Follow Us!
Archive for the ‘Cooking Tips/Methods’ Category
Campfire Hot Chocolate!
Where's the Marsh-mellows?
Sometimes, the simplest reminders are the most poignant . For me, the importance of family togetherness is always solidified while sitting around a campfire in the evening. This feeling seems more prevalent in the late Fall when the leaves are changing and is accompanied by a cup of hot chocolate with a tad of peppermint:
Ingredients:
- Four small bars of plain milk chocolate;
- One chocolate peppermint patty;
- Two large cans of evaporated milk.
Process:
- Mix ingredients in three quarts of boiling hot water;
- This serves approx 18 people (increase or decrease accordingly to size of group to be served).
Prepared in your camping cookware, this “Hot Chocolate” treat is ideal for that after dinner/supper story telling session.
Open-fire Cooking Refresher!
You can almost smell it!
You don’t really need a large fire to cook your food. Smaller is probably better than larger. Think about your flame producing stove at home, how much flame do you need to fry that chicken or even boil water. The key is the amount and proximity of the heat source to the item being cooked. Cooking on an open fire is not an exact science and will require some trial/error.
With corn, potatoes, and other hard vegetables – you can wrap in aluminum foil and place directly in the hot coals, turn periodically and remove when done. A medium size potato or ear of corn will take about 30 minutes. If it’s cooking too fast, you can always remove the item and place back in the coals later for final cooking.
When using a grill, don’t place it too close to the fire. This will keep you from burning-up your cookware and what-ever you’re cooking. Simply add a few twigs/wood when needed to keep the flame constant but not blazing. Cooking with your camping cookware over an open fire definitely requires a little experience. Do not be too disappointed or hard on yourself if you have problems – PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE will make it perfect!
Cherry Cobbler!
Scrumptious!
As I have stated previously, a Dutch Oven can be used to prepare just about any and all food products. This recipe for Cherry Cobbler has proven to be popular with both kids and adults:
Ingredients:
- 3 cans of cherry pie filling;
- 1 can of biscuits;
- Brown Sugar;
- Non-stick cooking spray.
Preparation:
- Spray the inside of your camping cookware (Dutch Oven) with non-stick cooking spray;
- Pour the 3 cans of pie filling into the Dutch Oven;
- Open your canned biscuits and place over the pie filling.
- Sprinkle with brown sugar;
- Place over hot coals and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the biscuits are flaky and brown.
You should try this on the first day while the ice cream is still frozen. Nothing tops it off like a scoop of ice cream sprinkled with diced pecans, do ENJOY!
Dutch Oven!
Multi-Purpose!
The biggest advantage of a Dutch Oven is its versatility. It can be used to cook a variety of dishes in many different ways. Most folk do not know that you can fry bacon and eggs; roast meats; make soups, stews and casseroles; even bake a cake, cobbler, or biscuits in a Dutch Oven. Actually, there aren’t too many things you can’t cook in one.
This unique addition to your camping cookware can be used to cook with a variety of cooking sources. Whether it be indoors or outdoors, the Dutch Oven can be used to cook on top of the stove, in the oven, or over an open fire/charcoals. It’s use is perfect in the coals of an outdoor fire, on an outdoor grill, or even on top of your wood stove. The Dutch oven is a critical must for the outdoor cooking enthusiast. It will simplify the enjoyable task of preparing food and give you more time with less effort, ENJOY!
A Good Outdoor Chef?
Good enough to eat!
The mark of a good Outdoor Chef is one who can anticipate needs, do more than one thing at a time, and above all MAINTAIN THEIR COOL! But, in compliance, they never reinvent the wheel.
Over the years, outdoor cooks have figured-out ways to cook meals using a campfire. The most basic method used is direct heat. This can be done by wrapping food items in aluminum foil and placing in the hot coals; but, it will require frequent checking to keep from burning. However, it’ll do the job for those things needing high-heat. The second and most frequently form of direct heat is to configure and place a grate/grill over the fire. Putting food or cookware on the grate/grill will result in less direct heat than placing items in the coals, but it’ll take longer to cook. The following supplemental tips should make the job a little quicker, more enjoyable, and less stressful:
- Bring a good supply of aluminum foil – there are many uses!
- Cover pots whenever cooking outdoors; it’s not only cleaner, but it cooks faster and saves fuel.
- Use fireproof camping cookware; keep the handles away from extreme heat and flames.
- Safe-guard matches and keep them in a water-proof container.
It’s all in the Preparation!
It even smells good!
As Granddad used to say, “No one has a monopoly on common sense“; but, “if your food doesn’t pass the smell test, don’t eat it. Thinking back, I can’t ever remember him throwing anything away.
His approach was that if done right (planned and prepared), it couldn’t go wrong. Few meals taste better or satisfy more than those cooked at the campsite. But, to get it right requires a little more time, patience and ingenuity than that cooked in the kitchen back home. However, be smart, start your camping and campfire cooking preparation before you leave home. Some of the things you might consider to keep spoil-able eatables cool and/or fresh longer include:
- Prepare soups, stews or chili, etc. Freeze items and keep in cooler until use.
- Freeze meat before putting in cooler. It will keep other packed food items cold for longer as-well.
- Cans of frozen juice in cooler keep other foods cold.
- Fill gallon milk jugs with water or juice, freeze and place in cooler.
- Replenish ice often. Keep your food cold at all times to avoid spoilage and food poisoning.
- To fix a cooler leak, apply paraffin wax inside and outside the leaky area.
Most Commented