More nutritious camp meals

[cheffy]

Had to chim in on this one.

 

Our troop is probably one of the best fed troops around. We have to push to get the boys to eat canned food. Every spring one of our campouts is a cooking challenge. This year we went with an international theme where the scouts had to use authentic recipes and research the countries they were cooking. Lunch and dinner were manditory. Things like jerk pork chops, hummus and taboulli, roast leg of lamb, orange souffle(in a dutch oven)Chicken kabobs.

If you raise the bar I'm sure the boys will meet the challenge.

[Sparkie]

cheffy, Welcome to the campfire! Orange souffle sounds yummy! care to share the recipie?

 

Sparkie

[MaineScouter]

Question for large Troops: We have 8 patrols in our Troop. When we go camping not all of the boys go. We combine partial patrols but still end up with 5 or 6 patrols (6-8 boys in each) on a campout. Each patrol has its own patrol box with all the cooking equipment and their own food (all patrols use the same menu on campouts). We do not have a D.O. for each patrol, or enough FIRES usually for each patrol if they did have a D.O. They do, however, each have a propane stove. I would love to do more D.O./fire cooking, but it doesn't lend itself to multiple patrols easily. For those of you with large Troops, how do handle multiple patrols (5 to 6, plus the adult patrol) cooking at once?

[cheffy]

One option since all the patrols are eating the same meal is to divide the work. If for example the menu was homemade beef stew. One or two patrols would do the stew on the propane in a pot. two would do the biscuits and or noodles and one could do baked apples in foil in the fire or roasted corn on the cob.

Or blend the patrols so a few from each work on each portion.

Just make sure the different parts of the menus get rotated between campouts so the same patol isn't always doing the "main" course.

In not sure how your funds are but there are some good deals out there on D.O.'s right now.

If you want to do some open fire cooking, go to a resturant supply place and pick up some industrail sized cooling racks. you can lay them ovver the open fire as cooking grates. That's how our troop does Jamacian Jerk pork chops with a side of Callaloo.

Just as a side note.. Look into the pre-cooked bacon. No trying to find a way to get rid of the grease and many of the brands are shelf stable so you don't have to worry about refrigeration. Yeas they cost more but there is no waste, therefore you are being "thrifty".

[Twocubdad]

MS -- I haven't done it with mutiple patrols, but we frequently cook with mutiple Dutch ovens using charcoal. We don't have a campfire, pre se, but a starter pile of charcoal which we use to feed the ovens. Using a charcoal chimney to get the charcoal going saves a lot of time. Seems you could have a couple Dutch oven stations going with 2-3 patrols at each.

[AK-Eagle]

Well with all that nutritious foods y'all are eating I suppose it's time to counteract that with something decadent. I've done this in camp twice now successfully. Prep and cook time is about 45 minutes

 

Chocolate Fondue

 

8, 1oz Hershey Bars (normal size)

1/2 Cup mini-marsh mellows. (Approx) small bag

1/4 Cup whipping cream (Approx) I bring a 8oz carton and use the leftovers for coffee

 

For dipping;

Fresh strawberries, grapes, orange segments, canned or fresh pineapple, mini-marsh mellows (finish off that bag), Shortcake slices, blueberries or huckleberries fresh off the vine, Use your imagination

 

Tools

2 Quart cooking Pot

Stainless steel bowl for double boiler*

Slotted spoon

Skewers or clean mess kit forks

 

*My stainless steel bowl has a lip that rests on rim of cooking pot leaving about at least an inch between the bottom of the bowl and the pot and space around the sides.

 

Set up the double boiler; light the stove work for a medium boil

 

Before unwrapping Hershey bars give them a couple of wacks on the camp table or a handy rock. Unwrap and put the pieces into the bowl. Pour in marsh mallows and whipping cream. Stir gently occasionally as they melt together. Fondue is ready when it is an even chocolate color. If a thinner fondue is desired add cream, thicker add marsh mellows.

 

As you wait for the melt, prepare the dipping ingredients, more than likely you can find a willing assistant to help you. Grapes work well when left in bunches of 3-4, slice the shortcake into cubes for fork dipping or sticks for tool free dipping. Use a skewer or fork for the mini-marsh mellows.

 

You may want to experiment at home with this one before trying it in the field

 

Happy Eating

 

AK-Eagle

AKA Phillip Martin

Scoutmaster Troop 21 Keet

Juneau, Alaska

 

[red feather]

Not to be too simplistic, buy more dutch ovens and use charcoal for cooking in them. We have 6 patrol boxes, each with a iron skillet, dutch oven and griddle along with the usual utensils.

 

We have backup or extra dutch ovens in the troop trailer if needed. Garage sales, estate sales, etc is where I usaually find them.

Auctions are good source (sometimes) for good cast iron.

 

Let your parents know what you are looking for and then stand back and be surprised. (hopefully) I did and was really surprised as to what was donated by them.

 

 

[packsaddle]

KoreaScouter, I was about to throw in with your idea (we also do DO lasagne, followed by DO cobbler) and then I met cheffy. Jordan fades back, shot's up... nothing but net. Cheffy, can I eat with your troop, please, please?

[cheffy]

Ya'all are more than welcome to stop by for dinner. You just have to find us.

Some of the boys are already planning their menu for our spring cooking campout. I'm a little scared. One of the boys asked where he could buy a sushimi knife.

Not all our meals have been gourmet meals. WE had a ban on bacon for awhile. We don't always cook elaborate meals but the once a year cooking campout has improved the quality of the other ones.

There is a good book put out by backpacker magazine on trail cooking. alot of good ideas for campout meals but not really any D.O. recipes. Ther is a web site from the dtch oven cookoff. Some great ideas there.

[Forty South]

Very interesting and good ideas for future camps.

We have developed over a number of years a water powered spit we use to cook a boned out wallaby, rolled in bacon and herbs.

One of our annual camps is held on the bank of a flowing river.

We have a push bike wheel with paddles attached out in the flow, driving back to a small baby pram wheel that is slowly spinning a shaft.

The meat being cooked by a fire on the river bank that the shaft rotates over.

 

It has taken some time to get the reduction and height right but it now produces a great novelty roast.

 

 

[Tamegonit Arrowman]

One of our troop's favorites is breakfast burritos with all the stuff: potatoes, sausage, salsa, cheese, and of course eggs...I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.