Camping and camp cooking

by Frank A. Bates

I shall commence with what has probably been brought in when the party arrived, so the cook will not have to hunt far to know how to cook supper. Beef, pork, lamb, ham, bacon, sausage, etc.

Broiled Steaks:—Camp is a poor place for tough meat; so when you buy, get something so that you can, at least, stick a fork in the gravy when it is cooked. Have a good bed of hardwood coals, if possible. At any rate, have no smoke. Put the broiler over the hot coals and get it hissing hot. Then put on the steak and hold it over the fire till one side is seared; turn the other side to the fire and sear that, after which it should be turned back and forth till cooked to suit the taste. Lay on a warm plate, put on a liberal piece of butter, a little salt and pepper, and give thanks that you have been given a palate to appreciate good food. This rule applies to lamb as well as beef; to venison as well as to pork chops. In cooking pork chops, however, my preference is, to heat the fry pan very hot, drop in the meat, and cook till well done. If there is no broiler, this plan may be followed with any meat, but a little butter must be used, if there is not sufficient fat in the meat to prevent its sticking to the pan. But by all means, use as little grease as possible, and have the pan hot, to start with, so as to quickly sear the surface and keep in the juices. In cooking meats, in the fry pan, if there is any fat left, especially that from pork and bacon, turn it into a clean can (I use the empty condensed milk cans), and save it to fry fish.

Fried Salt Pork:—Slice clear, fat pork; slash the rind edge, so it will not curl in the pan; scrape off all bits of salt or other attachments; put in a cold fry-pan and cook till well done. Do not get the pan too hot, for it will burn the grease, and spoil the flavor. Drain off grease and serve with hot potatoes. Good salt pork is smooth and dry. Damp, clammy pork is unwholesome.

Broiled Salt Pork:—Slice thin and toast on the broiler, the same as steaks. Or hold the slices over the fire, on the end of a green switch. Look out that the smoke from the drippings does not reach the meat.

Fried Bacon:—Slice thin and drop into a hot pan. Watch carefully that it does not cook too much, or it will be hard and dry; remove each piece as soon as it is done and drain dry. Some cooks always lay the cooked meat on paper to absorb the grease. Do not soak in water before cooking; it renders it hard when done.

Ham and Eggs:—Fry the ham the same as pork. When cooked, break the eggs separately into a cup, and drop into the hot fat. The white of the egg will spread out and should be turned up against the yolk as soon as it gains sufficient consistency; this prevents the outside of the albumen from becoming leathery. The object of breaking the eggs into a cup before dropping into the pan, is to avoid getting an ancient egg among the others.

Fried Sausages:—Cut the links apart, prick each sausage with a sharp fork so they will not burst in cooking. Place in the cold fry pan, and cook until well done. It is not safe to eat any pork product unless it is well cooked.

Boiled Beef:—Put the meat into boiling water, so that it will be covered and cook till tender; about 15 minutes to the pound will generally be sufficient. Use a teaspoonful of salt for every 5 pounds of meat, added when it is nearly cooked. This method will be proper for corned beef, also, but omit salt and use cold water. If the beef is not corned, just before it is done allow the liquor to boil away to about a pint, season with pepper, and thicken with flour; this makes an excellent gravy. If no gravy is desired, the liquor should be set one side till cool, the hardened fat removed and saved to fry with. Afterward, if desired, this liquor may be used for a foundation for a vegetable stew.

Hash:—Take of boiled beef, or the scraps left in slicing the boiled ham, one part; cold, boiled potatoes, two parts. Chop into small bits, and warm up in the fry pan with a little pork fat. If desired this may be varied in several ways. Have the fry pan hissing hot. Put in a little pork fat and drop in an onion, sliced very fine. Stir rapidly, so it will not burn. Have the hash prepared, which roll into flat croquettes, dip in sifted corn meal and fry brown in the fat, from which the pieces of onion have been removed. Or, have the pan half filled with clean, sweet grease (lard, or beef drippings), slightly salted. Break one or two eggs into the hash and mix thoroughly; roll into croquettes or balls, drop into the hot fat and fry brown. The fat should be as hot as it can be without burning.

Barbecued Meat:—Ribs of mutton, thin pieces of beef, rabbits, squirrels or almost any other flesh can be prepared in this manner. Lay your meat on the broiler over hot coals, so as to singe the outside immediately. After a few minutes, move away from the intense heat a little and cook till done through, basting frequently with the following dressing: