IDEAS FOR CAMP COOKING

Camp cooking should be easy are fun to do.
A lot of camp cooking is based around a fire, so having a good camp fire, especially one that can produce some good hot coals, is very important.

It is a good idea to always have a billy on the boil for your cups of tea, coffee or instant cup of soup.

Billy Tea can easily be made by adding the desired amount of tea leaves to a billy of boiling water and swinging the billy in a wide arc with your arm 3 to 4 times, by which time the tea should have infused into the water to make the perfect cup.

Pancakes

Combine 1 cup self raising flour with a pinch of salt and 1 egg.

Gradually add 1 cup milk and beat until mixture is smooth.

Heat frying pan over fire and add a little butter. Pour in enough mixture to cover pan and cook until bubbles appear. Flip pancake over and cook the other side.

Serve with butter, golden syrup, jam or whatever you like.

Damper

Mix 2 cups self raising flour, pinch of salt and 1/2 cup milk or water and work into a firm dough.

Shape and dust the outside with flour.

Cover with foil and place in hot coals. Cook for about 25-35 minutes.

If you have a camp oven the dough can be placed directly into it and covered with the lid and placed on the hot coals with more coals on the lid.

Check after 25 minutes. It is cooked when it has a golden crust and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Serve with butter, golden syrup, jam etc.

Beer Damper can be made using beer, instead of the milk, and a tablespoon of butter.

Jaffles

Place a piece of bread in the jaffle iron. Add tinned spaghetti, an egg, leftover stew or anything else you may desire onto the centre of the bread (do not overfill). Place another slice of bread on top, close jaffle iron and place amongst the hot coals.

Check after 3-4 minutes. It is cooked when the bread is a toasty colour.

Roasted Marshmallows

These are an all time favourite with kids and adults alike.Find a long stick and form a pointed tip on one end. Place marshmallow firmly on the end of the stick and place over hot coals, turning stick constantly. Marshmallow is cooked when turns a light golden colour, although some people like it on the darker side, which can happen if flames get onto the marshmallow, in which case you just blow out the flames and eat it.

Prawns

If you are camping near the ocean you may find shallow rivers or inlets that contain prawns.

On a moonless night take a big net (on a pole) and a bucket and torch. Wade into the water and shine the torch onto the surface of the water. When you see the prawns coming to the light use the net to scoop them up than transfer them to the bucket and continue prawning until you have sufficient for your needs.

As soon as you return to the campsite, cook the prawns in a large pot of boiling water on the fire.

They can then be eaten or kept on ice for a few days.

One time when we went camping the prawns were so abundant that all you had to do was stick the net out and it instantly be full of prawns. The mums were left at the camp to make sure the boiling pot of water was already for when we returned.

Oysters

Oysters are another delicacy that can be found if camping by the sea.

At low tide the rocks can be covered with oysters. So take a knife or screwdriver down to the rocks and prize open the shells and eat the oysters straight off the rocks.

Abalone

These too can be found attached to the rocks at low tide.

We used to go down at low tide with a screwdriver or knife and prize the abalone off the rocks then cut them out of their shells. Then we sliced them thinly and hammered them quite vigorously as they can be quite tough. We then either battered or crumbed them and fried them in the pan over the camp fire and they were delicious.

Restrictions do apply these days as to the number, if any, you can take for personal consumption, so check before you go taking any.

Frozen casseroles and stews are quite handy to take camping as they are already pre- made .and can be kept for quite a few days before eating. When ready to eat just thaw them out and reheat in a pot over the fire and serve with rice or damper (also cooked on the fire).