Freezer bag cooking with cozy

[chris_irwin]

Has anyone here tried freezer bag cooking before?

After going to Dartmoor for a wild camp recently, I decided that cooking in pots and having to wash up is too much of a faff. The boil in bag meals are too expensive and weigh more, so I had a look at dehydrated stuff. However, they still require you to cook in a pot and often end up sticking to the bottom and creating a bit of a mess.

Today I bought some freezer bags called 'pour n store', they are a fairly thick plastic and are OK to pour hot liquids straight into. I made a DIY freezer bag cozy like this:

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/09/diy-freezer-bag-cooking-c.html

I bought a sainsburys pasta packet mix and some smash to try out first time. The idea is you boil the water in the pot and pour it directly into the freezer bag with the pasta. You seal the bag and place it into the cozy for 10-15 mins. The cozy keeps the heat in and continues to cook the pasta without the need for a further heat source.

I have to say, I was pretty pleased with the results. I added a bit of smash to thicken up the sauce and it was pretty tasty. Definitely something I would eat on the trail when I'm trying to keep my pack fairly light.

Not only is it lighter, it would use less fuel, less cleaning up, you can reuse the bags after washing them and you can pour the food straight into the bags pre mixed before leaving to act as storage.

I would urge anyone to give it a try

 

[lab72]

Pour and stour bags are great been using them for a while .

 

[chris_irwin]

Pour and stour bags are great been using them for a while .

What meals do you find best to cook in it? I've bought a few packs of cous cous, pasta, savoury rice and risotto to find out what works/what I like best.

 

[BigBadgers2001]

That's a great idea. Top marks for sharing that one.

 

[lab72]

I have used them for beans to shepards pie curry etc

 

[chris_irwin]

I have used them for beans to shepards pie curry etc

So I guess that's cooking by putting the freezer bag straight into the pot as you would a ration pack? I'll have to try that method as well, although it's not quite as lightweight as taking dehydrated foods.

 

[lannyman8]

try "boil-a-bags" i think thats what they are called, they are made to be boiled in water with home made food inside, thay are also safe and dont give of any chemicals into the food AND could probably be re-used again and again......

there was another thread here on them, some place.....

regards...

chris.

 

[Shewie]

Asda sell poly-lina bags which are good for meals, make sure you get the microwave proof ones though as they're a bit thicker.

I'm toying with buying a dehydrator at the moment which opens up a whole new lightweight cooking menu, I'm just waiting to see how a pal gets on with one first.

 

[shaggystu]

i've been playing around with home made boil in the bag meals for a while now, and i'm pretty happy with the results i've had. i make a big pan of something like chilli and freeze individual portions in those brilliant litttle plastic containers that the curry house keeps sending me. when i'm off for a night out i simply take a block of frozen food out of the plastic contaier and put it into a zip-lock freezer bag (i can't remember the brand but i'll find out if anyone wants to know).

dinner time goes something like this:
billy full of water and boil in the bag chilli on to boil
once it's boiled use some of the water to make a hot drink
add a bag of boil in the bag rice and put back on heat
once rice is cooked take rice and chilli out of pan
add rice to chilli and eat
use last bit of water in pan to do the masses of washing up (spoon)

it's a system that works pretty well for me. all nice and tidy and stress free.

stuart

 

[lab72]

So I guess that's cooking by putting the freezer bag straight into the pot as you would a ration pack? I'll have to try that method as well, although it's not quite as lightweight as taking dehydrated foods.

No just put your food in the bag and heat through in boiling water .

 

[lab72]

Been thinking about one myself ,looks like a good way to go.

 

[bigandy]

I know ajb has been using a dehydrator and loves the results.

 

[rik_uk3]

I've been using a dehydrator for a few years now, work well and now have two including one of these

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/hou...food/dehydrating_/193811-food_dehydrator.htm?

 

[Gotte]

I like the principle of this way of cooking. The only thing I'm not keen on is the waste (I assume you throw the bags away). Would it work with something like a tupperware container in a thermal bottle cover?

 

[Neumo]

I have heard that cooking food in plastic bags can be quite bad for you if you get the wrong types of bags. There was a thread on here a year or so back about it, which may be worth looking into.

 

[chris_irwin]

I like the principle of this way of cooking. The only thing I'm not keen on is the waste (I assume you throw the bags away). Would it work with something like a tupperware container in a thermal bottle cover?

The bags I've just started using (pour n store) are made of a fairly tough plastic and are reusable. I've used one of them twice and washed it out, seems fine to me. I reckon you could get a fair bit of use out of them before you need to throw them away. I plan on using them on the trail and carrying them out to wash at home.

I'm sure the same principle would apply for a tupperware container, as long as you have something to keep the heat it. I just prefer the plastic bag as it packs down small, it's light and is a good way to store individual meals.

 

[chris_irwin]

I have heard that cooking food in plastic bags can be quite bad for you if you get the wrong types of bags. There was a thread on here a year or so back about it, which may be worth looking into.

I heard this when I was reading up about freezer bag cooking. From what I gather, the issue is with BPA (Bisphenol A) which can supposedly leech into the food when cooking. However, having read quite a bit about it, it seems to be just another thing that people say you shouldn't do. There seem to have been a lot of tests carried out on plastics made with BPA, and the results have come back showing little (not harmful) or no chemicals leeched into the food.

We're constantly being bombarded with recommendations as to what we should and shouldn't eat, should and shouldn't do to stay healthy. To be honest, even if it is harmful, I'm not doing it enough for it to be a worry to me. There are lots of things I shouldn't do, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to do them!

 

[Yorkshirewanderer]

I know this is bringing up an old thread but I've been looking into a similar kind of setup in cooking when i'm out walking or on a over-nighter, Ill be honest, i hate washing up when I'm out so the pour n store option looks like a good option. I'm just wondering if there are many others who use this type of cooking to save on the washing up/ weight and what bags they use or find best? have you made your own foil thermal pouch or sourced one from a supplier somewhere? what kind of foods are you taking/find best? Just after peoples opinions please.

 

[tartanferret]

Sainsburys do their own version of Pour n store bags. The quality is on par with the original Polylina branded ones. I've got loads so if you want some drop me a PM with your address and I'l pop some in the post.

 

[atraildreamer]

Check out this site:

http://www.trailcooking.com/