No-cook Mediterranean Couscous and Chicken Recipe

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

In the American West, forest fires have sadly become a common occurrence. Often, the lightweight backpacker’s favorite of an alcohol stove is not allowed for various reasons. When these open flame bans occur, a person has to use a canister or a white gas stove instead. There is another choice. A choice that works well with not only open flame bans but also with the hot weather often found in conjunction with these stove bans: Going stoveless. Going stoveless is another tool to have in the backpacker’s kit. Going stoveless makes for less of a futz factor when in camp and can be wonderful for those who just want to quickly eat and then bed down for the evening. Very typical behavior after a long hiking day with less time spent in camp...

@PaulMags shows us this no cook recipe in Issue 27 - the Details:

No-cook Mediterranean Couscous and Chicken Recipe

Issue Page 27

[Coolhikes]

This looks quite tasty!! How would you serve it hot, use the standard recipe and then heat? Definitely a must try on my next backpack.

[K. Urs Grutter]

What ist the definition of an "open flame" then? For my unterstanding of the physics of a canister stove or a white gas stove, they both work with open flames. Imho, firing up a white-gas stove is a far riskier business than lighting an alcohol stove, as far as wildfires go...

Stoveless ist the safest option. Have a good meal!

Cheers, Urs

[PaulMags]

re: Serve it hot.   That's what I'd do....juts heat it up a bit and you should be good to go.

Generally any stove without a UL certified on-off valve is considered non-kosher during open flame bans. Here's a pertinent example:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/alerts-notices/?cid=fsbdev3_053600

 (From Oct 2015: Non-Approved fires: Campfires utilizing solid fuel that do not distribute the flame with a wick., Alcohol ultralight stoves, Wood “twig” ultralight stoves ) 

And....

http://www.custercountygov.com/pdf/ColoradoBurnBanDefinitions.pdf

“Mechanical stoves and appliances fueled by bottled or liquid gas which allow the operator to control and extinguish the flame with a valve are permitted provided that such devices are approved by Underwriters Laboratory Inc”

Because there are no on-off valves in Esbit, wood burning and alchie stoves, they are considered open flames.

Long story short, many land management agencies are getting leery of homemade stoves... So it goes.

Edited April 4, 2016 by PaulMags

[K. Urs Grutter]

Thanks a lot - looks like too many people operating stoves lack common sense. I still feel operating a white gas stove is as dangerous / open flame as alkys.

Canister may be another thing, as there is no priming fuel that can spill. 

Cheers, Urs

[Dogwood]

Consider some of Zeph's alchy stove designs that have immediate shut down and/or flame/heat  adjustment.

http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/

As a texture difference consider Israeli or pearl  cous cous.  

Sardines in Olive Oil can be substituted for the chicken which is  almost always packed in water or broth. This negates the necessity for carrying separate olive oil. Seasons brand Boneless & Skinless Sardines  in EVOO are a good choice and at 302 cals for the  4.375 oz tin with 18 g of protein  it has a far greater cal/oz ratio than Sue Bee, Tyson, etc 7 oz chicken pouches(both with added ingredients beyond just chicken). Cost at locations like Wally World are about $2 a tin.

Wild Planet Wild Pacific Sardines in EVOO are   comparable in several ways too.