View Full Version : Mac & cheese - how much water?
Hi;
I'm looking at one of my favorite backpacking foods - mac & cheese - on my grocery's website. Not wishing to bother with powdered milk, oil, and or butter, I am looking at the deluxe version of Kraft classic or 4 cheese 14oz.
The directions call for 8 cups of water! That seems like a lot - and is 2x what my largest pot will hold.
I recall that, in the past, I took packets of Kraft mac & cheese which used powdered cheese, and didn't require so much water. I never had a pot larger than 1Q.
I would boil the water, pour the macaroni in, boil another 7 minutes, drain, and either add contents of cheese packet and mix, or transfer the pasta into a disposable bowl, then add the cheese mix. Using the disposable - paper - bowl made cleanup a lot easier. I could just wipe and rinse out the pot, stuff the bowl into a baggie and carry out to trash.
But now I find that I will need a lot more water. Is it just that I'm looking at much larger quantities?
I do understand that the product I am looking at now is not the same as in the past - it has a pouch for the cheese - which is not dehydrated - generally, this is much tastier, and provides more protein.
So, do I need to buy a new pot, break up the cooking of the pasta into two stages, or what? I definitely do want the 14oz size. 7oz is not going to do it for me.
As it is, I will be adding tuna from a packet to the mac & cheese to improve taste and provide more protein.
Thanks for your advice
Arden
I use the old school mac & cheese with the powder (Kraft or Trader Joe's) and require very little water. What I do is boil about 14 ounces of water and some olive oil. Then I add the mac and powder and bring it back to a boil. Then I turn off the stove and put the pot, covered, into my pot cozy for ten minutes. Then I bring it back to a little less than a boil and put back into my cozy for five minutes. The result is pretty good and has no excess liquid. It isn't as good as making it "correctly" but passable on trail and uses very little fuel. I've done this with a Jetboil Sol.
Pedaling Fool
10-22-2015, 15:50
I've never measured water for boiling stuff like pasta, which includes mac and cheese, because you drain the water after boiling; it's not like rice where all the water is both evaporated off and absorbed into the rice.
As long as the level of water is about 2 inches above the level of the macaroni pile than you should be fine. 8-cups equals 1/2-gallon (64oz), that does seem like way too much. Are you reading that on the package or something on the website you're reading?
CarlZ993
10-22-2015, 16:01
I'll use about 2 C of water. Boil the water & dump in the noodles & stir just a bit. I put the pot in the pot cozie for 15 min or so. Afterward, I'll stir in the cheese mixture & 1/4 C of Nido Powdered milk. It takes a while to mix everything up. Then, I'll add some olive oil & typically some sort of meat (shelf stable bacon, chicken in a foil pack, tuna in a foil pack, Spam, etc).
I use the old school mac & cheese with the powder (Kraft or Trader Joe's) and require very little water. What I do is boil about 14 ounces of water and some olive oil. Then I add the mac and powder and bring it back to a boil. Then I turn off the stove and put the pot, covered, into my pot cozy for ten minutes. Then I bring it back to a little less than a boil and put back into my cozy for five minutes. The result is pretty good and has no excess liquid. It isn't as good as making it "correctly" but passable on trail and uses very little fuel. I've done this with a Jetboil Sol.Thanks for the reminder - I forgot to order a pot cozy! I was going to do it, but completely forgot while I was ordering other stuff. I guess I could make one, but the instructions I read called for a "diamond plate" sun shade. Right now I don't think any of the auto parts stores are going to sell that. Besides, I'm not really into making stuff myself. I always wind up spending far too much time, and a lot more money than what was indicated.
I like the squeeze packed (non-dehydrated) cheese better than the powdered, but if weight is going to be an issue I probably need to compromise. The trek I'm preparing for is only 4 days, so I shouldn't really need to worry about powdered vs squeeze cheese.
Pedaling Fool
10-22-2015, 16:07
8-cups equals 1/2-gallon (64oz), that does seem like way too much. Are you reading that on the package or something on the website you're reading?I just happened to have a box of this http://www.walmart.com/ip/10295758?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227009622167&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40886762072&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=57787250626&veh=sem
It's 12oz and it calls for 6-cups of water, so if it were a 14oz box I could see it calling for 8-cups. However, I know I don't use that much water, but I never measured how much. I would do an experiment, but I'm having steak tonight:banana
Rocket Jones
10-22-2015, 17:33
Pre-cook your macaroni at home, then dry it in your oven. Then you'd only need water to re-hydrate and heat and wouldn't use all that fuel to cook it.
That's an idea. Then all I need is the cheese, which I can buy in packets dehydrated or non.
I'll use about 2 C of water. Boil the water & dump in the noodles & stir just a bit. I put the pot in the pot cozie for 15 min or so. Afterward, I'll stir in the cheese mixture & 1/4 C of Nido Powdered milk. It takes a while to mix everything up. Then, I'll add some olive oil & typically some sort of meat (shelf stable bacon, chicken in a foil pack, tuna in a foil pack, Spam, etc).
Carl that sounds good. Can you hazard a guess as to how much olive oil and tuna you'd start with?
i'm assuming you are using a 1/4 cup "mixed up" Nido milk. Or not and just the dry mix?
I'm one of the those cooks that learn from others perfect recipes!
thanks,
rolex
Carl that sounds good. Can you hazard a guess as to how much olive oil and tuna you'd start with?
i'm assuming you are using a 1/4 cup "mixed up" Nido milk. Or not and just the dry mix?
I'm one of the those cooks that learn from others perfect recipes!
thanks,
rolexWhy does the can of Nido say 28% milk fat when the description says each can produces 3L with 3.7% milk fat?
Found the Reflectix I need to build my own pot cozy on Amazon as pipe insulation. Seems that's the only to make it. The only pre-made ones are for specific pots, and cost a lot more when you consider I will be getting enough to make a dozen cozies.
Oh no... just learned that one of my favorite backpacking meals isn't good for me! Ramen noodles. Too bad. They are so tasty, and easy to prepare. I guess it's not so bad if you're exercising heavily as a backpacker would be doing, but why put something bad into your body when you're doing something so good for it with the exercise? I can't understand people who use the excuse that they exercise a lot to justify eating junk food.
So, no Ramen noodles for me.
doritotex
10-22-2015, 20:41
Really? Has it gotten to the point where people need help cooking macaroni?
Really? Has it gotten to the point where people need help cooking macaroni?Afraid so. For backpacking though, Ramen has always been a staple. Maybe I should stop reading the health reports. But I am trying to eat healthy, in addition to my strenuous exercise regimen - besides my occasional backpacking, I'm an ultra marathon runner. I'm even considering going veggie, but it's hard to find veggie foods for backpacking that will provide enough protein - unless one can live mainly on nuts. Which reminds me. I've got my Gorp mixed - peanuts, raisins, and M&M's, but I think adding some walnuts to the mix, or separately might make a good addition.
It's also difficult to go vegetarian when you live in a house with meat eaters and you don't have the money to shop at Whole foods or the interest in cooking to prepare the stuff.
Oh no... just learned that one of my favorite backpacking meals isn't good for me! Ramen noodles. Too bad. They are so tasty, and easy to prepare. I guess it's not so bad if you're exercising heavily as a backpacker would be doing, but why put something bad into your body when you're doing something so good for it with the exercise? I can't understand people who use the excuse that they exercise a lot to justify eating junk food.
So, no Ramen noodles for me.
Only the flavoring packet is bad for you. The noodles are just fast cooking noodles.
I think SGT ROCK said half as much water as the box is enough for freezer bag approach. (or maybe One of the cooks)
Anyway, that has worked for me.
Only the flavoring packet is bad for you. The noodles are just fast cooking noodles.From what I read, the noodles are deep fried and contain a lot of sat fat.
I think SGT ROCK said half as much water as the box is enough for freezer bag approach. (or maybe One of the cooks)
Anyway, that has worked for me.
I found the "old fashioned" Kraft mac & cheese with the powdered cheese mix. That will do for me, and help to reduce the weight of my pack.
From what I read, the noodles are deep fried and contain a lot of sat fat.
Looks like you're right. Good thing I stick mostly to mac & cheese, I guess !
Odd Man Out
10-23-2015, 12:44
Oh no... just learned that one of my favorite backpacking meals isn't good for me! Ramen noodles. Too bad. They are so tasty, and easy to prepare. I guess it's not so bad if you're exercising heavily as a backpacker would be doing, but why put something bad into your body when you're doing something so good for it with the exercise? I can't understand people who use the excuse that they exercise a lot to justify eating junk food.
So, no Ramen noodles for me.
So in what way is it bad for you. The ingredients are wheat flour enriched with vitamins, vegetable oil, salt. That's more than 98 %. Less than 2% are the flavorongs which include dried leeks, dried garlic, dried onions, soy prorein, and some salts. Specifically what are you objecting to?
Odd Man Out
10-23-2015, 12:47
From what I read, the noodles are deep fried and contain a lot of sat fat.
Nothing wrong with saturated fst. We had a whole thread on it. Check it out. There are loads of misinformation on nutrition out there.
Red Cinema
10-24-2015, 00:36
If you haven't already purchased that reflectix off Amazoon, and if you have even a modest group of friends/associates/pals/neighbors, ask around for leftover pieces. You don't need much for a pot cozy, and I bet you dime to dollar someone you know has a few square feet sitting in a basement somewhere.
Siestita
10-24-2015, 02:00
"Why does the can of Nido say 28% milk fat when the description says each can produces 3L with 3.7% milk fat?"
Obviously, the 3.7% is the percentage of fat within the reconstituted milk that you make by adding water. The 28% is the portion of dry NIDO, right out of the can, that is fat.
Don't worry about NIDO's fat. At home many of us have to consciously limit our fat consumption but on the trail, especially while out for extended periods, we confront a different challenge. Out in the woods it's challenging to get enough calories into our bodies to stay energized and healthy, doing so while limiting how much weight we carry. So, durable foods that contain lots of fat, NIDO, nuts, and peanut butter for example, are appropriately popular with backpackers.
Rocket Jones
10-24-2015, 09:44
Instead of reflectix, I bought a silver reflective heat shield that fits in your windshield from the automotive section at a big box store. Cuts with scissors and assembles to fit my cooking gear with duct tape. Works great and cheap. You'll have some leftover material too.
MuddyWaters
10-24-2015, 14:43
I always cook pasta separately and drain xs water. Pour into old rotten stump WELL away from camping area.
Precooked pasta and rice, rehydrates much faster and better. You can make a lot of dishes with minute rice, ramen, soupmixes, cheese powder.
handlebar
10-25-2015, 18:36
No reason to drain water when cooking the pasta part of good old Kraft mac'n cheese. I use 2-1/2 to 3 cups water (sometimes I like it a little soupy). Add a healthy dollop of olive oil and cut up Spam foil pack to the water and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and simmer 7 minutes (my Featherfire alcohol stove actually does simmer). Place pot in cozy. Add dried milk and cheese pack. Stir. Enjoy.
CarlZ993
10-26-2015, 11:28
On tuna (or chicken), I use one foil packet (~3.5 oz or so) in my mac & cheese. I use 1/4 C of Nido. I add about an oz of olive oil. It takes a bit to stir it in but the dry mix will work.