Don’t be modest Simon, not only are you a chef you are a TV presenter, bushcraft expert and an outstanding RUclips film maker. Your talents never cease to amaze someone like me who is genuinely hopeless at most practical things. Yes I really enjoyed this educational film. Cheers Simon ⛺️🏕🔥 PS haven’t seen an Optimus stove for many a year.
Thanks Mike, You are too kind, but I’m certainly not any sort of expert! I just have the luxury of editing! I should make an out-takes video, that’d change your opinion hehehe! I love my old Optimus, we used to use them on mountain trips when I was at school - you wouldn’t see that happening these days - even a Trangia is more than the risk assessment can cope with in some schools!! Atb, Simon.
Cheers! I’m really pleased with mine, I’ve certainly made my money back by not buying those bland commercial meals, and I’ve only had it 6 months. Atb and happy new year!
Having only discovered your channel this morning, this is the second of your films I’ve watched, and again it’s really good. Thank you for including the rehydration process, most RUclips videos on dehydrating never talk about rehydrating. I’ve been dehydrating for quite a while and never seem to have perfected it. Although some good advice I recently received was to add some Olive Oil to the final meal once rehydrated, putting that fat back seems to improve the flavour a lot. I have a vac packer. Rice, mince or anything sharp will puncture the bags, so you need to double bag, but it’s a great toy! Thanks again for your brilliantly thought through and presented films. Andy
Thanks Andy, glad you enjoyed the video! That’s a great tip - adding olive oil - I’ll try that, cheers! I’m soon to get a vacuum sealer, so again thanks for the double bagging tip - I also read about using Mylar bags so the meal can be rehydrated in the bag to save washing up - have you ever tried them? Cheers and Atb, Simon.
the water only needs to be cold water a minimum.of 35 mins before you are due to cook it but i used to get it in a few hours off my target point or campsite for the day so its really had chances to absorb everything along the way as you continue just walking kayaking cycling whatever your foods rehydrating along the way in readiness pre prep for its rewarming! when you hit luchtime or camp!
Hello sir, I can’t sleep so I’m rewatching! Nice film pal, one great tip I got for my meals was add the missing fats at the end of rehydration by stirring in a little olive oil. It adds a certain mouth feel and taste that’s missing but you can’t quite put your finger on it.
That is a really good idea, Andy had said much the same during the trip - he said he takes suet with him for the purpose. I’m going to make a cosy cover for my cup I think, so I can bring my meal up to the boil and then let it rehydrate off the heat - hopefully won’t break up so much and save fuel! Cheers Andy, Atb.
I am sure dehydrating your own food is a very good idea provided your a good cook in the first place and cheaper than buying the commercial products :)
Yes, it’s definitely cheaper - commercial dehydrated meals go for around £5 per meal! I’m certainly no cook, but they’re simple enough to do if you just adapt your normal recipes to cut the fat and dairy out. Atb and happy new year! Simon.
I dont think you’ll regret it Rob, mines paid for itself already in what I’ve saved not buying those bland commercial meals! Atb mate and Happy New Year!
You're one of my favorite channels on Utube. Thanks for everything you do. Do another run at the Afgan pressure cooker, I just bought one after watching your vid with it.
The turkey curry looks yummy! Thanks for all the great videos you've shared this past year! I've thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Happy New Year to you and your family! :)
I cooked bolo meat in a crockpot with seasoning. (Less fat.)Then minced it & spread it on the dehydrator shelves. Once dried, broke it up for packing with pasta, veg - onions, shredded cabbage, tomatoes. All dehydrated. (My fav veg). Powdered soups are good thickening agents. Also fast rehydrating.
Simon, I enjoyed your presentation tremendously. I've dehydrated and rehydrated meals in freezer bags in a cozy backpacking for years and often wondered if cooking it for the duration rather than pouring boiling water in the bag and going off to be busy for 30 minutes might lead to more flavor. I'll have to experiment. As you acknowledged, cozies save fuel, particularly using a lightweight alcohol stove where that's important. And clean up is easier not cooking in a pot. I have to try your recipe. It looks so tasty! Thank you for such informative, and entertaining, videos.
Thank you! I really must make a cosy to try out. With boiling the meal, the rehydration is certainly faster 5-10 minutes rather than 1/2 hour as you said, but I like the idea of saving fuel if you haven’t got a fire lit. The waiting isn’t an issue either I suppose as there are always camp tasks that you can busy yourself with while you wait - I’m terrible for my patience when waiting for cup noodles to rehydrate and that’s only 3 minutes hehehe! Cheers and a Happy New Year, Simon.
Simon, that curry looked so good when you just added the spinach. If it were me it would never have got to the drying out bit! But, you have confirmed my suspicions, and i will be buying a dehydrator now. Along with my vacuum sealer I can see this as an excellent way ahead. Many thanks for the video, answered all the questions I had. All the best, Dave
Cheers Dave, glad you found it useful. I have to admit, some of it didn’t get as far as the dehydrator! The rehydrated meals are as good as fresh in my opinion (Well, very nearly!). Great to be able to take lightweight, cheap meals on trips that aren’t full of nasty chemicals and added salt and sugar. Thanks for watching. Atb, Simon.
hi simon have you ever tried it straight outa the dehydrater? crunchy? i tell ya a trick i learned to do concerning dehydrated meals as to fully hydrate them when you are starving hungry you can often be tempted to bring em off the boil too soon before certain ingredients those bits that take far longer to fully rehydrate i get a coleman or nalgene container and just add a cupful of water or so to it the food mix a couple of hours before you are due to cook it up so you can walk like 80%90%of the day dry weight and as you approach lunchtime or eve meal camp just add in the water to the food mix couple of hours or only 30mins before yer due to actually reheat it up etc then its prehydrated for ya the action of walking over rough ground actually agitates the container water n food in your pack and that action speeds up the rehydration which in turn saves you a whole lot of fuel when it comes time to warm it back up again? as its already been rehydrated by just you adding a cup of water back into it and you walking with it in your pack for as long as is necessary before you are due to cook it so it then just becomes a rewarming not a rehydrating exercise which is often much quicker less fuel demanding or work intensive! once your tired say at end of day just want to eat get to bed your not biting through yer own tongue in hunger waiting for the harder bits to rehydrate its already been done for you on the walk in inside yer pack!! when you get it out to heat up the rehydration has already been done for ya!! :)
Hi Si. I carry some olive oil and a little tub of clarified butter, (ghee) which keeps for ages and adds flavour, calories and fats to the food once reheated. Also making a little cozy out of reflectix keeps meal hot while its left 15 mins to thicken and rehydrate. If you buy a "foodsaver" vacuum sealer try adding a small hand warmer sachet to the bag just before sealing ... it depletes any trapped oxygen and makes the food last almost indefinitely ! Good vids thanks ... Simon
All great tips - ghee is perfect for camping trips as it doesn’t require keeping cool. I tend to put a silica gel packet in with my meals now to deal with any remaining moisture. 👍
Haven't forgotten about that egg holder, had a backlog of things I needed to print for Christmas presents though :) Just started that print, assuming I don't have to redo any parts it'll be about 20 hours total printing so I should have it ready in a few days. Give me a shout on how to contact you for an address to send it to. Happy new year
That’s brilliant - I had a look at the link you sent - they look really good - much stronger looking than the bog standard 2 egg holders you used to find in Millets! Are you on Facebook? If so, I have a page just called Simon, a bloke in the woods, if you pop a message on the page I’ll reply with my contact details. Thanks buddy, Atb, Simon.
Thanks Shaun, it came out pretty well, yep, the variations of minced beef meals can get a bit samey! Check out MrBabelfish5 he has a channel with loads of dehydrated meal ideas, the ingredients aren’t always easy to get hold of here in the UK, but you can adapt! Atb, Simon.
Greetings from Prince Edward Island, Canada Simon. What a fantastic vid. My garden is loaded with Cilantro, I have plenty of onions and garlic; alas no freezer space. I have an Excalibur Dehydrator AND a Vacuum sealer. I'm a big dehydrator, but never did meals, just jerky, apples, tomatoes etc. This is great timing
Thanks Brent! Really glad you enjoyed the video. I’ve only had my dehydrator for a year or so (used to use a simple homemade job made from an old shipping crate and a 100 watt light bulb haha) so I’ve been experimenting - this one worked out really well and a good way to use up and store leftovers. I ate one about three weeks ago - as good as when I made it back in January! Atb, Simon
I am giving it a try with a chicken korma but have weighed it wet before dehydration then will weigh dry to work out mosture loss so add correct amount of water will then vacuum bag
Thanks Tony. I’m really pleased with mine, it’s definitely paid for itself in what I’ve saved by not buying commercial dehydrated food. 👍 Atb and Happy New Year!
You can dry fry your spices Simon....doesn't need long....just swizzle them around in a hot pan and keep sniffing....when they release their smell they release their flavours.
Fantastic cooking Simon - I even took down some ingredients. I grew up with the military and my dad used to cook awesome curry's that stood for a week. The dried meals turned out great although I thought a bit energy intensive for just a few bags. All the best for the coming year. Mark
Cheers Mark. Yes, it is a bit heavy on the energy - I suppose it could be done using more traditional drying techniques, might be worth a try! Certainly lighter on the pocket though and if you’ve got leftovers, it’s surprising what you can turn into a meal! Thanks mate and Happy NewYear!
You're right I never waste anything...I'm a big skip man. You know what traditional methods might be worth investigating. A good exercise though Simon. Yes, a new year - see what unfolds...Many thanks.
Wye Explorer - me too hehehe!! I suppose drying in the sun or close to the fire? Or even smoking high above the fire in a smoking teepee sort of arrangement (like the one Uncle Ray used in one of his wild food films), mind you, the smokey flavour might overpower the other flavours.
OK Simon, if we were ever to meet up and go camping together....i'll carry the entire shelter if you'll supply the meals!! looked real good......oh and i also have an old optimus stove that i bought new nearly forty years ago...i think i need to replace the needle valve...otherwise a great stove...thanks for sharing your awesome recipe amigo...woods
Thanks Woods! I may take you up on that one day! Love my Optimus, I got it second hand a few years ago - an awesome stove runs great at altitude too. Cheers buddy, Simon.
Ahoy Simon. I also like to dehydrate my trekking food for my own but so far I have only made chili or simply some vegetables for a good soup. I need to reactivate my dehydrator in the next days ;-). I notice on my bags the weight difference after dehydration to know the exact amount of water to boil. I often used to much water and it was mostly a chili soup ;-). Have a great year 2018 in the outdoors! Azze
Cheers Azze - that’s a really good idea having the before and after weight on the bag! There is a RUclips called MrBabelfish5 who has some tasty looking dehydrated meal ideas! Hope you have a fun and successful 2018 also my friend! Atb, Simon.
That looks so wonderfully good, I'm going to make it for the care package I'm sending to my elderly mom. I thought it is too dangerous to have such spicy good smelling food while back backing or camping... but you don't have the bears in the UK like we do in the states. Thank you for the quality recipe, I've been looking for this curry paste recipe for a long time.
Never heard of Turkey curry in my life 🤔 Here in the States, we have turkey beacons, which I love because I don't have to pick the fat apart before eating it
WOW, thanks for sharing. I live in hurricane country in summertime, so I'd like to have a few meals on hand should I lose power (i have to cook with electric) and I try not to open the fridge at all when the power is out. I have a small coleman butane stove I could use. That looks really good!!
Thanks Maggie! It’s a tasty curry and a great way to use up some leftovers, I kind of just made it up as I went along, so it can be adjusted to what spices etc you have. I didn’t intend to add the rice originally, just have the sauce and meat then cook the rice separately, but decided to add rice at the last minute - up to you!! Hope it comes out well! Simon
jackiesmiths Metaldetecting videos - Yes, you can make all sorts - I’ve done chilli in mine and it came out really well - one of the best meals I’ve made! I bought mine on line, but you can probably get them from one of the big kitchen ware shops like Lakeland (although they are quite pricey!) I just typed dehydrator into eBay - loads of choices! Good luck and Atb, Simon.
Cheers Martin! I toyed with the idea for a long time before I bought one - they are really good - there is a surprising amount of foodstuffs you can dehydrate! Well worth it in my opinion! Atb, Simon.
Having looked up the manufacturer for the dehydrator the company went into liquidation, could give your followers updates on equipment that has expired ans also many products seem unobtainable though i have checked up. And as a possible suggestion maybw now a website or place we could follow theses up🤠👍
keep yers eyes peeled if you find a outlet or stock of them let me know id quite like to get one as it was the original lightweight backpacker exped stove pretty bombproof in the backcountry it still rates in weight size ratios for packability
I've done this for other foods, but I find that the flavor of the seasonings is far weaker than the original. Do you take extra dry seasonings along to give your meal a boost?
Simon, I see bags like your scrunch bag hanging around in trees near parkland and suchlike, is that what they are? (Lima Oscar Lima). So, could you dehydrate in an oven at say 70C on baking trays?, or on a sunny window ledge? Serious question.
Thanks David - that’s a great tip - I’ll try that out! I remember on a canoe trip rehydrating scrambled eggs for breakfast - I was packing up, trying to get an early start on the river whilst it rehydrated - it just took ages! In fact I ended up crunching through those rock hard bits of egg in the end - they weren’t quite what I had in mind for my breakfast! Cheers, Simon.
Simon, a bloke in the woods yes i reckon menu planning execution is one of those oft overlooked things on outdoor trips or activities but a well laid out menu and pre food prep can make a lot of differences to any trip it does take added time added effort but if you do it stick to it not always but when its really necessary it does make cooking eating drinking far less problematic less inclined to failure when out makes it a bit more easier convenient as all the aforethoughts and planning needed required has already gone into it back at comfort of home you just really want to be able to eat and get it down yer neck often with minimum of fuss n bothers when minus those facilities or if tired after heavy phys slogs etc the guy i met once in nz had it weighed off we shared a few backcountry trips together and i was just like a scavenging omnivore during my trip would eat anything everything that presented itself incl your tongue if you poked it out for long enough! as i passed through very very few places with facilities in these wilder wilderness areas my appetite became quite voracious id resort to eating porridge oats my always backup or gorp granola oatmeal raisins peanuts walnuts banana choc chip as eat on hoof type foods but this guy was a hong kong chinese top chef and boy did he know how to cook he only ever carried one pan a wok strapped to the back of his pack it protected interior items during transit too from rough baggage handlers but he had 1 wok 1 spatula one homemade roll of fabric with ties like a tool kit bag insides were a load of kodak film canisters seperated off by stitched elastic.loops in each kodak container was a herb or spice or chilli ginger etc etc he also carried as his main staple basmati or other type of rice brown or wild long grain etc often 2kgs he then would just pick up fresh food along the way last minute or forage it from seashores or fishing etc en route i was often so amazed cuz wed both be out in middle of nowheres after days of walking hed come back with a handful of oysters mussels or other seafoods crayfish etc or a tin of canned foods traded for rice or something elses he had or money etc at cabin huts high up in alps or hed go into a grocers come out again in less than 5mins flat say right lets go eat we get a feast on straightaway i was one time staying in the yha mt cook hostel after doing some ascents off the tasman glacier and visiting mueller hut and he would add his soy sauces spices and in mins secs everyone trying to cook.their dehydrated stuff outa pkts would groan moan bitch about how nice our food smelt and how could we affords to lug it all way in here etc to tease everyone with fresh real food etc but you know what he often used to say ok then if yer all disatisfied being a good cook pool all that you got and i will cook you all.a meal here n now straight away the others thought he was kidn but he said no go to yer packs now show me what you got i tell you if you are good enough to eat with us this night! straightaway theyd all come back with paltry offerings some would have fresh bacon wed let them dine with us tonite if we could share their bacon for tmws breakfast someone else had bad food but lots of choccy bars so wed trade so by ends of hes mix match the good stuff from bad and cook us all.up.a huge bowl of steaming fried rice chow mein with everything added in it that was in the entire place he said as long as you got rice wok n spices you can cook anything anytime anywhere he even used to warm up hot milky chocolate drinks in it do desserts and steam or bake breads cakes in it!! i had a great time partnering up with him we ruled the roosts foodwises everywhere we entered once they smelled our fresh spices n foods being cooked up were hostages easy pickings blackmailed to our next new supplies list got fulfilled pretty quickly shopping trade offs barter n trades we dudnt even needs to often go visit a shop as all hut or hostel residents had done our shopn for us!! we just had to waft our food in their faces at the ends of long hungry tiring day and they were anybodys he played hard ball this hong kong chef but boy did we eat out fine almost every single day we never ever went hungry often had leftovers if hed cooked way to much rice which others would barter for just to be able to taste something fresher than pkt foods so a wok a spatula a spice rack and 2kgs rice was his basic kit whilst hiking climbing canoeing biking he even used wok to dig out snow with to get into the alpine huts & go gold panning with in the nz rivers or looking for agates etc wash himself in everyday heat up water hed have a stripwash in it heat killed everything on first oilings he kept it beautiful n clean all the way we never got indigestion or wind ever due to spices and real foods being eaten that wasnt the cases with the long term dehydratees whose digestive or colonic systems had blocked up partially along the way wed hear the effects their own foods and cooking was having on them over time they often felt unwell due to mix of alt and overly intense flavored rich over dry foods or get a sugar rushes headache from eating to much chocolate the spices herbs and blandness of the rice provided all the carbs and digestive values we needed to keep our bodies cleansed also on the insides we felt better didnt pick up viruses or flus at some of these hostels we came out immune to it after everybody elses had gone down with a lurgy the freshly cooked foods and spices herbs etc were what this chef put down to it he said your food my food ingredients spices if im sick i can also use as a medecine he say they make you sweat better heart body breathing act work better everything he was such a cool.guy i.always remember being with him we had a few laughs together blackmailing the nz tramping bushwacking mt climbing community high up in the outbacks they wanted to throw is out of the huts for our affrontery but they didnt ever do it cuz they knew they just wouldnt get fed! the best food theyd ever eaten at 5000m up!! ha ha :) really fresh food on exped being used as a psychological weapon! it holds a lot clout when surrounded by hungry neanderthals! but i just thought that you may like to one day try out his technique i aim to make up my own spice rack i got the film canister bottles full.of spices just need to sew up.a field kitchen set to carry em in i got the wok spatula n rice rest you use yer ears eyes for en route that was this guys style i quite liked it rated it as it was kept so practical yet simple not much to carry with you everyday every place just 3 to 4 key things
david john Huxtable - wow I love that! That is the way!! I’m going to rethink my backwoods cooking model - 1 wok, 1 spatula, a load of spices, rice and most importantly one mountain stomping, river wading, hard bargaining, kick- ass chef from Hong Kong! Thank you for sharing your story of your amazing culinary exploits! Atb, Simon.
I enjoy your videos and have not read all comments/qs obv , and I love your 'spoon' but live in Vancouver bc can you tell me where I could get one , thanks mate
I'm really digging this recipe Simon. Further question. Which would you think would keep better frozen?, the paste or the sauce with with paste cooked in?. I ask since I'd like to make batches of the paste in summer while my cilantro is fresh and use later in winter. Since Cilantro (or as you called it, Corriander) does not dry well and looses it's flavour, I'd like to prep as much as possible. I have cooked rice and froze it with success.
Hi Brent, thanks, I reckon both would freeze equally well, especially as it is short term - summer to winter. Just use freezer bags rather than tubs - I find freezing stuff in tubs can cause freezer burn - due to the air in the tub I guess!? Good luck! Simon
Cheers, yes, it did come out well! There are so many possibilities for meals. I’m really happy with the dehydrator, it copes well with everything from jerky to wet stuff like the curry or chilli. You can vary the temp and set the time. I’m sure there are better, more sophisticated models out there, but it does the job well - definitely worth the money! Atb, Simon.
Greetings from Prince Edward Island Simon. I've made this and it's fantastic re-hydrated. I used two cups of chicken, what was your quantity for this vid?.
Really glad it came out well! To be honest I can’t remember how much I put in - it was just a pile of leftovers haha! Two cups sounds about right though! Cheers, Simon
How much do those dehydration cookers cost on the electric bill? Does it pay for itself? although I know those meals cost a bomb from the camping companies.
Hi Kitty, yes, macaroni dehydrated well, as long as it is not in a sauce that has fat or cheese in - both will go rancid as fat cannot be dehydrated. Hope that helps! Take care, Simon
Great job! You. Ould dehydrate meals even if yo don’t go camping, use them in case of emergencies. Power failures, etc. BTW , why do you always wear a hat, especially indoors. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you not wearing one.
oh and congrats for busting out one of the best makes of cooker on the planet also the most copied by russians chinese cookers on the planet the indefatigible optimus cooker the nova is a nice bit of kit i rate that thing is better than my msr whisperlite ive broken msr europes own record for spare parts theyve issued me now with my 5th pump after fire meltdiwn uxb device drama epics drop kicking your msr whisperlite which is about to explode like an ied away from the innocent faces of persons who are unaware its about to blow up but are still pumping it despite the fact that there is a 2 foot long flame coming out of one of its seals is not to be recommended!! the msr agents for europe now all know me personally by name ive apparently broken all of their previous world or european records for msr whisperlite pump replacements! i told their design teams to not use polymer nextime but do what optimus do and use all metal.parts in their pumps and provide 2 places for regulating the heat or turning on off one close to flame other far away in case things get too hot or go wrong the new optimus nova has been is issued to austrian army mt divisions! they perf well at altitude and in bad or cold weather a vintage optimus no1 or 6 is a nice aquisition all in brass back in an era when they knew how to build a proper stove the svea 123g still is state of the art camp stove for me hard to beat that design no moving parts so simple yet so efficient theyre getn rarer now some can fetch £120 per stove others fetch £220
david john Huxtable -I love my stoves David! In addition to my Optimus shown in the video, I also have a Primus 210 from 1955 and a vintage 1/2pt Monitor 17b pressure stove - I love them - way prefer them to gas stoves and I’ve always been a bit terrified of petrol stoves after witnessing one going bang once! Mind you, I’ve always coveted the Svea 123! They just don’t make stoves like they used to! Big fan of the spirit stoves too! ( I think I was born 50 years too late!!)
Simon, a bloke in the woods yes of cse you can now buy the svea 123 new stoves made in china apparently they arent all that bad a real authentic svea 123 g can set you back between £60 -120 dependent upon seller or condition you can adapt a trangia windshield housing to house it in if the conds require it? keep yer eyes peeled on ebay usa has bought up a lot of the sveas and the swedish army trangia cookers as bulk containers buys and shipped them all off to america cleaning out the rest of europe as the yanks like to do unfortunately so i suggest a raid back on their own home turf territories and recorrect some of the balances look up sources for a svea on usa ebay or outfitters and keep a close eye on the swedish mart community and of cse old car boot sales meets locally often mrs billingsdale down the road has a pristine one in her cupboard taking up space doesnt know what to quite do with it after mr billingsdale has passed away some of their stoves are way over 100yrs old and still functioning perfectly the only thing that can often go on them is if the leather washers dry out internally on pump or gasket seals which is why you leave them with a fuller fuel tank so as to re hydrate naturally these seals can be replaced ordered or made replaced if too far gone and the svea stove works on air pressure so the top of the fuel tank (dont inform health n safety) forms a depression where yer priming paste can go below burner head so as your pressure rises faster during priming from cold fuel tank up the valve to be ignited as it gathers momentums the differences between inside outside air pressures begin to really boost the flame on the jets so as you have real pressure there often without need for pumping the stove you have there also does silent jets mod so as you can make it run queiter if you wish too the nova also has these mods from a co in s korea that you can infinitely adjust flame shape type and sound with uses of a flat head screwdriver in uses during burning time it costs an extra £49 -70 but turns a nova into a highly fine engineered beast ive modified now my own msr for winter usages and placed carbon felt wadding in its primer cup so as it holds more priming liquid fuel primes longer harder quicker to vaporise the fuel in the vapor ring or tube during cold or windy conds it helps and ive double stacked its burner rings and use 2 carbonless fuels called essence f essence c only get them here usually in france fairly cheaply this deposits virtually no carbon self cleans all tubes & jets as it passes through the stoves internal system! i do periodic maint as n when needed and vaseline grease the parts and keep it carbon free the uses of a heat guard during usage and keeping close eye on any seals o rings control valves is crucial in using all pressurised stoves i prefer spirit stoves for their queitness & superior reliability have never ever yet had a fail using a spirit stove yet ever in 47 yrs of using them! touch wood!! the older stoves were defenitely built to last longer better and msr based in seattle wa usa design team has heard back from me aswell as its euro agents what i think about using cheap polymers on their pumps near to a naked flame if an o ring splits or seal isnt good in valve then it will spray fine mist of pre pressurised fuel over yer naked flame 8inches away the vapor ignites the fuel leak then you have got 2 areas of stove turning into molten mess of a plasticised fireball before yer very eyes which can turn pretty darned dangerous in secs mins unless adequately dealt with the fire i had the control flow of fuel valve had been so melted away that it just carried on issuing flame first inches then 2 ft away under pressure like a flamethrower the peoples using it had no idea it was about to blow away so i drop kicked it out of their noses theyd already lost their eyebrows singed hands gloves were on fire etc so i shouted at them to standback as expensive tents n kit were in very close proximity gen vicinity after attempts to douse smother it failed i said just standback and i booted it into touchlines of camp where instead of going out it started a small.scrub fire instead in longer grasses then as i approached it with a wet towel i see a 9ft jet of flame shoot skywards like a rocket vertical in the air i shielded my face head eyes went in closer dropped the heavy wettened towel onto it it immediately doused the flames but then reiginited again mins later i had to keep dousing it until id switched off control valve fully and depressurised the fuel container o ring at top of fuel bottle which then depressurised what was left of the molten mess that was a very pricey msr whisperlite cooker since then tho to be honest ive had few issues or probs with it and spent more time maintaining it than cooking on it but recently ive mastered it and now know the insides outs of it even bit better than some of its own designers who were complimenting me in seattle for my knowledges and design input to improve upon it i think that msr is a good co but theyve sat on their laurels a bit to long not redesigned it for ages and competitors like optimus nova have outclassed them by intro a all metal n silicon sealed pump that is sutuated farther away from burner head offers 2 valve controls near n farther away using gloved fingers in cold conds is possible and its overall perf is better than the msr by just these mods alone i now have 4 spare pumps in my posession 5th on my cooker as msr apologised for the perf leaks are aware of their polymers seals often going inexplicably in valve heads and have a policy if it is not your fault in uses of it after inspecting returned valves head melted polymer pump heads then technicians advise a free replacement part the fact that theyve now issued me 5 pumps indicates to me a less than satisfactory material the polymer plastic used is just no good arounds anything that can catch fire inadvertantly or suddenly inexplicably for whatever known.or unknown reason so all metal pump heads is the better way to go as like in.the trad optimuses or primuses if you see a good one grab it im telling you for a facts that not all new kit is good kit when the shtf so look out for the best of the best older kit as it truly takes some beating it must be fixable in the field for me in uses its no good trying to email cust serv halfway up.a mountain or stuck in.the remote wilderness often the most simple devices equals best! there are some very well looked after stoves on the market china n russia finland are now also doing a decent copy of optimus classics which if you have real diff trying to obtain a svea123 arent such a bad alternative if yer not a purist i prefer the real mc coy but as i.say there is apears to be an authentic shortages! in eu anyways we shall just conduct an open raid on the usa!! stocks get it back from our greedy avarice former colonists!! :)
Simon, a bloke in the woods here is some svea 123r stove porn for you! not a very good yt presenter operator but stove is still ok! ruclips.net/video/DHYSTrO067Y/видео.html
I wouldn’t mind seeing more videos like this from the kitchen. Cheers!
Simon:
You are pretty humble as a cook, everything I have seen you make looks really good.
You have many, many talents.
Thank you for sharing
Thanks Rod!
Thank you Simon, I'm getting to dehydrated camping food and survival as well. Your friend from BC Canada.
Don’t be modest Simon, not only are you a chef you are a TV presenter, bushcraft expert and an outstanding RUclips film maker. Your talents never cease to amaze someone like me who is genuinely hopeless at most practical things. Yes I really enjoyed this educational film. Cheers Simon ⛺️🏕🔥 PS haven’t seen an Optimus stove for many a year.
Thanks Mike, You are too kind, but I’m certainly not any sort of expert! I just have the luxury of editing! I should make an out-takes video, that’d change your opinion hehehe! I love my old Optimus, we used to use them on mountain trips when I was at school - you wouldn’t see that happening these days - even a Trangia is more than the risk assessment can cope with in some schools!! Atb, Simon.
This is awesome, I am close to getting a dehydrator. This video is getting my closer to making my decision! Looked great!
Cheers! I’m really pleased with mine, I’ve certainly made my money back by not buying those bland commercial meals, and I’ve only had it 6 months. Atb and happy new year!
Wow thanks for that thorough explanation of the complete process. Great tutorial thanks
Great to see how the process is done, thanks Simon
Simon, a bloke in the kitchen.
😂
Great film, enjoyed that.
Having only discovered your channel this morning, this is the second of your films I’ve watched, and again it’s really good. Thank you for including the rehydration process, most RUclips videos on dehydrating never talk about rehydrating. I’ve been dehydrating for quite a while and never seem to have perfected it. Although some good advice I recently received was to add some Olive Oil to the final meal once rehydrated, putting that fat back seems to improve the flavour a lot. I have a vac packer. Rice, mince or anything sharp will puncture the bags, so you need to double bag, but it’s a great toy! Thanks again for your brilliantly thought through and presented films. Andy
Thanks Andy, glad you enjoyed the video! That’s a great tip - adding olive oil - I’ll try that, cheers! I’m soon to get a vacuum sealer, so again thanks for the double bagging tip - I also read about using Mylar bags so the meal can be rehydrated in the bag to save washing up - have you ever tried them? Cheers and Atb, Simon.
the water only needs to be cold water a minimum.of 35 mins before you are due to cook it but i used to get it in a few hours off my target point or campsite for the day so its really had chances to absorb everything along the way as you continue just walking kayaking cycling whatever your foods rehydrating along the way in readiness pre prep for its rewarming! when you hit luchtime or camp!
Great video 👍 like the tip about the napkin, salt and pepper !
Hello sir, I can’t sleep so I’m rewatching! Nice film pal, one great tip I got for my meals was add the missing fats at the end of rehydration by stirring in a little olive oil. It adds a certain mouth feel and taste that’s missing but you can’t quite put your finger on it.
That is a really good idea, Andy had said much the same during the trip - he said he takes suet with him for the purpose. I’m going to make a cosy cover for my cup I think, so I can bring my meal up to the boil and then let it rehydrate off the heat - hopefully won’t break up so much and save fuel! Cheers Andy, Atb.
Simon, a bloke in the woods
I got it from talking to “Kevin Outdoors” great channel...
ruclips.net/video/csUDPFOmm4A/видео.html
1967AJB - Ah! I’ve watched a couple of his videos too - good informative viewing!
Simon, a bloke in the woods
Nice guy too, enjoy your day, I’m having an unsupported solo voyage to Tesco.
1967AJB hahaha - good luck! I hear aisle 7 is particularly good for foraging this time of year!
Great tip.. looks fantastic and I could almost smell it...
I am sure dehydrating your own food is a very good idea provided your a good cook in the first place and cheaper than buying the commercial products :)
Yes, it’s definitely cheaper - commercial dehydrated meals go for around £5 per meal! I’m certainly no cook, but they’re simple enough to do if you just adapt your normal recipes to cut the fat and dairy out. Atb and happy new year! Simon.
Wiltshire Man 100% totally agree with you Sandy,i wanted to write the same comment
Wow ....I like it !
Great stuff! Will be stealing this !
Been thinking of getting a dehydrator for a while I think your video just sold it to me. Thanks a great video as always.
I dont think you’ll regret it Rob, mines paid for itself already in what I’ve saved not buying those bland commercial meals! Atb mate and Happy New Year!
Hello from Canada, Simon. Thank you so much for your videos. You channel is awesome and an inspiration :).
Thank you so much! Glad you are enjoying the videos. Happy new year!
Happy New Year!
You're one of my favorite channels on Utube.
Thanks for everything you do.
Do another run at the Afgan pressure cooker, I just bought one after watching your vid with it.
The turkey curry looks yummy! Thanks for all the great videos you've shared this past year! I've thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Happy New Year to you and your family! :)
Thank you so much! A very happy New Year to you too!
Nice one Simon i will Tri that looks great yummy
I cooked bolo meat in a crockpot with seasoning. (Less fat.)Then minced it & spread it on the dehydrator shelves. Once dried, broke it up for packing with pasta, veg - onions, shredded cabbage, tomatoes. All dehydrated. (My fav veg). Powdered soups are good thickening agents. Also fast rehydrating.
Simon, I enjoyed your presentation tremendously. I've dehydrated and rehydrated meals in freezer bags in a cozy backpacking for years and often wondered if cooking it for the duration rather than pouring boiling water in the bag and going off to be busy for 30 minutes might lead to more flavor. I'll have to experiment. As you acknowledged, cozies save fuel, particularly using a lightweight alcohol stove where that's important. And clean up is easier not cooking in a pot. I have to try your recipe. It looks so tasty! Thank you for such informative, and entertaining, videos.
Thank you! I really must make a cosy to try out. With boiling the meal, the rehydration is certainly faster 5-10 minutes rather than 1/2 hour as you said, but I like the idea of saving fuel if you haven’t got a fire lit. The waiting isn’t an issue either I suppose as there are always camp tasks that you can busy yourself with while you wait - I’m terrible for my patience when waiting for cup noodles to rehydrate and that’s only 3 minutes hehehe! Cheers and a Happy New Year, Simon.
Simon, that curry looked so good when you just added the spinach. If it were me it would never have got to the drying out bit! But, you have confirmed my suspicions, and i will be buying a dehydrator now. Along with my vacuum sealer I can see this as an excellent way ahead. Many thanks for the video, answered all the questions I had.
All the best, Dave
Cheers Dave, glad you found it useful. I have to admit, some of it didn’t get as far as the dehydrator! The rehydrated meals are as good as fresh in my opinion (Well, very nearly!). Great to be able to take lightweight, cheap meals on trips that aren’t full of nasty chemicals and added salt and sugar. Thanks for watching. Atb, Simon.
hi simon have you ever tried it straight outa the dehydrater? crunchy?
i tell ya a trick i learned to do concerning dehydrated meals as to fully hydrate them when you are starving hungry you can often be tempted to bring em off the boil too soon before certain ingredients those bits that take far longer to fully rehydrate
i get a coleman or nalgene container and just add a cupful of water or so to it the food mix a couple of hours before you are due to cook it up so you can walk like 80%90%of the day dry weight and as you approach lunchtime or eve meal camp just add in the water to the food mix couple of hours or only 30mins before yer due to actually reheat it
up
etc
then its prehydrated for ya
the action of walking over rough ground actually agitates the container water n food in your pack and that action speeds up the rehydration which in turn saves you a whole lot of fuel when it comes time to warm it back up again?
as its already been rehydrated by just you adding a cup of water back into it and you walking with it in your pack for as long as is necessary before you are due to cook it so it then just becomes a rewarming not a rehydrating exercise
which is often much quicker less fuel demanding or work intensive!
once your tired say at end of day just want to eat get to bed
your not biting through yer own tongue in hunger waiting for the harder bits to rehydrate
its already been done for you on the walk in inside yer pack!!
when you get it out to heat up the rehydration has already been done for ya!!
:)
Hi Simon did taste the Same as when you cooked the curry cheers
Well I dont know how this one escaped me simon , I've practically watch all your videos , more than once may I add but hey love this 👏👏👌
Thanks mate! 😁
Brilliant work.
Thank you! Gotta love leftover curry! Atb and a Happy New Year, Simon.
Another great informative video, good job Simon.
Thanks Paul! If only you could dehydrate cheese - I’ve got so much left over from Christmas! Atb, Simon.
Simon, I used your recipe, just to eat at home replaced the turkey with pheasant, absolutely delicious
Thanks Dave
Glad it turned out well Dave! 😁👍
Don’t be put off by the unappealing thumbnail folks! It tastes better than it looks!!
Not unappealing-looking at all
Simon, thanks for sharing
Hi Si.
I carry some olive oil and a little tub of clarified butter, (ghee) which keeps for ages and adds flavour, calories and fats to the food once reheated. Also making a little cozy out of reflectix keeps meal hot while its left 15 mins to thicken and rehydrate.
If you buy a "foodsaver" vacuum sealer try adding a small hand warmer sachet to the bag just before sealing ... it depletes any trapped oxygen and makes the food last almost indefinitely !
Good vids thanks ...
Simon
All great tips - ghee is perfect for camping trips as it doesn’t require keeping cool. I tend to put a silica gel packet in with my meals now to deal with any remaining moisture. 👍
Haven't forgotten about that egg holder, had a backlog of things I needed to print for Christmas presents though :) Just started that print, assuming I don't have to redo any parts it'll be about 20 hours total printing so I should have it ready in a few days. Give me a shout on how to contact you for an address to send it to. Happy new year
That’s brilliant - I had a look at the link you sent - they look really good - much stronger looking than the bog standard 2 egg holders you used to find in Millets! Are you on Facebook? If so, I have a page just called Simon, a bloke in the woods, if you pop a message on the page I’ll reply with my contact details. Thanks buddy, Atb, Simon.
It looks wonderful! Seems I'm gonna have to bring some curry along on my AT trip in April!
Cheers! Yes - curry is always a winner!! Thanks for watching - Atb, Simon.
Looks very good,and i prefer this above a package out the store
Happy New year
Steve
Cheers Steve - me too - at least I know what is in it! (And it’s cheap!!) Atb and Happy New Year! Simon.
Thanks for posting this 👍 I’ve got a new food dehydrator, which I’m looking for ideas other than spag boll 😁
Thanks Shaun, it came out pretty well, yep, the variations of minced beef meals can get a bit samey! Check out MrBabelfish5 he has a channel with loads of dehydrated meal ideas, the ingredients aren’t always easy to get hold of here in the UK, but you can adapt! Atb, Simon.
Will do, Thanks Simon :0)
Greetings from Prince Edward Island, Canada Simon. What a fantastic vid. My garden is loaded with Cilantro, I have plenty of onions and garlic; alas no freezer space. I have an Excalibur Dehydrator AND a Vacuum sealer. I'm a big dehydrator, but never did meals, just jerky, apples, tomatoes etc. This is great timing
Thanks Brent! Really glad you enjoyed the video. I’ve only had my dehydrator for a year or so (used to use a simple homemade job made from an old shipping crate and a 100 watt light bulb haha) so I’ve been experimenting - this one worked out really well and a good way to use up and store leftovers. I ate one about three weeks ago - as good as when I made it back in January! Atb, Simon
I'm making this now Simon, the curry paste is to die for man. Love cooking, 55 years old here in PEI, love your enthusiasm
Hahaha - glad you’re liking it mate!
Simon , this turned out fantastic. I had some friends over and we re-hydrated some and simply wow. I've got a 2nd batch on the dehydrator now
What a great way to finish up the cilantro before the killing frost up here, about Nov 1st
I am giving it a try with a chicken korma but have weighed it wet before dehydration then will weigh dry to work out mosture loss so add correct amount of water will then vacuum bag
thanks for the video, personally I dehydrate first and then divide into 150 g portions
great video simon ive definitely need to invest in food dehydrator
Thanks Tony. I’m really pleased with mine, it’s definitely paid for itself in what I’ve saved by not buying commercial dehydrated food. 👍 Atb and Happy New Year!
the curry looked fantastic!
You can dry fry your spices Simon....doesn't need long....just swizzle them around in a hot pan and keep sniffing....when they release their smell they release their flavours.
Cheers Stephen - good call - release the flavour!! 😁👍
Fantastic cooking Simon - I even took down some ingredients. I grew up with the military and my dad used to cook awesome curry's that stood for a week. The dried meals turned out great although I thought a bit energy intensive for just a few bags. All the best for the coming year. Mark
Cheers Mark. Yes, it is a bit heavy on the energy - I suppose it could be done using more traditional drying techniques, might be worth a try! Certainly lighter on the pocket though and if you’ve got leftovers, it’s surprising what you can turn into a meal! Thanks mate and Happy NewYear!
You're right I never waste anything...I'm a big skip man. You know what traditional methods might be worth investigating. A good exercise though Simon. Yes, a new year - see what unfolds...Many thanks.
Wye Explorer - me too hehehe!! I suppose drying in the sun or close to the fire? Or even smoking high above the fire in a smoking teepee sort of arrangement (like the one Uncle Ray used in one of his wild food films), mind you, the smokey flavour might overpower the other flavours.
Hey Simon here you are - a whole list here. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_drying
Wye Explorer -Thanks! I’ll take a look. 👍
Simon, if you get a chance, watch a couple of Yankee Prepper videos, on his way of de and rehydrating foods. Some good tips.
Amazing advice and recipr
👍👍👍
hunter 8r is a great tiny stove, good looking curry
OK Simon, if we were ever to meet up and go camping together....i'll carry the entire shelter if you'll supply the meals!!
looked real good......oh and i also have an old optimus stove that i bought new nearly forty years ago...i think i need to replace the needle valve...otherwise a great stove...thanks for sharing your awesome recipe amigo...woods
Thanks Woods! I may take you up on that one day! Love my Optimus, I got it second hand a few years ago - an awesome stove runs great at altitude too. Cheers buddy, Simon.
Ahoy Simon. I also like to dehydrate my trekking food for my own but so far I have only made chili or simply some vegetables for a good soup. I need to reactivate my dehydrator in the next days ;-). I notice on my bags the weight difference after dehydration to know the exact amount of water to boil. I often used to much water and it was mostly a chili soup ;-). Have a great year 2018 in the outdoors! Azze
Cheers Azze - that’s a really good idea having the before and after weight on the bag! There is a RUclips called MrBabelfish5 who has some tasty looking dehydrated meal ideas! Hope you have a fun and successful 2018 also my friend! Atb, Simon.
That looks so wonderfully good, I'm going to make it for the care package I'm sending to my elderly mom. I thought it is too dangerous to have such spicy good smelling food while back backing or camping... but you don't have the bears in the UK like we do in the states. Thank you for the quality recipe, I've been looking for this curry paste recipe for a long time.
I hope you (and your Mom enjoy it as much as I did! 👍😁
Never heard of Turkey curry in my life 🤔
Here in the States, we have turkey beacons, which I love because I don't have to pick the fat apart before eating it
Nice job, Simon!
Thank you!
Informative, thank you! Just dehydrating my first meals now. I'm off to do the Three Capes Walk (Tasmania) next week.
Thanks Emma! Good luck the walk, I hope you have a good time! Atb,Simon.
WOW, thanks for sharing. I live in hurricane country in summertime, so I'd like to have a few meals on hand should I lose power (i have to cook with electric) and I try not to open the fridge at all when the power is out. I have a small coleman butane stove I could use. That looks really good!!
Thanks Maggie! It’s a tasty curry and a great way to use up some leftovers, I kind of just made it up as I went along, so it can be adjusted to what spices etc you have. I didn’t intend to add the rice originally, just have the sauce and meat then cook the rice separately, but decided to add rice at the last minute - up to you!! Hope it comes out well! Simon
Thank you great idea!
That is so cool I bet it can make lots of delicious meals like chili con carne etc , where would I buy one of those dyhdrating machines from please ?
jackiesmiths Metaldetecting videos - Yes, you can make all sorts - I’ve done chilli in mine and it came out really well - one of the best meals I’ve made! I bought mine on line, but you can probably get them from one of the big kitchen ware shops like Lakeland (although they are quite pricey!) I just typed dehydrator into eBay - loads of choices! Good luck and Atb, Simon.
Good
A few unanswered questions/ thoughts answered... like the thought of doing my own dehydrated food.
Cheers Martin! I toyed with the idea for a long time before I bought one - they are really good - there is a surprising amount of foodstuffs you can dehydrate! Well worth it in my opinion! Atb, Simon.
Having looked up the manufacturer for the dehydrator the company went into liquidation, could give your followers updates on equipment that has expired ans also many products seem unobtainable though i have checked up. And as a possible suggestion maybw now a website or place we could follow theses up🤠👍
Any dehydrator will do, I wasn’t aware the one I have is no longer in production. 👍
keep yers eyes peeled if you find a outlet or stock of them let me know id quite like to get one as it was the original lightweight backpacker exped stove pretty bombproof in the backcountry
it still rates in weight size ratios for packability
Will do David. Atb, Simon.
I've done this for other foods, but I find that the flavor of the seasonings is far weaker than the original. Do you take extra dry seasonings along to give your meal a boost?
Nice one Simon!! a great video.. I shall be investing in a dehydrator (any recommendations?) all the best for the New Year, Paul.
Cheers Paul. I just got a cheap(ish) one, the reviews were good so I went for it - it’s an Andrew James one and does the job well. Happy New Year!!
Simon, I see bags like your scrunch bag hanging around in trees near parkland and suchlike, is that what they are? (Lima Oscar Lima).
So, could you dehydrate in an oven at say 70C on baking trays?, or on a sunny window ledge? Serious question.
it also saves on fuel enabling your fuel to last longer if on a multi day!!
Thanks David - that’s a great tip - I’ll try that out! I remember on a canoe trip rehydrating scrambled eggs for breakfast - I was packing up, trying to get an early start on the river whilst it rehydrated - it just took ages! In fact I ended up crunching through those rock hard bits of egg in the end - they weren’t quite what I had in mind for my breakfast! Cheers, Simon.
Simon, a bloke in the woods yes i reckon menu planning execution is one of those oft overlooked things on outdoor trips or activities but a well laid out menu and pre food prep can make a lot of differences to any trip it does take added time added effort but if you do it stick to it not always but when its really necessary it does make cooking eating drinking far less problematic less inclined to failure when out makes it a bit more easier convenient as all the aforethoughts and planning needed required has already gone into it back at comfort of home you just really want to be able to eat and get it down yer neck often with minimum of fuss n bothers when minus those facilities or if tired after heavy phys slogs etc
the guy i met once in nz had it weighed off we shared a few backcountry trips together
and i was just like a scavenging omnivore during my trip would eat anything everything that presented itself incl your tongue if you poked it out for long enough! as i passed through very very few places with facilities in these wilder wilderness areas my appetite became quite voracious id resort to eating porridge oats my always backup or gorp granola oatmeal raisins peanuts walnuts banana choc chip as eat on hoof type foods
but this guy was a hong kong chinese top chef
and boy did he know how to cook
he only ever carried one pan a wok
strapped to the back of his pack
it protected interior items during transit too from rough baggage handlers but he had 1 wok 1 spatula one homemade roll of fabric with ties like a tool kit bag insides were a load of kodak film canisters seperated off by stitched elastic.loops
in each kodak container was a herb or spice or chilli ginger etc etc
he also carried as his main staple basmati or other type of rice brown or wild long grain etc often 2kgs
he then would just pick up fresh food along the way last minute or forage it from seashores or fishing etc en route i was often so amazed cuz wed both be out in middle of nowheres after days of walking hed come back with a handful of oysters mussels or other seafoods crayfish
etc
or a tin of canned foods traded for rice or something elses he had or money etc at cabin huts high up in alps or hed go into a grocers come out again in less than 5mins flat say right lets go eat
we get a feast on straightaway i was one time staying in the yha mt cook hostel after doing some ascents off the tasman glacier and visiting mueller hut and he would add his soy sauces spices and in mins secs everyone trying to cook.their dehydrated stuff outa pkts would groan moan bitch about how nice our food smelt and how could we affords to lug it all way in here etc to tease everyone with fresh real food etc
but you know what he often used to say ok then if yer all disatisfied being a good cook pool all that you got
and i will cook you all.a meal here n now straight away
the others thought he was kidn but he said no go to yer packs now show me what you got i tell you if you are good enough to eat with us this night!
straightaway
theyd all come back with paltry offerings
some would have fresh bacon wed let them dine with us tonite if we could share their bacon for tmws breakfast someone else had bad food but lots of choccy bars so wed trade
so by ends of hes mix match the good stuff from bad and cook us all.up.a huge bowl of steaming fried rice chow mein with everything added in it that was in the entire place
he said as long as you got rice wok n spices you can cook anything anytime anywhere
he even used to warm up hot milky chocolate drinks in it do desserts and steam or bake breads cakes in it!!
i had a great time partnering up with him we ruled the roosts foodwises everywhere we entered once they smelled our fresh spices n foods being cooked up were hostages easy pickings blackmailed to our next new supplies list got fulfilled pretty quickly shopping trade offs barter n trades we dudnt even needs to often go visit a shop as all hut or hostel residents had done our shopn for us!!
we just had to waft our food in their faces at the ends of long hungry tiring day
and they were anybodys
he played hard ball this hong kong chef
but boy did we eat out fine almost every single day we never ever went hungry often had leftovers if hed cooked way to much rice which others would barter for just to be able to taste something fresher than pkt foods
so a wok a spatula a spice rack and 2kgs rice was his basic kit
whilst hiking climbing canoeing biking
he even used wok to dig out snow with to get into the alpine huts & go gold panning with in the nz rivers or looking for agates
etc
wash himself in everyday
heat up water hed have a stripwash in it
heat killed everything on first oilings
he kept it beautiful n clean all the way
we never got indigestion or wind ever due to spices and real foods being eaten that wasnt the cases with the long term dehydratees whose digestive or colonic systems had blocked up partially along the way
wed hear the effects their own foods and cooking was having on them over time they often felt unwell due to mix of alt and overly intense flavored rich over dry foods or get a sugar rushes headache from eating to much chocolate
the spices herbs and blandness of the rice provided all the carbs and digestive values we needed to keep our bodies cleansed also on the insides
we felt better didnt pick up viruses or flus at some of these hostels we came out immune to it
after everybody elses had gone down
with a lurgy
the freshly cooked foods and spices herbs etc were what this chef put down to it he said your food my food ingredients spices if im sick i can also use as a medecine
he say they make you sweat better heart body breathing act work better everything
he was such a cool.guy
i.always remember being with him we had a few laughs together blackmailing the nz tramping bushwacking mt climbing community
high up in the outbacks
they wanted to throw is out of the huts for our affrontery but they didnt ever do it cuz they knew they just wouldnt get fed! the best food theyd ever eaten at 5000m up!!
ha ha :)
really fresh food on exped being used as a psychological weapon!
it holds a lot clout when surrounded by hungry neanderthals!
but i just thought that you may like to one day try out his technique i aim to make up my own spice rack i got the film canister bottles
full.of spices just need to sew up.a field kitchen set to carry em in
i got the wok spatula n rice
rest you use yer ears eyes for en route that was this guys style
i quite liked it rated it
as it was kept so practical yet simple not much to carry
with you everyday every place
just 3 to 4 key things
david john Huxtable - wow I love that! That is the way!! I’m going to rethink my backwoods cooking model - 1 wok, 1 spatula, a load of spices, rice and most importantly one mountain stomping, river wading, hard bargaining, kick- ass chef from Hong Kong! Thank you for sharing your story of your amazing culinary exploits! Atb, Simon.
I enjoy your videos and have not read all comments/qs obv , and I love your 'spoon' but live in Vancouver bc can you tell me where I could get one , thanks mate
It’s a sea to summit anodised aluminium long handled spoon. 👍
I'm really digging this recipe Simon. Further question. Which would you think would keep better frozen?, the paste or the sauce with with paste cooked in?. I ask since I'd like to make batches of the paste in summer while my cilantro is fresh and use later in winter. Since Cilantro (or as you called it, Corriander) does not dry well and looses it's flavour, I'd like to prep as much as possible. I have cooked rice and froze it with success.
Hi Brent, thanks, I reckon both would freeze equally well, especially as it is short term - summer to winter. Just use freezer bags rather than tubs - I find freezing stuff in tubs can cause freezer burn - due to the air in the tub I guess!?
Good luck! Simon
I think I will go paste vacuum seal, smaller footprint. I had some for lunch today, I was a chick magnet
can you add fat as part of the rehydrating process? Some oil, knob of butter etc? Surely this would help with the taste etc?
Where did you learn to cook such good food?
Hahaha - that is debatable, according to my kids! I’ve always enjoyed cooking and tend to cook stuff in the woods that I’d also cook at home. 👍
Looks very delicious Simon! I have had a look at that Andrew James dehydrator. Are you happy with it?
Cheers, yes, it did come out well! There are so many possibilities for meals. I’m really happy with the dehydrator, it copes well with everything from jerky to wet stuff like the curry or chilli. You can vary the temp and set the time. I’m sure there are better, more sophisticated models out there, but it does the job well - definitely worth the money! Atb, Simon.
we could formulate the 1st uk fanclub of the svea 123r be real nerdy together!! as the family distances itself watches us in its mutual disgusts!
Yeah, that’d be about right!! My family do that already!! Hahaha!
Greetings from Prince Edward Island Simon. I've made this and it's fantastic re-hydrated. I used two cups of chicken, what was your quantity for this vid?.
Really glad it came out well! To be honest I can’t remember how much I put in - it was just a pile of leftovers haha! Two cups sounds about right though! Cheers, Simon
That's what I figured, I re-watched the vid. I'm going to use this dish as a snowshowing meal when I hike
Could you use brought sauce adding fresh meat
How much do those dehydration cookers cost on the electric bill? Does it pay for itself? although I know those meals cost a bomb from the camping companies.
Simon, just one question whats with the hat, indoors? lol.
Hahaha - yeah, my Mum always used to tell me to take my hat off - it’s a mixture of bad habit and bad hair!
i have got me self an awesome dehydrating machine but could you do the same with macaroni?
Hi Kitty, yes, macaroni dehydrated well, as long as it is not in a sauce that has fat or cheese in - both will go rancid as fat cannot be dehydrated. Hope that helps! Take care, Simon
@@simonablokeinthewoods yes that helps. Thank you.
Great job! You. Ould dehydrate meals even if yo don’t go camping, use them in case of emergencies. Power failures, etc. BTW , why do you always wear a hat, especially indoors. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you not wearing one.
Thanks Thelma! The world isn’t ready for the state of my hair!! 😂👍
@@simonablokeinthewoods 😂😂😂
Hi simon, i'm not sure how best to contact you ? What would be your preferred method ?
There goes your ketogenic diet!!!
Yeah, I know! Damn it!! Grapes and water from now on haha! Atb, Simon
Looks lovely mate .... on DIY dehydrated meals check out MaddyTheGoose a canoe portage chap from Canada !
oh and congrats for busting out one of the best makes of cooker on the planet also the most copied by russians chinese cookers on the planet the indefatigible optimus cooker
the nova is a nice bit of kit
i rate that thing is better than my msr whisperlite ive broken msr europes own record for spare parts theyve issued me now with my 5th pump after fire meltdiwn uxb device drama epics drop kicking your msr whisperlite which is about to explode like an ied away from the innocent faces of persons who are unaware its about to blow up but are still pumping it despite the fact that there is a 2 foot long flame coming out of one of its seals is not to be recommended!!
the msr agents for europe now all know me personally by name
ive apparently broken all of their previous world or european records for msr whisperlite pump replacements!
i told their design teams to not use polymer nextime but do what optimus do and use all metal.parts in their pumps
and provide 2 places for regulating the heat or turning on off one close to flame other far away in case things get too hot or go wrong
the new optimus nova has been is issued to austrian army mt divisions!
they perf well at altitude and in bad or cold weather
a vintage optimus no1 or 6 is a nice aquisition all in brass
back in an era when they knew how to build a proper stove
the svea 123g still is state of the art camp stove for me
hard to beat that design no moving parts so simple yet so efficient
theyre getn rarer now some can fetch £120
per stove others fetch £220
david john Huxtable -I love my stoves David! In addition to my Optimus shown in the video, I also have a Primus 210 from 1955 and a vintage 1/2pt Monitor 17b pressure stove - I love them - way prefer them to gas stoves and I’ve always been a bit terrified of petrol stoves after witnessing one going bang once! Mind you, I’ve always coveted the Svea 123! They just don’t make stoves like they used to! Big fan of the spirit stoves too! ( I think I was born 50 years too late!!)
Simon, a bloke in the woods
Simon, a bloke in the woods yes of cse you can now buy the svea 123 new stoves made in china apparently they arent all that bad a real authentic svea 123 g can set you back between £60 -120
dependent upon seller or condition
you can adapt a trangia windshield housing to house it in if the conds require it?
keep yer eyes peeled on ebay usa has bought up a lot of the sveas and the swedish army trangia cookers as bulk containers buys and shipped them all off to america cleaning out the rest of europe as the yanks like to do unfortunately so i suggest a raid back on their own home turf territories and recorrect some of the balances look up sources for a svea on usa ebay or outfitters
and keep a close eye on the swedish mart community
and of cse old car boot sales meets locally
often mrs billingsdale down the road has a pristine one in her cupboard taking up space
doesnt know what to quite do with it after mr billingsdale has passed away
some of their stoves are way over 100yrs old and still functioning perfectly the only thing that can often go on them is if the leather washers dry out internally on pump or gasket seals which is why you leave them with a fuller fuel tank so as to re hydrate naturally these seals can be replaced ordered or made replaced if too far gone and the svea stove works on air pressure so the top of the fuel tank (dont inform health n safety) forms a depression where yer priming paste can go below burner head so as your pressure rises faster during priming from cold fuel tank
up the valve to be ignited as it gathers momentums the differences between inside outside air pressures begin to really boost the flame on the jets so as you have real pressure there often without need for pumping
the stove you have there also does silent jets
mod so as you can make it run queiter if you wish too
the nova also has these mods from a co in s korea that you can infinitely adjust flame shape type and sound with uses of a flat head screwdriver in uses during burning time
it costs an extra £49 -70
but turns a nova into a highly fine engineered beast
ive modified now my own msr for winter usages
and placed carbon felt wadding in its primer cup so as it holds more priming liquid fuel
primes longer harder quicker to vaporise the fuel in the vapor ring or tube during cold or windy conds it helps and ive double stacked its burner rings
and use 2 carbonless fuels called essence f essence c only get them here usually in france fairly cheaply
this deposits virtually no carbon self cleans all tubes & jets as it passes through the stoves internal system!
i do periodic maint as n when needed
and vaseline grease the parts
and keep it carbon free
the uses of a heat guard during usage and keeping close eye on any seals o rings control valves is crucial in using all pressurised stoves
i prefer spirit stoves for their queitness & superior reliability have never ever yet had a fail using a spirit stove yet ever in 47 yrs of using them! touch wood!!
the older stoves were defenitely built to last longer better and msr based in seattle wa usa design team has heard back from me aswell as its euro agents what i think about using cheap polymers on their pumps near to a naked flame if an o ring splits or seal isnt good in valve then it will spray fine mist of pre pressurised fuel over yer naked flame 8inches away the vapor ignites the fuel leak then you have got 2 areas of stove turning into molten mess of a plasticised fireball
before yer very eyes which can turn pretty darned dangerous in secs mins unless adequately dealt with the fire i had the control flow of fuel valve had been so melted away that it just carried on issuing flame first inches then 2 ft away under pressure like a flamethrower the peoples using it had no idea it was about to blow away
so i drop kicked it out of their noses theyd already lost their eyebrows singed hands gloves were on fire etc so i shouted at them to standback as expensive tents n kit were in very close proximity gen vicinity after attempts to douse smother it failed i said just standback
and i booted it into touchlines of camp where instead of going out it started a small.scrub fire instead in longer grasses
then as i approached it with a wet towel i see a 9ft jet of flame shoot skywards like a rocket vertical in the air i shielded my face head eyes went in closer dropped the heavy wettened towel onto it it immediately doused the flames but then reiginited again mins later
i had to keep dousing it until id switched off control valve fully and depressurised the fuel container o ring
at top of fuel bottle
which then depressurised what was left of the molten mess that was a very pricey msr whisperlite cooker since then tho to be honest ive had few
issues or probs with it and spent
more time maintaining it than cooking on it
but recently ive mastered it
and now know the insides outs of it even bit better than some of its own designers who were complimenting me in seattle for my knowledges and design input to improve upon it
i think that msr is a good co but theyve sat on their laurels a bit to long not redesigned it for ages and competitors like optimus nova have outclassed them by intro a all metal n silicon sealed pump that is sutuated farther away from burner head offers 2 valve controls near n farther away using gloved fingers
in cold conds
is possible
and its overall perf is better than the msr by just these mods alone
i now have 4 spare pumps in my posession 5th on my cooker
as msr apologised for the perf leaks are aware of their polymers seals often going inexplicably in valve heads
and have a policy if it is not your fault in uses of it
after inspecting returned valves head melted polymer pump heads
then technicians advise a free replacement part the fact that theyve now issued me 5 pumps indicates to me a less than satisfactory material the polymer plastic used is just no good arounds anything that can catch fire inadvertantly
or suddenly inexplicably
for whatever known.or unknown reason
so all metal pump heads is the better way to go
as like in.the trad optimuses
or primuses
if you see a good one grab it
im telling you for a facts that not all new kit is good kit
when the shtf
so
look out for the best of the best older kit as it truly takes some beating
it must be fixable in the field for me in uses
its no good trying to email cust serv halfway up.a mountain or stuck in.the remote wilderness often the most simple devices equals best!
there are some very well looked after stoves on the market china n russia finland are now also doing a decent copy of optimus classics which if you have real diff trying to obtain a svea123 arent such a bad alternative if yer not a purist
i prefer the real mc coy but as i.say there is apears to be an authentic shortages!
in eu anyways we shall just conduct an open raid on the usa!! stocks
get it back from our greedy avarice former colonists!! :)
Simon, a bloke in the woods sorry but its just the devon pirate ancestry in me!! just have to allow it to sometimes come out!! :)
Simon, a bloke in the woods
here is some svea 123r stove porn for you! not a very good yt presenter operator but stove is still ok!
ruclips.net/video/DHYSTrO067Y/видео.html