Camp Cooking: Gourmet Outdoors

Camp cooking can leave much to be desired. When it comes
to food recipes in a hunting camp too many camp chefs
figure they can take it easy. The guys will, after all,
eat anything that’s set in front of them. I’m a little different. When I serve as camp cook I want the meals to
be a little on the special side, something they remember
as part of the total experience.

I’ll never forget my first eating experience in an upscale hunting camp. Among other things the outfitter had his own chef, who prepared gourmet fare for the sports. His recipes and camp cooking were a far cry from the hunting-camp fare I’d been served in the past.

Compare, for instance, woodcock breasts with a maple-syrup and brandy glaze to the Kielbasa and beans that were more usual camp cooking in the camps I hunted from. Or a whole poached salmon with three sauces, versus breaded and deep fried bluegill filets.

I’d later have the pleasure of eating in high-end hunting camps across the country. One thing that resulted was my vow to emulate such camp cooking as much as possible.

To be sure, such uptown cooking is time consuming. And, typically, camp cooking is an added chore. Whoever is camp cook is there, primarily, to hunt, not to prepare gourmet feasts.

But the fact is, you can have both. The trick is to choose dishes that require little actual cooking time, but which result in big flavors that satisfy the soul as well as the stomach.

First part of pulling off type of camp cooking depends on planning. You start by putting together a menu plan for the number of nights you’ll be in camp, keeping in mind available cookware and appliances.

If, for instance, your camp has a three-burner stove and no oven there’s no point considering baked goods or roasts, because you won’t be able to make them. Maybe there’s no broiler at your camp. But I’ll bet there’s a charcoal grill, which often can serve the same function for camp cooking.

I always consider the possibility that we’ll have game available. Most people connote “hunting camp” with deer hunting, which is all well and good. But I’ve also been in multi-day camps where upland birds and wild turkey were the targets of choice. The open questions are: Will somebody actually harvest that game? And, if so, will they be willing to share it with the hunters in camp, rather than taking it home? So, if planning game meals, you should have a fall-back position just in case.

Next is to compare what you need for camp cooking recipes with the staples normally kept in camp. Salt, pepper, ketchup and bacon drippings don’t do you a world of good if your recipe calls for coriander seed, turmeric, and chili paste. Be sure to keep a running list of the supplies you’ll need to prepare the dishes on your menu plan.

Consider how much prep work can be done ahead of time, or the night before. If you’re using rubs, for instance, the ingredients can be combined ahead of time. Marinades can be thrown together after supper, while the other hunters clean up the dishes, and the meat put in to soak overnight.

Basically, “gourmet” camp fare is more a matter of attitude than anything else. Once you’ve decided to go that route, it’s almost self-evident what you have to do to make it happen.

Here are a few camp cooking recipes to get you started. Each of them is designed to serve four, so adjust as necessary:

Bourbon-Marinated Flank Steak

This is an adaptation of Bruce Aidells’ Grilled Bourbon-Marinated Top Round Steak, found in his “The Complete Meat Cookbook.”

2 flank steaks, about 1 ¼ lbs each

for the marinade:

3 tbls salad oil
2 tbls whole-grain mustard
¼ cup bourbon
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbls red wine vinegar
1 tbls Worchestershire
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tbls minced red onion
1 tbls minced garlic
1 tbls salt
½ tsp black pepper

Starting the night before, trim any excess fat from the flank steaks. If you have a pinner use it heavily to tenderize the steaks. If not, use a pair of forks to pierce them all over.

Combine the marinade ingredients in a zipper bag large enough to hold the steaks. Squish the marinade around to assure the ingredients are equally distributed. Add the steaks, coating them well with the marinade. Seal the bag and let stand in the fridge up to two days.

When ready to cook, prepare a charcoal fire. Grill the steaks over hot coals about six minutes per side. Let rest ten minutes. Cut across the grain, slightly on the bias, into slices about a quarter inch thick.

Any leftovers make great sandwiches the next day.

Chicken Paillards With Cheese & Mushrooms

It’s rare that both white and red wine is used in the same dish. But it really makes a difference. Although the recipe sounds complex, it really is quick to prepare.

4 skinless & boneless chicken breasts (or substitute breasts from pheasants or grouse)
Salt & pepper
1 stick butter, divided
2 tbls oil
½ cup dry white wine
2 tbls dry red wine
12 mushrooms, cut in straws
4 slices Munster cheese

Slightly flatten the chicken breasts between sheets of wax paper or plastic film. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet, and sauté the chicken until it is browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and keep warm.

Deglaze the pan with the wines and bring to a boil, scrapping up any brown bits clinging to the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste.

In a separate skillet sauté the mushrooms in ½ stick butter until they just start releasing their moisture. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Top each chicken breast with a slice of cheese. Divide the mushrooms over the chicken and spoon the pan juices equally over them. Put the dish under a pre-heated broiler for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Pan Fried Sliced Pork with Green Onions

This is not an original recipe. Unfortunately, my notes do not reflect who I got it from. What is clear is that it’s a great dish for camp cooking, one I’ve served many times.

2 lb boneless pork loin, sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tbls white wine vinegar
2 green onions (scallions), white and green parts, sliced thin
1 tbls fresh rosemary, minced
2 tbls unsalted butter
½ tsp black pepper

Toss the flour and white pepper together in a bowl. Lightly dredge the pork slices in the flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat a large skillet over moderately high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add one-third of the pork to the pan in a single layer and fry until the bottom edges begin to brown, 1-2 minutes. Turn and fry until just cooked through, 2-3 minutes longer. Transfer to a large baking dish and keep warm. Fry the remaining pork the same way.

Add the broth, wine, vinegar, green onions and rosemary to the skillet, scrapping the bottom to loosen any browned bits. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat and cook until slightly thickened, about three minutes. Swirl the butter into the sauce and stir in the place pepper. Spoon the sauce over the pork.

Can be served immediately or kept warm in a 200F oven.

For more gourmet hunting camp cooking tips and recipes, visit our friends at Cheftalk.