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**SvenG** · 10-03-2011, 20:23

We just tried some of the Costco "seasoned canned chicken" (oops, it's actually called premium chunked chicken breast in water) as a much cheaper alternative to Brinkmann's. We're definitely converts.

I wish I remembered the quick price comparison numbers we did, per pound, but the bottom line was a substantial savings. The chicken is also not greasy and you can actually eat it cold out of the can and it tastes pretty good. The individual cans are smaller but that is probably an advantage unless you are cooking for a family of 5 or for days of left-overs.

If you shop at Costco you may want to look for it and give it a try.

We're stocking up (but have no stock in Costco).

-Sven

tager · 10-03-2011, 21:00

Canned chicken?

savoir · 10-03-2011, 21:17

Try their canned beef which is also good. Tastes like pot roast.

**SvenG** · 10-03-2011, 21:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoir

Try their canned beef which is also good. Tastes like pot roast.

Looked to see if they had any but may have missed it. Will definitely take another look.

Thanks,

-Sven

**Microship** · 10-03-2011, 21:50

Yes, that's one of my deep-inventory staples as well. Doesn't sound appetizing, but it's surprisingly good (though I wouldn't place any bets on it being organic, hormone-free, etc). Perfect for an emergency burrito or stew-stretcher...

**SvenG** · 10-03-2011, 21:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Microship

Perfect for an emergency burrito or stew-stretcher...

Stew was one thing we used it for while being jostled on the mooring on Monday, all canned ingredients as we bounced around, except for an onion. Tasted like heaven over rice !

How's your wind event treating you ?

-Sven

**Microship** · 10-03-2011, 22:03

Still getting intermittently hammered... quiet for a few, then peaks in the mid-20s. A little calmer on average than a couple hours ago, though it looks like another peak will pass through around 3-4 AM. Surprising that it's this strong inland (Swinomish Channel), and earlier raging current just made things more interesting... I'm right on the channel, moored outside.

I've added that chicken to curry, morel pasta with wine/cream sauce, and other things... very versatile.

Steve

tager · 10-03-2011, 22:32

You guys are killing me with all this canned goods talk. That's gnarly.

**SvenG** · 10-03-2011, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Microship

Still getting intermittently hammered

Totally off topic ... did you see that Dave is going through the 7.9 now upgraded to 8.8 quake off NE Japan ?

Boat content: Tsunami is arriving ... 20 foot expected.

-Sven

**Microship** · 10-03-2011, 22:47

Yes... yikes. My little wind event suddenly seems mellow and relaxing. (I was in Santa Cruz for the quake of '89, and it's unlike every other disaster in that your ground reference betrays you. Very unsettling on many levels.)

Tager - not really a fan of canned goods, when given the choice to cook well, but tolerable deep inventory is always a good thing to fine-tune...

**Dockhead** · 10-03-2011, 23:30

I have become, on the contrary, a big fan of canned goods on board. I never use them at home and was really not aware of how the technology has progressed - what remarkably delicious things you can get in cans these days. Who would have thought you could get a perfect chicken tikka masala in a CAN, and for something ridiculous like a quid fifty, at Tesco?

I love to cook, but I am usually sailing short-handed and usually longer distances, so being able to open a can and boil a little rice can be a real relief at the end of a hard day.

Also greatly simplifies provisioning since a spontaneous meal ashore or two doesn't screw up your perishables consumption schedule, if you've got a fair amount of canned goods in the mix.

savoir · 10-03-2011, 23:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by tager

You guys are killing me with all this canned goods talk. That's gnarly.

Maybe you haven't been hungry enough. When the wind deserts, the diesel tank is low and the fish aren't biting you get to eat stuff like that. Costco canned meat is the best. Try the canned corned beef they sell in some countries - it would be about 30% fat. Now THAT's knarly.

I'll even give you a recipe.

Chop 1 onion and 1 carrot & cook 15 mins on low heat with your preferred spices, maybe garlic & 1/2 tsp chili. Add 1 cup gravy mix or gravy plus red wine if you have any left. Open a can of Costco beef and break the chunks into smaller pieces adding them to the pot. Cook 10 mins more on low heat or until the carrot is soft. Serve with whatever carbs you have, rice, pasta, red beans or mashed potato. Mashed manioc is also good.

Progresso soups that Costco sell are also brilliant. Pad them out with whatever chopped vegetable you have on hand and enjoy.

**Microship** · 10-03-2011, 23:43

Good mix; thanks. During my bicycle-touring years I used to call a lightweight version of that, using whatever I had, "camp glopola." Now we have the luxury of some good storable veggies and a proper spice rack, plus the aforementioned Costco meats. (Fresh when possible, of course, but still...)

I don't care for the Progresso stuff... WAY too salty. Wish the industry didn't do that so much.

I do a similarly simple curry quite often... just carry Mae Ploy paste (or the various bricks)... much better than powder. Asian groceries can provide cans of coconut milk for less than half the mainstream prices. Just about any mix of veggies and meat, sequenced appropriately for cooking time, makes a great dish over rice.

savoir · 10-03-2011, 23:56

Canned meat would be great in a curry. Extend the mix with whatever canned vegetable you have such as peas, corn, red beans, string beans and tomatoes. Curry paste will last a year after opening and Bolsts, Sharwoods or Pataks are all good.

By the way Costco also sell canned turkey. I recently ate a 3 year old can which was fine but tasted like albacore tuna. The brine had taken over.

sww914 · 11-03-2011, 00:02

We use a lot of the beef and chicken from Costco. Either makes great fast Mexican food. Like enchiladas, burritos, or tostadas in 5-10 minutes.
In another 5 we can make fresh enchilada sauce.
Add 5 dried New Mexico Chilies and 3/4 cup of water to a covered sauce pan with a little garlic and a little salt. Let it stew for 10 minutes to soften the chilies, dump the whole steaming mess into the blender and let it whirl for a minute and you have the best enchilada sauce ever for like a nickel. Not too spicy.
I also like to heat the beef in a small sauce pan and add a can of diced mild green chilies. It turns it all Mexicaney with no effort and little expense, good for burritos or anything but tacos, too runny. If you want it spicy make it spicy, but the kids can eat it like this and they're happy little piggies.
The chicken also makes some great chicken salad. I like it with rosemary, grapes, green onions, and celery.