View Full Version : Lipton Sides and FBC
Rightfoot
03-29-2012, 12:54
Might be a silly question but... Will a Lipton Noodle side cook if the contents have been placed in a freezer bag and boiling water added and then placed in a cozy? I use a beer can alcohol stove and generally use couscous with home prepared dehydrated foods. I'm afraid the pasta will not cook. Any first hand experience? If not I'll try it this weekend?
Regards,
Rightfoot
Wise Old Owl
03-29-2012, 13:01
Its not silly - but I've never tried it.... So stick the stove on a upside down metal tray (don't burn the table) and try it yourself in the kitchen.
practice....practice....practice... just like sex........
turtle fast
03-29-2012, 13:20
Lipton sides is now Knorr sides. Why they switched Lipton to Knorr who knows...probably as Lipton is associated with teas.
BobTheBuilder
03-29-2012, 13:31
Based on my experience, yes, it will work. I've tried a few this way and they worked just fine. You might have to let them sit in the cozy a few extra minutes, but it works.
Yep, it works. Did it all the time, especially when I didn't want to worry about cleaning my pot.
Here's an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITr1Ht4ndnY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Lots more. Just search "freezer bag cooking" on YouTube.
Cheers!
mountain squid
03-29-2012, 15:47
Concur. It works. I usually used less liquid than what is called for though. The sauce usually doesn't thicken very well. Rices, on the other hand, come out really good. You'll figure out what works for you.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)
some observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?14493-observations-from-fs42-(advice-for-first-week-on-trail))
They're tolerable, but come out much better if you actually cook them.
You gotta think like a gourmet chef here- al dente!
HiKen2011
03-29-2012, 16:16
They're tolerable, but come out much better if you actually cook them.
I agree, maybe I didn't wait long enough though?
Creek Dancer
03-29-2012, 16:25
To save on fuel if I am low, I will soak the side in hot water for about 20 minutes and then cook for a minute or two. Not great, but not too bad.
peakbagger
03-29-2012, 16:29
The liptons sides have two basic types, rice and noodles. I find that the rice rehydrates quite quickly (and isnt bad raw) while the noddles need simmering. I used to use the rice based meals if fuel was tight. I expect the same applies to FBC.
RWheeler
03-29-2012, 16:37
The rice kinds cook up fine with the plastic bag+boiling water+cozy, maybe a minute more than what's called for.
For the pasta sides, use a bit less water (in the 1 1/2 cup versions, make it a bit more than 1 cup) and let it sit in the water a bit longer (for the 7 minute versions, go ~11 minutes).
That's worked for me testing at home.
I came to love the "Asian Noodle" side variety. They seemed to cook better. Of course I NEVER had a bad meal on the trail- too darn hungry to be picky.
I read someone say on another forum that it doesn't work well at all, but ignorant me, I've eaten a ton of such meals, both rice-based and noodle-based, and been happy with them. My own process is typically to err on the "too much" side with water, and then just drink any remaining liquid after I'm done eating. It might not be as good as cooking it in a more traditional way (?), but it's always been fine for my somewhat uncritical tastes, and my wife doesn't seem to mind FBC Knorr noodle-based sides either.
ShoelessWanderer
03-29-2012, 17:43
It'll definitely be on the al-dente side...I've done it many times, especially for long trips...I like not having to clean up the mess...it's not as good as cooking it in a pot, but far from bad as well. And I discover at the end of a long day, a little tougher noodles is a small price to pay for not having to do dishes. (There rice works pretty good too.)
P.s. Also a great method for cooking instant oatmeal.
flemdawg1
03-29-2012, 17:47
I came to love the "Asian Noodle" side variety. They seemed to cook better. Of course I NEVER had a bad meal on the trail- too darn hungry to be picky.
Funny, that's the only one that has ever made me sick. Love all the rest of them though. My fave is the Fajita rice and beans (add some chorizo sausage and tabasco).
RWheeler
03-29-2012, 18:33
I did the same thing, but also shredded up a leftover tortilla that I had and mixed that in with it. Mmmmmmm. A slightly-new flavor. Just what my palate wanted.
ShoelessWanderer
03-29-2012, 19:20
TVP (textured veggie protein) is also a great addition to them! Good way to get protein with almost no additional weight.
Hamburger helper also works pretty good with this method...you can add the tvp or just use the pasta.
skinewmexico
04-02-2012, 13:33
I can never get TVP to rehydrate properly. Probably just impatient.
ShoelessWanderer
04-03-2012, 03:41
I can never get TVP to rehydrate properly. Probably just impatient.
Hmm...strange, it's pretty much just add boiling water...that's why it works great in the hamburger helper.
P.s. Also a great method for cooking instant oatmeal.
Instant oatmeal, I shake up the packet, open the top, pour the water into the packet and eat straight out of the packet. Very easy!
With our Jetboil, we only do FBC. Other great ideas are the instant mashed potatoes (add a bit of taco seasoning mix and some crushed Fritos). Or, take Ramen and add chopped up Slim Jim and crushed Dorritos! We do use a cozy when cooking, but it always tastes wonderful at the end of a long day. I have recently begun dehydrating frozen mixed vegetables to add to my Lipton/Knorr noodles/rice mixes for some extra nutrition and flavor.
miloandotis
04-03-2012, 23:26
I have recently begun dehydrating frozen mixed vegetables to add to my Lipton/Knorr noodles/rice mixes for some extra nutrition and flavor.
Try canned meats-chicken, tuna, samon and crab meat. You can also do lean ground beef, too.
miloandotis
04-03-2012, 23:27
Try canned meats-chicken, tuna, samon and crab meat. You can also do lean ground beef, too.
oops..*salmon
slowfeet
05-17-2012, 20:20
to those who have done this....
would I need a extra wide pot? (so the bag doesn't touch the sides)
what size ziploc freezer bags do you usuall use?
and do you just drop the whole bag in there (not completely submerged) or are you holding it while "suspending" the bag in water trying to avoid letting the plastic touch the metal?
sorry never tried this.... I'm going to buy the bags and lipton sides tonight or tomorrow to experiment.. but, might as well ask to avoid some trial and error.
and as far as I can tell, the benefits of FBC is:
less clean up
customizable sizes/ recipes
anything else?
any cons to it, besides accidently breaking the bag open?
slowfeet,
You better go watch a video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUbkJbDhu_E
You don't cook like a double boiler, you pour the boiling water into the freezer bag (or the pouch itself)and set it in a cozy (insulated pouch) for a hot soak time. (like ten minutes is typical).
One quart bag is typical size
As others said, the sauce doesn't seem to thicken well for me with the freezerbag technique. I prefer to cook in the pot and put up with the wash up required.
slowfeet
05-19-2012, 14:58
thanks Grinder
good thing you spoke up... I was thinking of doing exactly what you were advising against since some of the cooking directions say to add to boiling water and continue cooking for x amount of minutes.
Lipton sides is now Knorr sides. Why they switched Lipton to Knorr who knows......
Both are Unilever companies. Lipton is mostly known over the decades for its teas. Knorr began as a German soup soup company many decades ago. Both used to be separate companies, but over the decades they were bought up by Unilever, a food conglomerate.