"Boil in the bag" food

[DaveS]

Ed from the Jolly Gourmand web site was kind enough to send me some samples of the boil in the bag food to test out when we were away recently.

We got sent the following:
Gloucestershire old spot pork meatballs with butter beans - £2.99 (as at time of posting)
Fellside beef chilli con carne - £1.99 (as at time of posting)
Traditional pork and herb sausage casserole - £2.99 (as at time of posting)
Cumbrian lamp hot pot - £2.99 (as at time of posting)

We used them up over a couple of nights eating in, and warming the contents on our woodburning stove. I have to say that I don't recall ever having "boil in the bag" food before and my preconception was of sludgy tasteless food that the army get given. I imagined that its so processed that all the flavour had been zapped in favour of longevity in the packet.

How wrong could I be.

Now firstly I need to say that I would never be swayed by being given something free and by being asked to test it, if it's no good, I'll say it's no good.

So how did we cook the items, well "boil in the bag" is not an apt description any more as you can actually warm these food pouches in any way you see fit. We chose to empty the contents in to a pan and warm them on the stove. They are nicely shaped as well, ideal for squishing in to a pannier, back pack or box that you're going to use for camping. Not lumpy tins here!

Portion size was good enough for one. I like my food and I found in most cases that one pack was fine, sometimes with some bread to soak up the gravy, sometimes in the case of the Chilli with some added rice.

When "testing" these dishes my wife and I decided to score each one independently to ensure fair scoring. I've also noted down comments made at the time of eating.

Gloucestershire old spot pork meatballs with butter beans
Wifey rating: 4 out of 5.
My rating: 5 out of 5.
Comments: Good enough to serve at home. Very very tasty. We would both have it again.

Fellside beef chilli con carne
Wifey rating: 4 out of 5.
My rating: 5 out of 5.
Comments: Wifey doesn't normally have Chilli, and I tent to eat it a lot. We both really like it and would have it again. Remember to take your own rice, you can get some good boil in the bag rices.

Traditional pork and herb sausage casserole
Wifey rating: 3 out of 5.
My rating: 4 out of 5.
Comments: Wifey would like to have seen some more chunky veg in there. I agree although with a hunk of bread to mop up the sauce I was very happy with what I had.

Cumbrian lamp hot pot
Wifey rating: 5 out of 5.
My rating: 4 out of 5.
Comments: Wifey loved the fact it was full of vegetables. She said you didn't need to add anything for a full meal. We both agreed we'd have it again.

So in my closing comments I'd say that I was mightily impressed and I'd really have no hesitation in serving these on a plate to guests at home, they were that good.
Top marks from me and I can see us buying some to keep in the camping box.

[outrunner]

I have just ordered a couple of those........................they had better be good!!




Andy.

[tankosl]

If it helps..........I'm sure Waitrose stock these!

[steveR]

If it helps..........I'm sure Waitrose stock these!

As do Morrisons, but only a limited range.

I really rate them and have one or two around of the "Look what we found", the others were new to me.

[steveR]

I really like the Look what we found range, BUT have always found them to need some extra carbs, as you say, some rice or almost as easy, is some pasta.

[davsato]

what sort of weight of food do you get for the money? i doubt if the quality of food can be compared, (and the meatballs and butter beans does sound nice), but a tin of stagg chilli, a pack of uncle bens rice and a pack of doritos is £2, a heinz big soup and a pack of bacon smash, etc.
if they had dehydrated packs that made up nice and tasty then great, but these boil in the bag pouches usually weigh as much as a tin and cost loads more so i dont see the benefit?

[tankosl]

I've just had a look at my stash and they seem to be 275/300gms.......

I tend to agree with you about price, but they taste great and are good quality food.
I like the fact that you can either boil in the bag or as I do, just empty into a mess tin and heat up.
I use these when I'm out on the road, doing rubbish shifts and get stuck for food. When I've have a limited time for lunch (cooking, eating, washing up, packing away) so 1 pot cooking is the way forward.....

[steveR]

what sort of weight of food do you get for the money? i doubt if the quality of food can be compared, (and the meatballs and butter beans does sound nice), but a tin of stagg chilli, a pack of uncle bens rice and a pack of doritos is £2, a heinz big soup and a pack of bacon smash, etc.
if they had dehydrated packs that made up nice and tasty then great, but these boil in the bag pouches usually weigh as much as a tin and cost loads more so i dont see the benefit?

You pays yer money and takes yer choice! For me, the quality of the grub and the easy pack sacs are enough of a plus point to put a few in a pannier for quick food at the end of a day. As we discussed elsewhere, I would like to make my own food bags, but the cost of the sealer to handle pre-cooked food is too steep...

I love wandering around a french supermarket and picking odds and sods up for supper and seeing what was in the tin of stuff i purchased though!

[davsato]

You pays yer money and takes yer choice! For me, the quality of the grub and the easy pack sacs are enough of a plus point to put a few in a pannier for quick food at the end of a day. As we discussed elsewhere, I would like to make my own food bags, but the cost of the sealer to handle pre-cooked food is too steep...

I love wandering around a french supermarket and picking odds and sods up for supper and seeing what was in the tin of stuff i purchased though!

i see your point, i already had the sealer so dont really factor in the price of that. if you had to start from scratch you would have to eat a lot of these BiB meals to justify the cost of making your own.
i have since tried the meatballs and butter beans, really nice i was impressed. id still pierce the top of a tin and heat it in a pan of water though.

[BigAl]

As you said " my preconception was of sludgy tasteless food that the army get given." It would be prudent to say that the army know how to use this type of food. It kept me alive in 4 different war zones and on countless exercises in my 22 years service, you soon learn what to add to them to make tremendous meals.
I agree at first the stuff that came from America for the forces to eat was not of a good standard, but the manufacturers in england got a grip and things improved greatly.
When offered the chance i use them with or without suppliments either mixed in the pan or boiled in the bag.
Have fun