1993 Brown Bag Corned Beef Hash

[elandil]

Thanks to Norton, (who's a real awesome dude, ) I was able to obtain a MRE i've always wanted to try. He hooked me up with a 1993 Corned Beef Hash MRE.

Now, seeing how some of the stuff has went with Steve1989, and because it was such a pretty day...I decided to go outside and give this one a try. I took my trusty QuickStove, my mess kit, and a few more supplies, and headed out to the backyard.

Lets keep one thing in mind....this MRE is circa 1993....My son is Circa 1995....


So, I'm eating an MRE 2 years older than him....





Here's a look at the MRE, before I ventured in...


(ignore the traps in the background...squirrel's.... )

Popped this bad boy open, and everything looked good. I admit, I fan-girled a little when I saw it had FREEZE-DRIED PEARS, and they maintained a solid seal. the Oatmeal cookie bar was still sealed nice and tight, the jelly didn't have any noticeable lumps. The crackers...it was more of a POP when I opened them than a hiss...but they still smelled ok.


so, it came with the old flat pack Sugar Free Lemonade drink mix. So, I mixed it up. Smelled ok, still like lemon. Tasted it, no chemical aftertaste, no off flavors...it was still good to go.


Tried the jelly, it tasted like it had just came out of the Smuckers jar. Crackers were great, not stale or off in the lease. I liked the cookie bar, kinda had that Frosted flakes cereal taste. it would make an awesome breakfast. Best thing about it is it didn't leave that greasy aftertaste some of the bars can leave. Definitely a plus.

Freeze-dried pears.....oh dear lord, you have blessed me with this one....


it has been YEARS since i've had this delicacy. My favorite is the fruit cocktail, but all of the FD fruits were nothing but awesome. I will admit, I slowly savored this over a 3 day span....

Cocoa...wow, smelled OK, I honestly expected it to be bad, but it was delicious....


And now....the Main event...


Corned Beef Hash....The box had me a little worried, it looked like the top was bowed...but then I noticed the bottom was bowed inward so it wasn't bad, just pressed by the other stuff...I used the FRH, and it kinda warmed half of the meal....so, I cheated. My QuickStove still had a good flame going from heating the Cocoa water, so I poured out the CBH into my mess skillet, and popped it on the fire..Listening to that sizzle, smelling the aroma...I wish i'd had an egg to fry up with it.

Once it had a good heat, I poured the mini-tabasco on half, and left half unadulterated. This was a bad idea...Suprisingly, the Tabasco had turned. But, the CBH was really, really good. No salt needed, no other seasoning. I was really impressed, and very pleased.


the accessory packet was loaded....full of good stuff. Coffee, Creamer, Sugar, Salt, the old Wintergreen gum, TP, the good White Stripe matches, and Caramels. The caramels were still soft, and tasted great. Unfortunately, the coffee was a goner. Dry-mold all in it. It honestly smelled like beef boullion....


All in all, very suprising and filling dinner. Suprised the tabasco had wen't bad...as soon as I saw the Folgers pack I knew it was a goner...but pleased that everything else was not only edible, but tasty....An Awesome meal.

[housil]

Wow, eating a 23 years old ration! Great it was still edible!

[Norton]

Great review and nice clear photos
I am glad it was still a good meal. It is amazing the way some MRE Menus hold up in the pouches
That was one of my favorite meals. I wish they made it again. Some people never tire of Corned beef hash, it is a meal like beef stew.
One of the best for breakfast of evening.
I also was impressed the coca, jelly, crackers and fruit and oatmeal block held up so well.

Of all things in your review I was impressed by the caramels. Who made them?

[parafireboy]

Great review elandil! That one held up great, and I'm glad you got to once again savor the delicacy that is the FD pears!

[gschultz9]

Thanks for that great review elandil! Wow, that one really held up great. It must have been stored pretty well over the years. Corned Beef Hash is an entree that came out a few years after I got out of the service and I've never had it. I kind of regret the fact that there's no way to experience one of them in a fresh state, but it sounds like yours was pretty close to what one would have experienced back in the day!

[elandil]

Of all things in your review I was impressed by the caramels. Who made them?

I'll look tonite when I get home, I still have some left in my stuff.

[elandil]

Thanks for that great review elandil! Wow, that one really held up great. It must have been stored pretty well over the years. Corned Beef Hash is an entree that came out a few years after I got out of the service and I've never had it. I kind of regret the fact that there's no way to experience one of them in a fresh state, but it sounds like yours was pretty close to what one would have experienced back in the day!

Yep, it was in almost perfect condition...Only thing I regretted was the coffee, after I found out the cocoa was still good, I automatically started thinking of good ole MRE Mocha....

I will say this, I was really suprised at the amount of flavor in the CBH. It was perfectly seasoned, and normally when I make it out of the can or packet, I'm having to doctor it because it's either bland or oversalted. This one came out perfect, ready to eat.

[Ruleryak]

Another excellent review from elandil - loved it! Steve sent me one of his frozen-until-recently 1993 MREs to review, will have to get it on here soon. Seeing how well they can hold up even without having been frozen is amazing.

[elandil]

and the Video's up....

[Horsesoldier]

Corned Beef Hash and particle board Oatmeal Cookie Bar in one review . . . makes me both nostalgic and hungry. Amazing to see how well that MRE held up. I enlisted in '93, I think it was in overall better condition than I am . . .