View Full Version : Dehydrating with my oven?
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 14:57
Now let me stress this first, I am not into dehydrating food. Don't recommend that I get a dehydrator (though I'd consider it after the AT). The food I'm preparing for the first month of my thru is largely all bought and AWESOME. But, I would like to give it a go. Mainly with things like apples. So, how does one go about satisfactorily drying things in one's oven, and what do you recommend? (Snack food only, really. Unless there's something so awesome I just need to know about it).
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 14:58
Oh, and I don't know if you can do sauces without a dehydrator and fan, but if you can, any tomatoe sauces for spagetti would be very much appreciated. Otherwise I'll just carry a small can.
The food I'm preparing for the first month of my thru is largely all bought and AWESOME.
How would you know, not having eaten it yet?:rolleyes::)
Oh, and I don't know if you can do sauces without a dehydrator and fan, but if you can, any tomato sauces for spaghetti would be very much appreciated. Otherwise I'll just carry a small can.
Carrying canned sauce is silly, but I expect you already know so. Our Camp Chef LaurieAnn could tell you all about drying sauce and she may. I wouldn't want to speak out of place, since we are all about decorum here.:)
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 15:17
I've tried a bit of it (to make sure I wouldn't spend the first month engulfed in boring food!)
And I'm only slipping in a can now and then to change things up. For instance, in my second maildrop, I have a can of pineapple, in another one I may put a small can of tomato sauce (may just tomato paste- or not), I don't know if they even sell small cans or tomato sauce. Etc...
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 15:19
Emerald- we may've had disagreements in the past, but sometimes you make me laugh! :)
What you refer to as disagreements were nothing more than attempts get you to see things from another perspective. Sometimes it takes more persistence and extreme tactics expecially with those who are stubborn.:)
I PMed LA a bookmark to your query.
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 15:27
Got it :rolleyes:
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 15:27
And thanks!
You know, Warren hiked the A.T. in 1980 on a dinner menu consisting of 2 items if I'm not mistaken, plain and red. Red was generic mac&cheese with canned generic tomato sauce added to it, which travelled on The UCONN Expedition's support vehicle. He likely would have been content with plain otherwise.
I figured if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me. The last thing I had that could be prepared quick when I rose before the sun at BSP's southern boarder was mac&cheese.
Later that day, I arrived at Chimney Pond and it rained as expected the day I had planned to summit. Am I making any sense?
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 15:38
Hmmm- I like a bit of variety, personally... I don't think two meals would be my thing.
Perhaps, but you needn't go to the extreme I suggested in jest to simplify meal planning. I hope you will remember an A.T. through hike is about what you see and who you meet, not what you eat primarily. That said, one must nourish the body to nourish the soul, ShLep.
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 15:57
I'll keep that in mind- but I do appreciate good food!
Dehydrating in the oven is easily done, did it recently for the Maryland AT section hike Dancer and I did. Whatever it is you want to dehydrate, put on a half cookie sheet or some kind of other pan lined with parchement paper. Put it in the oven on it's lowest setting (I used 200 degrees, Fahrenheit) with the door slightly ajar. Watch it occsionally to make sure it's ok and let it stay in there til it's dry. Store in Ziplocs, etc. Great way to do it and you don't spend a bunch of cash on a dehydrator. Good luck!
You can dehydrate anything in your oven that you can do in an upscale dehydrator.
The difference is it takes a lot more attention and others can't give much advice. You have to do your own trial and error.
Get some parchment paper and make spaghetti and sauce. Search the food section for hints and techniques.
hint #1; You precook the noodles and dehydrate them separate.
Hint #2 You dehydrate the sauce on parchment and then food process it to a powder.
Good luck
ps we eat out mistakes round here
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 16:52
Do you know about how long thin apple slices (and medium thickness as well) take to fully dehydrate? And how long do they last after being dehydrated? If I make them now, will they be okay for my mid February thru start? Or should I wait until a week or two beforehand? (Especially since I'm not going to be doing much dehydrating at all, just enough to have a couple different dried fruits for the first week or two)
search all of sarbar's posts in the last year. You'll find links to her book on line with good guide lines.
I dry and then freeze until time to go. That's pretty foolproof.
The when it's done thing is a judgement call; sarbar talks about that somewhere or other.
Read on schlep
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 17:48
Thanks Grinder! I was thinking of just dehydrating the sauce, and then actually cooking the spagetti on trail, but I'll try dehydrating the noodles too, to see how I like it.
Jan LiteShoe
11-21-2009, 18:54
Perhaps, but you needn't go to that extreme to simplify your life. An A.T. through hike is about what you see and who you meet, not what you eat primarily. That said, one must nourish the body to nourish the soul, ShLep.
What?! A thru-hike is not about FOOD????!!!!
:eek:
NOW you tell me...
:)
What?! A thru-hike is not about FOOD????!!!!
:eek:
NOW you tell me...
:)
You didn't get the memo, Jan? I thought everybody got the memo. :rolleyes::D
Jan LiteShoe
11-21-2009, 18:57
BTW, wrong season now, but oven-dried tomatoes are amazing.
The best ones to dry are the thick, meaty plum-types. Just cut in half, sprinkle with salt, and dry in a slow (200 degrees or so) oven. Keep a watch so they don't burn - those don't taste as good. Toss them into everything. Or eat as a snack.
Jan LiteShoe
11-21-2009, 18:59
You didn't get the memo, Jan? I thought everybody got the memo. :rolleyes::D
Oh, that was a memo??? I THOUGHT that TP was a little rough.
Oh, that was a memo??? I THOUGHT that TP was a little rough.You oughta read before you wipe, kiddo. :D Comin to soruck this year? We missed your knitting last year.
schlep says "then actually cooking the spagetti on trail"
The trouble is, without draining, pasta tastes like library paste.
And you can store the pasta and the sauce in one bag for freezer bag cooking.
The aroma is so fine that campers all around will gaze at you longingly. <G>
Jan LiteShoe
11-21-2009, 19:08
You oughta read before you wipe, kiddo. :D Comin to soruck this year? We missed your knitting last year.
That's a big "unknown" there, Hooch.
The place fills up pretty fast these days.
To keep things on topic, I've also dyhdrated BLUEBERRIES in the oven. Now there's a taste treat, and full of antioxidants too. Chewy, like raisins.
Pedaling Fool
11-21-2009, 20:02
Dehydrated tomatoes are excellent, because you get all the taste without the dilution of water. When I dehydrate for a long hike I just dehydrate plain tomatoes, but when I'm dehydrating for normal use at home I marinade them in all kinds of oils/vinegar/spices and eat them by themselves, vice throwing in a stew, which I do on the trail.
You can dehydrate in an oven, but it requires too much attention (IMO) and probably uses much more energy than most dehydrators.
Pedaling Fool
11-21-2009, 20:06
P.S. I don't get the concept of dehydrating pasta/noodles, they're already dehydrated. It probably does save some cooking time, but I think at the trade-off of less nutrients lost from the second dehydration process.
Prop the oven door open about 2 - 3 inches & set the temp as low as you can. Place your items to be dried on a cookie sheet, about mid level on the oven.
First a quick warning about tomatoes: if you over dry anything tomato it WILL tasted burned. Tomato stuff should be red not brown.
To dry apples, bananas, peaches, etc: splash a bit of orange juice on to reduce browning. Slice thin & spread so no piece touches any other piece (this pretty much applies to anything you dry), turn / flip a few times.
When making dried fruit, make dried fruit! Leave the nuts out, or more importantly, leave the fruit out of the nuts. The residual moisture in the fruit may cause the nuts to go rancid. YUK!!
If making fruit or other leather, place on wax paper or parchment to make removal easier. For sauces I tear into bits at home, I have also run the bits thru a blender at LOW speed in short bursts, the goal being something powderish for ease / speed of reconstitution.
Remember to not over dry your tomatoes.
If making jerky, make at least twice what you want for on the trail. And I usually make 3x of anything I dry, as the family (& me) eat much of it as it comes out of the dryer or oven. The jerky goes fastest. :p
Spirit Walker
11-21-2009, 22:16
We've dehydrated bottled spagetti sauce and salsa in the oven on a cookie sheet. Both are good. The salsa actually makes a good snack just by itself, or you can put a bit into rice dishes.
Many Walks
11-21-2009, 22:34
Do you know about how long thin apple slices (and medium thickness as well) take to fully dehydrate? And how long do they last after being dehydrated? If I make them now, will they be okay for my mid February thru start? Or should I wait until a week or two beforehand? (Especially since I'm not going to be doing much dehydrating at all, just enough to have a couple different dried fruits for the first week or two)
ShLep, if you seal the dehydrated food in vacuum food storage bags it will keep for several months. If you don't want to do that, go with Grinder's note to freeze in ziplocks till time to go. It will be good either way.
randyg45
11-21-2009, 22:34
I've done hamburger and chicken pieces in the oven forever. We made venison jerky that way in the 60s, which may have been before there were personal dehydrators available. Vaccuum pack it and it'll keep at least a month....
NOLS used to sell tomato powder....
Rain Man
11-21-2009, 23:08
For what it's worth, wife and I are in the market for a toaster oven. Ours recently died after many years of service. Anyway, in shopping at Walmart, we saw an "upscale" toaster convection oven that listed "dehydrator" among its features on the box. On expensive side; around $80. Here's a link to one site about it:
Oster 6057 (http://milo.com/oster-6-slice-digital-toaster-oven)
Sadly, it got some bad reviews online, though nothing online or in the owners manual (we looked) said anything about dehydrating feature, except it's set at 185 degrees.
I've always thought about dehydrating, but have yet to give it a go.
Rain Man
.
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 23:15
P.S. I don't get the concept of dehydrating pasta/noodles, they're already dehydrated. It probably does save some cooking time, but I think at the trade-off of less nutrients lost from the second dehydration process.
That's what I thought- people have been telling me to cook them and rehydrate latter, and I don't get it.
And Grinder, why can't I strain spagetti on the trail?
ShelterLeopard
11-21-2009, 23:16
And I meant "than" not "then", very tired today!!!
dry pasta (from the box) is raw. Cooked and dehydrated pasta is obviously cooked. The advantage is since the cooking has already been done, one saves time. There is no simmer time like needed to cook pasta. This is the same distinction between raw dried beans and cooked dehydrated ones. Raw beans require soaking and hours of cooking, while cooked dehydrated beans can be rehydrated in mere minutes.
schlep,
Of course you can cook and drain pasta on the trail. You can carry fresh bacon and a sack of canned goods. You can do it all anyway you want.
But==that means you have to carry (up to 1 mile round trip from the spring), heat and then throw away a liter of so of hot water (using an additional oz. of alcohol).
If I were you, I would start cooking lunch every day, at home, with my intended camping equipment and recipes.
And practice pack your gear, including food and water and go on a walk with it to get a feel for the entire concept before you leave.
Hiking is about trade-offs. comfort while you walk versus comfort in camp.
Pedaling Fool
11-22-2009, 10:29
That's what I thought- people have been telling me to cook them and rehydrate latter, and I don't get it.
And Grinder, why can't I strain spagetti on the trail?
FWIW, When I cook rice on the trail I always add more water than necessary for two reasons:
1. If I cook rice to the point evaporating all the water the pot is harder to clean.
2. The extra water also reconstitutes all the dehydrated veggies/jerky I add to the rice.
Also I don't drain so I keep as much of the nutrients as possible. Never used pasta, but I could do the same thing with it.
.
ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 10:30
Yep- I did a shakedown (for two days) last weekend,and I'll be doing another in January. Ideally, it'd be a week. But I did a week and a half long shakedown this past summer and tested all that jazz. I've always cooked with more fuel/ fresher stuff, and never with dehydrated things, so I might have extra fuel if I take one dehydrated thing, but it won't make too much difference.
I think I'll leave the pasta raw and cook it on trail.
PS- I DO bring fresh bacon on trail!!! :)
(And if this is a little disjointed, sorry, I'm very tired)
LaurieAnn
11-22-2009, 12:48
How would you know, not having eaten it yet?:rolleyes::)
Carrying canned sauce is silly, but I expect you already know so. My friend LaurieAnn could tell you all about drying sauce and she may. I wouldn't want to speak out of place, since we are all about decorum here.:)
Basically you line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (not waxed paper) and spread the sauce out. I generally try to make it thicker near the edges and thinner in the middle in case the sheet is warped and the sauce pools towards the middle. I then set the oven to it's lowest setting. For most that is 170°F and prop the door open with a wooden spoon. Then dry for 5 to 8 hours (this will depend on the sauce, humidity of the house, etc.). The sauce will be dry when it is like fruit leather. Sometimes I over-dry on purpose with a dehydrator on a lower setting... but this does NOT work with the oven as it will taste burned. Doctari's instructions are pretty solid.
LaurieAnn
11-22-2009, 12:51
I think I'll leave the pasta raw and cook it on trail.
This is probably the best way to do pasta but it does require a little more fuel. I'm pasta picky - like it al dente and that's more difficult to do when you pre-cook and dehydrate it.
What?! A thru-hike is not about FOOD????!!!!
:eek:
NOW you tell me...
:)
Sorry, you never asked. If a through hike is a time for contemplation, one of the things one ought to contemplate is what things will be like post-hike when food is more readily available and one's caloric requirements aren't as great. What's gained can be reversed rather quickly although the memories do resonate for years.
ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 15:09
Thanks Laurie- and my attempt yesterday to dehydrate apples was very bad indeed, but now that I have some real advice from y'all, I think I'll give it another go.
And John- good point about the cleaning, but I'd rather have better tasting food and have to scrub out my pot out harder (usually, anyway).
did you dip the apple slices in lemon juice first?
ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 18:16
I did not, is that an essential move?
Appalachian Tater
11-22-2009, 18:25
Yes, it keeps them from oxidizing and turning so dark. It works even if you are not dehydrating them, say if you are making a salad. You can also use ascorbic acid or even cider vinegar. It works on other fruit, too, like avocados and bananas.
Before you go dehydrating everything you can get your hands on, think about whether it makes sense to do so. Some things may be cheaper to buy already dried at the grocery store, like potatoes, bananas, and raisins. Apples may be cheaper to buy dried depending on the season.
ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 18:30
The ONLY two things I want to dehydrate for/before my thru are apples and spagetti sauce. And only a couple servings of each.
Dried apples were a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch food eaten in the fall and winter months. My local historical society has an annual dinner at which Schnitz und Knepp (ham and rehydrated dried apples) among other things is served.
I recently saw some images of apples being dried in the open air in the traditional manner. The apples apparently attracted bees and wasps of all kinds.
John Copes toasted dried sweet corn is standard fare at contemporary Thanksgiving dinners throughout the area where I live. I tried and failed to locate a link, but trying to source it is commonplace considering what I did find.
Appalachian Tater
11-22-2009, 18:38
Dried apples have a strange and unpleasant texture in my opinion. The only fruit I like less dried is papaya. Why don't you just buy a bag of dried apples at the grocery store?
The spaghetti sauce is easy to dehydrate, just do it at a low temp and keep and eye on it, don't burn. If the temp is too low it just takes longer.
When you resupply in town, carry out a few pieces of fresh fruit like oranges, apples, bananas. If you find a safe spot in your pack they will travel well. Pears tend to get mushed up, mangoes have too heavy of a seed compared to the amount of fruit. There's nothing like a piece of fresh fruit out on the trail to brighten your day.
ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 20:44
I just like dried apples, and I don't want to carry (and can't find a small enough) jar of spagetti sauce. Hence, the reason I only want to dry apples and spagetti sauce. And I often find that apples in the grocery store taste too rubbery, or to hard. So, I thought I'd custom make 'em. And I often carry fresh fruit- I love it!!!
With sauce, do I need to do anything to it while it is dehydrating? Or just watch it? (I mean, do I need to stir it, or turn it, or anything?)
Appalachian Tater
11-22-2009, 20:50
No, don't stir it, it's like making fruit leather.
Actually tomatoes are fruit and it is not like making fruit leather, it IS making fruit leather. If it is homemade sauce, cook it until it is very thick before dehydrating it.
You can Google "dehydrate spaghetti sauce" if you want a video or detailed instructions.
ShelterLeopard
11-22-2009, 20:51
Thanks Tater!
As an alternative to dehydrating sauce you might try Amote Sun Dried Tomato paste. It comes in 2.8 oz tubes and is pretty concentrated. It is near tomato sauce in most markets.
Has anyone tried to dehydrate green chiles ? I am from New Mexico and need some spice in my food. Right now dried red chili looks like the only solution.
LaurieAnn
11-23-2009, 11:39
Has anyone tried to dehydrate green chiles ? I am from New Mexico and need some spice in my food. Right now dried red chili looks like the only solution.
I dry hot peppers a lot. My advice.... do so with a window cracked open even in the winter or in a well ventilated room (you could use the exhaust fan above your stove too) as it can be a little irritating to the sinuses and lungs otherwise.
LaurieAnn
11-23-2009, 11:43
AggieAl... you might be interested in this too...
http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices-by-category/chiles
Thanks LaurieAnn. I will keep experimenting.
I suspect that due to the need to keep it fast and simple will end up just taking some ground chili powder along.
Out here the smell of roasting green chilies is part of fall. No need to open the windows.
Al
Farr Away
11-23-2009, 16:04
I've dried apples by just slicing them about 1/8 inch thick, 'threading' the rings onto a rod, and letting them air dry. I don't remember how long it took; that was about 20 years ago. :eek:
I do remember they were very tasty.
LaurieAnn
11-23-2009, 16:54
Thanks LaurieAnn. I will keep experimenting.
I suspect that due to the need to keep it fast and simple will end up just taking some ground chili powder along.
Out here the smell of roasting green chilies is part of fall. No need to open the windows.
Al
Al - I do things a little differently and I spice and dry the complete meal when I can. Then all I have to do on the trail is add boiling water, wait and eat. I'm kind of lazy that way and it means I don't forget to add an ingredient.
I've made jerky and it was fun and easy. I just set the oven to its lowest temperature, which was a bit higher than recommended but still ok. 170F I think. Tonight I will try blueberries.
Oh yeah. Its a convection oven. I think that helps.
LaurieAnn
11-28-2009, 09:35
Convection certainly helps. The KitchenAid in our former home was convection/gas and it even had a setting for dehydration and a little gadget to prop the door. I sure miss that oven.
The target temperature is actually 130-135*F for fruits and meats. This is based on the instructions from dehydraters and some experience. With a thermometer next to the food being dehydrated you could adjust the crack in the door to find the right temperature.
For dried pasta deing cooked for the first time it is important to boil it for atleast a minute after it has reydrated completely(especially if steeping to save fuel) or the center will be moist but raw. If it has a grainy texture it is raw. A little extra water is necessary to keep it from sticking but not a liters worth.
Food is a spice of life.
Fiddleback
11-30-2009, 10:42
I've dried apples by just slicing them about 1/8 inch thick, 'threading' the rings onto a rod, and letting them air dry. I don't remember how long it took; that was about 20 years ago. :eek:
I do remember they were very tasty.
I can beat that...sort of.:D
In second grade we were studying Pilgrims and such and made candles and air dried apples. Take a look at my age...that was a long time ago (although, contrary to what some may think, not so far back that the teacher was an orginal Pilgrim:rolleyes:).
My family took off on a Christmas trip to Denver and I never got to taste-test the apples...
FB
I never drain pasta or rice when I cook on the trail. The basic rule is two cups of water for each cup of dry stuff. When most of the water is absorbed, the pasta, rice, oatmeal, whatever, is done. It's hard to make this work with long spaghetti, but the formula works fine with anything that can be measured in a small container.
Yes. It gets a little starchy. But it also preserves all the nutrients, and with a sauce or cheese added most people won't notice the difference.
As someone mentioned, a little extra water eases the cooking chore, especially if other dry stuff is added that needs hydration, also.
Adding water and cooking stuff at home that is already dry always struck me as a bit silly.
BTW I stopped draining pasta decades ago. I was supposed to feed 12 hikers at a campsite near Gulf Hagas in Maine. The pot slipped while draining away the water, dumping most of the ingredients onto the ground.
No one was watching so I rescued as much as I could and covered up the rest with some leaves.
Weary
I've made jerky and it was fun and easy. I just set the oven to its lowest temperature, which was a bit higher than recommended but still ok. 170F I think. Tonight I will try blueberries.Blueberries worked great. The dehydrated at 170F in my convection oven to something very dry, almost crumbly. Next time I'll get some numbers, but great trail food.
I didn't add anything to them. Just spread them on a cookie sheet. The were frozen, which I think helps. Didn't have to poke them or anything. Fairly easy cleanup also. At 170F they don't burn to the sheet. You have to scrape them off, but it worked great.
I like the fact that blueberries are a traditional trail food.
Natives used to wrap them in birch bark, dehydrated.
ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 14:37
I never thought of blueberries... I might give those a go as well, good idea. Do you remember how long they took? And do you suggest putting them straight on the cookie sheet? Or putting parchment underneath?
If you are buying them, might be cheaper to look for dried to purchase.
LaurieAnn
11-30-2009, 18:33
For blueberries it's good to give them a 1 minute blanch in boiling water and then a dunk in ice water before you dry them. This will keep them from case hardening (where the outside becomes dry but not the inside) and you will end up with a nicer end product which is more leathery like raisins or dried cranberries than a crispy product.
LaurieAnn
11-30-2009, 18:35
I never drain pasta or rice when I cook on the trail. The basic rule is two cups of water for each cup of dry stuff. When most of the water is absorbed, the pasta, rice, oatmeal, whatever, is done. It's hard to make this work with long spaghetti, but the formula works fine with anything that can be measured in a small container.
Weary
This is generally what I do and it works great. It also has much better texture that way and isn't mushy like drying and rehydrating pasta can sometimes turn out if you aren't careful.
Many Walks
11-30-2009, 19:23
Keep an eye on the second hand stores. I just picked up a perfect American Harvest 4 tray dehydrator for $9 at the Salvation Army outlet. Looking forward to trying some of the recipes in this thread. Great tip on the blueberries LaurieAnn!
beakerman
11-30-2009, 19:38
For my "pasta" dishes on the trail I always fall back to ramen noodles as the pasta. They cook up easy and typically have very little water left to deal with-the starch sets up and make a nice thick sauce base.
The key in precooking and drying pasta is simple - undercook by a couple minutes, quickly drain and then dry. Then when you go to rehydrate they don't mush out. Not hard at all.....
The key in precooking and drying pasta is simple - undercook by a couple minutes, quickly drain and then dry. Then when you go to rehydrate they don't mush out. Not hard at all.....
But, the question remains. Why bother? The difference in trail time is a minute or two -- and maybe a half ounce of alcohol.
But, then, what do I know? I use a Zip Stove that burns wood -- wood easily found along a trail. Thus no biggy.
Weary
ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 23:54
I'm all for buying normal pasta and just cooking it on the trail. Seems a bit pointless to me.
Fiddleback
12-01-2009, 09:54
...while others think carrying and cleaning a pot is ________ .
ShelterLeopard
12-01-2009, 11:16
I love carrying and cleaning pots and pans! (Well, more than freezer bags, anyway)
So, have some to a conclusion. Many other make far better dried fruit than I, and I prefer FREEZE dried fruit way more to dehydrated. Soo crispy! So, I've decided that the only thing I want to dehydrated before my thru (may get into dehydrating a bit after my thru, but not before) is spagetti sauce, unless someone can tell me where I can buy it already in a powder. I found tomato powder somewhere, but not spagetti sauce. Ideas???
ShelterLeopard
12-01-2009, 11:18
Wow, I must be tired, meant "others" not "other" and "dehydrate" not "dehydrated". Sorry. Ah, whatever. Ignore my grammar/ spelling correcting.
Hikes in Rain
12-01-2009, 12:29
I love carrying and cleaning pots and pans! (Well, more than freezer bags, anyway)
I found tomato powder somewhere, but not spagetti sauce. Ideas???
Carrying and using, yes. Cleaning, not so much. But it's not a big deal either way, as long as there's water nearby. If I have to carry the water to wash the pot, suddenly bags look awfully good.
Indea: Sure, tons of them. How about taking the tomato powder and using it to make the sauce with a little parsely, oregano and basil? The amounts of herbs, even fresh, would be negligable, weight-wise. Add either some fresh garlic or good garlic powder and some parmesaun cheese.
Where'd you find the powder, anyway? I can get tomato paste in tubes here in Tallahasse, but not the powder.
ShelterLeopard
12-01-2009, 12:34
Carrying and using, yes. Cleaning, not so much. But it's not a big deal either way, as long as there's water nearby. If I have to carry the water to wash the pot, suddenly bags look awfully good.
Indea: Sure, tons of them. How about taking the tomato powder and using it to make the sauce with a little parsely, oregano and basil? The amounts of herbs, even fresh, would be negligable, weight-wise. Add either some fresh garlic or good garlic powder and some parmesaun cheese.
Where'd you find the powder, anyway? I can get tomato paste in tubes here in Tallahasse, but not the powder.
I really don't mind cleaning near water. Gotten pretty good at it. (I just need to make sure I don't leave it for later and let it get disguting, which I've done in the past.) I tend to save my no cook meals for when I'm not near a water source, and often do try to camp within walking distance of water.
Great idea, thanks! I'll do that. Hold on a sec, I'll post the link. (I couldn't believe I found it, I've been looking in grocery stores, specialty stores and hiking/backpacking stores and could not find it, when I suddenly came across it by accident.
ShelterLeopard
12-01-2009, 12:37
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/SubCategory___40000000226_200368409
Towards the bottom, alpineair tomato powder, could not believe it! (And if you buy them out of tomato powder before I get any...)
I can think of a LOT of good uses for tomato powder!!!
Hikes in Rain
12-01-2009, 12:46
Nah, I'm section hiking for now, and my next oportunity to go won't be until Spring sometime. The supply is safe for you. And thanks for the link! I'll definately use it when I do the Southern Balds next year.
I usually carry an old Campmor (I think) water bag, 1.5 or 2 gallons. It's not made anymore, and I don't remember how long I've had it nor how much exactly it holds. But if it looks like there's a nice mountain top to camp on, I'll fill it up at the last watering hole before the campsite. It's enough generally for supper, handling my contacts, and coffee the next morning.
I always carry a little herb kit, as well as this (http://www.gsioutdoors.com/detail.aspx?c=3&sc2=51&p=79490&lu=%2flist.aspx%3fc%3d3%26sc2%3d51&). Makes the blandest meals at least palitable, and good ones great.
ShelterLeopard
12-01-2009, 13:22
I carry some spices too, not a peppermill, but still, livens up the meals.
(I used to just take rice on canoe trips and a huge amount of spice. Especially curry. Which was a bit stupid, because you can carry as much insanely heavy food as you want while canoeing. But tasted good! Curried rice and dried cherries.)
shlep,
About the tomato powder:
I bought a vegetable sampler from Harmony House last year for my section hike.
Be aware that the tomato powder is a desiccant and turns into a block pretty easily. (they send it double bagged too. So it wasn't just me).
I just used some in today's practice lunch (hot and spicey ramen,
1/4 cup beef TVP, 6 pieces of pepperoni ,chopped, tbsp of dehydrated onion and "an inch" cut off the bar of tomato powder and 1/4 cup of dehydrated brown rice)
The tomato powder melted into the hot water without fanfare. And the soup was pretty good.
I gotta give props to the "Hot and Spicy" ramen noodles from Winn Dixie.
ShelterLeopard
12-01-2009, 14:18
shlep, Be aware that the tomato powder is a desiccant and turns into a block pretty easily. (they send it double bagged too. So it wasn't just me).
Do you think if I use two really good ziplocs, it'll keep it dry? Or should I try and buy it in presealed smaller portions?
Or, what if I put some white rice in the bag-just thought of that? Think it'd help?
shlep, I have no idea. separating it into smaller portions is probably a good idea.
Like I said, the blocks seem to melt into hot water pretty easily. They just don't lend themselves to spooning while still dry. I'd want to perfect a spaghetti recipe at home first, to determine amounts.
Harmony house vegetable sampler had onions, leeks, tomato pieces, tomato powder among the contents (http://www.harmonyhousefoods.com/search.asp?keyword=vegetable+sampler&search=GO).
Those ingredients, together with some spaghetti seasonings packet would be a pretty good start on a batch of spaghetti. I'm still at a loss about how to get a sauce like consistency in the field.
Adding potato flakes just seems wrong. Starch takes a long time to boil and convert. etc.
Let me know what you come up with.
Hikes in Rain
12-01-2009, 15:14
Well darn. I was thinking that if you add less water (without ever having played with it), you might end up with a sauce like consistancy you could then spice up. Maybe the tomato paste in the toothpaste tube might be the better way to go. (They have garlic paste, too, but that seems like a lot of garlic for my short trips. Might work for thrus, though.) The veggie sampler sounds like it might be a winner.
Darn. Now I'm hungry AND want to go hiking!
It's so much easier to just dry a finished sauce (that I have cooked down to very thick) into a fruit roll consistency on parchment paper and then food process it to bitty pieces.
That rehydrates just fine.
Rather than make from scratch (I can make a FINE spaghetti sauce but it's a lot of work) I just get RAGU primavera any more. Gotta love it.
ShelterLeopard
12-01-2009, 16:57
Thanks grinder- I thought you meant the powder dissolved well, but not the blocks. As long as they both turn into liquid. I think I'll try both (the powder and dehydrating ragu), and I'll let you know how it goes!
what I meant re. the powder is that the powder turns into a block pretty quickly no matter what you do.
Then a "chip of the big block" seems to melt into liquid pretty easily.
ShelterLeopard
12-01-2009, 17:03
By the way, I think it was Grinder who mentioned a while back that to actually cook pasta on trail, you need to haul the water and then heat it, then dump it. (I'm definitely cooking it on trail, not at home, I don't want to deal with that), but just as a side note, instead of throwing away the pasta water, if it isn't too gross, it's actually not bad with hot chocolate.
(I was trained from the start by fanatical LNTers. We had to drink the pasta water. ALL the pasta water. And it sucked sometimes. But, sometimes it wasn't bad. If we had cocoa powder. If we didn't...)
If you read the ingredients list of most tomato based sauces the main tomato ingredient is tomato paste. Maybe premake a sauce extra thick without thinning the tomato paste to expedite dehydration. Maybe could add some diced tomatoes for texture unless it would dissentegrate anyway.
How long do you think paste would last unrefridgerated? I do not think as long as jelly but it is thicker.
Rather than make from scratch (I can make a FINE spaghetti sauce but it's a lot of work) I just get RAGU primavera any more. Gotta love it.
Contadina or Ragu Pizza Sauce. 15oz can last I saw. Might be a squeeze bottle size, too. Edible.
By the way, I think it was Grinder who mentioned a while back that to actually cook pasta on trail, you need to haul the water and then heat it, then dump it.
Or you could just haul water enough to rehydrate your sauce and add rehydrated whole wheat couscous to it or vice versa. Less water, less fuel, less time, less mess, less clean-up... Sometimes less is more when you're interested in simple nutrition and not worried about presentation.
Someone mentioned recently Hodgson Mill whole wheat couscous (http://www.hodgsonmill.com/roi/673/Whole-Wheat-Couscous/). I'd prefer to buy bulk whole wheat couscous and ship premeasured portions to myself. Just add reconsituted sauce and olive oil for hiker's quick spaghetti. If your sauce you dried beforehand has wild game or mushrooms in it, good for you! While other hikers are still boiling water, you can taunt them as they shlep with their noodles. Even slow hikers can be fast cookers.
Many Walks
12-01-2009, 18:13
Here is a site that has the little tubes of paste like Hikes in Rain mentioned. Seems like a tube could stretch to two meals once water, spices, and some dried veggies are added. http://www.lavishtreats.com/store/search/tomato+paste/1/ Once opened the remainder of the tube should last a while due to the high acid base.
But, the question remains. Why bother? The difference in trail time is a minute or two -- and maybe a half ounce of alcohol.
But, then, what do I know? I use a Zip Stove that burns wood -- wood easily found along a trail. Thus no biggy.
Weary
You only need to bring the water to a boil and cover the pasta with said hot water. No more cooking, just a 5 to 10 minute wait time. While you can get pasta that cooks in 5 to 7 minutes for best results the pasta needs to be moving for the whole cook time when using uncooked (as in out of the box.) Pasta in the box is not cooked.
Tomato powder: Get it from www.harmonyhousefoods.com to get a good deal on it. If properly sealed in an area with no heavy humidity it doesn't clump. I also tuck a desiccant packet in with it in summer. If it does clump up, use a spoon to break it back into powder or use clean fingers. Pricewise their tomato powder is one of the best buys around.
You can make your own pasta sauces very easily. Potato starch works well as a thickener btw. No taste either.
Freeze dried fruit is like fd vegetables - they taste fresh even when in dry state. For me most dried fruit is too sweet where as fd fruit is only as sweet as it was when processed. That and it comes back to life in a blink.
Hikes in Rain
12-01-2009, 20:25
Here is a site that has the little tubes of paste like Hikes in Rain mentioned. Seems like a tube could stretch to two meals once water, spices, and some dried veggies are added. http://www.lavishtreats.com/store/search/tomato+paste/1/ Once opened the remainder of the tube should last a while due to the high acid base.
That's the stuff! Sorry I couldn't post a link, but it's on the shelves of the local Publix down here. Haven't actually tried it, but I keep eyeballing it and thinking hiking thoughts when I shop.
Hikes in Rain
12-01-2009, 20:27
Rather than make from scratch (I can make a FINE spaghetti sauce but it's a lot of work) I just get RAGU primavera any more. Gotta love it.
Ain't it the truth?? I look forward to the day I can take the time to really cook again. Or brew beer and mead. Or....
Throwing myself into the ring as a test gerbil, I had a quart of pretty good red sauce left over so I dried it.
I lined a cookie sheet with parchment paper, poured the sauce in and set the oven on midway between "W" and "off" (if my oven control is linear, "W" is 150 dergrees F)
At bed time it was still wet, so I left it overnight.
This morning it was dry but blackish instead of red. Too long or too hot I guess. It ground up fine and doesn't taste burnt.
I'm going to eat some for lunch over some vermicelli. I will cook it freezer bag method. Results to follow.
lunch is over and I DID burn the sauce, but not terribly.
One should stop drying when it is still red colored. DOH!!
Next time I'll set the oven on the lowest setting that turns on the element and start in the morning.
On the plus side, it did reconstitute to a sauce like consistency, not watery at all.
The vermicelli was a mexican brand "LA MODERNA" and was precut into short lengths (less than an inch or about 2cm)
I used 1/2 cup of sauce powder and 1/2 cup of pasta with 1 cup of boiling water. It was ready with 10 minutes of soak time.
A hearty sized trail dinner would be more like a cup of each ingredient and 2 cups of water.
ShelterLeopard
12-03-2009, 22:33
I think I'll try that, thanks Grinder! (This weekend- the kitchen will either smell of rehydrated spagetti sauce, or there will be smoke billowing out of my windows.)
LaurieAnn
12-09-2009, 14:20
Grinder - keep in mind that foods like sauce and chili will look darker when they are dried. By removing the water you are concentrating, not only the flavors but the colors.