OAUSA Net - July 26, 2018 - Outdoor Cooking

[DaveK]

Outdoor cooking can produce some of the most rewarding and tasty meals you’ll ever have. Nothing beats a great meal when surrounded by the scenery of your favorite remote location in the desert or mountains (or anywhere.)

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Fundamentally, the ingredients for a great outdoor cooking experience are all the same. The means by which you accomplish this, however, will be the product of personal choice, and to a somewhat lesser extent, weight and how much room you have in your vehicle.

The fundamentals of outdoor cooking, that will apply to just about everyone, are:

1. Sanitation (clean hands, clean utensils, and keeping food safe and clean)
2. Kitchen (tail gate, table top, ground, expandable kitchens, etc)
3. Cooking methods (campfire, stove top, pressure cooker, Dutch oven, solar ovens, etc)
4. Utensils (plastic vs metal, disposable paper plates/bowls), eating utensils)
5. Clean-up

While the following do not rise to the level of fundamentals, they can be an important part of your comfort camping equipment:

1. Tables
2. Chairs
3. Shade

Here are some examples of outdoor cooking.

SANITATION Wishy Washy

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KITCHEN

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COOKING METHODS

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MEAL TABLE

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SHADE

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[KK6GFF]

Precisely yesterday I received the book "Meathead", highly recommended. Over 700 reviews on Amazon with solid 5 stars.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/05440 ... UTF8&psc=1

From the Welcome section:

With this book, you'll learn how to keep fish fillets from sticking to the grill; how to make your own rubs that taste much better and cost far less that store-bought; how to amp up tomato sauce by grilling the tomatoes. You'll also learn that cooking time depends on the thickness of the food, not its weight; why you shouldn't soak wood for smoking; why sticking a beer can up a chicken's butt is a waste of good beer; why rubs should not have salt in them; and that you shouldn't bring cold meat to room temperature before cooking because cold meat attracts smoke better. Do you know why you should avoid making grill marks on your steaks? And that resting meat after cooking can do more harm than good?

If you are skeptical, that's all the more reason to read this book.

Meathead

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Roger

[KM6OJB]

This Joe KM6OJB, can you give me an early check in.
Thanks
KM6OJB

[KA9WDX]

Check in please - Thanks - 73 and CUL - Bernie

[Diesel4x]

Thanks for early check in, KF6KOC Randy.

[toms]

Many things can go badly on a trip but you cannot screw up on the food!

My camp kitchen revolves around the tail gate on my vehicle and relies on 5 major items
1. Camp box
2. Food Box
3. Fridge/ freezer
4. Trasharoo
5. Water jug

[KAP]

Hello Dave , Tom and the Net

When I think of outdoor cooking, I think of being away from home with family or friends. I also cook solo if I am flyfishing.

For the later, I will often just take an alcohol stove. Plans and instructions are available online. They use denatured alcohol or other commercial variants. Lightweight and compact, they are easy to use. But care must be used as the liquid can spill and cause a larger problem. I use it to either boil water for a dehydrated meal, or use it along with a small fry pan to cook eggs or veggies and sausage.

Stove made out of small aluminum cans

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Pour in alcohol and Light the stove carefully.

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Once stove gets to temperature, the flame will exit the small holes.

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When cooking for a group. The larger stoves and a friend make preparation much easier

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Electric smoker

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Ribeye smoked with Cherrywood

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[lrsrngr]

KK6CTT for the on-line check-in please.

Great looking advice and information to be shared on this topic. I don't have anything specifically to add but I will add a couple of things I have not seen in the preview:

o Rotisserie cooking over an open flame.
o Pit or underground roast.
o Clam/seafood bake.
o Engine manifold heating (MRE, canned food, aluminium foil re-heat...)
o Carnitas/pig skin deep fry after the harvest
o No heat cooking, ceviche.
o So many ways to enjoy food!

o Survival or dehydrated food that may need to be cooked on the go. Not the focus of this net, but what is your viable plan for long term food storage and palatability?

Palatability is the hedonic reward (i.e., pleasure) provided by foods or fluids that are agreeable to the "palate", which often varies relative to the homeostatic satisfaction of nutritional, water, or energy needs.

[KK6DYO]

Lest everyone begin to believe that OAUSA is populated with hoity toity gourmands (and at risk of getting my OAUSA credentials revoked), sometimes you've come into a dark camp late, just don't have the time, or need a bite to eat right now. While it may be a dirty word to some, Mountain House has been making camp food for nearly 50 years.

You can make a reasonably satisfying meal only having to clean off one spoon ... and you can do that with your own mouth!

Some of my favorites

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And one of the quickest ways to get your water boiling to rehydrate your meal is the JetBoil stove

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Some other options

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And last but not least, the well known MRE (https://www.mredepot.com/)

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[k9atk]

Please check in
K9ATK BRIAN
K9FOG TRISH
KD0EXI CHEYENNE
KD0GPE AUSTIN
W9RIK RICK
THANKS LOOKING FOWARD TO A GREAT TOPIC