Outdoor Cooking Resources

[Eagle92]

Ok folks, what are some great resources you recommend usingfor coming up with different ideas for outdoor cooking. It can bee books, website, articles, anythign at all.

 

I looking for everything related to the topic: recipes, cooking instructions, directions for making equipment ( on the cheap I must add), etc, etc.

 

While I am looking primarily for the CS level, I'm putting my money where my mouth is and put the OUTING in Cub ScOUTING at CSDC this summer if possible, I want ideas that all levels can use b/c I will share this info with others.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[resqman]

Do a websearch for Box Oven.

 

I made a box oven ahead of time for a den meeting. Had a second box and foil waiting for the lads. Split den into 2. One group lined the box with foil and stapled. The other group added 1/2 cup milk to Martha White muffin mix, stirred, poured into muffin pan and put in pre-built box oven. Added coals pre-heated in charcoal chimney. 12-14 minutes later, there were hot muffins for all to share. The first group finished their box oven so had them place store bought pre-made cookie dough on to sheet pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. The lads made an oven, mixed up ingrediants and cooked something in a 45 minute den meeting.

 

Dump Cake Cobbler in a dutch oven is very Cub Scout friendly. Scouts open 3 cans of fruit pie filling and pour into dutch oven. Scouts open and pour a standard cake mix on top. Scouts use plastic knife to cut 1 stick of butter into pats and drop even over cake mix. Oven is placed on coals and ignored for 30 minutes. Leader checks and cooks longer as needed.

 

Ziplock omelette. Scouts write name on quart ziplock bag with Sharpie. Scouts break 2 eggs into ziplock. Scouts spoon in fixings (cheese, diced tomatoes, diced onions, bell peppers, bacon bits, sausage crumbles, canned mushrooms, spinach, etc.) into bag. Bag is zipped up and scouts massage bag until eggs are completely and evenly scrambled. Bag is opened and them all the air burped out of bag and resealed. Bags are dropped into pot of boiling water. Wait 5-10 minutes until eggs cook. Cheese will leave eggs runny so take into account. Remove bags with tongs. Scouts eat directly from bags with spoon. Leader laddles boiling water out of pot into cups with hot chocolate. Scouts stir with same spoon. One pot meal.

 

Griddle or large fry pan is heated over camping stove. Scouts spread butter over both sides of a slice of bread. Scouts use top of Pam spray as cookie cutter and cut a hole from a slice of bread. Bread is put on griddle/pan. Egg is broken into the hole of bread. The bread becomes toasted and the egg cooks. Some of the egg is absorbed by bread and attaches egg to bread. When one side is done, it is flipped with spatula. Other side cooks. Removed to serving plate with spatula. Also cook the cookie cutter bread centers for seperate pieces of toast.

Bull's eye Breakfast. The yolk forms the center bull's eye. Then the egg white and then the toast.

 

Also check out this forum for lots of outdoor cooking recipies and fanatics

http://www.camp-cook.com/forum/

[resqman]

During our Webelos invitational, we always have them make their own lunch. First they build a box oven with direction from Boy Scouts.

 

They from a foil into cookie sheet by doubling over and then bending up the sides 1/2 inch forming a lip and providing structural stability. They place a 6 inch tortilla on pan. They get 1 or 2 spoons of pizza sause from jar and spread with back of spoon. They sprinkle handfull of cheese over sause. They select pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, etc from buffet of toppings to add to their pizzas. They place their pan and pizza in a box oven they made 15 minutes earlier. A couple minutes in the box oven melts the cheese and heats the all ingredients. Tongs remove pan and pizza. Boy Scouts manage the coals for the Webelos.

[The Blancmange]

I've found many tasty dutch oven recipes here: http://www.macscouter.com/Cooking/DutchOven.asp

 

[JMHawkins]

The Two Burner Gourmet is a book meant for sailing (cruising), but most of the recipies will work for car camping too, and they're really, really good. The first part of the book talks about menu prep, repackaging, safe storage without refrigerators, etc. Looks like it's out of print based on the Amazon page, but used copies are under $2. Polynesian Breakfast Cakes are my favorite.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Two-Burner-Gourmet-Cookbook-Cooking/dp/0964373300

 

 

[drmbear]

You can do your own research, but it really is a horrible idea to use Ziploc-type bags for cooking. Here's one of the articles from Outdoors magazine:

 

"Toxic Ziploc Omelet Procedure

Published on February 24, 2008 by Joseph Parish in Outdoors

 

A while ago it was the rage to make omelets in a Zip-Lock bag. Here are the reasons it isnt such a good idea.

 

In several of my previous articles I have highly praised all the various benefits associated with the popular Zip-lock storage bags. These points commending the zip-locks usefulness are still valid however several readers of my articles have written to me describing a very hazardous cooking procedure that they had heard about involving the zip-locks. I have written this article to advise my survival readers of this present danger.

 

Although Rachael Ray may use it and others highly recommend it, the use of plastic zip-locks in the preparation of Omelets is not suggested. This method of using plastic zip-lock bags can be down right dangerous. Those appetizing zip-lock omelets are without doubt extremely toxic.

 

The University of Illinois has released a statement saying that Ziploc omelets represent nothing more then a toxic cocktail. Those entire quick omelet instructions you may encounter on the internet or you possibly watch on the food channel can be dreadfully deceptive. The practice of cooking with plastic bags has not received enough exploratory research necessary. There simply does not exist enough research data to ascertain if the process is hazardous or not due. Within the process is a potential for cancer generating breakdown associated with the plastics contacting the food during the cooking period.

 

The Ziploc Company, S.C Johnson and son, voluntarily affirms that their brand of plastic bags should not be employed for boiling food. They have disclosed that they do not under any circumstances advocate using the bag in boiling water. Zip-lock bags are manufactured from polyethylene plastic which is predisposed to soften when subjected to temperatures in excess of 195 degrees F. The procedure of inserting these plastic bags into a pot of boiling water or just as harmful by placing the boiling water into it, could cause the plastic to commence breaking down and possibly resulting in melting. Since the egg and cheese contained in an omelet includes fat of their own the mixture tends to get even hotter than the boiling water.

 

The major concern here is of course the possible contamination of the food as well as the cancer causing carcinogens resulting from the chemical decomposition of the plastic bag. This does not however preclude the use of the bag for mixing ingredients or to store the various constituents that survivalists generally require. The problem is the bag chemical breaks down under the high temperatures. The associated heat is what chemically breaks down the Zip-lock. The company has stated that the Zip-lock bag was never designed or approved for subjection to these extremes of heat found when boiling and they do not recommend such procedures.

 

Any concerns which you may be having about the use of zip-locks and your food can be answered by contacting S.C. Johnson and Son at 866-231-5406 or you may visit their website at Ziplock. I hope this has alleviated the potential for a dangerous procedure in the use of these valuable items. After all we dont want to lose good survivalists, do we?

 

Read more: http://quazen.com/recreation/outdoors/toxic-ziploc-omelet-procedure/#ixzz1AqMj0oUX

 

[Gags]

I don't mean to hijack this thread and turn it into a debate about the toxicity of ziploc bags, but this statement doesn't sound quite right: "Since the egg and cheese contained in an omelet includes fat of their own the mixture tends to get even hotter than the boiling water"

 

I've never taken advanced chemistry or any kind of physics class, so I'm not sure how an object can get hotter than the material surrounding it?

 

Thanks,

 

Gags

[John-in-KC]

Gags,

 

If there is a chemical reaction in the foods being cooked...

 

Returning to topic...

 

Google on "dutch oven recipes" "trail recipes" "survival food recipes" "reflector oven recipes" "camp cookery"

 

You will get a flood of info to choose from...

[clemlaw]

>>>>Those appetizing zip-lock omelets are without doubt extremely toxic. >The Ziploc Company, S.C Johnson and son, voluntarily affirms that their brand of plastic bags should not be employed for boiling food. They have disclosed that they do not under any circumstances advocate using the bag in boiling water.

[The Blancmange]

 

>>>>Those appetizing zip-lock omelets are without doubt extremely toxic.

[Scoutfish]

Well, since the thread is partially hijacked already...

 

A while back I wrote about bag omlettes. The various pros and cons were discussed in depth with many sources and links provided by many posters.

 

In the end,it turns out the bags are as harmfull as breathing air- which has be proven to carry cancer causing toxins at times! Basically, the bags were found to be safe.

 

One point I will makethough..we use FREEZER bags becaue they are more durable than the regular bags.

 

Now back to the OP

 

Foil tent cooking is awesome. The cubs can prepare the entire meal themselves with minimal supervison. Let an adult place the foil packs on the coals and retrieve them too.

 

And if you write on the foil with a magic marker before placing in the coals....the writting will withstand the heat.

[resqman]

Writing the name using mustard from a squirt bottle is another method. It turns a darker color but is visible even after the foil pack is turned over and the mustard rests in the coals. Have not has as good luck with markers.

 

Foil pack menu

Thick ham slice or cubed ham

Pineapple, rings or chunks

Splash of pineapple juice [For steam] Alternate OJ or water

Sliced or cubed sweet potatoes

Sprinkle of cimmamon or nutmeg

Pinch of salt to balance all the sweetness

[Scoutfish]

We put a slice or two ofcabbage leaf in ours . The moisture from the leaf keeps it moist by steam, and the leaves act as a barrier to prevent the meal fron charring.

 

Of course, if you hate cabbage.....

[Eliza]

We got a Cub level book at out local scout shop

 

Cooking on a Stick, by Linda White

 

It also covers pouch cooking in a pouch & over a grill. The book is written so Cubs could read it. The same publisher also has Cooking in a Can.

[Scoutfish]

Guess we steered it away from resources.

 

I go to books-a-million. They have several books on everything from camp cooking, to recipies , tto using wood, wood coals, charcoal, gas.

They cover foil coking, pots and pans, dutch oven, sticks and open grill.

 

Some are the "unoffical- offical retired ex-scout who had

 

4 kids who wher scouts and therefore have done it all!" cookbooks.

 

I have a DO book that has cooking times broken down to different times and qty per DO size, temps based on # of coals, and the equivalent oven temps, and wether DO is cast Iron or aluminum.

 

But I'll be honest....The best resource is YOU! Personally, I get more out of watching somebody do it while camping and being able to taste something. Know what I mean? You ever read a recipe that sounds good and it tastes like garbage when you make it? Or one that sounds bad, but if you try it ( because somebody else cooked it) you love it!