There are many brands of dehydrated hashbrown potatoes which store well in a vehicle,
and they are the closest thing
I've found to satisfy my craving for French Fries. :)
They go perfectly with a fried egg, and are easy to make.
Fuel used: about 8 to 10 grams of butane. This is more variable than other recipes because the desired crispiness will vary. :)
Let's make some, in my van! :)
Rehydrating in a thermos cap/cup:
My only prior experience was rehydating the entire container in the original box.
I was going to use a bowl, but my thermos just happened to be sitting loose on top of my kitchen tub, and this felt like the perfect size both to measure & rehydrate. It was. :)
Ready to fry, in the pan (the steam is from the still hot water used to rehydrate the potatoes):
Ready to eat, with a fried egg:
Ready to eat, with a fried egg and the Reagan vegetable:
Crispiness Tips:
If you prefer them crisper, ignore the package instructions!
After evenly distributing them in your pan, let them cook with no stirring for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Carefully flip them (I use a spatula to cut them into four portions then flip each portion), then continue to cook for about two more minutes.
This is much easier & tastier (IMO) than "stirring frequently" which some brands recommend.
So far, my favorite brand is Hungry Jack, which has fewer chemicals than other brands I've tried.
Here's two boxes, on the left, a smaller quantity (but same size box) that's available for a dollar at Dollar Tree (3.2 oz (31 cents/ounce)),
and on the right the regular size
(4.2 oz (typical price $0.98 to $1.27/box (23 to 30 cents/ounce)), available at Walmart, Target, and many other grocery stores):
ingredients & nutrition info:
If you'd just like to try them, it makes sense to check Dollar Tree, however many of their stores do not carry this item.
If stocking up, the space efficiency of the "regular" box makes more sense.
I've tried to find the boxes in far north WI & MI, but have failed.
They're generally more expensive online,
though sometimes Amazon has good sale prices of a different brand.
Finally, I stumbled across another brand of hashbrowns ("Idahoan"), in much more space efficient packaging:
These cost a dollar (on frequent sale) for 3.0 oz, so it's a bit more (33 cents/ounce) than the two sources above,
but my only alternative was ordering online, so it worked out fine.
I bought a couple to try, liked them, and next town run stocked up. :)
The flatpacks are much more flexible than the rigid box, so they can be stored in nooks & crannies.
I do recommend storing them inside a more robust container, just-in-case.
These have more chemicals than Hungry Jack, so I still prefer & search for Hungry Jack.
The carton style is nifty if you're making the whole container (no need to wash a separate container), and it's far more robust than the flat pack.
If you look closely at the first picture above (two cartons), the scuff mark was caused by a mouse's failed attempt to gain entry.
The flatpack would have been easier for the mouse to get into. I've put all of my flatpacks inside a robust container, so they should be safe.
For a solo dweller (particularly one without a fridge), the flatpacks are the winner IMO. :)
Last year (2019), on Amazon, I saw a 33 oz carton of
"GOLDEN GRILL Russet Premium Hashbrown Potatoes" for $7.17 (i.e. 22 cents per ounce), and bought it. :)
It's about the same size as a gallon jug of water, however I repacked it into a gallon baggie.
I'll post pictures, soon. :)
Later that year, I bought another box for $6.64 (20 cents per ounce), thanks to a CamelCamelCamel price watch,
however in the COVID era the price has been inflated above grocery store prices.
COVID-era update:
These have been hard to find in many areas.
When I have found them, I've seen prices as low as $0.98 for the 4.2 oz box (i.e. 23 cents/ounce) at Walmart.
These are shelf stable, so I've been stocking up whenever I find any. :)