Great Camp Cooking Recipes

Buckskin Jim received a comment from Linda Buxton asking for his great camp cooking recipes.

​Dear Ms. Buxton: 

I am charmed that you would ask me for great recipes.  No one has ever done that before.  You see, far from being a gourmet, I am more what folks call a geezer.  Geezers are not generally known for great recipes.

I camp in a tipi, high in the Montana mountains as far from developed "campgrounds” as I can get.  As the years go by, I often find that family members a  generation or two younger than me are camping nearby.
When this happens I don’t use recipes:  I use strategy!  A great strategy beats a great recipe every time.  Along about mid-morning, I’m usually asked something like, “Dad, the kids and I are going fishing (or hiking, or exploring, or whatever).  Do you want to a come with us?”   

This is when I spring my strategy on ‘em.  “Nope, sorry.  I’ve got to start a batch of pinto beans and chili peppers for supper.”

“Oh, Dad!  Why don’t you eat supper with us: I promised the kids ginger chicken and apple strudel tonight.”

“Well…..Ok, if you’re sure you’ve got enough.”  

"Of course we have enough.  By the way, what are you having for lunch?”

When I find myself camping alone, I have three recipes that I use.  They may not be great but they are pretty darn good.

I. Chili

1. Open a can of chili
2. Place can in fire to heat
3. Eat from the can with a spoon
4. Clean-up:  lick the spoon and burn out the can in the fire

II. Beef Stew, plain

Same as the Chili recipe only use a can of stew.

III. Beef Stew, Deluxe

1 potato, unpeeled, cut into chunks
1 onion, cut into chunks
1 carrot, cut into chunks
1 strip of beef jerky, torn into chunks
Garlic, if you’ve got it
Black pepper, if you want it
Salt

Combine all ingredients in a small iron pot and cover with water.  Place pot in fire until potatoes are soft.  Eat from the pot with a spoon.
Clean-up: lick the spoon.  Burn the pot clean in the fire.


Bon appétit!

Buckskin Jim

Linda Buxton Thanks I have copied your recipes so the next time I go to rendezvous I'm going to try your stew.