Looking for Red Beans & Rice with low cooking time.

[Wise Old Owl]

Yes there is freeze dried - dried, but I am not looking to spend $6-8 bucks for a few ounces. So I was down at several local super markets and found this inexpensive gem that had 4 servings but a whopping 25 minutes of a boil and no simmer. So now i am thinking soaking a cup in a wide mouth gatorade bottle with one cup of water on a all day hike and maybe that will reduce the cooking time...

My question - has anyone seen anything better? 626_lff_red_beans_and_rice__83181.1310586938.1280.1280.jpgThe shelf life on this is two years.

[nastynate]

Is cooking and dehydrating at home out of the question?

You can also buy dehydrated red beans and rice by the pound from Packit Gourmet. Just mix a cup of each, add 1.5 cups boiling water, and set in a cozie for 10 minutes.

[rocketsocks]

Woo, I know it sounds crazy to cook beans at home, then dry em, then cook em on the trail...but that's the game, or like you said soak all day, maybe even over night, no biggie, just have to know what you what to eat a day ahead of time. I can eat beans anytime...love em.

Low cook time to me means it's either dehydrated and just needs re-hydrating, or it is already cooked and sitting in it's own juice ei; canned or pouch, both of those carry a weight penalty, not much in my book though, but I don't see any other way around this. Ya either dry it at home, or bring it already cooked...or like you said, soak it.

I'll just add, a friend of mine was over an ask/reiterated/observed. "So you cook em, dry em, and cook em again" Yep I said. "I don't get it" then I explained the water weight, and fuel thing, bing the light went on, and like you, the stuff gets expensive to buy pre-dried, that's the whole appeal for me, a money savings thing. Beans are cheap!


Also wanna mention, many times those "Boil" cook times aren't necessarily required, you may be able to get by with half of that with some experimenting.

[Leanthree]

So how I cook these, (it isn't particularly quick so I normally save it for when I don't care if it is a quick meal):

1) Add cold water and packet contents to pot, bring to boil on alcohol stove
2) Blow out stove
3) Pot into cozy for 10 min
4) refill stove and relight, bring to boil again
5) take off stove and put in cozy for 15 min

Some people might use less water and be ok with a bit more crunch to the rice but I'd rather enough water and use a bit more fuel.

[Dogwood]

"Yes there is freeze dried - dried, but I am not looking to spend $6-8 bucks for a few ounces." ME EITHER, that's why I've never paid that much for Backpackers Pantry Louisiana Red Beans and Rice 6 oz(dry wt) packages that have 2 @ 300 cal servings. I find these packages often for less than $4 and then divide into my own serving sizes and caloric servings. I found REI( three times, two different stores) getting rid of these BP variety dinners for $1.50 - $1.80 each which is more in line with what this frugal backpacker is willing to pay. At one of these REI stores I bought 13 packages, all they had discounted. This is typically the cheapest BP or MH freeze dried dinners either company offers. Without even looking much for bargains I notice them being offered for $3.75 and that's not buying in bulk or getting any further discount. http://www.drvita.com/product/backpa...Fe4F7Aod8x0AlA Personally, I don't think 100 cal/oz is high enough so I add to each 300 cal serving(about 3 oz dry wt): sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, TVP, EVOO, etc. for added fat and protein. For extending the complex carbs and possibly other nutrients I'll add in some of the Knorrs Mushroom, or Chicken Fried Rice sides, bits of dried tomatoes/zesty peppers, fresh garlic, fresh green onions, parsley, etc. I've even sifted out the red beans from the Knorrs Cajun Red Beans and Rice Sides and added them in to the BP Red Beans and Rice meals. I roughly come up with a 5- 5.5 oz dinner(dry wt and EVOO) that is about 550-650 cals for roughly $2.25 - $2.75/dinner. These are filling enough for me but if you're not trail food wt obsessed as I can be add a single serving size packet(.85 oz) of Cuginos Chicken Noodle Soup http://www.cuginos.com/products-page...dle-soup-ease/ as a side soup and some Kashi Fire Roasted Vegetable Crackers. https://www.kashi.com/our-foods/crac...roasted-veggie Hungry yet?

[Wise Old Owl]

That's interesting Dogwood I saw 200 calories per cup and adding butter buds and TVP would add some energy.

Yes I will check out those packets.


Rocketsocks - I have tried it, I mailed out packets to people but I am not crazy about how it looks or tastes. Hense, I am looking for packets that I can convert, I have the stuff to play with but it looks like I need a second dryer.

[Dogwood]

Could add some cheese as well. I like Butter Buds for the flavoring too(they've flavors now) but I don't mix the BB into meals(like Idahoan mashed potatoes) that far in advance of eating as I think something goes rancid or becomes off tasting in the BB. I'm referring to the BB I've placed in meals and then repackaged storing these meals for near future hikes.

[Tipi Walter]

I'd cook them up thoroughly at home, blend with a little extra water (or soup stock) and dehydrate in the home dryer. In the field just bring to a boil and let sit in the pot cozy for 20 or 30 minutes. It will have the consistency of gruel but still tasty and easily digested.

[Wil]

but a whopping 25 minutes of a boil and no simmer.

Tony Chachere's line of Cajun mixes are the best; taste & texture. We have them at home all the time: Jambalaya, Dirty Rice, Red Beans & Rice (the Gumbo is not all that good), but not backpacking (I use Hawk's Vittles instead, quicker).

Typically the Chachere's mixes are bring to boil and then a 25 minute simmer so I'd think they'd be OK in a cozy after the boil.

[The Cleaner]

Zatarain's packaged red beans and rice, found at most grocery stores, also has a low sodium version too. I can repackage it and get 2 meals from the regular size. It does require about 20 minutes simmer time, which is not happening on an alky stove. I've been using a Svea 123 stove for most of my hiking, the 1st one lasted 23 years before blowing the safety valve. I looked into a canister stove but after checking the burn time, it's way too expensive for cooking real foods with over 20 minute cook times. A gallon of Coleman fuel lasts me almost a year or less depending on how often I hike and if I cook on a campfire. For my needs, it would take a lot of propane/butane canisters to equal 1 gallon of Coleman fuel. BTW these canisters are frequently found left behind at shelters and I've never found a gallon Coleman can at a shelter....

[Hikes in Rain]

Lipton Sides has a decent red beans and rice, although it's a little short of beans in my opinion. Cooks as fast as any of the other Lipton rice sides; with a little summer sausage and hot sauce, it's pretty good, but nowhere as near as good as home dried.

[Wise Old Owl]

Lipton Sides has a decent red beans and rice, although it's a little short of beans in my opinion. Cooks as fast as any of the other Lipton rice sides; with a little summer sausage and hot sauce, it's pretty good, but nowhere as near as good as home dried.

Hey that works seven minutes - I have not seen that above the mason dixon line thank's!


While searching on this topic here is a mouth watering recipe for home use


http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipe...ins-style.html

[Hikes in Rain]

Might be worth asking your grocer if they'd put in a special order for you. I think they have a pretty long shelf life. Amazon also has them, but sheesh, in a box of 20!

[Venchka]

Mrs. Wayne's Camellia red beans and Konriko Pecan Rice are the only red beans I eat. I would eat instant oatmeal 3 times a day on the trail, and Lisa's cooking at home.
That's just me. Eat whatever (ok rocket socks?) Y'all like.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[rocketsocks]

Mrs. Wayne's Camellia red beans and Konriko Pecan Rice are the only red beans I eat. I would eat instant oatmeal 3 times a day on the trail, and Lisa's cooking at home.
That's just me. Eat whatever (ok rocket socks?) Y'all like.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

I like my beans to have a little tooth to em....not crunchy, just some tooth!

[Dogwood]

If you're not stuck on dehydrated red beans there's also dehydrated black beans. I usually buy these as a black bean soup mix. I've found this in bulk bins at Whole Foods and Health Food Stores at the cheapest price but also in a few mainstream large grocery stores like Krogers, Earthfare, etc in bulk bins sold by the lb. for about $4-5/lb which is quite a lot to me. I sometimes sift the whole dehydrated black beans out of the mix and add them to a Knorr's Rice side like the Cajun Red Beans and Rice which I've found in Walmart across the U.S. for as low as 3 Sides for $2 or about 67 cts each. The normal everyday price for Knorr's Sides is about $1 each at Walmart. I've also found dehydrated Black Bean Soup at Target in the past. I've been having problems finding it lately in Target so they may not so be carrying it anymore. I liked the dehydrated Black Bean Soup Mix Target has carried because the whole dehydrated black beans were in a separate bag inside the box separated from the seasonings packet(No sifting). Although rather pricey IMO, Dr. McDougall's Black Bean Soup is available in the 1.6 oz 160 cal cups, but this would be more along the line of a snack in terms of cals for a hiker. I can't imagine a 160 cal dinner alone satisfying any hiker. http://www.vitacost.com/dr-mcdougall...Fabm7Aod6nYA4w Another Black Bean Soup Mix that may be worth seeking out is Nueva Cocina. I've found this brand being sold in several large mainstream grocery stores. http://www.amazon.com/Nueva-Cocina-B.../dp/B000E3VA0W Again, sometimes I sift out the whole dehydrated black beans. The other dehydrated soup I find in the same places at around the same price per lb as the black bean soup mix that I find can easily be mixed into a Knorr's Rice Side and is quite hearty is Lentil Soup. I hear of folks messing around soaking and cooking regular lentils on the trail which has me scratching my head because I know this excellent product in dehydrated form isn't difficult to locate if one looks in the places I mentioned. BTW, I agree with Hikes in Rain. The Knorr's Cajun Red Beans and Rice is a little skimpy on beans. IMHO, it's the same skimpiness w/ the beans with the Zatarain's rice and bean mixes I've tried but when I'm eating rice and beans I want BEANS and rice. I'll look for the Tony Chachere brand. I haven't tried that.

[Dogwood]

BTW, I like the idea of adding some pecan pieces to a red beans and rice side. Thx for the idea Venchka

[Venchka]

I will be on the lookout for tooth in Lisa's red beans later this week. They really should be called red beans, ham, sausage and sausage.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[Venchka]

BTW, I like the idea of adding some pecan pieces to a red beans and rice side. Thx for the idea Venchka

Enjoy.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[Odd Man Out]

Zatarain's packaged red beans and rice, found at most grocery stores, also has a low sodium version too. I can repackage it and get 2 meals from the regular size. It does require about 20 minutes simmer time, which is not happening on an alky stove....

I've cooked Mahatma's Red Beans and rice over an alcohol stove.

http://www.mahatmarice.com/products/...BeansRice.aspx

I've also used Zatarains. Even though they say to cook for 20 to 25 minutes, I don't find that necessary. What I do is to dump the contents of one package into a mixing bowl. Then add about 1/2 cup of basmati rice, mix, and divide evenly into two zip bags. For dinner, add the contents of one bag to 2 cups water over alcohol stove with enough fuel to bring to a rolling boil. With practice, you can have enough fuel so it boils for a minute or two before the flame goes out (or fill the stove with fuel, and after a minute of boiling, snuff out the stove with a snuffer and retrieve the excess fuel). Then put the pot in a cozy for 15 minutes. Eat.

These are made with parboiled rice and dehydrated beans, so they cook pretty quickly. The basmati rice I add cooks very fast (faster then regular long grain white rice, and tastes better), absorbs the excess water, and stretches the package to two meals made with two cups of water each. I also add a tsp of curry for extra flavor. After 15 minutes in the cozy it's cooked well enough. The rice and beans may be a bit al dente, but it's not really necessary to boil the full 20 to 25 minutes. I've used this same trick with a number of pre-packaged meals that use about 3+ cup of water. I practice with one portion at home and use the other for hiking. You can also add lentils. They also cook (mostly) with one minute of boiling and 15 minutes in a cozy.