Making Deb edible!

[slick41st]

I notice another thread broke into a Deb conversation, so thought I'd post my own ....

The only way I will eat Deb out walking (and even then it is packed as emergency rations) is to mix it up by hand and make it into small patties - then fry the patties with a little butter or oil.

Actually tastes pretty good then.

Slick

[Son of a Beach]

Deb is a bit ordinary when done the usual way.

I've found that the 'potato flakes' sold at some health food shops are a LOT better than deb. It costs next to nothing and weighs next to nothing. Just add boiling water and it's ready (add butter and milk if you like).

I'll have to try the fry up method one of these days.

[corvus]

Make Deb edible -- DONT buy Deb buy Edgells instant mash all you do is add water -this is what KFC use for their potato whip its not perfect but IMHO so much better than Deb and you dont need to add anything.
I must state that I dont carry it now and that I only eat what can be eaten out of a bag after a 10 min soak or a cup (but I still use it at home lunch time)therefore I still consider my self as qualified to comment

[Penguin]

Add chilli oil! and lots of it.

[Cheesypigs]

I've found couscous is just as easy to prepare and tastes better, why even bother with potato? lol

[Son of a Beach]

I've found couscous is just as easy to prepare and tastes better, why even bother with potato? lol

That is a good point (for those who prefer cous cous). In fact I've only ever taken potato (powder, flakes, or similar) on extended walks. The reason for taking potatos stuff here is VARIETY! Anything gets boring if you have to have it every night for two weeks, and good food really does make a walk more enjoyable, so on longer walks I try to take as much different stuff as I can. For carbohydrates, this usually means: rice, pasta, cous cous and potato.

[tasadam]

Note - Discussion on Potato Flakes moved to this topic

[Joe]

Garlic salt....guaranteed to make any bland food stuff taste pure goodness

[gorby]

A good tip from my bushwalking mate is to cook some of those instant dried peas and corn in boiling water and then when they are cooked just tip in the Deb until it reaches the required consistency.
The boiled water that is usually drained off the peas/corn is usually tipped out so it saves water and fuel doing it this way and makes for a tasty mash.

[corvus]

Suprise peas and corn (with due respect) please dont make me eat any more I can still smell them and worse remember the taste so mixed with Deb would be my worst eating experience now

[Son of a Beach]

I actually like the surpise peas (and corn/carrot). They make a good supporting extra to all sorts of things. However, my own dried veges do taste considerably better - when I can be bothered to organise them.

[corvus]

Oh!! no accounting for taste then ,much better to use your own dehydrated much as it goes against my 10 min bag soak

[Lynda Moir]

If by some chance you leave your lunch rations of salami and cheese in the drop-off driver's car then the emergency rations of Deb potato and surprise peas/corn automtically taste delicious!

[Son of a Beach]

If by some chance you leave your lunch rations of salami and cheese in the drop-off driver's car then the emergency rations of Deb potato and surprise peas/corn automtically taste delicious!

And if it was a long walk, you leave the windows in the car open all the way home!

[tasadam]

And if it was a long walk, you leave the windows in the car open all the way home!

For TWO reasons...

[norts]

Got caught out once, a 3 day walk turned into a 7 day. One meal was Deb and Surprise peas and a bit of salt, was not the best meal I have eaten out bush. Didnt need the rationed toilet paper next day!

Always carry a some deb and spare noodles for emergencies

Roger

[3rd weekender]

fry one brown onion in pan with sliced choritzo sausage when cooked add deb potato as on packet then add any dried
peas,beans (suprise) etc mix and cook in one bowl see how that goes.

[corvus]

To make Deb edible dont use it buy Tassie made Edgell instant mash now available as Garlic Mash or Butter& Herb Mash and you only need to add boiling water

[tparker]

even more palatible with garlic, onion or parsley

[strewthm8]

Yes...Definitely a bit of a challenge to make Deb or similar interesting...but try adding chili or basil and garlic (those little sachets- master foods, I think), peas/beans (dried) and tuna....it looks like this....mmmm...yum....well it tasted ok at the time (we were pretty hungry). Such a culinary triumph it deserved a photo!!!

David

[corvus]

Sooooo not gourmet but I guess it did fill a void in your collective systems,who got to lick the bowl

[Steve]

Deb potato is gross. Just tastes really weird.

[tas-man]

Try adding some curry powder

[corvus]

So now we add uncooked spices to dubious add water Spuds tas-man I guess over the years on the tramp you may have been that hungry I am so lucky I found out about Deb after 2 attempts

[geoskid]

Add can of salmon, chopped onions, make into large patties, roll in breadcrumbs, fry in 600ml titanium pot in butter on a kovea stove. Serve with salad of choice. For an overnighter! -YUM - I must try it one day!

[corvus]

Add can of salmon, chopped onions, make into large patties, roll in breadcrumbs, fry in 600ml titanium pot in butter on a kovea stove. Serve with salad of choice. For an overnighter! -YUM - I must try it one day!

geoskid , you are a better bush cook than I am if you can bring this off in the field ! let me know how you go especially with the washing up and how not to burn the patties frying on titanium

[TruBlu]

Add can of salmon, chopped onions, make into large patties, roll in breadcrumbs, fry in 600ml titanium pot in butter on a kovea stove. Serve with salad of choice. For an overnighter! -YUM - I must try it one day!

geoskid , you are a better bush cook than I am if you can bring this off in the field ! let me know how you go especially with the washing up and how not to burn the patties frying on titanium

My recipe is similar but with less mucking about. Just open a foil pouch of flavoured tuna eg with tomato and basil, tip it in a bowl, add the dried deb then enough hot water to be able to form patties, then fry.

I carry an almost empty can of spray on canola oil for lightly coating the small stainless steel trangia style frypan. The canola oil spray ensures only a little is used, cutting down on the washing up. It also cuts out the chance of oil leaking in the backpack.

[corvus]

Triffik recipe TruBlue, still to much effort for me now and I only carry a 550ml lightweight Titan Billy 89gm a 450mlTitan mug 65gm and a 16gm Titan spoon so I am basically restricted to just add water type meals which I find to be OK for my needs.

[flyfisher]

Corvus, I'm on your team in this event. The easy cook bit is a blessing after a long day

FF

[Darren]

G'Day
After reading the rest of these posts this may get a few frowns but here’s my meat and 3 veg deb variation. I’m sure others have had similar.
At home I put 1 cup of any brand deb in a zip lock microwave bag with a teaspoon of French onion soup.
In another small zip lock I take a handful of dried peas and corn.
All I carry is my snowpeak 600 or 450 mug so in that i put 400ml of water and throw the dried peas and corn in and let sit for 5-10 min
As a meat I take anything pre cooked, bit of salami, canned ham repackaged in a zip lock, last night’s sausage. I cut this up into small pieces and have ready
Boil the water
Tip it in the bag with the potato and stir
Tip the meat in
Dinner
Minimal fuel, clean mug.
It may sound a bit ordinary but I’m pretty easy going and tucking into meat and 3 vedge sitting on a rock somewhere with the view before me, it doesn’t get any better than this...