Camping Favorites?

[booker]

Originally Posted by BryanK

Thanks TR, I appreciate the ideas. Rebar would both be cheap and durable through the climate changes around here, but would require a lot of prep to get it right to cook on. After my post I was brainstorming with some coworkers, and we came up with a tripod type support with a steel leader/line and a giant treble hook hanging from the center to secure critters to. We could hang a dutch oven from it as well. The idea sounds good in theory, but I have to do some shopping around to find the right rig.

...

We have used something similar to this with good results (http://www.firepies.com/rometripod.html#.UbsRIJyQMfo)

[echoes]

Originally Posted by BryanK

Maybe the chefs in the house have some methods to accomplish this safely and have it still come out delicious?

Bryan,

I am not expeienced enough to have roasted a pig on my own. That being said, there is a lot of information on the www about it, and I have researched this much for you in the hopes that it will help!


"Roasting a whole piglet on a spit is much easier than you'd probably think, and vastly more tasty than you can imagine.

We roast a pig every year for my sister's birthday right in her backyard in Brooklyn. If we can do it in the middle of New York, you can probably do it where you are as well.
Roasting whole animals has an unrivaled celebratory appeal that taps into one or the other of the primal centers of our brains, and nothing comes close to touching a whole young hog.

Shopping

When purchasing a whole pig, plan on having about one pound of dead weight per
person, which translates to around six ounces of meat after cooking and discarding the bones. The best pigs for roasting on a spit are under 90 pounds. Young pigs have extremely gelatinous and relatively low-fat flesh that practically melts as you cook it, oozing rich, sticky, porky juices. Older pigs have more fat, but their meat can begin to get drier and tougher, and are better suited for more gentle applications like Southern barbecue.

Since you're not going to be adding much flavoring to the animal, the quality of the pig is the biggest factor that's going to affect it's final flavor. Look for a happy, naturally raised animal which has had access to pasture. Ours came from Hemlock Hill Farms in Westchester, just outside of the city. Buying direct from the farm will save you a lot of money—particularly if you live in a city like NY where butchers will mark up the price around 200%.

You'll generally have to place an order for a pig at least a week in advance to allow time for slaughter and proper hanging of the animal. Young pigs have to be hung after slaughter for a few days in order to allow the muscles to relax after rigor mortis has set in.

Once you've got your pig, you can store it overnight in garbage bag in a bathtub covered in ice if necessary. Just remember to remove the pig before showering.
Equipment and Ingredients

The biggest piece of equipment you'll need is a spit. I don't know anyone who owns their own spit, but fortunately many farms that sell small pigs will also rent spits out for a relatively minimal fee. Call your local farms and inquire.

You'll also need:

Charcoal briquettes. You can be all macho and use hardwood coal instead of briquettes, but I find it burns too fast and too hot, and is difficult to maintain the slow, even heat necessary for prolonged cooking. Plan on at least one pound of coals per pound of pig, but have an extra 25 pounds or so on hand. You don't want to make a coal run in the middle of the roast.

A chimney starter. It's the most efficient way to light a batch of coals.

A long set of tongs for arranging the coals underneath the pig during cooking.
Kosher salt is the only seasoning you need. The pig should have plenty of flavor on its own. Rub the salt generously on the pig inside and out.

Beer and friends. The pig will take about an hour and 15 minutes per 10 pounds. It's gonna be a long, lazy day of pig-spinning, so make sure you are amply lubricated and the company is good.

The most crucial step is securing the pig to the spit. Dead pigs are heavy, and unless they are extremely well secured, they have a tendency to flop around as the spit turns if you don't secure them properly. The slideshow will teach you a method that involves strapping the spine to the spit to ensure your pig stays nice and secure.

The cooking itself is a lazy process. Once you get the coals under the pig and the pig turning (most spits have an electric motor to rotate the pig automatically), you can sit back and relax, tending to it only once every half hour or so to ensure that the coals are still hot and the pig is not over or undercooking.

Low and slow is the goal. If your pig starts taking on a burnished color within the first hour, you're going too fast. Either slow down the rate at which you are adding coals, or raise the pig a few inches from the heat source (most spits are also adjustable in height).

The last half hour is where all the skin-crisping crackly magic happens, and requires high heat, so you'll want to pile on the coals at the very end, rotating the pig as necessary to expose every inch of skin to the intense blast of heat. If all goes well, it'll bubble into blistery pustules that crackle and dissolve in your mouth. Yum."


http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/h...on-a-spit.html

[uspsmark]

Two or three "U" bolts with a metal plate work well to attach the pig to the spit. Punch a hole on each side of the spine, "U" bolt inserted from the open cavity of the pig, one leg of the bolt on each side of the spine. You will need a metal plate that spans the "U" bolt amd the nuts to tighten down the "U" bolt to the spit and back of the pig. Easiest way to secure the spit to the spine of the pig.

[BryanK]

I thank you all for the replies!

uspsmark: Great ideas, I hadn't thought of those. The seasoning and wrapping methods seem like a plan!

booker: that's exactly what I was looking for for doing fish and chicken with, if I don't spit the chicken (or other game birds). I'd like to make one as opposed to buying one just to keep it a homemade project. I'm a sucker for the "old way" of doing things (even though I'm a fairly young guy here)

echoes: I really appreciate the research . I looked online as well looking for good ideas. My main goal with the post was to find any tried and true methods that the members of this board have discovered which they may like to share (seasoning, stuffing, cooking, and what rigs they've used over campfires to cook with). The internet can be a wonderful tool, but there is no substitute for the experiences the members here! As far as I see within the past posts in this section anyway .

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by uspsmark

Two or three "U" bolts with a metal plate work well to attach the pig to the spit. Punch a hole on each side of the spine, "U" bolt inserted from the open cavity of the pig, one leg of the bolt on each side of the spine. You will need a metal plate that spans the "U" bolt amd the nuts to tighten down the "U" bolt to the spit and back of the pig. Easiest way to secure the spit to the spine of the pig.

Nice idea. Available quite cheap in a set at hardware stores' "discount" bins sometimes. Quite commonly used to secure TV aerial masts to the side of a house, and the backing plate will have some teeth for grip-page to it.

[craigepo]

Ok. I have finally, finally mastered beans on the campfire(I just finished my fire pit). Does anybody have a good beef stew campfire/Dutch oven recipe?

[Guymullins]

Originally Posted by craigepo

Ok. I have finally, finally mastered beans on the campfire(I just finished my fire pit). Does anybody have a good beef stew campfire/Dutch oven recipe?

Serves 6ish

Ingredients
5 - 6 good size onions
3 beef stock cubes
3 bay leaves
Butter 250g salted
Chilli ( I just use the lazy chilli and lazy garlic in the bottles )
Garlic
+- 1.5 - 2 kg beef (cheap cuts...stewing beef, medallions, roasting joints, topside, silverside, whatever…I’m guided by whtaever the deal is of the day)
500 - 700ml Red wine (Poeswyn/ papsak/ Tassies/ any cheap stuff)
Flour

Method. (Follow process exactly or else!)

• Cube the beef – decent size cubes ‘cause they shrink a bit.
• Finely chop the onions.
• Use a nice big pot, OK?
• Melt the whole block of butter in the – don’t be shy with the butter – this is COMFORT food cooked from the heart, not diet food. Nope…not enough…add some more…the whole block, I said! RAAAAAIT !
• Raaait !! This is a very NB step now. Do it with love. Stove on a medium heat and seal the meat cubes gently in the butter. Take your time and don’t crowd the pot. Do it in relays. This will determine the tenderness and flavour of the meat later, so be nice.
• Remove the meat from the pot once sealed and place in a bowl and cover until later!
• Add the onions to the pot and let them sweat gently. (If necessary add more butter to avoid onions catching).
• Add 6/7 heaped teaspoons of lazy chilli immediately to the onions. (or to taste)
• Allow that to cook gently for about 10 mins, or until the onion is, well, you know the look.
• Now add at least 7 heaped teaspoons of lazy garlic and cook for a further 3 mins.
• Boil a kettle now and add about 600 ml of boiling H20 to the 3 beef stock cubes that you have had waiting in that glass pyrex jug of yours.
• Take the pot off the heat and add +- 4 heaped tablespoons of flour to the onions and mix it in until the onions are really stodgy – almost bound together (use as much flour as it takes to achieve this ...er... and add it slowly so it doesn’t get stuffed up).
• Raaaaaait ! Pot back on the heat, add the stock and add about half a bottle of red wine, or so…
• Give it a quick stir, add the meat back in (together with all the juices that have drained from it), add the bay leaves, bring it to the boil, cover and simmer gently for an hour or so! NB! Make sure you stir it frequently for the first few minutes until it has boiled so that the bottom doesn’t catch. Once its just simmering, a couple of stirs every 20 mins or so will do.
• Add salt to taste.

• A great accompaniment is Portuguese rolls with which to scoop up the gravy…
• Red wine and beer work well as a drink with this dish – or Guinness, as the case may be ;-)

• Voila ! Enjoy !

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by Guymullins

Serves 6ish

Ingredients
5 - 6 good size onions
3 beef stock cubes
3 bay leaves
Butter 250g salted
Chilli ( I just use the lazy chilli and lazy garlic in the bottles )
Garlic
+- 1.5 - 2 kg beef (cheap cuts...stewing beef, medallions, roasting joints, topside, silverside, whatever…I’m guided by whtaever the deal is of the day)
500 - 700ml Red wine (Poeswyn/ papsak/ Tassies/ any cheap stuff)
Flour

Method. (Follow process exactly or else!)

• Cube the beef – decent size cubes ‘cause they shrink a bit.
• Finely chop the onions.
• Use a nice big pot, OK?
• Melt the whole block of butter in the – don’t be shy with the butter – this is COMFORT food cooked from the heart, not diet food. Nope…not enough…add some more…the whole block, I said! RAAAAAIT !
• Raaait !! This is a very NB step now. Do it with love. Stove on a medium heat and seal the meat cubes gently in the butter. Take your time and don’t crowd the pot. Do it in relays. This will determine the tenderness and flavour of the meat later, so be nice.
• Remove the meat from the pot once sealed and place in a bowl and cover until later!
• Add the onions to the pot and let them sweat gently. (If necessary add more butter to avoid onions catching).
• Add 6/7 heaped teaspoons of lazy chilli immediately to the onions. (or to taste)
• Allow that to cook gently for about 10 mins, or until the onion is, well, you know the look.
• Now add at least 7 heaped teaspoons of lazy garlic and cook for a further 3 mins.
• Boil a kettle now and add about 600 ml of boiling H20 to the 3 beef stock cubes that you have had waiting in that glass pyrex jug of yours.
• Take the pot off the heat and add +- 4 heaped tablespoons of flour to the onions and mix it in until the onions are really stodgy – almost bound together (use as much flour as it takes to achieve this ...er... and add it slowly so it doesn’t get stuffed up).
• Raaaaaait ! Pot back on the heat, add the stock and add about half a bottle of red wine, or so…
• Give it a quick stir, add the meat back in (together with all the juices that have drained from it), add the bay leaves, bring it to the boil, cover and simmer gently for an hour or so! NB! Make sure you stir it frequently for the first few minutes until it has boiled so that the bottom doesn’t catch. Once its just simmering, a couple of stirs every 20 mins or so will do.
• Add salt to taste.

• A great accompaniment is Portuguese rolls with which to scoop up the gravy…
• Red wine and beer work well as a drink with this dish – or Guinness, as the case may be ;-)

• Voila ! Enjoy !

Doing this with bear meat next week, Bro. (Huntin' buddy got one.)

Thanks!

[craigepo]

Originally Posted by Guymullins

Serves 6ish

Ingredients
5 - 6 good size onions
3 beef stock cubes
3 bay leaves
Butter 250g salted
Chilli ( I just use the lazy chilli and lazy garlic in the bottles )
Garlic
+- 1.5 - 2 kg beef (cheap cuts...stewing beef, medallions, roasting joints, topside, silverside, whatever…I’m guided by whtaever the deal is of the day)
500 - 700ml Red wine (Poeswyn/ papsak/ Tassies/ any cheap stuff)
Flour

Method. (Follow process exactly or else!)

• Cube the beef – decent size cubes ‘cause they shrink a bit.
• Finely chop the onions.
• Use a nice big pot, OK?
• Melt the whole block of butter in the – don’t be shy with the butter – this is COMFORT food cooked from the heart, not diet food. Nope…not enough…add some more…the whole block, I said! RAAAAAIT !
• Raaait !! This is a very NB step now. Do it with love. Stove on a medium heat and seal the meat cubes gently in the butter. Take your time and don’t crowd the pot. Do it in relays. This will determine the tenderness and flavour of the meat later, so be nice.
• Remove the meat from the pot once sealed and place in a bowl and cover until later!
• Add the onions to the pot and let them sweat gently. (If necessary add more butter to avoid onions catching).
• Add 6/7 heaped teaspoons of lazy chilli immediately to the onions. (or to taste)
• Allow that to cook gently for about 10 mins, or until the onion is, well, you know the look.
• Now add at least 7 heaped teaspoons of lazy garlic and cook for a further 3 mins.
• Boil a kettle now and add about 600 ml of boiling H20 to the 3 beef stock cubes that you have had waiting in that glass pyrex jug of yours.
• Take the pot off the heat and add +- 4 heaped tablespoons of flour to the onions and mix it in until the onions are really stodgy – almost bound together (use as much flour as it takes to achieve this ...er... and add it slowly so it doesn’t get stuffed up).
• Raaaaaait ! Pot back on the heat, add the stock and add about half a bottle of red wine, or so…
• Give it a quick stir, add the meat back in (together with all the juices that have drained from it), add the bay leaves, bring it to the boil, cover and simmer gently for an hour or so! NB! Make sure you stir it frequently for the first few minutes until it has boiled so that the bottom doesn’t catch. Once its just simmering, a couple of stirs every 20 mins or so will do.
• Add salt to taste.

• A great accompaniment is Portuguese rolls with which to scoop up the gravy…
• Red wine and beer work well as a drink with this dish – or Guinness, as the case may be ;-)

• Voila ! Enjoy !

That sounds like a great meal. I will have to give this a try.

Could someone interpret a couple of terms for me please?
1. Raaaait
2. NB
3. Lazy chili and lazy garlic
4. Stodgy

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by craigepo

That sounds like a great meal. I will have to give this a try.

Could someone interpret a couple of terms for me please?
1. Raaaait
2. NB
3. Lazy chili and lazy garlic
4. Stodgy

LOL, Guy is from the other side of the world.... but Lazy Chili is already made chili and lazy garlic is probably already diced garlic.

Stodgy, no clue and have never done onions and flour like he's doing.

Raaaait and NB no clue.....

[Gypsy]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

LOL, Guy is from the other side of the world.... but Lazy Chili is already made chili and lazy garlic is probably already diced garlic.

Stodgy, no clue and have never done onions and flour like he's doing.

Raaaait and NB no clue.....

Agree on the chili and garlic, he does mention "in the bottles". Unless he's in the bottle...

Stodgy...I'm thinking sort of almost like gooey or thick...probably to thicken up the liquid a bit?

Yeah, I'm lost on the Raaaaait thing.

[Dusty]

It means "Right!"

NB just means "nota bene", or pay attention. "look well"

"Stodgy" means slow.

I think.

G'die.

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by craigepo

Ok. I have finally, finally mastered beans on the campfire(I just finished my fire pit). Does anybody have a good beef stew campfire/Dutch oven recipe?

No but I'll find you one..... stew is easy.....

[Team Sergeant]

Most beef stews have same ingredients and same methods/techniques. It's not rocket science but you need to know the techniques and why.

Beef stew in a Dutch oven:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs of beef chuck roast cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper (fresh cracked pepper) You should be able to taste the seasoning in the flour.

1 onion diced

3-4 cloves of garlic minced or sliced thin

3x cups of good beef stock

1x 14 ounce can of stewed tomatoes, rough cut

Big three finger Pinch of dried thyme, ( pinches of anything,
are two finger pinch, three finger, four and five)

big hand full of small red or white potatoes, like more potatoes, add a few more.

3x carrots cut 1/2 inch slices

2x celery stalks cut like carrots

1x big hand full of peas in the last two minutes of cooking

1x tablespoon canola oil

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven. Toss cubed beef in flour to coat. Toss cubed beef into hot Dutch Oven to brown, do this in batches, as you do NOT want to "steam" the beef. Browning adds all the flavor to the beef, while steaming does nothing to add flavor. Do not be afraid to really brown the beef, just don't burn it! (Black adds a bitter flavor) Remove beef from oven set aside.

2. Add onions to oven and a touch more oil if needed, cook until translucent, add garlic for one minute. Stir in flour you used to toss beef, then slowly pour in beef stock. (Slowly!!!!) get that flour well mixed in.

3. Return beef, add tomatoes and thyme to oven, cover and simmer (not boil!) for hour and half. Stir every 10 minutes. (Note: the more viscous the ingredients the more stirring you must do so the bottom of the pot does not burn the product)

4. Add celery, potatoes and carrots and return to simmer for 1 hour. Stir every 10 minutes. Check the seasoning, need more salt and pepper, add some. The acid in the tomatoes will reduce the salt flavor. Do not season until the last thirty minutes of cooking as the reduction in liquid will concentrate the salt and pepper flavor.

A "Seasoning" technique: Take one large spoon full of stew (or anything else, soups etc) and add the tiniest bit of salt to it, mix it in and taste, if you can taste the salt the seasoning is good, if not add a pinch of salt to the pot, stir, and try technique again.
If there too much liquid continue to cook, if too little add a 1/4 cup of water.

5. When ready to serve add hand full of peas and serve. Add some heat with hot pepper sauce.

6. Like green peppers, dice them and add with carrots, love leeks, dice them and use instead of onions. Enjoy eggplant, dice and add last hour of cooking. Sky's the limit on stew.

Garnish with chives, green onions, fried onions, julienne fried yucca, etc etc etc.

[craigepo]

WHEREAS, I have finished the below-attached fire pit, and

WHEREAS, the weather is way too nice for me to be inside,

IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that I will be trying the stew recipe today.

OK, crap. Can't figure out how to attach a file from my IPAD.