Best way of eating freeze-dried food packs

[Bluffer]

I've just read an article in Bushcraft And Survival Skills magazine Issue 56 (May/June 2015) which compares different packaged meals, some 'wet packs' and some freeze-dried.

The reviewer pretty much writes off most of the freeze-dried packs on the grounds of taste and appearance, and recommends the wet packs.

It appears that he had simply added hot water to the freeze-dried packs to prepare them, observing that the taste, appearance and rehydration was generally unsatisfactory.

Why didn't he know the knack to prepping freeze-dried packs?

I'm not surprised that he thought the food wasn't particularly pleasant when he'd prepared them like that.

For those not in the know, the only real way to prep a freeze-dried pack is to fry the contents gently for a couple of minutes with a small amount of fat or oil, then add plenty of water and keep it simmering for another couple of minutes, then leave it wrapped or in a pot-cosy to fully rehydrate.

I know that this negates the advantage of preparing the food in the pouch, but I felt the need to get it off my chest in case there is anyone else out there who didn't know how to make half-decent scoff from a pack of freeze-dried food.

Anyone got any favourites?

 

[AussieVic]

Thanks Bluffer. I haven't heard of people frying before hydrating.

I have a couple of old freeze-dried packets which I only tend to take as a backup ... perhaps I'll give them a try.

My only tip for eating them has been to allow them longer than you think to re-hydrate, add plenty of chilli, stir well, then throw them out and eat something else !

 

[Dave]

Well, youre supposed to reseal after you add the hot water, and leave for 8 minutes, as far as i knew?
They do not taste as nice in my experience, as home made dried, but if you take some dried ground beef, chili powder, tomato powder, and add that to a freeze dried pouch, of pasta for instance, it greatly improves it. [Although it does taste better your way]

There are trips when it does help enormously, just to take the pouches and no pans. Especially if youre bedding and tarp weighs as much as mine does.

[About 5kg but oh so comfy. ]

 

[Bluffer]

... add plenty of chilli, stir well, then throw them out and eat something else !

Love it, yeah that's a good way of eating freeze-dried mush as well!