Camp Food/Main Dishes

Full of Flavor Chuck Steak

This steak is best cooked over charcoal or a wood fire. A small Hibachi will cook this steak just fine and you will have delicious meat for your campfire meal.

• 1 chuck or chuck roast, 2 inches thick

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups soy sauce (regular or lite)
• 1 1/4 cup Bourbon whiskey
• 1 heaping tsp. dry mustard
• 2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar (liquid brown sugar blends easier)
• 1 1/2 cloves garlic (mashed)
• Liquid smoke (optional)
• Unseasoned meat tenderizer

1. Before leaving home, pierce the steak several times with a fork on both sides, than sprinkle with the tenderizer.

2. Store the steak in the freezer in a jumbo resealable plastic bag, until you are ready to leave.

3. Prepare the marinade in the following manner: Process all of the ingredients in a blender for two minutes, or until the sugar dissolves. Put the marinade into a jar that has a tight-fitting screw cap. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to leave.

4. At the campfire, pour the marinade into the bag, making sure the bag is tightly sealed. Marinate in a cooler for 6 hours, occasionally turning the bag over to saturate both sides of the meat.

5. Put the steak on the grill and broil for seven minutes on each side for rare, 10 minutes on each side for medium. Baste with marinade several times while grilling. Test for doneness by making a shallow slice, near the middle, no more than 1 1/2 inches long. (For broiling at home, marinate the steak in a roasting pan in the fridge. Then simply slide the pan in the broiler when ready.)

To serve, thinly slice the meat diagonally, across the grain. Serves four.(Donald M. Seeley)

Source: Sports Afield/November 1994

Backwood Baked Beans

(How to slow-cook them to perfection)

• 1 lb. great northern beans
• 3 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 level tsp. pepper
• 1 level tsp. ground mustard
• 2 tsps. garlic powder
• 4 chopped onions
• 2 lbs. tender venison stewmeat

1. In a colander, sort and rinse 1 pound great northern beans. Then place them in a large pot and cover with 3 inches of water.

2. Cook over a low flame, covered, for 3 to 4 hours until tender. Drain.

3. Add 3 cups brown sugar, 1/2 cup molasses, 1 level teaspoon pepper, 1 level teaspoon ground mustard, 2 teaspoons garlic powder and 4 cups chopped onions that have been sauteed wtih 2 pounds of tender venison stew meat. Then stir all ingredients together.

Finally, simmer in the pot for an hour or two...if you can stand the wait.----(James A.Braken)

Source: Sports Afield/June 1995

Camp Chops

Provide lean, center cut chops cut thick. Place in a pan wide enough to accommodate all chops and leave room for turning. Season both sides with salt, cracked or ground pepper, 1/2 cup of chopped onions and freshly gathered sweet fern (this is not a real fern, but a short twiggy plant with fragrant, finely cut leaves, found near almost all north Michigan fishing areas).

Pour over the chops, one can of beer. The liquid should nearly cover the chops; water may be added unless you can spare another can of beer. Allow chops to marinate, turning occasionally for several hours. Cook on grill over steady heat about 15 minutes per side.

Source: The Wildlife Chef

Brisk and Bracing Beanpot

• 1 green pepper, cut up
• 1 lb. frankfurters, sliced
• 1 can (1 lb. 4 oz.)pineapple tidbits
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon oil or melted shortening
• 2 cans (1 lb. each) pork and beans
• 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard

Cook green pepper in oil in large skillet or saucepan until almost tender. Stir in frankfurters, pork and beans, undrained pineapple, mustard and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbling hot. Spoon into vacuum jug. 8 servings.

Source: Wildlife Chef

Camper's Covered Skillet Turkey

• Turkey
• butter, margarine or shortening
• 1 cup onions, chopped fine
• 1 cup mushrooms
• Pepper
• Parsley(optional)
• 1 can beer

Cut turkey in pieces, fry until brown with butter, margarine or shortening. Drain off excess fat. Add onions, mushrooms, pepper, parsley if wanted and can of beer. Push back on the fire and let cook about 45 to 60 minutes at low heat.

Source: Wildlife Chef

Pizza Stew

• 3 or 4 cubes steaks, about 1 1/2 lbs.
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 envelope (1 1/2 oz.) spaghetti sauce mix
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1 cup pitted ripe olives, coarsely chopped
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 green peppers
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

Cut cube steaks and peppers in 1-inch cubes; brown in oil in large saucepan. Stir in water, contents of envelope of sauce mix, tomato paste and macaroni. Cover and simmer 15 minutes until macaroni is tender. Stir in ripe olives and cheese. Spoon into wide-mouthed vacuum jug. 6 servings.

Source: Wildlife Chef

Bannock or Camp Bread

• 4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 tsps. baking powder
• 6 Tbsps. shortening

Mix ingredients thoroughly. Add just enough water until dough gathers into a ball. Press dough into round cake pan about 1 inch thick. Dust cake and coat frying pan with flour and drop cake into it. Bake in camp fire about 15 minutes. Test to see if it's done. No meal is complete without bread and no bread is better than bannock. It's as great at home as it is afield.

Source: Wildlife Chef

Crowd Burgers (crockpot: 3to 4 hours)

"Your crockpot is an excellent warmer for hot sandwiches. A variety of meat and cheese-filled bun sandwiches can be made well ahead, wrapped in foil, and refrigerated. Several hours before serving, pop them into the crock cooker. They will be ready to eat in 2 to 3 hours, and will hold for 6 hours or more."

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 2 tablespoons catsup
• 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle, finely chopped
• 6 hamburger buns
• 6 slices processed cheese
• aluminum foil

In a skillet, saute beef in oil until cooked and crumbled. Drain off fat and season with salt and pepper. Cool. Blend in mustard, catsup, onion, and pickle. Spoon onto bottom half of buns. Top with a slice of cheese and top of bun. Wrap each in 10-inch squares of aluminum foil. Buns may be refrigerated until ready to heat.

Place in crock pot and cook covered at LOW heat for 3 to 4 hours, or until buns are well heated and the cheese is melted. Hot buns may be held at LOW for several hours for convenient serving. Serves 6.

Note: You can select your own fillings such as chili dogs, sloppy joes, minced lunchmeat, or ham and cheese. For dry sandwiches, be sure foil is securely closed. For steamed sandwiches, such as corned beef or pastrami, leave foil loose at top and add 1/4 cup water to to crock cooker. Do not use tray-type or bottom-heat units for dry-heat sandwich warming

Source: Mike Roy's Crock Cookery

All American Barbecue Sandwiches (for a gang)

• 4- 1/2 lbs. ground beef (or venison)
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2-1/4 cups ketchup
• 3 Tbsps. prepared mustard
• 3 Tbsps. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsps. vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. pepper
• 18 hamburger buns, split

In a Dutch oven, cook beef (or venison) and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender; drain. Combine ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper; stir into meat mixture. Heat through. Serve on buns. Yield: 18 servings.

Source: Taste of Home: June/July '94

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