SouthEast Camper

Archive for the ‘Main Course’ Category


Another one I made while camping as a scout.

1/4 lb. Ground Beef
1 medium Potato
1 small Onion
1/2 stalk Celery
1 Carrot
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper
Hot Sauce (optional)

Add onion and garlic powder to ground beef and form into a tube (hot dog shaped). Cube or slice vegetables into uniform pieces. Place meat in center of foil and cover with vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pull up two sides of foil and fold over several times sealing tight, fold over ends sealing tight. Let the foil pack stand for twenty minutes for the flavors to meld. Place foil pack on grill over medium high heat or set foil pack up close next to campfire. Cook for 30 minutes turning once. Foil pack will puff up as it steams, so be careful when opening.

This is a mainstay for Boy Scouts. It’s like a mini pot roast for kids.

The variations are endless; try chicken, fish or different meats. Make foil packs different by changing the veggies and spices to take on the flavors of different regions around the world.




I made this simple dish when I was a Boy Scout camping.

1 Boneless Chicken Breast
1 clove Garlic, minced
Salsa (enough to cover lightly)
1 small Onion chopped
1/2 stalk Celery chopped
Hot Sauce (to taste)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Place chicken on a large piece of aluminum foil. Cover with listed ingredients. Pull up two sides of foil and fold over several times sealing tight, fold over ends sealing tight. Let the foil pack stand for twenty minutes for the flavors to meld. Place foil pack on grill over medium high heat or set foil pack up close next to campfire. Cook for 30 minutes turning once. Foil pack will puff up as it steams, so be careful when opening. Top with cheddar cheese and eat.

Serve with tortillas.




This is the number one question that grillers have—how to make the perfect grilled steak. Well, practice makes perfect. You will probably have your share of duds before you reach the pinnacle of perfection. But, that doesn’t mean you have to start with inferior products.

Like I said, practice makes perfect. To grill the best steak you’ve ever tasted, you need to use that grill more than a couple of times each year. So, stock that freezer with the best cuts of beef for the job and let’s get down to brass tacks.

The first thing is to choose your meat. I won’t lie to you—beef is expensive. Those thick steaks you see on the commercials will cost a pretty penny, but, not to worry. You can find what you need at a butcher shop or the meat section of your favorite grocery store.
The best meat for grilling is labeled USDA Prime. This beef is marbled which means that there are veins of fat running through the meat. Prime is aged for a several days so that it is perfect for cooking. If you can’t afford the prime cut of beef, move on over to USDA Choice. It is a little cheaper but just as marbled and delicious on the grill.

Now that we know the grade of meat we are looking for, we need to know which types of beef cuts are best on the grill. I personally love a good New York strip steak or a T-bone steak. They grill up nice and tender so they melt in your mouth. Porterhouse and sirloin steaks are also good. Any steak with a bone in it will need longer cooking for the meat next to the bone.

If you choose marinate your steak. A good hour in the fridge should do it. With the proper cuts of meat, this is enough time for the meat to soak up the flavor. Let the meat come to room temperature before grilling.

When you are just starting out, don’t get too ambitious. By this I mean, start with a thinner cut of meat. Don’t throw a two inch thick steak on the grill like the king of the world and have it taste tougher than shoe leather when it’s done. Stay around an inch or less in thickness and practice before moving up to the major leagues.

Steaks that are cherry in color are ready for grilling. Avoid that marked down meat that is turning a shade of gray or brown. Turn to the butcher for advice on the best buys. With meat in hand, light the grill and let the good times roll.

Enjoy,
Camp Master




Chili

1 lb. Ground Beef
1 Medium Onion
1 Bell Pepper
Garlic, minced (to taste, use as much as you like)
1 15 oz can of Diced Tomatoes
1 15 oz can of Tomato Sauce
1 small can of Mushroom slices (optional)
3 tbs. Chili Powder
2 tsp. Ground Cumin
Hot Sauce (to taste)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Brown ground beef in a 12″ Dutch oven and drain. Sauté the onions and bell peppers until tender. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring Dutch oven to a slow boil, lower heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Cornbread

2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar, optional
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk

Mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl mix all the wet ingredients. Stir wet ingredients into dry until mixed thoroughly. Pour the cornbread batter over the chili. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown.

Try adding green chiles or whole kernel corn to the cornbread. Cut back on the milk a bit because of the moisture from the green chiles or corn. Add a pinch of Chili Powder for a zippier flavor.

Dan & Katherine