Camping Food

Eric,
I like your idea and there's nothing better then the meal you suggest - it's just that I'd rather not drag out the camp oven unless setting up a good base camp for more than one night when I can throw a leg of lamb in. I tend to be a lazy camper and hate the thought of washing the oven every time before setting off for our next destination.
Thanks for your info.
Gibb River in July.
Chris

Have to admit I cook like Eric - use the camp oven at just about every stop and make as many one-dish meals as possible. For non-meat meals use rice, dried fruit, sweet potato, cinamin sticks, tin tomatos and a bouquet garni (teabag of dried herbs avail in supermarkets in herb section) and simmer together till vegies are tender and rice absorbed. Vego rissotos done in the same manner, or based on tin fish eg. salmon.

There's so much you can do without having to resort to plastic food. We never have but then we like our food.

By the way, we don't wash up the camp oven with detergent, simply empty food out then put back on the fire with some water to simmer. This cleans it beautifully. Then wipe with paper towel, spray lightly with oil and pack away for next time - easy!ExplorOz

I am with Michelle. Use the camp oven every night and use the same cleaning methods. Have it packed right by the back door and it is usually the first thing out. Have never taken plastic food, even on the Canning or other major treks. Take fresh everything, cryovac or pasta. Take plenty of flour for damper, scones and cakes. After 40 years of going bush and camping one gets into a rythm of doing things to make camping easy. Always try and stop at around 4pm to give plenty of daylight hours to set up camp and have a feed.Cheers, Willem
Never a dull moment

Yep, gotta agree with you all. I LOVE our campoven. My motto is "what you can't cook in a camp oven isn't worth making!"

I've never used smoke meat before though prefering cryovaced meat or when that runs out tuna/salmon etc. I've been toying with the idea of including beef jerky or something like that on longer trips but have no idea what can be done with it. Any ideas?

:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper

Melissa, we looove jerky - in Alice you can visit the factory and buy beef, camel, emu etc jerky in various flavours including chilli, bbq etc. Have never cooked a meat meal with it however. I'm sure you could bake it in your camp oven with potatoes and a tin of creamy soup to make a hearty meal for example. The cost is very high however (about $60/kg) so you wouldn't be likely to stew it up as a main meat meal, but rather add it for a touch of flavour. We just have it as a snack.ExplorOz

Thanks Michelle,

Honestly, I never tried it but I regularly see the packets of jerky strips for sale at roadhouses so I've been wondering. As you suggested, perhaps it might just add flavour to some otherwise non-meat dishes. Like say diced up in a beef and vege rice...I'm heading up to Ningaloo in a couple of weeks so I might get some and start experimenting.

:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper

Chris - have you read my page under the On the Road menu titled "Food and Water"? Lots of tips for cooking/food storage in there.

Food & Water Article on ExplorOzExplorOz

Cheers, never thought of that one - I guess that's what the website is all about:)
Gibb River in July.
Chris