Heating mains

[LoriJean8591]

Could anyone please tell me how long I should boil the mains to rations for that are in cans or thin metal packages?

[RSMRE]

While I can't accurately answer your question, I would personally recommend using an Esbit stove...Just open the tops, set them on top of the flame and they should cook w/in 5-8 min. Hope this helped a little since it's really only a personal recommendation.

[LoriJean8591]

Thank you very much. I wasn’t sure how to cook them best. I have never tried and esbit stove before.. It will be fun..

[mikeoverhere]

I agree. I usually try for around 7 minutes boiling. The nice thing about boiling is it won't hurt to boil longer, it won't burn. If you heat with direct flame from an esbit stove, be sure to open the container and it helps to stir the contents before heating, and occasionally during heating to reduce the chance of burning the food. Also, some components such as rice come out of the container much easier if you break it up in the pouch before heating.

[ViperGTS]

Yeah 5 to 8 mins for current, 10 to 12 for the older ones. If you boil too long, they can pop

I stick a plate in the bottom of the water-filled pot, to prevent any melt issues... I have a gas fire stove top. Skip to 3:30

[carlosflar]

Keep in mind when heating anything in boiling water you could get some boiling inside the can, which usually isnt a problem but you can get some spitting from the can when opening, so be careful not to burn yourself, dont open them pointing to your face
on the use of esbit stoves, keep in mind that the cans are pretty thin so they dont distribute the heat really well so the bottom layer of the food heats faster and can even burn a bit, so try to stirr a bit, specially if you have something with a lot of meat, since the proteins in the juices usually jellify and make it a bit harder to heat, that would be my main reccomendation, on heating times, heat as much as you want, if you are puting retorts in boiling water i dont think you will ''overcook'' them unless you leave them for pretty long, with an esbit, for me once it boils a bit and there arent gelatin chunks its enough