...must be SOMETHING we can eat..?

[dancrane]

Very good thoughts, thanks PRV/GordonMc.

About 15 years ago, a mate of mine had a gas-powered fridge. It didn't work, but the idea was terrific - that one might be able to refrigerate, without electricity. Do they still exist?

Sorry, don't be de-railed...all long-stowable non-fridge feast ideas are very welcome...

 

[ms.lau]

mmmmmmmm!

how about this?

http://foodnetworkhumor.com/2009/04/a-whole-chicken-in-a-can-yummo/

go on, you know you want to!

laura

 

[kds]

You don't need to look any further than "look what we found".
Great quality and wide range now. Last all season, easily stored and just need warming.
Ken

 

[prv]

About 15 years ago, a mate of mine had a gas-powered fridge. It didn't work, but the idea was terrific - that one might be able to refrigerate, without electricity. Do they still exist?

Yep, as do paraffin-burning ones (though you get better results if you search for it as "kerosene"

They not ideal for a boat though - firstly for gas-safety reasons (and also they generate carbon monoxide if old/grubby and not burning cleanly) and secondly because the way they work means they have to be upright to within a few degrees. Of course you'll also get through the gas much quicker than if you were just cooking with it.

They used to be fitted to some makes of catamaran (upright!) apparently, but I think more efficient electric fridges and better electricity generation have more or less killed them off as far as boats are concerned. Still found in caravans.

Pete

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Those really hard dried spanish sausages keep out of a fridge forever. What they called?

 

[Victoria Sponge]

Take a tin of ready prepared mince. Add an oxo cube and some dried onions and a tin of sliced carrots. Slice some tinned potatoes and arrange on top. Shepherd's pie!

Take a tin of ready prepared mince. Add a small tin of tomatoes, dried onion and garlic granules. Boil some dried pasta.....spag bol.

Boil some dried pasta and add to a tin of meat balls.

We left some potatoes on the boat and they were still fine to eat after three weeks.

 

[prv]

You don't need to look any further than "look what we found".

Basically an upmarket version of Army "ORP" rations. I'm sure they're not bad (the Army ones weren't either for that matter, although I've never been in a position of having to eat them for very long) but the technology means they can only ever be different-tasting varieties of mush. Handy to have on board as backup, but I certainly wouldn't be "looking no further" for my galley needs!

Pete

 

[maxcampbell]

don't do it

Basically open lots of tins into a saucepan & heat.

To quote Dave Selby from PBO - "...just don't open the alphabetty spaghetti, 'cos that could spell disaster."

 

[dancrane]

Some fascinating - and some repellent - material, here!

Thanks for the fridge advice, Pete...I might have died from CO poisoning in my twenties, if we'd ever started that thing.

That Whole-Chicken-in-a-Tin thing is seriously foul. (Some other equally disgusting (but very funny) food photos on that site.) Maybe I'll back away from lusting after non-fresh meat feasts...air-dried sausages excepted; I'd forgotten how good they are.

The soda-bread idea is brilliant. A doddle, by the sound of it, and dead easy to store the ingredients. Tins of M&S mince, too; thanks, I'd forgotten they exist, and what versatile stuff it is. Not quite so certain about the renamed army rations, but I'll look into it.

Although...a lamentable facet of my character is still wondering, if one could actually live for a short week on board, on nothing but real ale? I prefer wine, but ale has a sort-of substance to it, which surely gives it nourishing characteristics. Or is that the drink talking?

 

[prv]

Not quite so certain about the renamed army rations, but I'll look into it.

By referring to them as Army rations, I didn't mean to be rude. As I said, the Army packs are not bad, and these posh versions are rather better. Just that they're all variations on stew or casserole, and Ken was suggesting that that was all one could ever need or want.

Although...a lamentable facet of my character is still wondering, if one could actually live for a short week on board, on nothing but real ale?

Add Ginster's Pepper Steak Slices and the odd portion of chips-with-cheese-and-gravy, and you have my entire diet for the week of the Warwick University Real Ale Festival each year that I helped run it

Pete

 

[dancrane]

Cheers, Pete!

Sir, you may have found the answer...

But I hardly dare ask: Are the peppered steak slices OK for weeks at room temperature?

Plus, in the interests of still being alive at Christmas, does anyone know a way to keep carrots and green beans in reasonable condition at 20 centigrade? I don't like the limp salty things in cans.

 

[V1701]

...does anyone know a way to keep carrots and green beans in reasonable condition at 20 centigrade? I don't like the limp salty things in cans.

Buy a couple of string bags from ebay and hang them up in the coolest, shadiest place on the boat you can find. Good for storing fruit n veg..

Oh and be careful that the bags don't bash against anything when you're sailing. Mine bashing itself against the mast support resulted in brown overripe banana puree all over the saloon once. Nice...

 

[saltylegs]

loads of tins
first, tinned or dried sausage or chorizo then onion (fresh or dried) then a tin of chopped tomatoes, (now add flavours you have eg. chilli, garlic, dried herbs. etc.) then various tins of beans eg. chick peas, haricot, black eye, berlotti, kidney, and cannellini, the chioce is up to you. add some part cooked bread on the side, eg. pittas or nan and hey presto dinner for about 6 crew in 20 to 30 minutes.

 

[ostell]

Doesn't seem to have been mentioned before but this product or this one could be quite good. Other flavours are available. Shelf life of 1 year or more from date of production and doesn't need refrigeration. Oven cook in casserole, microwave or boil in the bag.

Some members of my club took some on a trip and there where quite a few people in the marina wondering where the lovely cooking smells were coming from.

Looks like the links aren't working for some people. Try this entry later on
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2914400&postcount=41

 

[mawm]

I have a boat cook book (on the boat - so no name available) where the author claims to keep joints of meat out of the fridge, and in a cool place, for months.....and that they are still edible. He claims that if you scortch the surface with a blow torch before storing, it kills all the bacteria and fly larvea, etc. and the meat will not rot..... even when purchased in 3rd world 'open air' markets. Personally i think rotting meat is the most aweful smell.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned cous cous. It is so easy to cook up. Add tinned mince and spice it up a bit. Dried chilli flakes go down well with almost anything.

I keep bottled pasta sauces on my boat. Add whatever is available to 'beef' it up - salami, chorizo, bacon, etc. I also keep a chunk of hard cheese (Parmesan) to grate on top. Yummy!

OTOH - garlic, tinned tomatoe and whatever else you have around will make up a tasty pasta sauce.

Fish stock keeps well on the shelf. Cooked up with some vegies (carrots, potatoe, pumpkin, etc) and a tin of tomatoes, some chilli flakes, garlic, etc... add your chunks of freshly caught fish right at the end. It makes a good Italian-style seafood soup.

 

[colvic987]

When we are away on ' the boys booze cruise', we tend to cook by means of chuck in the can, rather then the wife's version of an hour or so preparing and cooking.

'uncles' boil in the bag rice, and a curry in a tin, with tinned veg added, is a quick 10 minutes from tin to plate.

even if you want a cold meal, then tuna or a tin of ham/corned beef with a tin of bean salad can be nice with some prebaked bread hot from the oven.

 

[emsworthy]

Doesn't seem to have been mentioned before but this product or this one could be quite good. Other flavours are available. Shelf life of 1 year or more from date of production and doesn't need refrigeration. Oven cook in casserole, microwave or boil in the bag.

Some members of my club took some on a trip and there where quite a few people in the marina wondering where the lovely cooking smells were coming from.

Is it just me or can anyone else just see a large bottle of Jack Daniels on both of these links?

Granted it might make for a hugely enjoyable evening (and probably make you forget your hunger/where you are for a while!) but as a policy for long term sustanance I think it has its limitations!

 

[Victoria Sponge]

Sir, you may have found the answer...

But I hardly dare ask: Are the peppered steak slices OK for weeks at room temperature?

Plus, in the interests of still being alive at Christmas, does anyone know a way to keep carrots and green beans in reasonable condition at 20 centigrade? I don't like the limp salty things in cans.

I don't think you can. It's no good Dan you're just going to have to get off your boat and shop!

 

[prv]

Doesn't seem to have been mentioned before but this product or this one could be quite good.

When I click on either of those links, all I get is the "Manager's Special" of six bottles of Jack Daniels

Pete

 

[dancrane]

I could go for Tennessee whiskey instead of real ale...

...perhaps I could preserve fruit in J.D.? Gotta be worth a try.