To enhance the Bear Claw experience, we recommend that food be prepared for the whole group in the outdoor kitchen at Flap Jack Hill.
Food buying may be handled in several ways:
1. A committee buys for the whole group and shares the cost.
2. A menu is prepared, passed out, and each subgroup buys enough food for all their needs, and the food is then brought all together. It is cooked together and served together. Gathering the food together sometimes is difficult, but in this method you never have to worry about having enough food for those who decide to come up at the last moment. This also spreads the food buying responsibility around.
3. The number of meals is divided into subgroups, and each group is responsible for obtaining, transporting, cooking, and clean up for their meal. Once their meal is finished, they can relax. However, problems may arise from this method when the subgroups have varying sizes. But even this can be solved by everyone being charged the same, money pooled, divided by number of meals, and any excess monies put back into pool. It is best if you plan your menus so that they don't take more than 30 minutes to prepare. It is understood that Dutch Oven cookery will take much longer - but it is worth it!
In planning the items of meals, it might be best to keep the teenagers in mind. This seems to be the most critical age group. Cater to them, and future such activities will be better attended. We have found such meals as listed below to go rather well:
Breakfasts:
Pancakes
Cold Cereal
Crepes
Omelets
Bacon n' Eggs
Lunches:
Tacos
Pizza
Burritos
Tostadas
Enchiladas
Sloppy Joe's
Soup n' Sandwiches
Sandwiches and Fruit
Dinners:
Meat, Potatoes, & Gravy
Peppered Steak Sandwiches
Wiener Roast
Stir Fry
Hamburger
Stew & Scones
Shepard's Pie
Fried Chicken
Chili & Crackers
Spaghetti
FOOD PREPARATION TIPS
Frozen bread dough works well for scones, fresh hot baked bread, bread sticks, pizza crust, hot rolls, "Danish rolls", "Indian Fry" bread with refried beans, cheese and salsa, and/or hamburger roll ups.
You can hold frozen items rather well if you bring dry ice with you. Five pounds of ice should last two or three days, wrapped tight in a paper in your cooler.
Frozen hash brown patties work well on the grill. Tater tots seem to work better heated on a baking sheet in the oven (less broken pieces from stirring them in a frying pan, or turning them on the grill).
Bacon and link sausage really works must better if you deep-fry cook them in a flat bottom Dutch oven on top of the stove.
In figuring out how much meat to buy, you can figure on ¼ pound per person: 1 ½ patties of hamburger, 2 ½ wieners, 2 pieces of chicken, 3 link sausages, 2 ½ corn dogs, 3 pieces of bacon, 1 slice of boneless ham (cut in half for small children and an extra for larger appetites).
For mashed potatoes, figure one potato the size of a fist per person and add one more for each five people. The same with baked potatoes.
If you plan to cook in a dutch oven, bring plenty of charcoal and starter fluid.
The following Dutch oven food work really well: fried chicken, barbequed chicken, mean loaf, roast, ham, stuffed pork chops, tamale pie, enchiladas, biscuits, rolls, cake (upside down), bread pudding, Mexican chicken pie, etc., etc., and etc. Potatoes can be fixed also in many yummy ways.
Our outdoor kitchen has a Wolfe stove with six burners, a large oven, and a large grill - 2 ft. by 6 ft. Many black pots and Dutch ovens. Over 40 sectional trays and dishes along with knives, forks and spoons.
You will need to furnish your own paper towels and napkins. Many groups like to bring their own paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils rather than do all the washing of the dishes. If you plan to do Dutch oven cooking, you will also need to bring your charcoal and lighter fluid. Bring some 45 gallon garbage bags because you will need to haul out your own garbage.
If you can, restrict all candy, gum, pop, cookies, and anything to piece on between meals. This will surely help in eating of your meals and the waste of food. Serve the sweets as part of the meal or as a treat around the campfire or as a reward for contest, etc.
Some groups in the past have found it best to only cook two meals a day. They have done it this way:
- Put out cold cereal and fruit for the early risers, about 9 to 9:30 a.m., fix a breakfast for all. This lets those who like to sleep in, do so!
- Fix a dinner around 5 to 5:30 p.m., and then have a treat around the campfire in the evening - maybe 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This can save a lot of time in the kitchen.
NOTICE --
IT WILL BE SMART TO ARRANGE FOR A PICKUP TRUCK AND/OR TRAILER TO BE USED IN STORING AND HAULING OUT OF YOUR GARBAGE. THE GARBAGE CANS SHOULD NOT BE STOMPED DOWN BUT EMPTED OFTEN. THIS WILL BE EASIER TO CARRY AND NOT BREAK AS READILY. YOU WILL NEED 45-GALLON SIZE GARBAGE BAGS.