View Full Version : Boil resistant bags
As I recall some folks will boil their water in the pot, but instead of adding the food to the pot, will add the boiling water the the bag (Ziploc?), let it sit and eat straight from the bag.
This sounds like an attractive option to me, since you will not have to clean your pot.
What type of bags do folks use that are resistant to the boiling water? The ziploc wesite (http://www.ziploc.com/faq_bag.asp) makes a point of saying their bags are not designed to withstand boiling temperatures.
And does anyone have a "bag cozy" of sorts that they use while letting the food rehydrate in the bag?
Blue Jay
02-03-2004, 15:18
Be careful with this one. Very few plastics can take heating without releasing chemicals, few of which have been tested on humans. The manufacturers of microwave TV dinners advise against reusing their containers even though they are rated microwave safe. One shot and they are no longer safe. Then again who really knows, plastics might keep your skin tight.
smokymtnsteve
02-03-2004, 15:32
and then you wind up with a piece of garbage to deal with and pack out...
a piece of garbage that has rotting food particles in it that starts to putrify and SMELL STRONG ... talk about a bear magnet...and other wildlife..racoons possums and the ever present shelter mouse.
and why the extra hassle and weight?? cook your meal. don't burn it/add a little olive oil it keeps stuff from sticking and you needd the calories anyway ..and when you get near the end of eating the food... pour a little hot tea or water in your pot ,,,scrape the sides and EAT and/or drink all your food..then just wipe your pot out ...steam clean if you...(your stove is already out anyway) like just a small tad of water and lid the pot ... heat and then wipe out....
make a little extra hot water and enjoy your fav after dinner/breakfast tea.
As I recall some folks will boil their water in the pot, but instead of adding the food to the pot, will add the boiling water the the bag (Ziploc?), let it sit and eat straight from the bag.
This sounds like an attractive option to me, since you will not have to clean your pot.
What type of bags do folks use that are resistant to the boiling water? The ziploc wesite (http://www.ziploc.com/faq_bag.asp) makes a point of saying their bags are not designed to withstand boiling temperatures.
And does anyone have a "bag cozy" of sorts that they use while letting the food rehydrate in the bag?
I'm one of the ziplock cooking folks - I hate washing the pot so I changed my style of cooking so that I don't need to any more. As to the bags I use really cheap thin store brand 100 count to a box reclosable sandwich bags - they hold a lipton's meal plus 1.75 cups of water just right - they can hold 2 cups of water but it is a little harder to close the bag. The cozy I use is made from closed cell foam (an old army pad) formed into sort of a tall bowl - the key item is to have a cozy that holds the bag open and upright and supports the sides of the bag while pouring the boiling water into the bag. See Stove Stompers site for some pictures of what I use : StoveStomper's pictures of my cookset (http://www.datasync.com/~wksmith/hoikit.html)
After I pour the water in the bag I just put the top on, shake it to stir and then let it sit for up to 30 minutes (depends on the meal) with a rock on the top to keep the top on.
With repect to Ziplocks disclaimer - pure CYA IMO.
another note - by not cooking in the pot I am able to use a much lighter "pot" - a 0.8 ounce beer can
smokymtnsteve,
I figured my meals would need to be in a bag of some sort to begin with, so I would really be creating extra trash to pack out. However, the matter of increasing the stank of my trash doesn't sound very appealing.
HOI, have you had any problems with this or does simply sealing up the ziploc after your are done contain the odors well enough?
Thanx
smokymtnsteve
02-03-2004, 15:56
I have not... I use the method of cooking that I described..I do know about an incident that happened in the smokies back in 99 where a hiker' back pack got grabbed by a bear for the garbage..this hiker was heading into deep creek finishing a multi day trip...the only "food" he had in his pack was his garbage...this happened near a front country campground(deep creek) where the bears are used to people and not real scared of humans...the hiker dropped the pack and got away... the pack was recovered..i saw the pack...it was ripped up ....the bear got the garbage..
I have not had any problems and as you said - the bags with the food in them don't really smell much different than the bags with what little leftovers are in them. Also if someone is having a campfire the bag burns just fine even if it isn't LNT compatible - anything left in the morning gets packed out.
Saluki Dave
02-03-2004, 16:12
Sounds like a slick method to me. Polyethylene, which the bags are made from, generally melts at around 200F, but like the old lighter trick with a water filled dixie cup, you shouldn't have any trouble because of the heat transfer. I agree with the CYA assessment.
PE is a first cousin to parafin. (Ever melt a cheap bowl in the diswasher?) In twenty years of experience with plastics as an engineer and designer (10 of that in medical implants), I'm unaware of any credible negative studies on PE. There was a thread here earlier indicting PTFE (teflon to you folks in Rio Linda), which I know from personal experience to be pure horse-puckey.
Just as an aside, I wonder what effect throwing dishwater out around shelters or campsites has?
smokymtnsteve
02-03-2004, 16:38
Plastics leave behind slagg-like residues that someone will have to pack out that someone has been me before..thank you.
and putrifying food waste smells different to me than dehydrated edible food.
throwing dish water..why???if you use what I call the "catholic method" then there is no dishwater to throw...as you are getting near finishing the food in your pot add a little hot tea or warm water.. take your spoon scrape down the pot sides with the water .. eat/drink all your food ...it will be a little soupy (rinse lather and repeat if necessary or desired..LOL) or in other words drink eat the soupy food and add a little more tea or water scrape,swish,and swallow..and there will be no food left in your cook pot...then just wipe out with a bananda ...you can then if you want 'steam clean" your pot by boiling a little water with the lid on your pot...heat enough to enough your favorite after dinner tea.
sometimes when you are steam cleaning boil your bananda , this takes very little water , then you can wash your face too you nasty rascal :p