Brit Menu G Dinner

[Garron]

I was bored, hungry and could not be bothered to cook for myself so I broke out my last Brit ration pack (Packed 06/04/2004) (Local surplus store said it was the first time in 5 years he's been out of stock.. none at the warehouse... there went my dreams of a mixed case of 10)

So I had the Chicken with Herb Dumplings and the Chocolate Pudding (Cake) with Chocolate Sauce.
(I could not eat the Pasta with meat balls as well, I'm so full right I feel my stomach may burst )

boil for 15 minutes

Et Viola

(Notice MRE Spoons and British Camo background, though I would 'spice' up this review )

The Chicken with Herb Dumplings was good, very filling, had carrots, peas, potatos, sweetcorn and onions, the chicken was large chunks and a few thin strips, not the most flavorful dish but its warm and certainly filling. Sort of 'Comfort food' warm stew on a cold night (It is in Britain anyway). The 4 dumplings were ok, nothing fantastic they are just dumplings not a lot you can do with them. They just add to the filling nature of the dish
This is one of my favorite meal from the Brit packs (what limited choice we have), I'd gladly pick this anytime prehaps its not to everyones taste but to a British palet its not a bad meal quite the opposite. Its not a spicey meal at all its pretty similar to the canned type of homemade stew you can get in the UK. Prehaps some tabassco would help it.

Now the 'Brick' of the chocolate pudding, through the retort pouch you can see the distinct outline of a block of heavy think chocolate cake... its great, very filling. very chocolatey but you could only eat one, two would be a sugar overdose and just stomach bursting experiece. The chocolate sauce is very thick and I dont think theres enough in there but the cake isn't dry its very moist just heavy and thick.
A tip I heard from an ex-soldier said mash it all up add a little coffee from the brew kit (just a sprinkle) he said he makes it much nicer... I didn't try this as there wasn't really enough sauce to disolve it into... prehaps with a newer one there might be more. I think this one soaked it all up and kept the cake moist. Thinking about it it does sound quite nice.

Washed down with a can of coke (I used the drink yesterday as I ran out of juice) and a Lucky Strike.
Very filling and I think this is possibly the best Menu (G) in the range, its the one I tend to go for the most.

Hope you enjoyed
A very full and content
Gaz

[norge]

yum that chocolate pudding looks real yumi

cheers norge

[Treesuit]

Garron,

Very nice review. I agree that that chocolate pudding block looks very good. Thought I'm not keen on a sugar OD, I was wondering if you heard anything if MOD will improving any meals in the near future: if so how about the two you had? They way your taste test went I would think that the main meal and dessert could stand some improving. Funny I haven't seen any of the chocolate blocks of all the Brit packs. Is it limited to Menu G?

[Garron]

Hey Treesuit,

The Chocolate pudding with chocolate sauce is in Menu B and G, I think. Its fine as it is, just needs more sauce really. Its really comfort food, that warm content felling which would be good if your on patrol or having a quick meal on the battlefield.
This was a 2004 pack so prehaps they have improved them, I just haven't had a newer one yet. As its 4 years old it may have lost some flavor.

They are nice meals the Chicken and dumplings might be a little bland for some tastes there really isn't a lot in there to give it flavor, its like a thick stew with stock base, chucks of chicken, and a few vegetables, very little spices or seasoning. Its like the beef stew Housil had a few days back. 'Ok but nothing to die for'. The dumplings as Housil and Mrs. Housil found out are a bit tastless, his were 'fruit' where as mine were 'herb' couldnt really taste any herbs in them, they did help to fill me up though.

I have not read much on the new type of rations the MoD is developing all I know is they are trying to be more universal e.g one ration all weather so no hot climate, cold climate. You could use it in Norway and in Iraq pretty much... just sounds like attempts to cut costs

Gaz

[Treesuit]

Gaz,

I have not read much on the new type of rations the MoD is developing all I know is they are trying to be more universal e.g one ration all weather so no hot climate, cold climate. You could use it in Norway and in Iraq pretty much... just sounds like attempts to cut costs

That's quite interesting to know, BTW have you read anything over there about a "one ration for all"? Maybe so, could you post the literature here? I agree the idea to cut costs and make one ration is a good idea but from my own experience (and yes spent to many too times in the desert) you would need a higher caloric ration if you were going to Norway than per se if you were going to say Iraq/Afghanistan. Freezing temperature vice the blistering heat. The only ration I can remember was a Brit "training" ration given to say new recruits. I had a few back in 2002/3. They were like the standard packs but much smaller and contained a lot less food.

Oh yes, on that main meal any suggestions on improving them with some ingredients? Seasonings?

[Garron]

Sadly I think I read it on an airsoft site, I've checked my history and cannot find it... probably best to take it with a pinch of salt (Prehaps not completly true), that magazine artice I posted on Dutch and Norweigan rations mentioned the MOD were thinking of developing a more desert based ration. (though wer should start pulling out March 09 all be it very slowly) I did a quick google and it only bring up the MOD plans for new british Uniform and some links to current ration packs.

Prehaps make the dumplings a little bigger and add some more herbs (Not sure have should have been in there TBH)to them they were a little bland, you would think with a name like 'herb dumplings' it might taste of them. Seasoning was fine, prehaps a little more salt but you could add that yourself. Green beans and carrots to give it a little more colour as it was a dark with a few specs of green and yellow (Peas and sweetcorn), I think the Worchester sauce might have been included for that meal but I never used it.

Gaz

[Treesuit]

Gaz,
That's unusall I never saw the Worchester sauce packets in Brit packs until I saw a post on the forum here. It's very strange the MOD didn't make that one more common. Is it considered a staple of main meals like that or just in English society?

[Stef]

Hi,
there's no HP sauce either!
BTW I haven't found any ketchup in the MRE's yet

[Garron]

Its somewhat like Tabasco in its popularity everyone knows about. You fdon't find it on Diner/cafe tables though
Wouldn't surprise me if most houses in the UK had a bottle in the back of the cupboard. Its great on Cheese on toast/Grilled cheese.
Its been around for years and years, Worchester sauce was used in the trenches in ww1 and it was not new then.
We have Worchester sauce potato crisps/chips... its a typically British thing. Same as HP sauce thats over 100 years old and is typically british... HP Brown Sauce on a full fry up (bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns. mushrooms, blackpudding, beans and tomato).

I've only seen Worchester sauce in 1 2004 pack out of quite a few I have used, seems like a good idea. They have also included hot sauce aswell. Never seen it but wouldn't mind trying it (Suppose it means I have to buy more packs now )

[SaTrinxa]

They have also included hot sauce aswell. Never seen it but wouldn't mind trying it (Suppose it means I have to buy more packs now )

Here you go:



This particular sachet came out of a 2004 ration pack, not 100% sure which menu it was. I certainly doesn't appear in every 24 hour ration pack.