Rehydrating without a stove

[jazzmessenger8]

Does anybody rehydrate their died food without the use of a stove, i.e. just letting the food sit in cool water for an extended amount of time?

[beaudetious]

Yes, I typically like to make what I call a breakfast shake. Before lights out, I'll take two instant oatmeal packs and pour them into a 16 oz nalgene bottle. Then I'll add in some powdered soy milk, Carnation instant breakfast, nuts, raisins, chopped apricots, etc. and some water. I'll shake it and then hang it with my food bag overnight.

Assuming it hasn't frozen, in the a.m. I'll have a nice breakfast shake to eat/drink after I pack up and while I'm heading off for the day.

[leaftye]

I don't, but lots of hikers do it. You can try it, but make sure you like it or you'll starve with a pack full of food.

[royalusa]

Not sure which food you plan on carrying, but I can tell you which foods we use, as we are cookless. Here's what we do:

Old Fashioned oatmeal (with nuts/raisins) - add water and eat immediately as no soak time is necessary

Mashed potatoes - add water and eat immediately as no soak time is necessary

Couscous - add water and let sit about 8-15 minutes depending on your al dente preferences.

Ramon - if my memory is correct, I think we add water and just let it sit for a couple minutes max

We've done mac & cheese as well if that is the only thing we could find in the resupply store. It probably required about 15+ minutes of soaking. Typically we stick with the food items that do not require any soaking or very minimal soaking time.

We're not picky eaters so this works fine for us. It's not for everyone though.

[sarbar]

There are many things you can rehydrate with cool water. Search "no cook" for unlimited ideas - I might add that I have quite a few no cook recipes on my website as well.

Ramen works well in cold pasta salads, couscous makes great salads. So do cooked and dried lentils/beans. Lots to choose from!

[garlic08]

I do it all the time with rolled oats and instant mashed potatoes. I eat Ramen cold like a big cracker, minus the seasoning. I tried corn grits once and that did not work.

[SCRUB HIKER]

I do it all the time with rolled oats and instant mashed potatoes. I eat Ramen cold like a big cracker, minus the seasoning. I tried corn grits once and that did not work.

+1 to everything he said (by the way, Garlic, you were the inspiration for me going stoveless on the AT last year ... I'll never look back. Thanks, man.). Idahoan or Betty Crocker instant spuds taste fine cold to me; so do refried bean flakes and powdered hummus. You're not going to find those last two in most grocery stores, though. Cold muesli, especially with dried berries and a little water, is my breakfast of choice on the trail.

Things that I've notably tried to rehydrate with cold water and DID NOT LIKE were: instant gravy packets, someone's home-dehydrated mashed potatoes and bacon, someone's home-dehydrated rice and beans, and Kraft mac n' cheese.

No-cook rehydrating is definitely not for all tastes, and there's a big range of what people like to try. I, for instance, don't like the cold oatmeal shake in the Nalgene bottle, but I was around people who did it every day last year. But I'd encourage you to mess around with it and see what you like. I'm always looking for potential converts now :D.

Scrub

[Nitrojoe]

When I did the PCT thru hike in 08 there was a Canadian guy who would place his dehydrated meal in a used plastic mayo jar the first thing in the mourning and he would strap it to the outside of his back. I forgot to mention that he had the mayo jar sprayed with a flat black paint. At the end of the day the food would be completly rehydrated and all he would have to do is eat it right out of the container or if it was cold he would just warm it up a bit. As I recall he had several different menues in sealed bags.

[raspberrytoast]

Dear Jazz,

Our 2010 AT thruhike was sans stove from Damascus to Katahdin. Our dinners each night were either ramen based or couscous based. If Ramen, for two people we would re-hydrate four, five, or six packs of ramen. Throw out the salt/flavoring packets and add (in any combination or order) powered hummus or falafel, sunflower seeds, nuts, peanut butter (Thai dish?), garlic, parma rosa flavor packet (next to the powdered gravy in the supermarket), pesto, mustard greens, ramps, Textured Vegetable Protein, packet of tuna/salmon, powdered tomato sauce, powdered milk, dehydrated veggies, chives, cheese, or any thing else you see if. We followed an almost vegetarian diet so there are plenty more alternatives that can be added.

Couscous gives you another alternative but does not "burn" as long for you. You get hungry really fast on couscous.

Honestly we felt more recovered and energized when we ditched the knor pasta/rice sides and did our own thing. It's doable and pleasant, but not for everyone. If you dig hot coffee and a hot meal you can always get it once in town. On a hot summer night a ramen-salad chilled from sitting in a zip-lock bag in the stream is fantastic!

[Gray Blazer]

Since you are a Jazzmessenger, I'd like to rehydrate Art Blakey.

[sarbar]

Eat whole wheat couscous rather than regular. It will stick to you longer. After all, couscous is just pasta - nothing more, nothing less!

[jazzmessenger8]

Since you are a Jazzmessenger, I'd like to rehydrate Art Blakey.

Haha, I'd like to rehydrate him too, but I will make sure I use hot water for him.

[jazzmessenger8]

Thank you for all of the helpful comments.