarragon, and coconut oil or olive oil in your spice kit.
5. Bring along a Paleo Wrap to wrap it all up in!
eggs with salmon and dill
sweet potato hash browns… yes, that’s bacon in the corner
Campsite Preparation
NOTE: This recipe will cook up best in camp in a non-stick pan. If you use stainless steel camping cookware, be sure to cook on medium, not high, heat, use plenty of oil, and attend to it carefully so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
1. Cover the 1/2 cup hash browns with water and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Drain extra water off.
3. Pre-heat pan to medium, and sautee the hash browns in 1 Tbs of coconut or olive oil until browned. Set aside or eat right away while it’s hot.
4. If using dehydrated salmon, combine the 3 Tbs egg powder with the dried salmon and 1/2 cup water (8 Tbs: 7 for the eggs and 1 for the salmon), and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes (egg particles should be very soft or dissolved).
If using salmon right out of the can or package, remove 1 Tbs of water from the 1/2 cup of water (ie: leaving 7 Tbs for the eggs to rehydrate in) and combine the water with the egg powder. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes (egg particles should be very soft or dissolved). Have the salmon open and ready to add to the eggs when you start cooking.
eggs in a steamed Paleo Wrap
5. Mix the salt, dill and pepper (NOT AIP) into the egg/salmon mix. Cook the egg in 1 Tbs or more of coconut or olive oil on medium heat, stirring to keep it from sticking to the pan. If you haven’t gobbled the spuds yet, add them back to the pan and reheat beside the eggs or stir it all up into a hash. Add more salt and dill/tarragon to taste.
6. Optional: Add bacon or wrap inside a Paleo Wrap that you’ve steamed on top of the eggs for a minute or so.
Handy printable instructions for campsite preparation:
- NOTE: This recipe will cook up best in camp in a non-stick pan. If you use stainless steel camping cookware, be sure to cook on medium, not high, heat, use plenty of oil, and attend to it carefully so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
- Cover the ½ cup hash browns with water and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Drain extra water off.
- Pre-heat pan to medium, and sautee the hash browns in 1 Tbs of coconut or olive oil until browned. Set aside or eat right away while it’s hot.
- If using dehydrated salmon, combine the 3 Tbs egg powder with the dried salmon and ½ cup water (8 Tbs: 7 for the eggs and 1 for the salmon), and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes (egg particles should be very soft or dissolved).
- If using salmon right out of the can or package, remove 1 Tbs of water from the ½ cup of water (ie: leaving 7 Tbs for the eggs to rehydrate in) and combine the water with the egg powder. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes (egg particles should be very soft or dissolved). Have the salmon open and ready to add to the eggs when you start cooking.
- Mix the salt, dill and pepper (NOT AIP) into the egg/salmon mix. Cook the egg in 1 Tbs or more of coconut or olive oil on medium heat, stirring to keep it from sticking to the pan. If you haven’t gobbled the spuds yet, add them back to the pan and reheat beside the eggs or stir it all up into a hash. Add more salt and dill/tarragon to taste.
- Optional: Add bacon or wrap inside a Paleo Wrap that you've steamed on top of the eggs for a minute or so.
