Freezer bag cooking

[coyote9]

I just got home from a backpacking trip the day before Thanksgiving with a large group. Several people where using the freezerbag cooking method which Ive seen before, apparently it was my friends wife's first time. She is a well paid chem eng so I can only assume that she knows what she is talking about, but when she saw these folks pouring boiling water into freezerbags her jaw dropped. She is a very quiet lady and never gets into other's affairs, so to see her speak up on this matter surprised the group. Im not sure what these FB cookers have been reading but they basically told a chem eng that she was being a "worry wart" (?) and that its perfectly safe.

I just wanted to know if anyone is still using this method?

I did find enough data to keep me from never doing this. Specifically the fact that the softening point of Polyethylene is 157 to 265°F; 262 reaching melt.

Is this something thruhikers would even do?

[mtntopper]

Yes, it happens all the time.

[Rocket Jones]

FWIW, the name brand bags that are recommended are food-grade and according to the manufacturers, there is no leaching of chemicals from the hot water. Also, you shouldn't be adding boiling water to the bag, "near" boiling is enough to rehydrate and cook your food.

I used to do FBC, but now mostly cook in my non-stick pot. Choose your comfort level with the level of risk you believe is there and act accordingly.

[atraildreamer]

Ask Sarah, the undisputed Queen of freezer bag cooking:

http://www.trailcooking.com/

[coyote9]

Beauty of a site dreamer. Thanx m8

[Vegan Packer]

I do FBC. I use the name brand bag. People cook in similar things, such as oven bags, without giving it a second thought. I am not a scientist, so I can't say that I know what I am talking about.

[Hosh]

I use the principles of FBC, but have migrated to a different container rather than a zip lock bag. Zip lock also manufacturers a 4 cup plastic container with a screw on lid. I made a cozy for the container and re-hydrate in it rather than simmer in a pot. It allows me to bring Styrofoam coffee cups rather than plastic or titanium, the Zip Lock container protects the cups.

It has several advantages, much easier than eating out of a bag, will retain heat for over 20 minutes for chicken and other hard to re-hydrate meals, and overall saves weight.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ziploc-Twi...s-3ct/14862647

[capehiker]

I work with doctors who know absolutely nothing about nutrition. My point being, just because she is a chemical engineer does not mean she is the authority on freezer bag cooking. And yes, when done properly, there's no need to worry.

[TheCheek]

I work with doctors who know absolutely nothing about nutrition. My point being, just because she is a chemical engineer does not mean she is the authority on freezer bag cooking. And yes, when done properly, there's no need to worry.

Exactly. I'm a computer scientist with 20 years of programming experience....all the time people ask me questions about how to write an app for a phone, writing simple Javascript for a webpage, anything remotely technical about networking work, etc, .... I just shake my head and say I have no idea, I've never worked with that.

I'm pretty sure also, the bag manufacturers don't have any reason to lie about it being safe... FB cooking isn't exactly a big part of their market so if they said it was unsafe to add near boiling water to the bag, 99.99% of people will say Meh and keep buying them.

[MuddyWaters]

Nothing is completely safe.

There are much more significant threats to your health than putting hot water and food in a plastic bag.

People tend to worrry about insignificant things while totally ignoring the things that have highest probability killing them. Its almost humorous.

[Uncle Joe]

It's my understanding that the Ziplock branded freezer bags are recommended specifically because they won't leak chemicals and they are microwavable.

[MuddyWaters]

It's my understanding that the Ziplock branded freezer bags are recommended specifically because they won't leak chemicals and they are microwavable.

Glad says same thing.

However, there is no such thing as zero when it comes to contaminants.

Your blood has detectable traces of a variety of common chemicals, pesticides, flame retardants, and additives. Its unavoidable in our world today. In spite of this, life expectancy is longer than ever, because overall benefits outweigh risks to us.

[4eyedbuzzard]

From a practical standpoint, there are likely more dangerous and greater quantities of undesired chemicals (in so far as ingestion or absorption by the human body) in the actual food and even the water itself that you are cooking than what might be leached into food from a freezer bag. Same as to the by-products of combustion from your stove, and even more so from a campfire. The typical softening point of LLDPE bags like zip locks is 195°F, and generally this is where some concerns are expressed over leaching of chemicals. Even if the water is heated to true boil, by the time the mass of food and water mix (which happens fairly quickly as the amount of water being added during the pour is immediately is cooled by the mass of the food at ambient temperature) the temp of the mixture is below this point. Note also that most freezer bag cooking techniques use heated but NOT quite boiling water that is at the "fish eyes" stage or slightly above, about 180-190°F.