You pay extra for a restaurant with a view and if the place is popular you can be waiting a long time to be served. But for next to nix, anyone can enjoy a fine dining experience including fresh air, fast food and an exceptional view.
Outdoor cooking is like going to a rugged restaurant where mother nature provides the atmosphere and all you need is a few utensils, some good grub & a healthy appetite!
The focus is on cheap, camp-side cooking that encourages new culinary skills and an appreciation for dining alfresco.
Instructions: Devour the details below and consume what you can, then pack up your hamper and go wild for a spot of outdoor cooking!
Outdoor Food Safety: 4 Quick Tips
By Danilo Alfaro About.com
Avoid Cross Contamination
Use separate cutting boards to keep raw meats and poultry items separate from vegetables and cooked foods. The juices from uncooked meat and poultry can contaminate cooked food and make you sick.
Use clean utensils and platters
Keep plenty of clean utensils and platters on hand. When you remove cooked meat or poultry from the grill, don’t replace it onto the same platters that you used for the raw items.
Make sure prep surfaces and hands are clean
Always wash your hands with soap and hot water before handling or preparing food. Prep surfaces such as cutting boards that come in contact with raw and cooked foods should also be kept clean. And if you use a cutting board to prep raw meat or poultry, be sure to wash it thoroughly before reusing it to prepare vegetables or cooked foods.
Ensure adequate water for prep and cleaning
If you’ll be cooking away from home such as at a park, the beach or a campground, make sure there’s a source of clean water available. If there isn’t, bring your own water for prep and cleaning. You should also pack plenty of clean cloths, moist towelettes and anti-bacterial hand gel for cleaning surfaces and hands.
Cooking Methods
(Sourced from: Love the Outdoors)
Camp Stoves
Propane or white gas (2) burner stoves – most commonly used Butane (1) burner backpack stoves – very lightweight Kerosene stoves – efficient and inexpensive fuel. CAUTION: Do not operate stove or store fuel containers around another heat source such as a campfire. Only operate the stove in open, well ventilated areas. Never use the stove in a tent or a confined area.
Charcoal
Used in BBQ grill or fire ring. Provides consistent heat distribution. Use a fire starter to start charcoal or to reduce heating time use a charcoal tower or large can with both ends removed and holes punched around the bottom. Crumble paper in bottom and place charcoal on top. Tilt can slightly and light paper with a match. Using pot holders, remove can when coals are ready and spread out for larger cooking surface. One piece of charcoal equals 40 degrees of temperature. Charcoal will be gray-white in daylight and red at night when ready for use.
Wood Fires
Reflects true camp atmosphere – warmth, romance, simplicity, gathering place. Provides practical & versatile cooking opportunities. For successful cooking, have the right kind of fire for the type of cooking you plan on doing. Example- for boiling use a quick flame, for stewing use a low flame, for frying or broiling use a bed of glowing coals. How to build a campfire.
Vagabond Stove
Made from a gallon (#10) can. Use with a Buddy Burner or a small wood fire.
How to make a Vagabond Stove.
Buddy Burner
Emergency fuel. Use with a Vagabond Stove. Made with a tuna can, corrugated cardboard and paraffin wax. How to make a Buddy Burner.
Dutch Oven
Use with charcoal. Place three times as many charcoal pieces on the lid as under the oven. Always cook with lid on. Must be seasoned with oil before use. Cover outside of oven with foil for easy clean-up.
Foil Cooking
Cook on bed a glowing coals. Use heavy duty aluminum foil. Foil should be large enough to wrap around food and fold all edges securely for a tight seal. Leave some space for expansion when you wrap your raw foods. You must keep steam and juices inside package. On heavy duty foil, place meat, potatoes, vegetables, seasoning etc, add a cream soup on top, fold up foil and secure ends, place over coals, turn and rotate often until fully cooked. Use your cooking creativity – try various seasoning (garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, BBQ sauce, Worchester sauce, Italian dressing, Heinz 57 sauce, bouillon granules, Teriyaki sauce etc), try meat variations (hamburger, pork, chicken, turkey, stew meat, cubed steak, ham, fish, hotdogs seafood etc), try various vegetables, try small dough balls of biscuit mix for dumplings, try breakfast foods, try desserts.
Box Oven
Works just like a regular oven. Made from a cardboard box.
How to make a box oven.
Tin Can Cooking
Use large tin can. Layer your meal – meat on bottom, vegetables, seasonings etc. Cover with foil. Cook over fire. Remove can with pot holders and serve.
Cooking with Pie Irons
Long-handled double sided cast iron cookers. Cooking with a Pie Iron.
Recipes Outdoor Cookbooks
