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What to Cook With a Trail Chef on a Snowmobile

Dec. 9 2019 Snow By Jacob

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The Trail Chef is designed to be compatible with almost any power sports vehicle. It works with the vehicle’s exhaust pipe to transfer heat safely and effectively too what’s inside. This allows you to cook lunch while you’re out having fun! What’s a better way to cook?!

It measures 7” long, 5.5” wide, and is about 2” deep. This is the perfect size because it’s big enough for for a couple Hot Pockets or maybe some leftovers from dinner the day before, but it’s still compact enough to fit next to almost any exhaust pipe.

What’s your favorite thing to cook in your Trail Chef? Don't have one yet? Get the best one here!

We asked around and compiled a list of the 10 best meals to cook in a Trail Chef when you’re out riding. 

Trail Chef Recipes

1. Cheddar Lit'l Smokies 

Hands down, the general consensus among the group I questioned agreed that the little cheddar brats are the best thing to cook, especially when you’re out in the cold snowmobiling. They're easy to prep. Just wrap them in foil and shove as many as you can fit into your Trail Chef and get riding! They're delicious and the protein keeps you going. 

You can get a package of 13oz of them for about $2.50. Buy two packages. 

2. Chili Hot Pockets

You can fit 2 Hot Pockets into your Trail Chef, but I'm telling you it will blow your mind if you drizzle a little chili over them too! Still, you want to wrap your food in tin foil before putting them in the Trail Chef, but when I cook something that might get messy like chili, I prefer to use the oven bags rather than foil. 

Line your Trail Chef with an oven bag, place two Hot Pockets (without the paper sleeves), drizzle some chili over them, close the oven bag and Trail Chef lid and that's it. Shortly, you'll have some ham & cheddar chili! 

3. Chicken Nugget Parmesan 

Again, this one can get a little soupy so consider using the oven bags for this one as well. Line the base with chicken nuggets and pour some pizza sauce over the top of them. Put a layer of mozzarella cheese on top of that, then put another layer of chicken nuggets on top of all of that and you'll have yourself some Trail Chef chicken nugget parmesan sandwiches in no time. 

4. Hot Dog Sleds

You're going to make a snowmobile out of a hot dog for this one. 

From here on out, just assume that each one of these recipe ideas for your Trail Chef, Muffpot, Hot Dogger etc. should be lined with either foil or better yet an oven bag. 

Put a layer of mashed potatoes down first then take two hot dogs and slice them in half along the length so that they cook evenly. You want to get fancy and funny? Put a sprig of rosemary in there so it looks like a tree and bam, there you have it. Hot Dog Sleds. 

5. Steak

There's nothing funny about this one. I do not kid about steak. Starting from raw is risky. Depending on your kind of sled, how long you're riding and myriad of other variables, there is no way to be sure that your steak will be cooked enough. The best trick is to pretty much cook your steak one level below what you like before putting it in your Trail Chef. So, if you like a medium steak, cook it to medium rare at home before taking off. 

Keep the flavor moving around by adding some sliced baby potatoes and some buttered asparagus and you will turn heads at the top of the hill when you stop for a lunch break. 

Photo cred: Patrick Garbutt from Mountain Sledder

6. Asian Zing Buffalo Wings

I see more and more buffalo wings being cooked in hot pots and I decided to make my own. I love those Asian Zing flavored ones from Buffalo Wild Wings so I found a "copycat" recipe and it worked! 

To make the sauce, mix:

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine
  • 1-1/2 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
  • 2 cloves of garlic crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chili flakes
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
  • Salt and pepper according to taste

Then get fancy: 

  • 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro leaves for garnish(optional)
  • 1 teaspoon chopped scallions for garnish(optional)
  • A few white sesame seeds for garnish(optional)

Cooking Tips for Trail Chef Meals

The closer the placement of the Trail Chef is to the engine, the hotter it will cook. When people want to use it as more of a "warmer" or a "cooker" it can also be installed over the clamshell (the insulated part of the exhaust pipe), producing much cooler temperatures. Or perhaps most common, and best suited, is placement adjacent to an aftermarket silencer. Some aftermarket companies even produce a silencers can specially designed to accommodate a Trail Chef right in it!