Easy-to-make Cowboy Coffee

[19thCentury]

This is the best way to do it if your going on a hike or just plain lost and happen to be carrying coffee and a can. I'm shure you can find the stick and the cold water on your own. Although I've never heard tell of using a stick before..

Ps: This is my first post to this forum

Video from youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOAdPkDhTSo

[Rick]

Cowboy, camp, lake, bush coffee. It's all the same.

I had a buddy that always scooped water out of a lake or stream and dumped the coffee in like in the video. I walked into his camp one night and he offered me a cup of coffee. "I'll warn you though. It's tastes a bit funny." I passed on the coffee. We talked for a while and he finally decided to throw his coffee out and start a fresh batch. When he dumped it, out plopped a nicely cook frog. Seems when he scooped up his water he scooped up a frog at the same time. He confirmed they make for bad coffee.

[19thCentury]

Thats a dirty trick.
Turns out you had stew instead lol.

[canid]

my connection is too slow to view the video, but i've made a lot of coffee, in kitchens and camps without the benefit of a french press, percolator or the other modern devices that magically transform water and ground beans into go-juice.

cowboy mud is good, but i usually take care not to get the temps above a barely perceptible simmer, as many of the oils in the coffee, which give it an acidic taste, cause arterial hardening or merely temper the cow hand's stomach lining into steel are either only soluable in water at or above boiling, or are formed when more complex aromatics decompose in the presence of high enough heat.

another method i like requires some filters [i have a nice reusable basket from an old coffee maker i used to own with fine brass mesh], and either your cup, or another container.

this is a simple drip, where you fill your filter, suspend it over your container and pour in just boiling water. as long as the filter is fine enough, you get almost no sediment and it drains slowly enough to release most of the tasties and alkaloids.

at a friend's house, we do this with a paper filter, sitting just inside a wine carafe. better tasting coffee, less hearth disease and not much more hassle.

[19thCentury]

another method i like requires some filters [i have a nice reusable basket from an old coffee maker i used to own with fine brass mesh], and either your cup, or another container.

I've used this methode before also, and I find it is the best way.
It is the traditional way of making coffee on the trail.

[Rick]

this is a simple drip, where you fill your filter, suspend it over your container and pour in just boiling water. as long as the filter is fine enough, you get almost no sediment and it drains slowly enough to release most of the tasties and alkaloids.

Something like this?

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[19thCentury]

No, lol

more like this:

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[RBB]

Making camp coffee can be an art form. When I'm out on the trail with friends or relations I usually get elected as I seem to have a knack for it (or maybe it's just more important to me).

Many folks use too much coffee grounds when they are camping. To keep from ending up with "mud" it's important to remember - the same amount of coffee grounds you use at home will still make a good pot of coffee on the trail.

Another thing to keep in mind - don't over boil the coffee. Let it come to a slow boil - and you're done. After that, keep your coffee kettle off to the side of the fire - where it can heat, but no boil.

I've done hot poker coffee (or coal on the end of a stick coffee). This supposedly settles the coffee grounds. The last few years, I've gotten over size coffee filters, measured out the coffee at home, and wrapped it up in the filter and tied it off with a twist tie. When I put this in a kettle of water it makes good coffee, and it can be fished out of the kettle after the coffee is made. I make up a dozen or so before every trip and put them in a zip lock.

[canid]

...or maybe it's just more important to me...

that's the ticket right there.

[19thCentury]

Making camp coffee can be an art form. When I'm out on the trail with friends or relations I usually get elected as I seem to have a knack for it (or maybe it's just more important to me).

Many folks use too much coffee grounds when they are camping. To keep from ending up with "mud" it's important to remember - the same amount of coffee grounds you use at home will still make a good pot of coffee on the trail.

Another thing to keep in mind - don't over boil the coffee. Let it come to a slow boil - and you're done. After that, keep your coffee kettle off to the side of the fire - where it can heat, but no boil.

I've done hot poker coffee (or coal on the end of a stick coffee). This supposedly settles the coffee grounds. The last few years, I've gotten over size coffee filters, measured out the coffee at home, and wrapped it up in the filter and tied it off with a twist tie. When I put this in a kettle of water it makes good coffee, and it can be fished out of the kettle after the coffee is made. I make up a dozen or so before every trip and put them in a zip lock.

Thanks for sharing your information.

You can buy bag type filters with grinds in it just like you described.

[edr730]

We regularly just dump the coffee in the pot while I'm here in C.A. Some friends use French presses. The coffee settles better if the grounds are coarser, but I use fine ground coffee regularly. You just have to wait 20 minutes for the grounds to settle, or strain it the first cup. The more expensive French presses don't clear the coffee any better than just waiting for the grounds to settle. Sometimes there is a bit of fine settlement in the bottom of the cup, but I just am in the habit of never drinking the bottom. I do try to keep the coffee from boiling because of the health disadvantages I have read about, most don't bother about such things. Making coffee in a pot is about like boiling an egg, a hot dog or a potatoes. But, like was mentioned, you can just rip the filter part out of a coffee maker and just pour hot water in it.

[Rick]

Watch the video. You don't have to wait for the grounds to settle.

[19thCentury]

I do try to keep the coffee from boiling because of the health disadvantages I have read about, most don't bother about such things. Making coffee in a pot is about like boiling an egg, a hot dog or a potatoes.

I didn't know boiling these thing were a health hazard..

[hoosierarcher]

This is how I was taught to make cowboy or as it was called in Michigan Camp coffee. In a billy can or a over the fire coffee pot bring your water to a boil, dump your coffee in the water and an egg shell from the breakfast eggs(instead of a stick). Return the water to just boiling and remove the coffee to a flat rock beside the fire and cover and let set for 5 minutes. The egg shell will sink when the coffee is done(if I remember correctly.)
This is how I make coffee now......
I have a lexan coffee press and a hand crank coffee grinder. When I make my morning coffee when I'm camping the aroma draws people from adjacent sites I had to upgrade from a 2 cup press to a 1.5 Liter press.
I've had my share of cowboy, bush, lumber camp, camp coffee and I've liked it but my coffee press makes a glorious cup pf morning joe. By the way I highly recommend Peet's coffee Major Dickenson's Blend, make a stellar cup. Oh and Devil Dog Brew is another good one.

http://www.peets.com/

http://devildogbrew.com/

[19thCentury]

I've heard of the egg shell way before but never tried it.

Another method is to boil your water, then add your coffee to your boiling water, and when you're ready to pour you can strain the coffe grounds by using a cloth or something similar.

[hoosierarcher]

check this one out saves the worrying about the grounds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swtVw...eature=related

[19thCentury]

yeah and this one is a good one also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgpWj-ST8W4

[Rick]

I carry...

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[RBB]

I've heard of the egg shell way before but never tried it.

Egg coffee: No shell, just the egg. Dump your grounds into the water and add a raw egg (no shell) Stir the grounds together with the egg. After the coffee is cooked, you can remove the egg (with grounds) or leave it in. The real coffee lovers among you may want to eat the boiled egg.

[RBB]

Thanks for sharing your information.

You can buy bag type filters with grinds in it just like you described.

Yes, and they're expensive. I pick up filters from the local Holiday convenience store because the coffee company they buy from always sends the wrong size. These are over large filters for your home coffee maker, but just right for my needs. I can "bag" enough coffee to do a half gallon kettle, or throw in three to do a gallon and a half kettle.