As part of our May 2021 review of dehydrated backpacking meals, Alex Roddie reviews this offering from Firepot.
Firepot first came on the scene a few years ago, offering a small range of home-made meals with a focus on top-quality ingredients. I’ve long been a fan of their Porcini Mushroom Risotto, but this time I tasted the new Barbequed Pulled Pork main meal, made with whole pork shoulder smoked overnight and served with barbeque sauce, rice, and pickled red onion. There are no artificial additives, flavourings, or preservatives. You get 560 Kcal per 120 g of dried meal, which is good, and the meal is prepared and then cooked prior to dehydration.
Firepot’s packaging has clear instructions (important when you’re knackered and just want something to eat). Specified rehydration time is very slow at 15 minutes, although I found that it hydrated enough to eat at 12 without any lingering crunchy bits. This is slower than most other brands.
I found the texture excellent, as you’d expect from real pulled pork, and the meal had quite a kick to it – it was spicier than expected, perhaps a little too spicy for my taste. I found it very filling and it certainly kept me warm on my sub-freezing camp. The price is a little high, and rehydration time is slow, but if you like your meals with some heat then this could be one to look out for. Ingredients are also top quality.
Also consider: REAL Turmat Reindeer Stew, 578 Kcal, 111 g, basecampfood.com
