Cooking spaghetti in camp just takes so much fuel (wood) and time.

I'm new to the dehydrator but did the sauce and meatballs ok and was wondering if doing the spaghetti - cooking then dehydrating, is a good idea?

quote TomT: "Cooking spaghetti in camp just takes so much fuel (wood) and time.

I'm new to the dehydrator but did the sauce and meatballs ok and was wondering if doing the spaghetti - cooking then dehydrating, is a good idea?

"

I never dehydrate noodles. I just make sure to purchase the shapes/sizes that say cooks in 7 minutes. Then in camp I just cover them in boiling water and let them sit for 20-30 minutes while the sauce is rehydrating. Baby bow ties are my go to shape.

Yes, My wife and I cook spaghetti at home with the sauce and then dehydrate it. We add dehydrated meat to it when we rehydrate it, as I want to make sure the meat is dehydrated properly so I do it separately.

I think you can dehydrate - don't expect al dente - but seems Cliff Jacobson talked about just bring it to a boil and then letting it sit in a cozy for half hour off burner to conserve fuel.

I have used rehydrated spaghetti. single bag type. I have some sitting in my freezer ready for my August trip. I have found aldente noodles are a must prior to drying. cut noodles short (1-2 in.). When ready to eat, Boil and add water to bag to soak in an insulated container. Takes around 20 min to be edible. I also bring a small pack of parmesan cheese (from pizza vendor). This is my backpack alcohol stove method.
The above other suggestions make it taste better and improve consistency. Remember to add some dried bread crumbs to hamburger prior to drying helps them return closer to a normal consistency. I have also used the sauce leather, with separate vegetables and mushrooms and meat. This is better, but does use more fuel, effort, and time.

Pasta is a staple on our trips.

I dehydrate spaghetti sauce, ground turkey, peppers, onions, mushrooms all separately. Then rehydrate most or all of the above together.

While that is rehydrating, I make the noodles. Have never dehydrated those. I buy smaller noodles with short cooking time (5-8 min). Usually mini penne or mini rotini. Boil water, add to container with noodles in it. Cover with cozy and let sit. It's done at about the same time as the sauce with meat and veggies.

I wouldn't dehydrate spaghetti personally. Do you have a pot cozy? For the spaghetti, bring the water to a boil, add spaghetti to the pot, return to boil, and stick it in the cozy for 15 minutes and it's done. Not much different than rehydrating it really.

Saw Twins87 said the same thing.

Thanks for the feedback! I think I'll work on a pot cozy.

I did a bunch of experiments with a pot cozy and a thermometer about 2 years ago. I don't think pot cozies do much unless it is really cold or windy, or unless you are trying to keep something hot for over 30min.

Your biggest heat loss mechanism when boiling water is water turning to steam. So the most important thing you can do when cooking noodles is have a tight fitting lid. The second most important thing you can do is turn off or turn down the heat before you get a raging boil. I think it is best to add your noodles to the water when it is still cold. That way, the noodles absorb the heat before you reach that inefficient boiling point.

Your second biggest heat loss mechanism is thermal contact at the bottom of the pot. But, when I experimented with this, I did not find it to be that big of an effect. I think that's because the pot bottom and flat surface you put the pot on are never 100% flat. So, the actual contact area of the pot to a flat surface might be pretty small. So unless you are on snow or wet dirt, not a big deal. I think you can just leave the pot on the stove supports and be ok there. The reason that freezer bag cozies are so effective, versus a pot cozy, is that otherwise the flexible bag makes really good thermal contact with the ground, and over a huge surface area. Also, with a freezer bag, when you add hot water to cold food, the temperature immediately craters, so you have to preserve every amount of heat energy that you can. If you notice the design of the mountain house bags, they stand upright, and the extension at the bottom of the bag keeps the food out of thermal contact with the ground, so you don't need a cozy.

The last biggest loss is convection loss in the wind. A pot cozy stops this, but it is kind of overkill. I think it is more space effecient to just cover the pot with a stuff sack. You can either use your cook kit bag, or one of those recycleable grocery bags.

I never dehydrate noodles for camping, because you lose so much packing density - assuming spaghetti. I let them presoak about 5min in cold water, then cook them.

Substitute Angel Hair pasta (Cappellini) or Vermicelli for the Spaghetti noodles. Last year I substituted Cellophane noodles (Bean thread) but the texture wasn’t quite right.

quote NotLight: "
... freezer bag cozies are so effective, versus a pot cozy, is that otherwise the flexible bag makes really good thermal contact with the ground, and over a huge surface area. Also, with a freezer bag, when you add hot water to cold food, the temperature immediately craters, so you have to preserve every amount of heat energy that you can.

"

What is a freezer bag cozy? And how do you use it?

quote bobbernumber3: "

quote NotLight: "
... freezer bag cozies are so effective, versus a pot cozy, is that otherwise the flexible bag makes really good thermal contact with the ground, and over a huge surface area. Also, with a freezer bag, when you add hot water to cold food, the temperature immediately craters, so you have to preserve every amount of heat energy that you can.


"

What is a freezer bag cozy? And how do you use it?"

Trailcooking.com has lots of info on freezer bag cooking.

I don't know what others think a pot cozy is but i mean an insulated fabric covered thing, or a wool thing - Cliff pushed wool stocking hats - with insulation all around including under - and of course a tight fitting lid. The metallic bubble wrap is fradulant IMHO. It may be 30 minutes after boiling but saves fuel.

I do prefer to carry an extra bottle ofcfuel and just cook angle hair pasta but to each their own. As I do more backpacking - and hopefully NOT less canoeing - I may change.

Yup, a hat works too. I think the important thing is that you don't need extravagant insulation. Rapidly diminishing returns.

It is easy enough to practice with noodle thickness, presoak times, different pot cozies, and even freezer bags at home to see what cooking method works for you. You can then dehydrate what you cook, either seperate or with the sauce, and see if you like the cooked/dehydrated stuff better than cooking as is out of the box.

quote billconner: "I don't know what others think a pot cozy is but i mean an insulated fabric covered thing, or a wool thing - Cliff pushed wool stocking hats - with insulation all around including under - and of course a tight fitting lid. The metallic bubble wrap is fradulant IMHO. It may be 30 minutes after boiling but saves fuel.


I do prefer to carry an extra bottle ofcfuel and just cook angle hair pasta but to each their own. As I do more backpacking - and hopefully NOT less canoeing - I may change."

Curious Bill why you think bubble foil insulation is fraudulent? That's what my cozies are made of (I had some around and with just a pair of scissors and some tape your good to go). I agree it isn't the incredible R value the manufacturer claims but it is sure good enough for cozies. I used Tyveck tape for making my cozies and they are holding up well. They fit tightly around my pots and that's how they travel in my pack. Weigh next to nothing.

I have a cozy for my coffee pot, and that's how I keep my cowboy coffee warm in the morning. I have tried not insulating the bottom and the coffee cooled right off. Definitely need insulation on the bottom. In the cozy it stays nice and hot for as long as I need it.

quote marsonite: "

quote billconner: "I don't know what others think a pot cozy is but i mean an insulated fabric covered thing, or a wool thing - Cliff pushed wool stocking hats - with insulation all around including under - and of course a tight fitting lid. The metallic bubble wrap is fradulant IMHO. It may be 30 minutes after boiling but saves fuel.



I do prefer to carry an extra bottle ofcfuel and just cook angle hair pasta but to each their own. As I do more backpacking - and hopefully NOT less canoeing - I may change."

Curious Bill why you think bubble foil insulation is fraudulent? That's what my cozies are made of (I had some around and with just a pair of scissors and some tape your good to go). I agree it isn't the incredible R value the manufacturer claims but it is sure good enough for cozies. I used Tyveck tape for making my cozies and they are holding up well. They fit tightly around my pots and that's how they travel in my pack. Weigh next to nothing.

I have a cozy for my coffee pot, and that's how I keep my cowboy coffee warm in the morning. I have tried not insulating the bottom and the coffee cooled right off. Definitely need insulation on the bottom. In the cozy it stays nice and hot for as long as I need it. "

This is where I think a pot cozy is useful - to keep something warm longer than 20min. But to cook noodles you only need 5-15min.

I am suprised you lost so much heat with no bottom though. When I have tried it seems like the sides and the lid made the most difference. Like a hat over the pot would.

quote NotLight: "

quote marsonite: "

quote billconner: "I don't know what others think a pot cozy is but i mean an insulated fabric covered thing, or a wool thing - Cliff pushed wool stocking hats - with insulation all around including under - and of course a tight fitting lid. The metallic bubble wrap is fradulant IMHO. It may be 30 minutes after boiling but saves fuel.



I do prefer to carry an extra bottle ofcfuel and just cook angle hair pasta but to each their own. As I do more backpacking - and hopefully NOT less canoeing - I may change."

Curious Bill why you think bubble foil insulation is fraudulent? That's what my cozies are made of (I had some around and with just a pair of scissors and some tape your good to go). I agree it isn't the incredible R value the manufacturer claims but it is sure good enough for cozies. I used Tyveck tape for making my cozies and they are holding up well. They fit tightly around my pots and that's how they travel in my pack. Weigh next to nothing.


I have a cozy for my coffee pot, and that's how I keep my cowboy coffee warm in the morning. I have tried not insulating the bottom and the coffee cooled right off. Definitely need insulation on the bottom. In the cozy it stays nice and hot for as long as I need it. "

This is where I think a pot cozy is useful - to keep something warm longer than 20min. But to cook noodles you only need 5-15min.


I am suprised you lost so much heat with no bottom though. When I have tried it seems like the sides and the lid made the most difference. Like a hat over the pot would.


"

The thing that really sold me on cozies is cooking hot cereal, which is a staple on my trips. I like old fashioned oats and the Red River knock off "Rice River" which has a fifteen minute simmer time. Not only does it come out perfect in a cozy with no stirring or fussing, no boilovers, and the pot is SO much easier to clean. The first time I used one to cook oatmeal I instantly realized I would never trip without one. But to each their own I guess.

quote marsonite: "

quote NotLight: "

quote marsonite: "

quote billconner: "I don't know what others think a pot cozy is but i mean an insulated fabric covered thing, or a wool thing - Cliff pushed wool stocking hats - with insulation all around including under - and of course a tight fitting lid. The metallic bubble wrap is fradulant IMHO. It may be 30 minutes after boiling but saves fuel.

I do prefer to carry an extra bottle ofcfuel and just cook angle hair pasta but to each their own. As I do more backpacking - and hopefully NOT less canoeing - I may change."

Curious Bill why you think bubble foil insulation is fraudulent? That's what my cozies are made of (I had some around and with just a pair of scissors and some tape your good to go). I agree it isn't the incredible R value the manufacturer claims but it is sure good enough for cozies. I used Tyveck tape for making my cozies and they are holding up well. They fit tightly around my pots and that's how they travel in my pack. Weigh next to nothing.

I have a cozy for my coffee pot, and that's how I keep my cowboy coffee warm in the morning. I have tried not insulating the bottom and the coffee cooled right off. Definitely need insulation on the bottom. In the cozy it stays nice and hot for as long as I need it. "

This is where I think a pot cozy is useful - to keep something warm longer than 20min. But to cook noodles you only need 5-15min.

I am suprised you lost so much heat with no bottom though. When I have tried it seems like the sides and the lid made the most difference. Like a hat over the pot would.

"

The thing that really sold me on cozies is cooking hot cereal, which is a staple on my trips. I like old fashioned oats and the Red River knock off "Rice River" which has a fifteen minute simmer time. Not only does it come out perfect in a cozy with no stirring or fussing, no boilovers, and the pot is SO much easier to clean. The first time I used one to cook oatmeal I instantly realized I would never trip without one. But to each their own I guess.

"

I would experiment with covering the strainer holes in that lid. You will lose some steam heat through those. But I don't know how much.

I used to dehydrate pasta but had issues with it poking holes in my freezer bags. Now I just use orzo and add it in uncooked. I use a padded UPS envelope as a coozy. By the time the meat is rehydrated, the orzo is al dente. I'll use cous cous too. It will cook in the bag even faster than orzo.

quote marsonite: "

quote billconner: "I don't know what others think a pot cozy is but i mean an insulated fabric covered thing, or a wool thing - Cliff pushed wool stocking hats - with insulation all around including under - and of course a tight fitting lid. The metallic bubble wrap is fradulant IMHO. It may be 30 minutes after boiling but saves fuel.



I do prefer to carry an extra bottle ofcfuel and just cook angle hair pasta but to each their own. As I do more backpacking - and hopefully NOT less canoeing - I may change."

Curious Bill why you think bubble foil insulation is fraudulent? That's what my cozies are made of (I had some around and with just a pair of scissors and some tape your good to go). I agree it isn't the incredible R value the manufacturer claims but it is sure good enough for cozies. I used Tyveck tape for making my cozies and they are holding up well. They fit tightly around my pots and that's how they travel in my pack. Weigh next to nothing.


I have a cozy for my coffee pot, and that's how I keep my cowboy coffee warm in the morning. I have tried not insulating the bottom and the coffee cooled right off. Definitely need insulation on the bottom. In the cozy it stays nice and hot for as long as I need it. "

I suppose it's a prejudice from my belief it is of little long term benefit in home weatherization and relies on marketing, not real benefit. The large (compared to fuzzy things) air pockets for resisting conductive transfer, and dependence on being clean and bright and shiny for radiant transfer don't do much. It is non-permeable so convective transfer is mitigated, but it seems other materials are much better.

If it works for you, great.

I just use angel hair pasta and cook it right in the sauce as I'm heating/rehydrating it. Works great every time and one less pot to clean. Some folks get excited about how much water to use to rehydrate things, if you put in too much, drain some off or boil it off, if too little water, add more..

The thinnest pasta cooks the quickest. If you must have spaghetti...angel hair or thin linguine or vermicelli cook quicker than their thicker counterparts.

I also do my own dehydrating and have forgone the extra process of making pasta and dehydrating it. I use Ronzoni quick cooking 3 minute pasta, found in the pasta aisle of your supermarket. They have 3 styles...penne rigate, elbows & rotini.

Ronzoni 3 minute pasta

quote Swampturtle: "The thinnest pasta cooks the quickest. If you must have spaghetti...angel hair or thin linguine or vermicelli cook quicker than their thicker counterparts.


I also do my own dehydrating and have forgone the extra process of making pasta and dehydrating it. I use Ronzoni quick cooking 3 minute pasta, found in the pasta aisle of your supermarket. They have 3 styles...penne rigate, elbows & rotini.


Ronzoni 3 minute pasta "

Thanks ! Would be great on a solo trip.

I took some leftover spaghetti & meat sauce (used ground turkey), mixed it together and dehydrated it. When I packaged it I made sure that each vacuum pouch had the exact same amount by weight. To prevent the pasta from poking through (it has sharp edges when dehydrated) I lined the pouch with parchment paper first. I played around with it at home and determined how much water was needed and wrote it on the pouches. It worked excellent. One of the easiest meals to dehydrate.

I just made and dried chili mac using elbow macaroni. Turned out great!
Can't wait to have it in camp beside the lake.
Not sure if it was mentioned, but I used 97/3 lean beef and rinsed the cooked meat under very hot water for quite a while to make sure all the fat was washed away prior to mixing the other ingredients in and finishing the dish.

I started food shopping for my trip this weekend...

I noticed that Zatarans beans and rice takes 25min to cook. There you'd want a pot cozy, I think.

I tested out the really thin Udon noodles and buckwheat noodles, from the Asian section of the grocery store. I cooked them in a Miso soup base. It was really good, but way too salty. The noodles cook in 3min - but it seemed more like 1min for the Udon noodles. Most of the Udon noodles in the store are very high in sodium, as is the Miso. I went back and found very low sodium Udon noodles. To get the salt out of the Miso, I'll either use half as much, or see if my daughter can make me something lower in sodium. The Udon noodles seem great. Good calorie density and packing density, easy to cook, and different than just regular spaghetti.

I did some experimenting with dehydrated meals on a 12 day trip - a bunch involving pasta. I made penne pasta with meat sauce and dried it all together. I also cooked and dried pasta, hamburger and jarred sauce separately and rehydrated them together in camp. I also made a ground turkey with vegetables and whole wheat elbows and dried that all together.

I prefer the integrated meals vs dehydrating separately. It's easier, seems to rehydrate better and tastes better. It might not last as long from a food-storage perspective but all the meals I made definitely lasted a 4-6 weeks without refrigeration, no problem. For the integrated pasta with meat sauce, I used 80% ground beef and didn't rinse it . .I just cooked it normally and then dehydrated it. I read about plenty of people doing it that way even though it's recommended to rinse the ground beef. I was worried it might go off but it was totally fine.

The texture of rehydrated, cooked pasta is a little soft compared to fresh cooked but it's so much easier and requires so much less fuel that it's a tiny trade-off, in my opinion. Pasta is one of my favorite things to dehydrate for camping. Out of the various meals I dehydrated for the 12 day trip, the pasta ones were my favorites.

quote cgchase: "I did some experimenting with dehydrated meals on a 12 day trip - a bunch involving pasta. I made penne pasta with meat sauce and dried it all together. I also cooked and dried pasta, hamburger and jarred sauce separately and rehydrated them together in camp. I also made a ground turkey with vegetables and whole wheat elbows and dried that all together.

I prefer the integrated meals vs dehydrating separately. It's easier, seems to rehydrate better and tastes better. It might not last as long from a food-storage perspective but all the meals I made definitely lasted a 4-6 weeks without refrigeration, no problem. For the integrated pasta with meat sauce, I used 80% ground beef and didn't rinse it . .I just cooked it normally and then dehydrated it. I read about plenty of people doing it that way even though it's recommended to rinse the ground beef. I was worried it might go off but it was totally fine.

The texture of rehydrated, cooked pasta is a little soft compared to fresh cooked but it's so much easier and requires so much less fuel that it's a tiny trade-off, in my opinion. Pasta is one of my favorite things to dehydrate for camping. Out of the various meals I dehydrated for the 12 day trip, the pasta ones were my favorites. "

Thanks. What kind of noodles did you use? Dehydrator? How good was the packing density?

I don't know what the magic formula is to prevent food from going bad - heat? salt content? fat level? acidity? Sounds like you succeeded.

add me to the coozie crowd
I use a coozie and pasta. Never had a problem. Boil water, pour over pasta in bad in coozie. Seal up wait about 20 minutes
Add your favorite sauce and you're good to go
A favorite for us is olive oil, cheese, seasoning all from the little packets we save from the pizza's.