ISO "roughing it" camping tips.

[BreezyCooking]

I have to say that while I ADORE tent camping, & give major kudos to those who enjoy or at least make do with just a campfire, that I still must give votes to at least a little one or two burner gas stove.

Nothing warms my heart more than being able to make a quick cup of instant coffee while planning a wonderful breakfast of eggs (with bacon, ham, or sausage) that are cooked over that same gas grill or over a newly started fire in a cast-iron pan.

And if, as so often happens, the weather turns, that little gas stove enables me to make a good hot meal for both lunch & dinner if we can't safely tarp the campfire. I consider them indispensable for camping - even if they're just used for emergencies. And they're so cheap as well.

Husband & I once did a 3-week camping trip with just our little 2-man tent, our little one-burner propane stove, & 2 coolers throughout upper NY state. We had a fabulous time, but it definitely wouldn't have been without that little stove - lol!!!

[GotGarlic]

A friend of mine likes to make penne with sausage, onions and peppers on camping trips. He packs pre-cooked pasta in a plastic bag in the cooler and brings a skillet to cook chopped sausage, onions and peppers. Then add the penne, pour on some olive oil, sprinkle with freshly ground Italian seasoning and salt to taste, and dig in

[daylo314]

This is my first post--but I had to get in on this subject. We(my boyfriend and I camp alot in the Winter in Florida)always take an Iron skillet and cook pretty much everything we eat during our trip in it. You can cook right over your campfire. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

[dilligaf2u2]

Aluminum foil!

I take the breakfast bars out with me. Lunch is usually hot bread for my PB&J.

Dinner. To save washing pots I take aluminum foil and line my pots. Saves clean up and precious water. Rice and pepperoni with a hand full of dehydrated mixed veggies. Roman with pepperoni and a hand full of veggies.

For a day outing, I take a frozen chicken breast, double wrapped, in foil. Put a sweat shirt around it to help keep it cold. By dinner time it is ready for the fire. I toss (cover) it in with coals. In no time at all you have hot chicken that is cooked in its own juices. Some chicken Roman noodles with a hand full of mixed veggies (Drain most of the water before adding the packet) with cheese (cut into very small pieces, added when you put the packet in) Mix well and it is time to eat!

Don

[Shani]

My kids love to make their own 'dessert' for after dinner on camping trips.
you make up a damper dough and divide it into portions (just sort of guess), you twine each portion around a stick and 'bake' it over the coals, when done you pull the bread off the stick and pour honey or syrup through the middle mmmmmmm

Here's a page on damper with both types of recipe, it's even got the damper on a stick idea on it: Australian Damper - info and recipe

[AMSeccia]

Around here I'm told it's salt pork on the open fire. Oh, and a coworker says they melt butter and imitation crab (flake style) with salt and pepper over the fire and serve with crusty bread. I am not much on the fake seafood, personally, but I think the open fire adds to the flavor (and it definitely has its place among those with shellfish allergies).

We boat (marina life), not camp, but I would be lost without my butane burner on rainy days where the grills would be no fun to man. We don't have the big yacht with a full cabin/kitchen area, so we use the burner and our micro/convection combo for everything and there's not much we haven't figured out how to do.

Planning is everything. I try make up salads and dips ahead of time and pack the cooler so we can grab and eat without too much prep. A favorite is my tweaked version of an old PC recipe called Chocolate Chip Cannoli Dip. Just take ricotta cheese, a bit of powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla to taste, and mini chocolate chips. Vanilla sugar is even better in it. Mix well and smooth out with a bit of whipped topping (not too much, it's not supposed to be overly sweet or fluffy). We dip all sorts of fresh fruits (apples, pears, bananas, berries, grapes) and even graham cracker sticks in it. It's high protein and *can be* low fat, so a nice healthy snack for the hoodlums!

[kitchenelf]

Originally Posted by Colonel Custard

Take a grate and four stakes. Dig a fire pit and hang the grate over it. Bring a nice pork butt and slow roast it on the grate for a couple hours (height establishes temperature). A couple pans will allow for sides like maybe some fresh asparagus with garlic and butter.

Actually, she went camping about a year ago but that is a lovely hunk of meat!

[Katie E]

Buck and I used to tent camp all the time. Usually ate pretty well. One thing we did, when it came to clean-up, was to save our egg shells. We cooked using cast iron usually, so we used crushed egg shells to "scour" the cast iron pans or our other pans. Easily got rid of the goop and we ended up with pretty clean pan(s).

[Katie E]

Originally Posted by Colonel Custard

Year ago? I see now. lol For clean-up we drag along a big pot and boil up some river water. Soap and a scrubbrush just like home.

Where we camped there was no river, just the water we brought along. Had to make do with what we had. We camped in VERY remote areas.

Years ago? About the late '70s thru the '80s.

[kitchenelf]

Originally Posted by Katie E

Years ago? About the late '70s thru the '80s.

I meant the original post was made in July of 07 - Angie, the original poster with the question, went camping a year ago