Japan Self-Defense Forces Type II: Duck Stew

[Name_not_found]

Today a look at a Japanese Ration!

2014 Japan Self-Defense Forces Type II: Duck Stew

Fresh from Japan :)

This is the new style, with pouches instead of cans. It is type II which is not air drop-able and has a slightly shorter shelf life than type I. There is great variety in the choices of type II, this one sounded very good.

Lets take an overall look at the meal, there are three parts;
-The Meal
-The Heating Bag,
-The Heating Chemicals

Main Meal, heavy mylar like bag with tear strip. lighter than MRE pouch but metallic

The Heating Bag, Light, very large, has two steam holes

Heating Chemicals, Large pouch feels like there is a hand warmer in there

Im not sure how these are issued, but the heating bag can be rolled up and the chemicals are not heavy at all. Not a bad size to carry several of.

[Name_not_found]

Whats inside?

As Packed

Contents: Two rice packages, two soft packages, one spork

Soft Bag (2016 expire date)

Soft Bag 2 (2016 expire date)

Rice x2 (2014 expire date)

Classic Spork

No drinks, no snacks, no condiments, no gum, no accessories.

Very simple just food and a food shovel

[Name_not_found]

ok lets get cooking

Heating bag has instruction on it, but i was sent an English translation pdf.

-Open chemical pack, remove chemicals and place in bottom of heating bag.
-Put Items in bag, rice outside, meals inside.
-Fill Water to line in chemical bag and pour in to heating bag
-Seal and wait 20 minutes

Heating Bag was very hard to photograph for me

Chemical Pack

Chemical pack on bottom, food on top, rice outside, meals inside.

Fill line, very clear to tell how much

Steaming

Easy to setup, in about 30 second the bag begins to aggressively boil. It continued at that rate for about 10 minutes, then calmed down a little but was still boiling for the full 20 minutes.

Very Nice heater!

[Name_not_found]

So what did we end up with

Just out of the heating bag, everything is piping hot

Plated, the second pouch was smoked mackerel

Rice x2

Duck Stew, carrot potato duck meat onion and a few noodles

Smoked Mackerel

And how was it?

The stew was very good, a light broth with nice duck flavor. The veggies were soft but not mushy, the meat was small but tasty.

The mackerel was good, very smoky slightly fishy. Very good texture and spicing. I liked the stew better

Rice came out perfect, slightly sticky, fully cooked, not one dry or hard piece

An excellent meal over all, very high quality.
It is lacking all the extras of other rations, but perhaps they are issued some other way.

I would eat this again

On a side note, the rice is available at my supermarket!
Identical except the labeling

[noderaser]

Nice Engrish on the Chemical Packet: "Note the burn"!

[housil]

Great pics and nice review NNF, thanks for sharing. I like their "take-away" style

[laughing_man]

Nice review!

Japanese Rice is sticky. However, Thai Rice is not so...
We the Japanese love sticky Rice!

[rattattoo]

Loved the review.
Now all we need is MRE Sushi

What grocery chain had the rice packages?

[Name_not_found]

Shoprite, there were several types available

Loved the review.
Now all we need is MRE Sushi

What grocery chain had the rice packages?

[Apocalypse]

Duck AND mackerel in one meal? Yum! Where/how did you obtain fresh Japan rations?