Australian CR1M Menu D

[Yowie]

Hi all, long time lurker first time poster
Big thanks to KMAN, for believing that I am real

Now I will present the Boys own Adventure of: CR1M Menu D

Too make this exercise a little more realistic, i have been abandoned on a deserted beach for 24hrs left only with my 24hr ration pack, a multi tool, a camping stove, a canteen and cup.

The CR1M in all its glory

Looks like the weather is coming in, better look for shelter. It is winter in Australia, sometimes it can get down to 20 21 degree's c at night round here

minutes later.....

Shelter, amazing what you can knock up with a good multi tool, when you are stuck in the bush. Its close to clean water and a good Pub

Lets see what in this big boy

Menu Sheet

Menu D

The CR1M contains two main meals, a midday snack and other sundry's
Main meals: Sausages and vegetables and Minced Beef with Tortellini.
Beef flavored noodles and low salt Chicken soup

Some of the less edible items:
R to L
Matches in waterproof container
F.R.E.D.
Scourer with impregnated soap
Dunny paper two ply
Resealable Bag
Racing Spoon

Food of the gods: Vegemite
Camper soldier and Hikers godsend: Sweetened Condensed milk
Apricot fruit spread
Large Can: Two fruits (If childhood memories are correct usually Peaches and Pears in syrup)
Small can: Processed Cheese (have heard some bad stories about this cheese)

Chocolate ration, chewing gum and other Candy

Crackers, Scotch Finger biscuit (short bread, great with tea), Shewsbury Jam Sandwich?, 2x ANZAC Muesli bars and 1x Tropical Fruits Muesli bar

[Yowie]

Part 1 continued:

Beverage Pack and condiments

Now I am safe and cozy, I think I will have breakfast, sausages and vegetables sounds good

Following the instruction sheet on the back of the menu (mostly hot food tastes better and never share your beer ration)
I boil the bag for around 10 mins in my canteen cup

While I am waiting I think I will try an ANZAC bar.....

On opening smells good, sweet

First bite, sweet, bit dry, tastes like any mass produced ANZAC I have ever tasted. Not as good as mum's but I have never tasted any as good as mum's :-)

All gone, overall not too bad. funny after taste, hard too explain

Brekkie is ready. Smells good, looks good
Signs of peas, the odd bit of carrot, maybe corn and some unidentifiable white stuff on the veggie side, and some real sausages (unsure of type by appearance).
Appears to be in a tomato sauce

Taste Test:
Overall good. Unidentifiable white stuff turns out to be potato. All veggies are firm. sausages are good, similar to sausages in Baked Beans and sausages tins. According to the ingredients sheet are made from Beef and Lamb

Again following the instruction sheet. I use the boiled water for a beverage. I try the instant coffee. Tastes like all instant coffee.... sh*t, remarkably better with a good squeeze of condensed milk

Breakfast is done!

Not bad at all, feel pretty full but still have the funny taste from the ANZAC.
Time to explore this barren coast I have been abandoned on or maybe a real coffee at the shop with the cute waitresses/
Be back later with part two

Yowie

[housil]

G'day, mate and welcome to formus from the opposite side of the planet

First of all - great review and great pic´s

It is winter in Australia, sometimes it can get down to 20 21 degree's c at night round here

Do you know, your "winter nights" are warmer than our current summer days?!?!

I like your multi tool...

[Yowie]

guten Tag Housil,

Thanks for the kind words.
It is a pretty terrible winter over here

Will post lunch and dinner reviews soon

[mreheater72]

Welcome here in the forums Yowie !

Thank you for that great review and great pics . In my opinion from the appearance Australian rations are the most "beautiful", they have an typical military look! Even the spoon is olive green !

So long mreheater72

[LogDayFreshHots]

Thank you for that great review and great pics . In my opinion from the appearance Australian rations are the most "beautiful", they have an typical military look! Even the spoon is olive green !

So long mreheater72

I have to agree with Hagen. The Australian rations without a doubt have more of a military appearance to them than any other combat ration. They still include tinned items!

Has anyone ever seen these packed in a case? I just realized I've never seen CR1M or any other Aussie rations packed in a case. Only single rations. Anyone else?

Great review Yowie.

[Yowie]

Thanks for the welcome guys
I am no expert but the CR1M's come in a large bin like tin (which coincidentally is used as a bin when empty), which contains 5 complete.The main MRE Info website shows this one: http://www.mreinfo.com/images/aus/adf-cr1m-case1.jpg
The cases contain two tins (10 rations) I think. I read somewhere that all menus in the tins are all the same ie all Menu D or A etc.

About a year ago I saw 5 in a tin for sale on ebay australia but missed out on that one

[Yowie]

Part 2 Lunch.
Well I am back from exploring and feeling a bit peckish. Time for lunch.

It's rough out here, look at those nasty clouds, and the water temp is down too 19'c brrr

Lunch will be beef flavoured noodles, orange fruit grains, canned two fruits and the orange fruit drink.

Orange Drink Powder (or more correctly orange drink solid block)

To be honest any powdered item I have used so far out of the pack (Coffee, Beef flavor pouch and drink) has been solid when opened but has dissolved admirably when added to water, I was a bit skeptical about the orange drink. But after what I would call a vigorous stirring ......

Ta da Orange drink

Tastes good, like what we Aussies would call orange cordial. unsurprisingly, the powder was manufactured by Cottee's (a famous Australian cordial company).
The trusty instruction sheet said this would make about a litre of the drink. I however used about 500ml (that big glass is about that). I think it would be very watery if diluted to 1l. 500ml gave a really good flavor.

The correct position for use of the F.R.E.D.

If you don't know the F.R.E.D. is technically called the Field Ration Eating Device. When it was introduced to the ADF in Vietnam it was immediately christened the F*cking Ridiculous Eating Device and has stuck. and as a mate said it might look funny, but if you are stuck on the side of a mountain in the pissing rain and all you have to eat is a can of beans, it suddenly becomes your best friend.

Two fruits. I guessed correctly Peaches and pears in syrup

The fruit was great, no tinny flavour good fruit pieces and syrup not too sweet. regretted when I got too the bottom of the tin:-(

Cooking up my noodles

nothing spectacular here. I am sure you have all tried instant noodles before. Not bad hot and filling.

Orange fruit grains. If I was skeptical about the drink . . . . .

Black unidentifiable pieces orangy smell. Nearly balked at trying this, but in the spirit of adventure., I tried a small piece........

Then ate the lot. They were great, no real orange taste more like dried apricots.

Its halfway through the day and I still have a lot of food (biscuits chocolate, musks and drinks included). Lots of snacking later on
Now I have my strength back I may go and see if the natives have opened the bar yet. All Blacks playing Springboks in the rugby later, might be worth watching. At least to see how badly the Wallabies will get their arse's kicked by the All Black's next week.........

[housil]

As I never saw close ups of any Australian ration, I´m touched to see your pictures and I realy like your comments

[Yowie]

Thanks Housil

I have always liked your reviews and all of your pictures of the German country side.

Coming soon A rather ordinary afternoon cup of tea