How to Cook Great Meals While Camping
Camping works up an appetite. After a day of hiking, swimming, and climbing there are few activities more satisfying than returning to camp for a good meal. All too often, food takes a back seat to the outdoor experience, which is too bad, because tasty eating can make the difference between a merely relaxing getaway and one that is truly memorable
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Food safety is the primarily concern of cooking while camping. Unless you have recreational vehicle, you probably don't have access to a refrigerator. Bacteria thrives in a temperature range between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Plan your meals so that you eat perishable foods at the beginning of your trip, moving on to those with a shelf life later.
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The easiest way to get ready for some good fireside eating is to prepare as much food as possible ahead of time. It's a lot easier to be sure of water safety and cleanliness at home. If you are preparing steaks, hamburgers, or chicken for grilling, season them or soak them for a few hours in your favorite marinade. Then double wrap them in foil and plastic baggies. Freeze them thoroughly. They will thaw out naturally in your ice chest and help keep the rest of the foods cool. Drink some of your bottled water to allow for expansion, then freeze these too.
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Freeze dried food is lightweight, but also expensive and not very tasty. In recent years, many supermarket foods have migrated from cans to pouches like tuna and salmon. If you carefully scour the aisles of your supermarket, you can find a slew of foods that lend themselves to easy field preparation. Grains, beans, pasta, breads and couscous don't need to be chilled. Root vegetables like carrots and potatoes last for a long time. Most supermarket fruits and vegetables are sold before they are ripe. Except for leafy greens your produce should keep throughout your trip. Frozen pre-chopped vegetables can be a time saver and will keep well in your cooler. Red wine is served warm, so favor it over white. Harder cheeses like Romano or cheddar will last longer without refrigeration than softer cheeses. In fact Parmesan should still be good for long past a full week's camping trip.
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You probably wouldn't think of fixing a meal at home without flavoring it to taste. Rather than pack your entire spice rack, consider picking up Coghlan's Muti Spice Pack which holds six common spices include salt, black pepper, garlic salt, paprika, curry, and cayenne each with its own flip top shaker lid. You can find it at several websites for less than $5. Soy and hot sauce are wonderful adjuncts to camp food. As you plan your trip, ask for more of those packets whenever you order Chinese take out, sushi or Mexican food. Pack them in a zip lock bag and bring them along. Don't forget to bring plenty of garlic, which will enhance the flavor of any food while helping your health.
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Most camp grills are filthy, which is why I suggest bringing your own for streaks, chops or freshly caught fish. Don't forget to bring tongs, or you risk dropping a steak in the fire. Make sure that all food is thoroughly thawed before grilling. Dutch ovens are wonderful way to prepare a one pot meal such as one of chopped beef, carrots, potatoes, onions, covered by water with a dash of red wine.
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Tips & Warnings
Prior to leaving for your trip look into the fire conditions. Will you be allowed to build a fire? Will there be enough wood at your site to do so? Be sure to keep a bucket or jug of water handy to make sure your fire doesn't get out of control.
