Cooking tips

[composite]

I might go on a bit of a ramble here but here goes. I have experimented over recent trips with different ways of cooking dinner when bikepacking. These experiments are trying to work towards the principle of carrying as little a possible while maximizing the comfort as much as possible.

So what I have tried.

Breakfast - generally happy here but for the sake of completeness here goes.

Basically I eat a lot of porridge anyway and this is pretty easy to do while out. Plastic bag with ready break and powdered milk in. You can boil the water in a small pot and pour it in the bag and mix. Hold the bag with a dry bag etc. to not burn your hand. This works very well and as long you don't mind eating out the bag then I can't see any draw backs really. Thanks Mike (yetiman) for that one.

Dinner

Going to use "meat balls and rice" as my example meal.

1. Cold meat balls in sauce with a pack of Uncle Ben's rice all dumped into a large pot. Great because you can heat it all in one go easily and eat out the pot. Draw back is one large pot that takes up more room than I would hope.

2. Half the meat balls and half the rice into a small pot. Heat and eat. Repeat on the other half. Handy because you can get away with just one small pot but a crap way to eat dinner in 2 half's.

3. At there n back I took a small frying pan and cooked sausages and heated water in a small pot to make smash. The pan doubled as a plate but the sausage were cold by the time the water boiled.

4. Just heating water in a small pot and pouring into those dehydrated bags of food, the ration pack style ones. Convenient and means only one small pot and no washing up to do. They generally aren't as good as home cooked reheated food though and well there is something lacking about doing this. I guess it does tick the boxes of my aims though. :?

5. Take no cooking gear what so ever and just rely on hitting a shop for all meals and/or eating cold stuff. Great because you carry bugger all but in this weather I want a hot dinner and breaky. Better in the summer though. If you can get to a pub great but then you normally have to ride off a distance afterwards on a too full a belly and still get the tarp up. Also if you are completely covered crap from the ride then most places aren't going to exactly welcome you in.

So I'm not exactly sure what I'm asking here. :? Thoughts, tips etc on the above? Ideally I want to carry the only the small pot but be able to still cook something nice and in a sensible manner.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I like a good ramble

Carrying one small pot (<750ml) is always going to limit you to boiling water to pour on something rather than cooking in the usual sense as the pot just isn't big enough to put food in. You need to think about what you can rehydrate and what lightweight bits you can add to it. As an example ... packet of flavoured instant mash and some pre-cooked bacon pieces. Mash goes in a pour 'n' store bag, add the water, throw in the bacon and seal it in a cosy / pouch. After 5 minutes you've got your tea.

Some sort of filled pasta, ham pieces and a little grated cheese works well too.

It's about the lightest way (apart from pre-packaged dehydrated meals) to get something hot with only a small pot.

If I'm out for a single night I often don't bother to cook and just carry something cold but it's heavy. Even if I don't cook I still like a brew, so carry a stove, 450ml mug, windshield, etc. If I decide I am cooking then I don't need to carry anything extra besides the food which is light and already to go in the p 'n' s bags. Total weight for the cooking kit is under 100g.

The option of carrying nothing and picking stuff up along the way isn't always the lightest as you'll be tempted to buy loads of heavy stuff while you're in the shops ... just in case.

[Gari]

Just ordered a Dehydrater, idea being to make my own re-hydrate meals knowing what is in them etc.
Make more than you can eat for a meal and then dry them out, or have a big cooking session and then dry them out.....simples.

[ScotRoutes]

I was reading an interesting blog (can't find the link) that also seems relevant. The basic argument was that early morning and late evening (i.e. breakfast and dinner times) are the coldest bit of the day to be sitting around cooking and it therefore makes more sense to stop and eat earlier in the evening, then carry on for a bit, and to get up in the morning, ride and then stop a bit later. I can see that this has some merits and means that more food could be bought en route, whether pre-cooked or for cooking yourself. However, I do like settling down with a hot drink and a cup of coffee is a great starter in the mornings.

[Chicken Legs]

Moveable Feasts by Cicerone is a great book with lots of ideas

[slarge]

Hot chocolate before bed is great. It's one of the best things about bivvying - lying in the sleeping bag with the stove going. Just don't do what I did on t n back and try to use old gas canisters that run out before the waters boiled. Very frustrating!

I take plastic disposable cups so I can boil water in the ti pot, make a hot drink then cook a meal while drinking - packing 2 or 3 means that they aren't quite as fragile and there's one or 2 spare if one splits. They can be jettisoned at the nearest bin as well after use or if damaged.

[Nick]

I tend to just use the dehydrated meals, I like one brand called "Adventure Food" £4 from Go Outdoors.

Heat water, pour in pouch, reseal, heat water for drink, eat and drink, happy.

When first starting out it was two pot noodles decanted into plastic bags, one pot noodle pot. Make a pot noodle, eat, rinse out pot and use as cup for drink, repeat the next day. Was ok for a day or two, I wouldn't want to eat that every day!

[Yorlin]

Moveable Feasts is indeed a good book! I picked up the Guyrope Gourmet from Alpkit a while back, but it's more for people in campervans, or at least the sort of bivvier that takes a two-ring gas stove with em.

I like the Pot Noodle 'cup' idea - we always used to have Super Noodles as lunch for twiddling round scotland, but the re-use idea is very nice!

For one-nighters, yep taking cold food is probably the best plan, though a brew is vital in the morning. The Book of the Bivvy guy seems to eat pork pies and fig rolls a lot... Nowadays you can't get that far from civilisation, so buying fresh pasta (you can get it in the co-op now!) will save a bit of gas/meths.

[summittoppler]

This may not be everyones cup of tea but I do love to chill out in front of a camp fire in the evening. For summer camps I even take some steak to cook over the flames (yum yum) :)
On my January camp I boiled water with a bag of meatballs (the Look what we found type), and let it boil to heat the stuff up in the packet. Then took the bag out (with meatballs still in it) folded the top to keep warm and popped in some super noodles in the boiling water. Drained water into another pot, added meatballs to the noodles and used the now warm water at the end to swill the pot out.
And don't forget to wash it down with a tipple of your choice

[FLV]

Meatballs and rice! That's gourmet cooking for me.

I'f im touring for a few days I will go down that sort of plan, but will generally try to buy the lightest thing from the last available shop. Sometimes opting for mushrooms and rice. Preferably flavoured rice of some sort. Filled pasta is nice, but if its fresh I can eat that cold and uncooked.

Out for a single night and fancy hot food, I often just take a 450ml mug. I generally then take a couple of packs of pasta mug shots. 68g before rehydration yields 270g of pasta. If you go for the tomato ones, you can cook them in one of them sachets of liquid concentrated soup. I like minestrone for a real feast.
One at night, one in the morning. Coffee too.

Also, when I dont take a stove I'm happy to eat outside shops. I like cold beans straight from the can so am at an advantage there

[Cheeky Monkey]

I'm fairly ambivalent about food but like a "proper" brew to the point of being prepared to carry fresh milk and Yorkshire Tea bags.

I have found the small plastic bottles commonly used to sell single servings of tonic are pretty perfect for carrying fluids for bivi's. They hold what I consider to be the perfect volume of port for a one-nighter (happily just about enough to share with FF after the pub as well )

The other happy coincidence is that it ensures I always have fresh tonic in the house for a stiff G&T.

Despite appearances my happiness is not dependant on the consumption of alcohol, honest

[composite]

Thanks for the responses all.

I think I'm generally going to go with carrying the small pot and just boiling water for rehydrating meals for now and grabbing something from a shop when that is more suitable.

The smash with bacon one works for me. What else can be done in that manner?

[ianfitz]

You can dehydrate your own home cooked food in a domestic oven if it is adjustable down to 50c.

I've had success with daal and also sausage casserole (with all the bits chopped very small)

Spread it thinly on a tray. Weigh it on the tray before and after - that tells you how much water to add after.

[benp1]

I have 2 main dinner options that for me are tried and tested

Option 1 - Cous cous meal, all in a pour and store bag - cous cous, TVP, chilli, herbs, soup powder, dried veg, dried tomatoes, nuts/seeds. Just add hot water, no cleaning required

Option 2 - 2 packs of supernoodles and two packs of john west tuna sachets. One pack of supernoodles fits perfectly in my SP450 mug, mix in a tuna sachet, yum. Do this twice. Only have to clean my cup (I use a finger and a silicon scraper)


I also have 2 dessert options

Option 1 - custard powder in a pour and store bag, and a muffin/cup cake to go with it. Boil water, break muffin pieces and put in bag, pour water over the top.

Option 2 - angel delight and nido milk powder in a pour and store bag, just add hot water

You can probably see my meals are low clean up and I just need water. Cleaning up is a hassle I can't be bothered with, these meals are all good, to the extent I actually look forward to them!

My favourite breakfast is porridge with hot chocolate powder or chai latte powder. Used to do it twice in my SP450 mug, will do it in a pour and store bag next time as its easier

[Shalarim]

Option 2 - angel delight and nido milk powder in a pour and store bag, just add hot water

What is hot angel delight like? Only ever had it chilled out of the fridge.

[FLV]

Deserts now

I think I'm doing this bikepacking thing wrong :D

[benp1]

Option 2 - angel delight and nido milk powder in a pour and store bag, just add hot water

What is hot angel delight like? Only ever had it chilled out of the fridge.

Like heaven on a spoon. Only if its chocolate flavour though... Seriously its good, especially when the weather is cool/chilly, then it really works well

I have to say its the only time I actually bother to measure out the Nido powder as I want the consistency to be right

Custard and muffin is still my favourite but it packs a bit bigger, hot angel delight packs down tiny as its all powder.

I think you can guess my WRT meals. Although I might bank on having a pub dinner one night, will prob take 2 desserts as they'll be an uplifting snack

[Mpolo]

Like FLV Pasta and soup is a good one we have been going for macaroni as it packs a bit smaller and cooks a bit quicker, adding golden veg cup a soup in the last minute of cooking no waste water.
Tea is essential and porridge for breakfast, finding porridge abroad is not always possible though.
Custard is also difficult to find abroad

[durhambiker]

vaguely exciting thread! Some great ideas to have a go at, particularly loving the custard and angel delight ideas! Need to get myself a MyTiMug or similar sorted soon, as we're currently using mess tins and they're a pain to carry and keep balanced on the stove.

And for reference, the words "proper brew" and "Yorkshire Tea" really don't belong together Ringtons all the way for me nowadays (though did used to be a Yorkshire Tea man, despite being from Lancashire...)

[Bearbonesnorm]

After making tea, I've just realised a stir-fry would be very easy and would work on a meths stove too. Obviously you'll need something different than a small pot ... the foggy dark bits of my brain have just remembered that Ian produced a stir-fry on the winter bivvy a couple of years ago, very nice it looked too.

And for reference, the words "proper brew" and "Yorkshire Tea" really don't belong together Ringtons all the way for me nowadays (though did used to be a Yorkshire Tea man, despite being from Lancashire...)

Think you'll find Lidl de-caff tea bags is where it's at

[Cheeky Monkey]

Each to their own 8-)

[Farawayvisions]

You can toast bread on the embers of a fire or in a dry frying pan. Team that with a hard boiled egg which can be carried safely for a few day and you have yourself a very tasty toasted egg sandwich. Real tea bags are a must have, and I've been getting used to the PG Tips and Yorkshire tea, though nothing compares to a nice cup of Barry's.

[composite]

I spent quite a long time looking time for a light weight espresso maker as I like my morning coffee. Never found anything light enough though. Ended up using those sachets of cappuccino cause then you don't need milk. They are a bit half arsed to be fair but it's something resembling a coffee. Might get a couple of hot chocolate ones for my trip in a few weeks for an evening drink.

[Chew]

I spent quite a long time looking time for a light weight espresso maker as I like my morning coffee. Never found anything light enough though

You should be able to find a mug/coffee press combo that works?

Something like this
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/jetboil-cof ... wwod_lEAyQ

[Yorlin]

I remember ages ago there was a espresso maker you pumped with your arms - it was fairly long, but made of lightweight plastic.. Googling is drawing a blank but I found something else!

The Airspresso! yep thats a tyre valve on the end

http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-airspresso

Does it look remotely like it wouldn't explode? :twisted: