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Beo

Trail & Camp Foods

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I do a lot and I mean a lot of historical trekking where you only take what they used in the 1750s to 1790s from the colonials of America to the Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton era, what I have found is the foods they ate are just as good today, here are a few recipes in case ya wanna give them a try.

Parched Corn:
How to Make Parched Corn:
One of the staples of the early longhunters and native Americans was parched corn. It was said that it could feed a native with nothing else but water for weeks. It was used when no game was found or when trekking for long periods of time.
Corn is first dried (dehydrate frozen corn in a dehydrator) add oil, Almost any kind of oil or grease works, just heat a skillet on a low heat and oil the skillet. Once the skillet has gotten hot take a paper towel and spread the oil around wiping up all but just a thin coat. (PAM spray works very well for this.) Next, pour a little of the dried corn in to the skillet. You should have not quite enough corn to coat the bottom of the skillet. You have to constantly stir the corn around so it won't burn. It takes less than a minute to parch the corn. When it swells up and turns a light to medium brown color, it is ready. Some of it may partially pop like pop corn.
This corn can then be eaten as is or boiled into a porridge or mixed 4 oz of parched corn with a cup of cold water as a moving ration, called pinole. (this was with partially ground parched corn). It is also added to stews. It can be ground into flour. Boiled in water like a mush then eaten as is or fried.

Bread on a Stick:
baking bread on a stick for two portions you will need 2cups flour, 1/2teaspoon salt, 4tablespoons powder milk, and 2 teaspoons baking powder. Mix all dry ingredients at home in pc bag. In camp add just enough water to make a stiff, somewhat sticky dough. Roll dough bewteen hands like a snake flaten bewwteen hand so it is about 1in. by 1/2in. thick then spiral around a debarked green hardwood stick. Then simply suspend the work over a bed of coals, turning it frequently until the dough puffs up and turns golden brown. Just break off a big pieces and smear with butter, honey or mop up some good gravey.... good eats.

Maple Pods:
Maple pods were eaten by the Native Americans and Frontiersmen as a trail food. When doing historical trekking heres what we do.
When the maple pods (the 'helicopters' you played with as a child) are full yet still green, gather them by the handful. Run your hands down the branch to gather. Take your thumbnail and cut into the end then squeeze out the pod, it will look like a pea/bean. Boil it for about 15 minutes or until soft. Season with butter, salt and pepper. It tastes like a cross between peas and hominy.

Bannock:
This bannock recipe makes up a batch of bannock for 24 persons. Cut it down for a simple trek.
Ingredients 6-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup baking powder 1/2 cup and 1 teaspoon butter, melted 3 cups and 2 tablespoons water.
Directions:
#1 Measure flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir to mix. Pour melted butter and water over flour mixture. Stir with fork to make a ball.
#2 Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface, and knead gently about 10 times. Pat into a flat circle 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
#3 Cook in a greased frying pan over medium heat, allowing about 15 minutes for each side. Use two lifters for easy turning.
The word 'bannock' referred originally to a round unleavened piece of dough, usually about the size of a meat plate, which was baked on the girdle and used by the oven-less Scots/Irish workers.

Tin Boiler Soup:
This soup is for 1 person or 2 if you double the mixture..
1 palm of rice
1 palm of split peas
1 palm of lentals
2 healthy chunks of dried chicken soup ( boulion )
bring to a boil and simmer for about 1/2 hour. Add several large chunks of jerk or potatoes and simmer until peas are tender.

Beo's wilderness stew:
On an recent outting, I put together a good stew in my boiler, here is what it was:
Hand full of rice
Hand full of cut carrots
4 or 5 chunks of venison or jerky
2 potatoes cut up in chunks
4 or 5 pepper corns
Handful of onion
About 2 cups of water
Boil everythng together until the rice is done, take out the meat and then cook it on a spit til well browned, put the meat back in and cook for a few more minutes and enjoy. With bread on stick to sop it up it's really good. Try it, I think you'll like it.

Corny Black Pepper Cornbread
Black pepper adds a subtle punch to this cornbread. It's made extra creamy with the corn and eggs!
2 cps Cornbread Mix
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 cp frozen or fresh corn kernels, thawed
1 cp milk
2 Tbs honey
3 Tbs butter, melted, divided
3 eggs
¼ tsp salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees or use a camp fire and skillet. In a medium size bowl, stir together the cornbread mix and pepper. In a blender or food processor, puree the corn and milk. Add the honey, 2 Tbs of the butter, and eggs; blend until smooth. Pour into an 11 X 13-inch baking pan that has been coated with nonstick vegetable spray.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Stir together the remaining 1 Tbs butter with the ¼ tsp salt. Brush the top with the butter mixture. Serve warm.
Variation: For an unusual flavor add ½ tsp fresh ground cumin or 1 – 4 oz can chopped green chiles, drained

Southern Spoon Bread
Light and delicate!
1 cp. White corn meal
2 tsp. Honey
1 ½ tsp. Salt
3 eggs
1 tbsp. Baking powder
1 1/3 cps. Hot milk
1 1/3 cps. Boiling water
4 tbsp. Margarine
Grease 2 quart casserole dish. Mix corn meal and salt, blend well. Add margarine; pour in boiling water; stirring constantly. Allow to cool.
Beat eggs with baking powder until very light and fluffy; add to corn meal mixture. Stir in milk and honey; mix thoroughly. Pour into casserole dish.
Place casserole in shallow pan of hot water; bake in preheated 350° oven for 35 - 40 minutes.
Hope ya like it.
Beo,

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Updated 08-12-2008 at 01:54 PM by Beo

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Comments

  1. Runs With Beer's Avatar
    Like the recipes, Never hade parched corn, But are grits the same thing?