CAMPOUT COOKING
When I was a young girl, growing up on the farm my widowed mother got the idea that she needed to raise her children on the farm. After father died she remained on the farm, supplemented the farm income with her school teachers wages and with her small children for labor she continued to manage the farm.
Those were interesting years to say the least. She would wake us up early, before the sun was up and send us on our various ways. One to feed the small animals, (chickens, turkeys, ducks, calves, cats, dogs, etc.) While we were outside doing our chores, she would prepare a large, hot breakfast.
After breakfast we would go out into the fields our up on the side of a mountain to clear virgin land. Thus enabling mother to plant more crops. Because, she did not want to take time away from our work to return home and for our noon meal; she would do the prep work for a Dutch oven meal and take it with us.
Upon arrival at the area we work going to spend the day working she would dig a hole large enough to cook our noon meal. She would line the hole with large rocks. Start a fire in the hole, which would heat the rocks. Then she would place her large cast iron covered pot into the hole and cover it over with hot rocks and soil. When we started to complain that we were hungry, she would then uncover her lunch, carefully with a shovel and then serve us a wonderful hot meal.
In this manner she was able to manage the farm and her home. As a child I thought that was very cruel of mother to have worked us children as hard as she did. Now I am thankful to have be taught good work ethics.
BEEF & VEGATABLE STEW
1 ½ pounds Stewing Beef
enough whole medium sized potatoes for your crowd
¼ cup Flour
2 cans tomato sauce
1/3 cup cooking oil
½ teaspoon thyme (optional)
1 can diced carrots
Salt and Pepper
1 can green beans
Coat beef with flour, salt and pepper and brown in oil. Drain fat. Save liquid from carrots, beans, and potatoes. Add enough water to make 2-3 cups liquid. Add to meat. Add tomato sauce and thyme. Cover and simmer about 4 hours.
Note: Frequently Mother would do all the preparation work at home and place her meal in a large covered cast-iron post and carried by one of the older boys to the area we were to be working it. A hole was dug, hot fire was set in the hole with rocks around it and then the pot containing our noon meal was placed in the hole and then dirt was shoveled around the pot. This sealed in the heat of the large rocks and cooked the meal rather like the slow cookers we use today.
Tags: Dutch Oven Cooking