Archive for August, 2009
Hearty Meal for Active Campers
I don’t know about you, but when I go on a camping trip I like to stay active. Whether I’m fishing for trout in a crystal-clear mountain stream or taking a kayak out on an all-day excursion, I require plenty of energy. At the end of the day, I’m hungry enough to eat a bear or practically any other creature living in the nearby wilderness. Instead of giving into these primal urges, I take the civilized route and prepare a hearty meal of beef stew. The following recipe should make enough to feed an entire crew of hungry campers.
Ingredients:
4 pounds cubed beef
2 cans tomatoes
4 Tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced
4 cups hot water
4 red onions
pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
6 Tsp. granulated sugar
A dozen carrots, cut into small pieces
10 potatoes, cut into quarters
cloves
2 cans peas
Directions:
1. Over an Optimus stove, use a skillet to brown the beef in oil. Then transfer it to a Dutch oven and add the garlic. Dump water, tomatoes, onions, lemon, sugar, salt and pepper into the mix and allow to simmer for 2 hours.
2. Combine carrots, potatoes and cloves into the mixture and place a cover over the top. Add peas once the other vegetables are tender. If the end result is too runny, you can use flour to thicken it.
Beware of Cold Nights
While camping in the summer, the hot days may fool you into thinking that the nights will be comfortably warm. But summer nights can get pretty cold, especially if you’re camping in an area where you’re unfamiliar with the weather patterns. Clear skies during the day lead to cold, clear nights, and you might find yourself unexpectedly freezing if you don’t prepare yourself with the right equipment. If you’re camping in the mountains or another area of high elevation, you need to be especially careful when the temperature drops at night.
It’s a good idea to always have a thick, warm sleeping bag, like a mummy sleeping bag, to keep you warm while you’re sleeping. Even if the nights do turn out to be warm and comfortable, it’s better to be safe than sorry. It’s also a good idea to bring a portable heater with you. That way, you can stay extra warm by the campfire and enjoy s’mores and singalongs well into the night. Be sure to use a portable heater outdoors only. Using one inside of a tent is a fire hazard, and it may emit gases that are toxic in enclosed spaces.
Butane vs Propane
Although derived from different sources, they are alike in many ways. When burning cleanly they release water & CO2, but if you see some soot produced while burning check the air flow to burner because they can release carbon monoxide, which can be dangerous in confined areas.
Propane is the more abundant fuel in the US, and used for heating , cooking, or powering vehicles.
Butane is also a popular fuel, used in lighters, or for heating and cooking. It has a slight edge by volume for being more efficient, by about 12%. Which many backpackers consider enough to make it the fuel of choice when weight is the prime consideration.
Butane has a problem dealing with frigid temperatures. Below freezing you will find Propane a better choice due to it’s lower boiling point, and higher operating pressure, so they claim. Also, some areas may not carry what you need, so carry plenty with you.
Above is an example of a butane stove w/piezo ignition made by Stansport.
Compact Essentials are Key
If your family is like mine, once you have the tent, sleeping bags, food, clothes, toys, hiking gear, cookware, and even more food packed into the car for a camping trip, there’s hardly any room for the kids, let alone a stove or grill! It’s easy to pack your whole life for a camping trip – after all, who wants to be without their creature comforts in the wilderness? – but you do need to have plenty of room for your essentials. If you absolutely have to bring everything, look into compact-sized essentials, or things that pack up very small so they’re easy to transport. You can easily find compact sleeping bags, tents and chairs, but other compact essentials might not cross your mind.
One of the biggest space-savers you can get is a foldable stove or grill. You don’t have to sacrifice hot meals to make room in your car – just get one of these compact stoves and save tons of space. Some foldable stoves even have collapsible burner heads for maximum portability. They make ideal companions for backpacking trips, too!