Camping and camp cooking

by Frank A. Bates

Barbecue Dressing:—One pint of vinegar, half a can of tomatoes, two teaspoonfuls of red pepper (chopped pepper-pods are better), a teaspoonful of black pepper, same of salt, two tablespoonfuls of butter. Simmer together till it is completely amalgamated. Have a bit of clean cloth or sponge tied on the end of a stick, and keep the meat well basted with the dressing as long as it is on the fire. The preparation of this dish is a lot of work, but it pays.

Fried Egg on Hash:—Make your hash of meat and potato; fry out the fat from a few slices of pork; roll your hash, wet with enough water to make it stick together, into flat cakes large enough for a single service, and fry brown. Lay in a dish where they will keep warm; grease the fry-pan and drop in the eggs in couples, and fry till the whites congeal; roll the edges of the white over the yolk and slip off on to the hash cakes, one couple to each cake. When served, which should be as soon as the egg is done, break the yolk and let it run down over the cake.

GAME.

This word, like sweet Charity, covers a multitude of sins. I might read you a homily on the sin of killing the creatures of the wood and field; but I am not going to do it, for several reasons. First ’twould do no good, for you would keep on killing. Second, it is none of my business anyway. My business now, is to tell you how to cook so that you will come out of the woods well and hearty, and without a bad case of dyspepsia. With this digression, I want to start in with a few words of advice. In the first place, always bleed your game as soon as killed. The flesh of an animal that has not been bled is not fit to eat. Always let the animal heat get out of the body before you cook it. The fact that it will not rest well on your stomach is proof positive that it is not healthful. So unless you are on the verge of starvation, heed these words. Fish is the only meat that is not subject to this rule.

Fried Squirrel:—The most common four-legged game that the ordinary camper will get, are squirrels and rabbits. The latter, however, are not suitable for food till the late summer, and in most sections are protected by law for a certain season of the year. We, however, are not just now interested in the getting of them, but the cooking. Skin and dress them carefully, and parboil for half an hour in salt and water, to take out the strong flavor. Drain off the water, drop the meat in the pan, with a bit of butter and a dash of curry powder, and brown. Those who like the gamey flavor, sometimes soak the squirrels in salt and water for an hour, wipe dry, and broil over the coals with a slice of pork fat laid over the meat to baste it so it will not be dry.

Fried Rabbit:—Dress four rabbits; parboil in salt and water till the bones will slip out of the meat. Drain off the water and fry the meat in butter. It is much better if the bones are all taken out before frying, although not at all necessary.

Woodchucks, porcupines and skunks are not strictly game, but they are fully as edible as other animals, and, if properly cooked, very delicate. They should be parboiled thoroughly, and then roasted or stewed like any game.

Roast Woodcock or Quail:—Dress and impale with a green stick (black birch is the best for the spit), and put a slice of fat pork on the end of the spit, so the fat will drip down over the bird as it roasts. Have a large quantity of very hot coals; thrust the stick into the ground in front of the fire, in an inclined position, so the bird will be over the heat. Turn frequently, in order to cook on all sides and also to avoid burning. The hotter the coals, the better the bird, for the intent is to sear over the outside as quickly as possible to avoid loss of the juices. Any small bird, like snipe, plover or other sandpipers may be cooked in the same manner.

Rabbit Curry:—Dress two rabbits and boil till the flesh will come off the bones. Take the bones out and put the meat in the kettle with a large cupful of the water in which it was boiled. (Do not use too much of this liquor; it will make the curry taste rank.) Add two slices of bacon, cut in strips; season with curry powder, salt and pepper. If you have it, put in a small glass of Burgundy. Cook slowly for twenty minutes. Have dish lined with boiled rice; take out the meat from the stew, and lay it in the dish; thicken the liquor left in the kettle with a little flour rubbed up in cold water; turn over the meat in the dish. Serve.

Roast Grouse au naturel:—Take out the “innards” and fill the cavity with the following dressing. Roll crackers into crumbs and mix with a little salt, pepper and sage; turn a little hot water on to moisten the crackers. Put this in the bird, cover with a thin slice of pork and sew the skin together tightly. Have a pail of water in which stir clay until it is of the consistency of thick porridge or whitewash. Now take the bird by the feet and dip into the water. The clay will gather on and between the feathers. Repeat till the bird is a mass of clay. Lay this in the ashes, being careful to dry over the outside of the clay, before you get it into the fierce heat of the fire. Bake it till the clay is almost burned to a brick. Rake the bird out of the fire, and rap the ball of clay with a stone or stick, till it cracks open. The feathers and skin will all come off with the clay, leaving the meat as clean as possible. This is the perfect way of cooking game. Any fowl or animal may be cooked in the same way. If you try ducks, woodchucks or hedgehogs chop an onion and add to the stuffing.