New MB Councelor - Cooking. Looking for tips

[IM_Kathy]

when you talked about requirement 5 and suggested having each cook 1 or 2 meals on a Saturday afternoon. I get that there are some advantages to this. You can have all the boys there and all focused on cooking. Would be a great way for them to each try a different new recipe. But I have to say the best skill for campout cooking won't be learned unless out camping. Like how are they going to manage their friends off to the side goofing off since they don't have a responsibility at that time or those same boys coming up and distracting him while he's trying to cook.

 

So yeah if they're so new that they've never cooked I'd say this is a great way to get them to learn... x number cook on camp stove, x number cook on fire, x number dutch oven... next week rotate. BUT, I wouldn't count this as cooking for requirement - I'd call it learning and then tell them go out and prove they learned to get it signed off.

[Stosh]

 

being we are in the 2nd full day of spring, and under a winter storm warning, I don't know that any of the cooking will be done at camp any time soon. lol. I will expect them to plan a weekend camp out full of meals, and for them to follow the plan before I sign off on anything. But I felt that getting some hands on experience before doing out at camp would give the boys some confidence. remember these are young scouts, and may not be much more experienced with cooking than re-heating leftovers in the microwave.

 

Or you could find a summer camp that doesn't do the troop-method mess hall and get the stuff done at summer camp.

 

Stosh

[DuctTape]

IMO, if they are this young with such little experience in planning/buying/prepping/cooking for themselves let alone their patrols it is too early to even begin looking at the merit badge requirements. When they have significant experience, then they should make contact with a MB counselor and with a buddy work on the MB, but not as a whole class. MB's, IMO, should never be done "as a class".

[SSScout]

Didn't Coleman come out with a propane fired microwave camp oven last year?

 

Or was that the fifty feet of shoreline my son borrowed from the nextdoor campsite when he went off to the camporee....

[perdidochas]

"Stosh,

In case anyone ever does ask you to help with this MB: Broiling and grilling are basically the same thing,"

until you want to brown the top of your lasagna or pizza. Then the grilling kinda falls short. But maybe you could give it a try.

"pan frying is where you cook something in a fry pan with just enough fat/oil to keep it from sticking, think frying an egg or a piece of fish."

Okay, I'll buy that.

"simmering is when you cook something in a liquid just below the boiling point, this is usally how you finish off a sauce."

I thought you would do that in a sauce pan, not a fry pan???

"A wok would be excellent to use."

"I would definitely let a scout cook a hot dog on a stick as a kabob, but he would need to put some veggies on the stick too."

Isn't that adding to the requirement?

"The trick is cutting the veggies the right size so that they stay on the stick and cook enough while at the same time you don't burn the hot dog."

They aren't going to eat the veggies anyway, do the dog, toss the rest.

"As for the marshmallow, I would definitely allow that as a kabob, but again you need to add some other ingredients to qualify, I would suggest fruit, probably peaches or apples."

Along with adding to the requirements, one's gotta remember the rules against catapults mentioned in the other thread. Do the fruit, add the marshmallow, when the marshmallow is done, eat it and catapult the burnt fruit into the woods.

"As I think more about it that last would work really well, probably roast the fruit a little first then add the marshmallow right at the end. If you're really gutsy put some dough on there too, the timing for that would be tricky. I may try this when we're out next week."

If you think I can butcher these requirements, wait until you get in front of the boys, they can come up with suggestions that could blow away my answers.

Stosh

 

In terms of the kabobs, the scout has to cook the meal using the My foodplate guidelines. They either have to cook the vedggies with the kabobs, or separately. the veggies ARE part of the requriements.

[Daped01]

ok, thank you guys for all the input.

[skeptic]

One of the best I can suggest is "tri-tips".

[jpstodwftexas]

You were asked to present a Class by the Troop not a Youth so I would not require a Youth to ask you and present a Blue Card..

 

Give a Presentation on the Merit Badge and it's requirement and then tell youth that if they want to earn the Merit Badge get a Signed Blue Card and see you after the Meeting.

Print out a Worksheet and have enough to give to everyone to look at.

 

[jpstodwftexas]

When Actually Teaching the Merit Badge I would Break it down as Follows

New MB Requirements

Class 1 Requirement 1&2

Class 2 Requirement 3&4&5 Prep work (5a, 5b)

Class 3 Requirement Verify 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h Prep 6a 6b (can be Cooked at Home)

Class 4 Verify 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g Prep Work 7a and 7b

Class 5 Verify 7c, 7d, 7e and 8 and Sign off.

 

Depending on How Many Campouts or Events I would say Cooking Merit Badge will Take 2 Months Minimum.

 

 

Cooking Merit Badge is Not really a Merit Badge Taught in Groups. In your Case you would have 5 Scouts Planning Meals and each would have to cook separate meals..I can say I might consider a Cook off type event..Where each scout cooks a Meal based on their menu and it is Judged on Preparation, Presentation and Taste..