Camp-Style Cooking

By Bruce Shawkey

From the Boy Scout Handbook -- Camp cookery, but some ideas may be helpful for home cooking.

Breakfast in Camp 

For breakfast in camp you want a substantial meal with fruit, cereal, a By Bruce Shadish—such as eggs, bacon or ham, or pancakes—and a beverage. On a cool day, have a hot cereal and hot cocoa. On a hot morning, use cold cereal and milk. 

Fruits. In preparing stewed fruits, use for each serving four to eight prunes, or four to eight dried apricots, or three to four dried peach halves, or 1/4 cup dried apples, and sugar to taste. Cover the fruit with water, bring to a boil, then simmer—that is, keep just below the boiling point—for 15 to 30 minutes. When almost done, add sugar-2 to 4 teaspoons. You will cut down your cooking time if you soak the dried fruits overnight. Fresh fruits come in handy for breakfast. You can get oranges, grapefruit, bananas, and apples year round. In season you can get melons and berries. Keep your eyes open for wild berries when in camp. And then, of course, there are canned fruits and juices. 

Cereal. In making hot oatmeal, figure 1/2 cup instant oatmeal for each serving. Bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil. Put the oats in a bowl. Pour the boiling water into the oats and stir until mixed thoroughly. Sprinkle with salt and stir. For making hot farina, use 1/4 cup farina or similar cereal for each serving. Pour cereal into 1 cup boiling water. Add a pinch of salt. Boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Bacon and Eggs. Each camper will probably want three to four slices of bacon and two eggs. Put the bacon into a cold pan and cook over a slow fire, turning the slices when half done. Do not overcook—the bacon will crisp as it cools. As the fat collects, pour it off into a container and save it—it is excellent for frying. Now break your eggs into the pan. Fry over slow heat until the white becomes actually white and firm.

 Pancakes. Pancakes or griddle cakes or hot cakes are made in a large frypan or on a griddle. They are about 4 to 5 inches in diameter and are flipped with a knife or a pancake turner. For each camper you need /2 cup of prepared pancake flour. Make the batter according to the instructions on the box. (If you have no prepared flour, use a mixture of 1/2 cup of ordinary flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar.) Heat your pan and grease it with a little butter or margarine or bacon fat. Pour in batter for enough cakes to fill the bottom of the pan. Fry over a slow fire. Soon bubbles form on the top. When the bubbles burst in the center of the cakes and the edges begin to brown, turn the pancakes and fry the other side. Serve with butter and syrup or jam or sugar.

Hot Beverage. Depending upon whether you want one or two cups of hot cocoa, bring 1 or 2 cups of water to a boil. Add one individual package of cocoa per cup and stir. For a richer cocoa, add 1 or 2 tablespoons powdered milk. 

Lunch in Camp 

Lunch comes during the hottest hours of the day—so you probably won't want to do much cooking. Nevertheless, you may feel almost starved—so what to do? A couple of sandwiches, a cold drink, and a few cookies will usually satisfy any hungry boy at high noon. On the other hand, if you want to have your main meal in the middle of the day there's nothing to hinder you. 

Sandwiches. For one serving: Two slices of enriched white or dark bread. For fillings, use hard-boiled eggs, cold cuts, cheese, sardines, tuna or salmon, sliced tomatoes, peanut butter, jelly, jam, or whatever else you wish. A couple of lettuce leaves and a dab of salad dressing add to taste and looks. 

Hot Dishes. If you are willing to take the time or feel in a picnic mood, you may want to light a fire and prepare a simple, hot dish for lunch. It is an easy matter to fry up a hamburger or to grill a frankfurter. Or make a toasted cheese sandwich by simply frying a regular cheese sandwich on both sides in a little butter. If the weather is cold or rainy you will certainly want something hot. Nothing, then, quite like a bowl of piping-hot soup. Soup. For one serving: half a can of condensed soup or one-third package of powdered soup. Dilute condensed soup with an equal amount of water; heat. Follow instructions on package for powdered soup.

Dinner or Supper. The evening meal is generally the main meal in camp. It will consist of a meat, poultry, or fish dish with a choice of vegetables, bread or biscuits, dessert, and beverage.

 Ground Steak With Home-Fried Potatoes. You will need 1/3 pound of chopped round steak or hamburger made into a 3/4-inch-thick cake; one large potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices; 1 level tablespoon shortening; a pinch of salt. Melt shortening in pan. Put in the potato slices and fry until slightly browned. Cover the pan with a lid and continue frying by steam, until potatoes are done. Push potatoes to one side, put chopped meat cake in the pan, and fry on both sides until it is done. Season.

Pepper Steak. Get together 1/3 pound of flank steak, cut against the grain in 1/4-inch slices; one medium onion, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch slices; one medium green pepper, quartered, the seeds removed, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips; 1 level tablespoon shortening; a pinch of salt. Melt shortening in pan and fry the onions until brown. Add meat slices and brown them. Throw in the green pepper strips. Cover pan with lid. Continue steam frying over low fire until meat is tender. Season with salt.

 Pork Chops With Fried Tomatoes. For this you need 1/2 pound of pork or lamb chops; two medium tomatoes, cut in 1/2-inch slices; a pinch of salt. Place the chops in the hot pan and fry over low fire until brown and well done, about 15 minutes on each side. When chops are cooked, add tomato slices and fry in grease from chops. Season with salt.

Fried Fish With Boiled Potatoes. You will want 1/4 to 1/2 pound fish; one large potato ; 1 tablespoon butter; pinch of salt. Peel and quarter potato. Boil until done in enough water to cover-20 to 25 minutes. Clean fish, wipe dry. Fry in butter until golden-brown on one side. Turn, fry other side. Season with salt.

Breadstuffs. BISCUITS—Use 1/2 cup or more of ready-mixed biscuit flour. Follow directions on the package for mixing the dough. Divide the dough into three or four parts and pat into biscuits about 1/2 inch thick. Place the biscuits on the greased pan of a reflector oven and bake in front of a steady fire for about 15 minutes. Test by pushing a straw into one of the biscuits—if the straw comes out clean, the biscuits are done.

Desserts. PUDDING—One-third of an instant pudding powder makes a good serving. Follow recipe on the box. 

MAGIC LEMON PUDDING—Mix one quarter of a can of sweetened condensed milk with lemon juice. You'll be surprised at what happens. Add a handful of crushed graham or chocolate crackers or ginger-snaps. 

SHORTCAKE—For one good serving, use /2 cup of ready-mixed biscuit flour, 2 teaspoons of sugar. Prepare the dough according to the directions on the package, but with the sugar added. Make into two biscuits and bake them in a reflector oven. Serve with crushed, sweetened berries.