Outdoor Cooking Guide
by
Ronald Michael Loeber
Copyright 2013 Ronald Michael Loeber,
All rights reserved.
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-1266-5
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
This book is dedicated to all of those who dare to be adventurous both in the outdoors and their outdoor kitchens!
Introduction to the Campside Chef & Outdoor Cooking
There is a saying I have to describe cooking in the great outdoors. “Good food with beautiful views”. I have had so many great meals with breath taking vistas that I feel somewhat spoiled. It was not always this way. I learned a lot in my twenty plus years of camping & cooking. Fifteen of those years have been as a professionally trained chef.
When I was a child, I grew up having an extended family picnic every Sunday throughout the summer. I look back on those days now and think of how much fun I had interacting with my cousins who were the same age as me. The fun with family was great, but the food was even better. The women in my family really know how to cook. They used recipes that have been passed down for generations which they would tweak just a little to make them their own.
I will never forget those days and I am sure I am not the only one that had those kinds of experiences. As I grew older, the way I enjoyed the outdoors and outdoor cooking changed but the passion I had for both did not. Over the next twenty years of my life, I enjoyed & learned many things about camping and cooking in the great outdoors. Through trial & sometimes failure, I have learned to create many types of wonderful cuisine.
In this book, I want to show you the things I learned along the way and share with you some of the tasty recipes I have prepared at campgrounds and at the top of mountains!
I believe that before you get out into the great outdoors there is some planning & knowledge you should do and have. The first three chapters of my book will take you through the tools of an outdoor kitchen, menu planning, food safety, storage, measurements, herbs & spices, and pairing alcohol with food. The next five chapters will take you on a culinary journey through the various types of outdoor cooking which include Barbecue/Grilling, Dutch oven, Fireside, High Peak, and Stovetop cooking. Each type has its own set of rewards & challenges. At the end of each chapter is my favorite part, which is the sharing of my recipes!
Chapter 1
Building an Outdoor Kitchen
Everyone has a different idea of what an outdoor kitchen is. I am not trying to say one way is the best for every situation you will encounter either. I have learned to be flexible in what I bring along and bringing extra does not always equal better.
I was the type that would bring everything AND the kitchen sink. Although it is nice to have everything you might possibly need during your camping trip it is not always practical. Your friends and family that are assisting you in the set-up might not appreciate it either.
I learned to customize my kitchen to suit my specific needs of the menu that I created for that particular trip. It does take some planning but you will be happier not to lug that extra equipment to your camping spot. The extra time that you will save by not setting up extra stuff leaves you more time to sit by the fire enjoying your favorite beverage.
The following is a list of items that I think are important to an outdoor kitchen. It does not mean you need every single item for every trip but at one point or another, you will probably use all of them. I will cover the cooking equipment in the later chapters but for now, I will cover the basics of an outdoor kitchen.
Shelter: This is something I recommend for extended camping trips of three days or more depending on the weather of course. There are several reasons to have a roof over your head and a screen mesh around you.
#1 A roof over your head will keep the rain out of the kitchen. Tip: I recommend using seam sealer on all the inside seams and silicone spraying the outside canvas once every season. In addition, the roof material should have a 200D thickness rating or higher.
#2 A roof and side mesh will help keep the sun out of your kitchen. Unfortunately, over time, the sun tends to break down the canvas material but the silicone sealant will help delay the issue.
#3 The mesh will help keep out those pesky flying critters that you do not want in any kitchen. Make sure when setting up your shelter that the mesh sidewalls reach all the way to the ground. If there is a tear or hole in the mesh make sure to have a mesh repair kit as part of your camping supplies.
The size, shape, and frame of the shelter make a difference also. I recommend a shelter size of 10’x10’ or 12’ x 12’. Any smaller or bigger might cause issues of enough room for all the stuff inside it or space to set it up. When I talk the “shape” of it, I mean if it has straight or slanted sidewalls. I recommend the straight wall design since it makes the best use of the interior space and provides a better angle to keep the rain out of the kitchen. Finally, the frame is a major factor in the stability in strong wind conditions that might arise from a storm during camping. Steel one-piece scissor frames are the best and fold up nicely so they do not take up too much space.
Preparation Tables: Preparation tables serve several functions but the most important one is to prepare food on them. For this reason, they must be sturdy. A comfortable height is also important so you are not leaning over and hurting your back or reaching up which will not let you apply the most power to cut food. There are many types of tables but you must choose what is best for you. Some come with “sinks” built into them or canvas organizers underneath for storage. It all depends on what your needs are in the kitchen.
Shelter Lighting: Having a light in the kitchen is essential if you plan to cook at night. I recommend purchasing a rechargeable lantern with a nightlight feature just in case you get a late night craving for a snack. It should have a light output rating of 145 lumens or higher. A lumen is a measurement of visible light power and is equal to 1/683 watt. I would not recommend a lumen rating lower than 125. If you need extra light, you can invest in a battery-powered light that clips onto the sides of the equipment or tables.
Cutting Board: Just because cutting boards are small does not mean they are not as important as any other kitchen equipment. According to FDA regulations, commercial kitchens must use plastic cutting boards for all food preparation because they do not hold in bacteria like their wooden counterparts. There are arguments for both but I recommend plastic because it is lightweight and easy to clean. I also suggest buying a non-slip mat for under the board to prevent it from slipping when cutting. Make sure to clean & sanitize the board and mat after each use.
Chef’s
