Posts Tagged ‘camping gear’
The Ins and Outs of Cooking over Coals
As a vigorous defender of the merits of camp cuisine, I’ve found that the quality of ingredients makes a huge difference. It might come as a surprise to some that the cooking environment is just as important as the food that’s being cooked. This is especially true if you’re planning to prepare a multi-course meal. If you build a fire in an unprotected place, the wind and other elements could wreak havoc on your culinary plans. You should also stay well clear of any dry brush or other combustibles.
The goal is to create a well-contained, graded fire pit. Begin by laying kindling crosswise over the pit, lighting it and letting the kindling burn for a while. You’ll notice that as the flames begin to die down, they leave behind a bed of white-hot coals. These are ideal for our cooking purposes. Rake the coals in such a way that they are graded high in the back and low in front, so that you’re looking at a small incline. Place the camping grills above this grade, so that you can control the temperature of your food as it cooks.
Beef Stew, Camping Style
Camping is an activity that’s best enjoyed as a communal experience. It’s especially satisfying to sit around the campfire with your family, telling stories and preparing an evening repast. Quality camp cuisine is made through the creative use of simple ingredients. You can use the following recipe to cook a mouth-watering beef stew that’s comparable to the one mother used to make in a real oven.
Ingredients:
1 pound beef stew meat
1 white onion
1 large potato
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 15-ounce can beef broth
1 bay leaf
garlic (several cloves)
salt and pepper
flour
water
oil
Directions:
1. Heat a large pot of water over a Brunton stove. Slather the meat with flour, salt and pepper before dropping it into the oiled pot. Shift meat around until it’s browned. Add onion (sliced), broth and bay leaf.
2. Cover the pot and turn heat down to low. Simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Meat should be slightly covered with water, so replenish as necessary.
3. Peel potato and cut into cubes. Slice carrots and celery, then dump all vegetables into pot and cover for 30 more minutes. Mix flour with cold water to create thin paste. Add this gravy into the stew, stirring occasionally.