Getting The Fundamentals Down

[Bowhunter60]

I'm sure everyone of us, loves the meat of the harvest. And, likely most of us, enjoy, about more than anything good food in camp. Few things improve mood and ability like heading into the morning field with a good breakfast, and few things are more enjoyable than returning to camp for a good hot meal. Now, before I go any further, I recognize that there are deep backcountry hunters, who pack in their stoves and food as light as possible to their spike camps. That makes sense and is appropriate. But, what I'm talk is basecamp meals. Returning from a long day scouting or hunting to basecamp with a hot fire and camp stove and a meal that makes the day about as enjoyable as it can get. While I'm not one of those who packs in everything on my back and I prefer a solid base camp to return to after a long day, this post is not likely to be for those who hump in miles and remain there. But, for those of us who return each late afternoon or evening to camp and want a good meal. These are some of my go to mainstays for a hot meal.

Cookware: I'm a died in the wool advocate of Cast Iron. I've had my Lodge Cast Iron for 20+ years and it has never failed me. It cooks evenly, and is the original Non-Stick cookware, of course, if treated and maintained right. And you can get rid of those ridiculous teflon coated spatulas and such, and switch to metal because you won't scratch the pan.

• Seasoning - Every new cast iron piece is always cleaned with mild soap and water, thoroughly dried, and the seasoned. You can do this with any number of items, but, my preference has been a good vegetable oil. Lightly coat the inside and outside of the cookware with the oil using a paper towel. Then, place it upside down in a 350 degree oven for one hour. Let it cool to room temp and you have a seasoned piece of cookware. Repeat this as necessary, about every 3-6 months as needed.
• Cleaning - If you've seasoned properly, clean up should be simple, with nothing stuck to the bottom of the pan. Just remember, dish soap is unnecessary, and will degrade the seasoning you've done. When in the field, right after I'm finished with the pot, pan, or dutch oven. I add water up to the highest cooking point and let it soak for about 15 min, then with a brush, give it a good scrub and remove any food items. Pour out the water and rinse once more. Then, add about a tablespoon of your vegetable oil, and a liberal dose of Kosher salt, scrubbing it around the inside, bottom and sides, to coat. Let it sit, which allows the high salinity in the mixture to kill any bacteria that may be lurking in the cookware. You can let it sit like this for several hours and be comfortable it will be safe to use at next meal. Just remember to rinse out the salt and water before use.
• Storage - Metal on metal is a recipe for rust, particularly if moist. After I've cleaned it, I usually rinse, dry with a paper towel, and let it air dry for a bit. Then, stack my cookware with a paper towel in between.

MUST HAVE INGREDIENTS I always take with me, Onions (Red & Yellow), Bell Peppers, Garlic cloves, Celery, Carrots, a good Unbleached AP Flour, Salt (Kosher, Table, & Rock Salt), Pepper, and Jalapeños. From these, you can get started on the foundations of a good meal.

• Mirepoix - This is basically a ratio of 2-1-1 of Onions, Carrots, and Celery. Dice them up as you like, toss in your skillet containing olive or vegetable oil, over a medium low. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic, and cook until tender. Remember to add your garlic later, it does tend to burn easier than the other items. From here, the possibilities are endless; add meat, stock of choice, potatoes, etc. Let your imagination run with it.
• Roux - This is really nothing more than a flavorful thickener. It's a mixture of flour and a fat (Butter, Oil, etc) in equal parts. Remember, this is done over a medium to low heat, depending on your stove and pot or pan. Just remember to heat the oil, then sprinkle in the flour while stirring. Depending on your flavor likes and recipe, you can do anything from an amber roux to a dark roux. All this really is the length of time you cook and stir. Once you get it to the color you like, you can add your broth slowly and mixing constantly to incorporate.
• Chicken Stock - Likely one of the easiest things to make and keep. Put your whole or cut up chicken in the pot (just remember BONE IN). Cover with water, add your peppercorns, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil and then turn it down to simmer for about 30 min. When it comes to the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. This is not meticulous process. I just chop the carrots and celery into pieces about 1-2 inches long, quarter the onion, and toss in whole unshucked garlic cloves. You're gonna strain all this out at the end anyway, so don't worry about it looking like Emeril Lagasse chopped them. When it's done, remove the chicken. The meat is ready to eat if you want to shred it. Strain out the other stuff and set aside the broth. Now you have a solid broth that you can use in any number of recipes.
• Sourdough Starter - I'm not sure what I'd do without my starter. I use it for bread, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, etc. I take it into the field with me and enjoy the flavor of a well fed, well aged, starter. It's easy to make, all you have to do is remember to feed it once in awhile. Take a Tsp of Active yeast, and add it to one cup of luke warm water. Let the yeast dissolve. Put a cup of unbleached AP flour in a bowl and pour the water and yeast into the flour. Mix well. Your starter's consistency is personal preference. If you want it thick, add a little more flour. Thinner, add a little more luke warm water. I prefer somewhere in the middle. Then cover your glass bowl with a towel or plastic wrap, set it in the oven with the oven light only on and let it go to work. In about 6 hours, remove a cup and discard, and add flour to obtain the consistency you had before. That's called feeding. You only have to feed the initial batch every 6-12 hours for about 4 days. After that, cover it loosely in a plastic or ceramic jar, with plastic wrap and place it in your referigerator. From here on out, you will only need to feed it about once every 5 days. Don't cover it to tightly, the yeast is still working and you don't want an explosion when you open it.

It's all too easy. You can do this in the field or at home and take what you need to the field. Just remember, these are some of the foundations of good cooking and will make your time in the field that much more enjoyable. Later I'll post some recipes with photos on everything from Sourdough bread, pancakes, biscuits, to stews, and the like.