Campsite Cooking

[SeaDawg]

Campsite favorites... Simple, just a few ingredients... often involve the campfire or grill... or maybe something you bring partially prepared from home... What's cooking at your campsite?

 

Paul's Awesome Flank Steak... His claim to fame... Easy & delicious.

 

1. Go to Sam's club or your favorite meat market. Buy a nice flank steak (or two, as they usually come packaged at Sam's)

2. Lay out each steak on the cutting board and poke with a fork about thirty or forty times on each side. (Two reasons... tenderizes, and accepts more marinade.) Trim any excess tallow.

3. Get out your favorite marinading container... flatter the better, with a tight seal... Or a gallon Ziploc bag. Grab a bottle of your favorite marinade... Ours is Lawry's Teryiaki with Pineapple. Layer a little marinade on the bottom of the dish. Add a flank steak. Cover the top with a thin layer of marinade. Repeat if you're marinading more. Put the lid on, or zip it up. Swirl around, gently. Put in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, turning the steaks every 12 hours. The longer you marinade, the stronger the flavor. Three days is about max.

4.Fire up the grill. Grill for about 5-7 minutes each side... They're thin... not a lot longer unless you're a well done fan.

5. Put the cutting board in a rimmed cookie sheet to keep the juices off the counter or table. Slice thin, on the diagonal, with a sharp knife and enjoy. Great with pasta, baked potatoes, or roasted red bliss & veggies.

Figure about 1/3 pound per person... or a half pound if you're really hungry!. Leftovers are great on a salad the next day with croutons, onions, and bleu cheese.

 

We grilled this tonite, and really enjoyed it. Hence, the post.

 

What's your favorite campsite recipe?

 

Sherry

[rvbella]

May I add a quick, yummy pot of beans to go along with your grilling Seadawg? This wouldn't exactly go along with the teriyaki (because of the sweetness) But for grilling chicken, steaks, burger's etc. This is a really yummy side dish. I grew up calling them Ranch Beans, you may call it whatever you want.

You can make as big as a pot as you want, just vary the amounts to meet the amount of people your feeding.

 

4 - people side dish- Ranch Beans

 

1 pound -ish of ground beef, browned (I brown with a little garlic salt) Drain off

Add

1 32oz can of pinto beans (some family members use chili bean's, you decided)

and a 16oz jar of salsa (we use a little more) (use any salsa you like, Brand, spicyness etc)

Let simmer for at least 20 min,

just before you sever stir in at least 8oz of grated Cheddar cheese (we use more!) the cheese thickens up the beans .

 

 

 

If I am making this for a large crowd, I use Pace picante sauce (med) as it seems more universal as far as the spicyness factor!

 

You can make this in larger amounts, If I am making this to take to a bbq potluck, I may use 4 or 5 pounds of ground beef and one of those 111oz can's of pinto beans, and lot's of salsa and cheese. There is no set recipe! You just make them as meaty, beany, cheesy, spicy as you want! Enjoy Bella

[tumbleweed]

Hey SeaDawg!!!

Why was that speciality steak of Pauls not served at the 1st ever Unsanctioned Oliver Rally?? Sounds delicious!!

 

The beans sound yummy but they have to be cooked. I hate to cook ! My best side bean dish only requires the brand name "Ranch Beans" and can of any good brand of Mexican seasoned chopped tomatoes with Mexican herbs, spices and/or peppers: S&W, Libbeys, etc. Drain juice from tomatoes(save for Bloody Mary later) mix together, microwave and sprinkle pre-grated cheese (preferably Mexican Taco mix) 1/2 way thru microwaving. Easy to double if ya' got a big 'nough bowl. I've been assured the microwaving is not considered cooking!

Another hor d'ourves dish is good quality all beef hot dogs cut up in hickory (or your favorite ) BBQ sauce in a crock pot and heated low for several hours. I have also been assured crock potting is not cooking either!!!

[bugeyedriver]

Tumbleweed,

 

Cooking takes on many textures, of appliances, ingredients, techniques . . . it's the outcome that's important but the journey can be fun as well. About dissing the lowly crockpot - NOT SO FAST MOOSEBREATH!

 

There is an excellent cookbook for the smaller crockpot that specializes in fine cuisine for 2 people . It is "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two: For the Small Slow Cooker" by Beth Hensburger. (At Amazon.com for around 10 bucks)

 

"This downsized appliance for the single person or the childless couple allows the cook to prepare a meal in the morning, head off to a job, and still have a hot meal virtually ready when the workday has ended. Hensperger demonstrates this diminutive cooker's versatility with a collection of recipes that fit in with today's changing tastes in food. Chilis and soups show off the slow cooker's obvious virtues. In addition to beef- and pork-based stews and braises, plenty of turkey and chicken recipes appeal to devotees of lower-fat cooking. Polenta and risotto enhance the usual pasta dishes."

 

Using this book, with minimal prep, you can go off on your wanderings all day long and return to a scrumptious meal later on in the day.

 

Try it, you just might make a skeptic a convert!

[tumbleweed]

Hi Pete,

Well Earthdancer has also taken me to task for my humbling of the crockpot and therefore I will surrender my crockpotting to her. As for the moosebreath accusation, yes, I have been known to drink Moosehead Beer and will never again TOUCH a crockpot. I hope that you are happy and for that statement you owe me a Lone Star beer at our first meeting!!

Happy NOT to cook, Chuck

[SeaDawg]

Hey, Chuck... don't throw in the towel or the crockpot yet.... Anybody can learn... Personally, I think crockpot cooking is a great art... one I enjoy a lot. Low energy use, delicious results...

 

As far as Paul's steak recipe... we'll marinade one for the next unofficial, unsanctioned Oliver rally, I promise... we'll be waiting for your review!!! When are you two in Pasco next?

 

Sherry (PS UNSANCTIONED RULES!!! )

[bugeyedriver]

Chuck,

 

I'll be SURE to have some in the fridge on my first trip southeast after retirement just for you, my friend.

[tumbleweed]

Treats for Oscar and a LandShark for you!

Chuck

[SeaDawg]

We've been sharing ideas and recipes here for over a decade.

Tonight, in the rain , I did a jambalaya  . I prefer campfire cooking,, but, well,  if it's raining all day.....

 

[dewdev]

Yumm, looks good.

[wolfdds]

Mexican Mac and Cheese.

We pre-cook ground beef with taco seasoning, Then at the campsite we make a box of Kraft deluxe Mac and Cheese. Mix in the taco meat and your all set.

This is a whole meal but also works great as a side dish.

 

[SeaDawg]

On 7/18/2021 at 10:24 PM, SeaDawg said:

We've been sharing ideas and recipes her for over a decade.

Tonight, in the rain , I did a jambalaya  . I prefer campfire cooking,, but, well,  if its raining all day.. 

 

My quick camping recipe for creole jambalaya, that I forgot to include with the photo :

I saute diced sausage (andouille or kielbasa) with a diced bell pepper, diced small onion, diced celery if I have it, and sometimes diced eggplant or summer squash. I add a small can of diced tomatoes (like rotel), a bag of precooked microwaveable rice. If I  have Mexican bagged rice, I  just add a little oregano and thyme. If white rice, I  add chili powder, thyme, oregano and garlic, and a bit of crushed red pepper.  Toss in any leftover diced chicken, or precooked shrimp, if I have some on hand. Ready in ten minutes, because the rice was precooked. One pan to clean- my wok skillet, or my small pot. 

[SeaDawg]

Tonight was what I call heat and eat camping dinner.

Last week, I made about a gallon of gumbo. Sent some home with a friend, froze a quart for camping. The three of us enjoyed it, first time around.

We often get up at 2 am to avoid traffic.  Gets us to North Carolina from Florida by early afternoon. By dinnertime, after setting up, I'm not very motivated to cook. 

Gumbo was great. And quick, and easy. 

Especially,  since we were tired.

 

 

[SeaDawg]

And, I heated the heel of a rustic baguette, cut almost halfway through, on the side of the wok skillet.

[Overland]

We don’t make jambalaya like we used to, but we came up with a way to make it using a Portuguese cataplana. We’d brown the meats in the open cataplana much like using a wok, then the mirepoix, then add back the meat, add the rice and chicken broth and spices, then close it up for everything to steam and meld together. Like a combo wok and pressure cooker.  Essentially it made a creole style paella, and was fantastic. 

[SeaDawg]

47 minutes ago, Overland said:

We don’t make jambalaya like we used to, but we came up with a way to make it using a Portuguese cataplana. We’d brown the meats in the open cataplana much like using a wok, then the mirepoix, then add back the meat, add the rice and chicken broth and spices, then close it up for everything to steam and meld together. Like a combo wok and pressure cooker.  Essentially it made a creole style paella, and was fantastic. 

Do you carry that often? @Overland

Some dishes, I use a pie pan to (sort of)  seal the wok skillet. Your cataplana would be much more efficient,  I'm sure, with the "globe" convection effect.

Yes. I'm a cooking nerd. I'd love to hear more on how you use it.

Does it reduce time in cooking?

I've never used one.

[Overland]

We’ve never carried it since it’s been a while since we’ve eaten rice based dishes. Our is large, but I think that you can find smaller versions that would make enough for two and which might fit in the overhead cabinets. I don’t think that it cut down on cooking time - I seem to remember that we just used the typical ⅓ ⅔ rice to liquid proportions and cooked it for the same 20 minutes that we do for baked rice. The end result was more like rice than a stew, but a bit stickier which it think came more from the fats from the sausage and chicken thighs that we always used rather than the method. Though it did create a nice layer of crispy rice at the bottom, similar to Caribbean concon, if you’re familiar with that. Unfortunately, we never came up with another use for the cataplana, since the traditional dishes are mostly seafood based, which my wife is allergic to.  But I’m thinking that a black bean and rice dish would be really good in it.

And of course now I’m wondering where I could pack ours in the trailer. I bet I could use the cataplana over a campfire with some care. 

[SeaDawg]

We've done a bit of campfire cooking the past ten days. Today seemed like a good day for an all day fire, and pie iron brunch. 

My friend shared her hashbrown, egg, cheese, and onion casserole recipe. We added leftover diced ham and some sour cream.

Yummy. 

[SeaDawg]

We did salmon on the fire for dinner. @JuniorBirdMan's recipe.  We missed you at dinner, Aubrey and Pete. @bugeyedriver

A decade ago, we were all together  

[SeaDawg]

Brunch waffles on the fire, today. 

30 to 45 seconds each side, in a hot waffle iron, on the coals. 

[topgun2]

Darn it!  I wish someone would STOP this lady 'cause she's ruining my diet! 🥰

[SeaDawg]

Carbs and fat grams don't count at the campfire, right? Or, is it just so much better for us out in the forest?

At least the salmon was healthy...

We have a bunch of campfire cooking tools in the shed, here in WNC. I  know you can't carry all of them. 

When we're traveling,  it's a couple pie irons, and a grate, pretty much. On our property,  it's a much more extensive inventory,  but, still most used tools.

[SeaDawg]

I thought about this thread today. A bit of my camping cooking sometimes starts at home .

Chicken tenderloins were on sale last week at the market, so I  picked up a big package .

I froze a few packets (vac packed, flat on a cookie sheet) of raw, for campfire or grill.

I seasoned and cooked a few, for quick salads,  or protein for tacos, burritos, jambalaya, etc on rainy days.  I'll vacpack and freeze those, 2 up. 1 each is more than enough protein. 

I chopped all the veggies while those cooked, and I'll make gumbo and freeze a quart or two, tomorrow,  and use up the rest of the chicken.

My vac pac machine was pretty inexpensive,  on Amazon, but it keeps my bulk purchases from freezer burning pretty well. I also use it to make up seasoned burger patties, seasoned steaks and chops, sometimes marinated meats. The  advantage is, I know exactly what's in everything,  and no unknown seasonings to mess with my allergies,  less sodium,  no added chemicals.

Our tiny freezer in the Truckfridge only allows for so much frozen food, so I freeze flat, for stacking.

You folks with the bigger freezers can hold more.

[Landrover]

I still like the old Boy Scout meals we made at camp outs. Can green beans, carrots, sliced potatoes. Butter gound beef made into a patty. Wrap it up in heavy duty aluminum foil. Throw it into the hot coal’s wait 20mins eat right out of the foil wrap. 👍🏼

[SeaDawg]

@Landrover, I know! I still love "hobo" dinners, made that way. (That's what we called them, back in the day. ) Great memories.  

Once in awhile,, when we have a group, I'll slice and dice, put stuff out, let folks pick a mix, help the newbies fold and seal, and away we go. 

It's also a great way to heat leftovers, when you don't have a microwave.  A bit of leftover chicken or steak, sliced, with veggies and seasonings becomes campfire fajitas. Or, a fun facsimile thereof.

I, too, love playing/cooking with fire.