Building a Backcountry Kitchen – Backpacking Stoves and Whatnot

GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Dualist

Having a hot meal after a log day of hiking is just awesome. Even the simplest things taste wonderful, after a 10 mile day you can have the best instant noodles you have ever had. Setting up a backcountry kitchen can be challenging seeing that most people don’t really know what they need or want till they are out there cooking at camp. Here I hope to steer you in the right direction in building your perfect backcountry kitchen.

Parts of your basic kitchen:

1. Stove: When it comes to picking out a stove that will work for you first you need to think about what kind of cooking you plan on doing.  If you plan on mostly instant noodles, oatmeal, and dehydrated meals almost any stove will work for you.  If you want to cook gourmet backcountry feasts than you will need to look for a stove with good flame control so you can simmer and whatnot.  For simple cooking you can go with anything from a low cost alcohol stove to a fancy jetboil stove. Cooking that requires more finesse like simmering and low heat you need to shop around a bit more. Stoves like the MSR Simmerlight, Jetboil, and MSR Dragonfly.I carry a MSR Whisperlight mainly because I picked it up at a yard sale for $5 a few years ago and it does everything I need, It is a great stove for boiling water and simple cooking, very reliable…
2. Cookset: Here it is all about size and weight.  If you cook for only yourself a small pot will do, something like this 0.9L Vargo Ti pot would be great. If you hike with groups varying in size a full cookset might be a better choice, allowing you to pick and choose what you take a long. This Optimus Terra 3 piece will treat you right.Want it all? Want to impress your friends? Weight not a concern? Get the MSR Flex 4 system or the GSI Outdoors Pinnacle set.I’m cheap, I carry a super cheap option for a solo pot. An aluminum grease pot, I got mine at kmart for about 6 bucks…
3. Utensils: I think Utensils are the most fun to buy, they are cheap and you can find them in every style. The funny thing is almost anything will work, heck a stick could do the job. All you need to do is stir and shovel…Plastic “silverware” from a fast food joint is free and does the trick. Need something a bit more sturdy? How about the light my fire spork, or the Brunton Folding Spork.

Having a great camp kitchen can really make or break a trip so shop around read some reviews and choose carefully…

Roasted “Beets & Sweets”

Beets & Sweets

I think beets and sweet potatoes are my two favorite vegetables.  Combine them with garlic, salt and some white onion and we have a winner…

This is something I would usually think to make in the fall or winter but had some beets and sweet potatoes both just sitting there on the table so I figured summer, why not…

Ingredients:

• 3 large beets or 5 medium beets, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 large white onion, cut in large pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 370 degrees F
2. Place chunked beets in a gallon ziplock bag with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 the pressed garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Shake well to coat beets.  Place beets on a large baking sheet, single layer. bake for 20 min.
3. Place chunked sweet potatoes and onion in large bowl add 2 tablespoons olive oil, rest of garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix in bowl.  Add beets from oven and toss to mix.
4. Place beets and potatoes back on baking sheet and return to oven for 30- 40 mins or until veggies are tender and enjoy!

Almost Missed Out – Fiddlehead Season

Fiddleheads with shallots & garlic on a bed of rice

I almost missed out on fiddleheads this year. Luckly I found them at a store today and cooked them up for dinner tonight.  Usually in the beginning of May you see them start to show up in the locally owned grocery stores, this year I seemed to keep missing them and when I finally asked I was told they were already passed season.  Fiddleheads are the unfurled fronds of a young fern, They grow in the wild and are uncultivated.  Only certain types of fiddelheads are edible and you should only hunt and pick them if you know what you are looking for.  Fiddleheads taste a bit like asparagus and should be boiled or steamed.  I like to rinse them in cold water and gently rub them to remove any of the brown papery stuff on the spiral then steam or boil, some say to change the water half way through cooking.

The photo above is fiddleheads with shallots and garlic and white rice.  I sauteed the garlic and shallots in olive oil, when well browned I added a bit of beer (I used Sierra Nevada ESB). Then I added the fiddleheads covered the pan and let it simmer for a bit, 10 minutes or so seemed to be good.

It is just great to be able to eat something fresh and local so early in spring…  Being in Western, MA I have the availability of some of the best asparagus you can find anywhere.  Can’t wait for summer and the availability of more local awesome veggies!