By Christy Christensen, Outdoor Education Specialist
October is here and that means for me packing the camper for archery deer season. I am not sure which I love most, the hunting or outdoor cooking. To me, the two go hand in hand.
This year, we are experiencing one of the driest weather conditions I can remember. The danger of wildfires is at an all-time high and mandatory fire bans are in place for the entire state.
How do you cook outdoors when you can’t cook outdoors because traditional campfires are not allowed? Your best option is a camp stove using liquid or gas fuel; these devices reduce the likelihood of ash or hot charcoal being discarded before they are extinguished. They also do not produce blowing embers, further reducing wildfire potential.
Those of you that know me are aware I’m a bit of a Dutch-oven fanatic. Without the use of charcoal, I need to find other ways to cook outdoors without causing Smokey the Bear some distress. I already own a propane grill, a camp stove and some other unique products I have found. I thought this would be a great time to share some tips on other equipment and, of course, a few recipes to enjoy after a long day of hunting.
Camp stoves
These come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so there truly is something for everyone.
Single-burner portable camp stoves use electronic ignition systems, so no matches are needed. From a variety of well-known outdoors brands, such as Coleman, Can Cooker and Grill Boss, these multifuel systems can use either 16.4-ounce propane or an 8-ounce butane canisters. Some feature griddle and grill accessories.
These Coleman camping stoves have been around for more than 120 years. Did you know they were carried into Europe by soldiers in their backpacks? The wind baffles are a great feature to keep the flames from the wind.
Camp stoves, or upright propane cookers, can be very versatile, and come in one-burner, two-burner or even three-burner models. Some even come with a pedestal or stove stand. The “legs” are detachable and the whole unit can be put in a storage bag. Tip from this cook, if you buy a pedestal mounted stove: Buy the one with wheels; it is much easier to maneuver.
Grab your wallet though: The accessories can be expensive … but you’ll love them. Cast iron griddle/grill plates allow for frying and grilling. A barbecue box will turn the stove into a portable grill. Love pizza? You can even get an Artisan Oven that will heat up to 600 degrees.
One-pot wonders
What is a RockPot? Well, if a Dutch oven and a slow cooker had a baby, here you go. This handy device has a stone tablet that you heat up over a camp stove (or campfire when fires are permitted). Once it’s heated up, you place the stone in the bottom of the pot and place the inner cooking pot on top. Load up the pot with your favorite dishes, latch the top and walk away. This will cook and keep your food warm up to nine hours. Sounds like a challenge to me!
Many Nebraskans grew up eating cream can dinners — food cooked in metal containers cream traditionally was stored in. Corn, potatoes, variety of vegetables, meat and even seafood dinners were steam boiled in the cream can. Today, you can purchase a cream can made specifically for cooking in. CanCooker is a Nebraska company, and you can buy the pot in three sizes. I use the original size during our family camps because you can feed a large crowd. Steam cooking allows you to make a variety of recipes in a short amount of time on a low heat setting.
Tap the power of the sun
Let’s not forget solar power. There are a lot of products out there designed for backwoods camping. Light and compact, these little ovens, such as Go Sun’s model, harvest the sun’s energy and can boil water and cook a very small meal.
However you decide to cook outdoors, there is something out there for you. Just remember to be safe and smart — only you can prevent wildfires!
Christy’s campsite recipes
Try these recipes the next time you’re out camping.
Wild Game Fajitas
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 Tbls Fajita homemade seasoning mix (find recipe below) or one store package mix
- 2 lbs tenderized wild game, such as venison or bison, cut into strips
- 1 red bell pepper cut into strips
- 1 green bell pepper cut into strips
- 1 orange bell pepper cut into strips
- 1 red onion cut into strips
- tortillas for serving
Mix oil, lime juice and seasoning together. Add the steak and the vegetables to a plastic bag. Pour seasoning mixture over the steak and vegetables and seal the bag mixing it up. Put in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Remove the flank steak from the plastic bag — leaving the vegetables to sit longer in the marinade — and stir-fry for approximately 5 minutes until meat is browned but not over cooked. Remove the steak from the skillet and cover with foil.
Add the vegetables to the skillet and cook for 6 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Be sure to pull the vegetables out of the marinade; do not dump into the frying pan.
Add meat back into the vegetables and serve on tortillas.
Fajita Seasoning Mix
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- ¼ cup cumin
- 1/3 cup smoked paprika
- 1/3 cup Mexican oregano
- 2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt (if you only have table salt, start with half this amount)
- 4 teaspoons onion powder
- 4 teaspoons garlic powder
Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
3 tablespoons = 1 package of seasoning mix
Easy Camp Chicken Chili
This recipe is a great camping treat because everything is in a can; dump it all in one pot and then go enjoy the outdoors!
Ingredients
- Chicken, 2 cans of white chicken meat OR 2 breasts of a rotisserie chicken OR 2 cooked and shredded children breasts
- 1 16-ounce jar salsa
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans diced tomatoes and green chilies
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 2 cans beans (your choice; I normally use white northern)
- 2 tsp chili powder, optional
- 1 tsp cumin, optional
- Cheese, for topping
- Sour cream, for topping
Mix all ingredients in a Dutch oven or pot and simmer over a heat source for 30 minutes or more. Top with cheese and a dollop of sour cream.