Troop 318 Camp Cookbook Dutch Oven Camp Stove Grilling Cooking with Fire Backpack Meals Last update: October, 2011 SECTIONS Introduction Meal Planning Patrol Box & Gear Camp Cooking Tips Food Preparation (Proper Handling) Dutch Oven Cooking Introduction to Dutch Oven Cooking Dutch Oven Care and Maintenance How to Cook with a Dutch Oven Dutch Oven Recipes Camp Stove Cooking Using a Propane Camp Stove Camp Stove Recipes Grilling Cooking with the Grill Direct & Indirect Cooking Marinades and Rubs Grilling Recipes Cooking with Fire About Cooking on an Open Campfire - Rotisserie - Skewers - Cooking on a Rock - Cooking on Coals (Foil) - Food inside of Food / Wrapped in Leaves - Cooking in a Paper Bag - Cooking with a Can - Grilling Grate over the Fire Cooking with Fire Recipes About Pie Irons Pie Iron Recipes Backpack Stove Cooking About backpack stoves Backpack Recipes No-Cook Trail Meals Recipe Indexes Breakfast – Main Meal – Side Dishes – Breads/Biscuits - Desserts Appendix A: Easy Meal Ideas Appendix B: Measurements & Conversions Appendix C: Camp Coffee Sources Philmont Grace For Food, For Raiment, For Friendship and Fellowship We thank thee, O Lord "Cooks are not found wandering in the woods. Nor do Scouts fry an egg on the first try. Guide them, teach them, but don't do everything for them." Ed Bailey, Denver Area Council, Centennial District Red meat is not bad for you. Now blue-green meat, that’s bad for you! Tommy Smothers Hunger finds no fault with the cooking. Proverb I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation. Madam Benoit "As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists." Joan Gussow Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity. Voltaire Do vegetarians eat animal crackers? Author Unknown Introduction This book has been and continues to be written by and for the Boy Scouts and Adult Scout Leaders of Troop 318, Orland Park, IL. It will be updated as needed with additional recipes and adjustments to the current recipes. We encourage all cooks to expand their skills and try new flavors and cooking techniques. Please send in any recipes that you have tried and liked, or any recipes that you come across and think would be a good addition to our cookbook. Cook, experiment, learn, share Meal Planning Camp cooking will be much less of a chore if you have planned well, planned thoroughly, and if you come prepared. Start planning the campout meals as soon as you know how many Scouts or Adult Leaders will be on the campout. In fact, you can start preparing even before that, by looking through this book, as well as other resources for ideas for new meal plans. Keep in mind the following items when planning a meal: • Nutrition: Plan healthful, well balanced meals – yes this means include vegetables! • Servings: Be sure that there will be enough food for everyone to get their fair share • Allergies: Be aware of any allergies that anyone in your group has, and plan accordingly • Variety: Change things up! Don’t keep making the same meals on every campout • Equipment: Will the all the equipment that you need for cooking be available for you? (Dutch ovens, grill, campfire, stove space, pots & pans, utensils, etc.) Will you need to bring any gear? • Storage: Will you be able to bring all the food you need? How will you store it safely until you need it? • Preparation: What can (and maybe even has to be) prepared in advance of the campout? When are you going to prepare it? Be sure you have scheduled the time to take care of preparations. • Shopping: Where will you purchase the food? Who will help? When will you make the purchases? Where will you store the food before the campout? • Budget: How much can you spend per Scout/Adult? What is the total you can spend? How will you stay under or within budget? Plan carefully. A Scout is Thrifty. • Duty Roster: Be sure to complete a duty roster for every campout, include everyone, and stick to it. • Menu Approval: All campout menus must be approved by the Scoutmaster or the Camping Coordinator before the campout. Caring for Your Patrol Box and Cooking Gear Each patrol has its own patrol box with a propane stove and cooking gear. It is the responsibility of the patrol to: • Keep the patrol box supplied o This means that you have all of the pots & pans, cooking utensils (spatula, spoons, etc.) hot pads, lighters, bowls and any other gear that your patrol needs to prepare meals on campouts o You also need to replenish consumables such as cooking oil, sugar, salt & pepper, seasonings, dish soap, etc. o Always have clean towels to dry dishes before putting the patrol box away. o The troop will supply the propane and the stove • Keep the patrol box and all of the gear CLEAN! o The cooking utensils, pots and pans, etc. must always be thoroughly cleaned and dried before being stowed away in the patrol box. o As soon as you have a burner available, start heating water for cleaning dishes o You must use the 3 pan method for cleaning dishes, pots & pans and utensils: Pan 1 has hot, soapy water Pan 2 has hot, clean water for rinsing Pan 3 has water with just a few drops of bleach for sanitizing o DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! Be sure to DRY the dishes as well NEVER put wet dishes away in the patrol box. o CLEAN THE STOVE! The stove must be cleaned thoroughly, all food and spills removed o Clean the patrol box so there is no food on it (check for spilled liquids, sugar, etc.) Wipe down the entire patrol box with clean soapy water or with a sanitary wipe. Rinse and dry as well. o The dirty dishtowels must be brought home, washed, and brought back for the next campout • Propane Stove o Keep your stove clean o If you smell an odd odor (propane) - tell an adult IMMEDIATELY. o If you are having trouble lighting the stove, STOP. There may be a build-up of propane that can ignite. Let an adult leader know that you are having trouble lighting your stove. o An adult leader will connect your stove to the propane tank. Dutch Ovens are maintained by the troop and are available to the patrols. Check with the quartermaster and Scoutmaster to reserve what you need in advance of a campout to be sure that it is available (and not already being used by another patrol). The grill can be used by any patrol, but should be reserved in advance. If you are planning to cook a meal at the fire, check with the Scoutmaster in advance of the campout. Camp Cooking Tips • Start food preparation in advance (at home) to make things go more smoothly at the campout. Pre-chop ingredients such as onion, peppers etc at home. Pack in zip-lock bags. Pre-cook select meats and freeze for quick meal preparation. • Pre-measure as much as you can and pack in a zip-loc instead of the box it came in (pancake mix for example) • Block ice will last longer than cubed ice in your cooler – freeze your own (use a milk jug and you will have drinking water after it melts). • All items in a cooler should be packed in water tight bags • Pre-heat pans/griddles before you start cooking on them (but do not OVERHEAT). Spread oil evenly in pan. • Heat a pot of hot water on the stove as soon as you are done cooking and you will be ready for clean up when everyone is finished eating. • Pita bread packs better and stays in better shape when camping than regular bread • Bring energy boosting snacks such as GORP trail mix, granola bars, dried fruit, beef jerky etc. for in between meals. These are good for backpacking. • To cook hamburgers more evenly throughout, put a hole in the middle of your hamburger about the size of your finger, during grilling the hole will disappear but the center will be cooked the same as the edges. • Disposable water bottles make great dispensers for salad dressings, oils and sauces (especially the smaller sizes). • To easily remove burned on food from your skillet or pan, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan and bring to a boil. • Use a leather/suede work glove as an oven mitt. • Put a rope through the paper towel tube. Tie ends together. Loop over slat in picnic table or from a low limb • Frozen food should be packed in small, separate packages. A 5lb bag of frozen hamburger will a long time to thaw! • Have everything that you will need ready before you start cooking (food already cut up, utensils, oil, seasoning, etc.) Food Preparation Proper Handling of Food - Wash your hands - Keep cold foods cold (<40°) - Keep warm foods warn (>140°) - Keep raw meats & eggs away from other foods - ANYTHING that comes in contact with raw meat or eggs must be washed before touching anything else (utensils, cutting boards, hands, etc.) - Store all food in sealed containers - Use a Food Thermometer (see below) - Dispose of food waste properly Use a Food Thermometer If you are cooking meat or poultry on a portable stove or over a fire, you'll need a way to determine when it is done and safe to eat. Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness, and it can be especially tricky to tell the color of a food if you are cooking in a wooded area in the evening.