Faced with a four-day camping trip and a desire to eat something other than run-of-the-mill hot dogs during it, I decided to challenge myself. How could I eat well, with perhaps a hint of gourmet cooking, while estranged from my kitchen and most, if not all, of its conveniences?
The answer, naturally, would be my portable charcoal grill.
It’s a simple model I’ve had for years, and its legs come off , so it can be packed in a smaller space. But it’s not that small, and with all the gear I needed to take to the Wakarusa music festival - a couple of coolers, a tent and enough clothes for my girlfriend and myself - space came at a premium in my car. That meant I’d need to pack wisely, presenting another challenge - bringing as few things as possible, both in terms of food and utensils.
There would be no room for measuring cups and thus, a need for guesswork. I came up with three recipes that, despite requiring minimal space and minimal preparation, provided a maximum amount of flavor.
All of them were grilled at a campsite on Mulberry Mountain, with solid results but also with a few pitfalls compounded by being so remote.
Packing List
Portable charcoal grill
10-pound bag charcoal (good for at least two meals)
Charcoal lighter fluid
Meat thermometer
Lighter
Aluminum foil
Eating utensils
Plates
Tongs
Cooler
Ice
Large zippered plastic bag
Knife
Stuffed Chicken Breast
Additional items required:
Four large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 ounces Feta cheese
One bunch fresh basil (I used a 1-ounce bundle of basil singles from a grocery store because they came pre-sealed)
Toothpicks
12 ounce can of beer
Preparation: Fill the grill with about 3 to 5 pounds of charcoal (this will depend on the size of your grill) filling upwards in a pyramid shape.
Coat charcoal generously with lighter fluid, then light.
As the grill warms, spread out aluminum foil on a clean, flat surface such as rock or camp table, if you have one. For an additional flavor kick, you can also marinate the chicken in a plastic bag prior to cooking it, just as I did for several hours. In the idea of using the same ingredients on multiple occasions, I used what I had on hand for marinade - a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
Line the center of the breast with about 2 ounces of Feta cheese and several of the basil leaves. Pinch chicken breast’s sides together, securing them at the top with a few toothpicks. When the charcoal has mostly turned white, spread the briquettes into an even layer.
Place breast, flat side down, on warm grill (350 degrees or so). Flip chicken breast once using the tongs,placing the breast on the toothpick side the second half of the cooking cycle.
The total cook time should be about 20 minutes. When internal temperature of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees, it is ready to consume. Serves four.
Notes: In a real kitchen, you’d probably butterfly cut, tenderize and pound the chicken breast a great deal flatter before trying to stuff it. I didn’t have that luxury here, but I found the crumbly quality of the Feta cheese, even though exposed to a direct grilling surface, meant it didn’t just melt and fall out of the breast.
Also, I’d highly suggest the meat thermometer here, even through packing space might be limited. Chicken is notorious for containing salmonella even in a proper kitchen. With the added challenge of keeping a cooler cold, and being in less-thansanitary areas, it’s even more critical here.
Elote
Additional items needed:
Four ears corn
15-ounce jar mayonnaise
½ cup grated Cotija cheese
1 stick butter
Preparation: Prepare grill as listed in the directions above. As the grill warms, shuck the corn, leaving the stem for a handle. When the grill temperature reaches about 350 degrees, place corn on open grates until hot and lightly charred, about 7-10 minutes, turning at least once during the cooking process.
Using the heat of the corn to melt the butter, coat each ear of corn with about ¼ of the stick. Then cover each of the ears of corn with the mayonnaise, using about ¼ cup of mayo between the four ears. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Serves four.
Notes: Well, guess who forgot to pack the Cotija cheese? I did, and at 45 minutes away from a grocery store that would carry the item, we ended up with plain - but delicious - grilled corn instead. So, I didn’t grill this recipe, exactly, but I’ve made a version of it at home, and I promise it will work.
You won’t need all the mayonnaise in the jar, butif you bring a new jar, you won’t have to bother with keeping it cold before you cook with it. In a similar fashion, you could substitute grated parmesan cheese for the Cojita.
Grilled Pizza
Additional items required:
Four single-serving pizza crusts
14-ounce jar of pre-made pizza sauce
2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese
7-ounce package of presliced pepperonis
Fresh basil
Preparation: Prepare grill according to directions in previous recipes. Using a hot (375-400 degree) grill, transfer crust to grill grates.
Quickly top each with about a 1/8 inch layer of sauce, extending near the edges of the crust. Top with about ¼ inch of grated cheese, then top evenly with pepperoni and a few sprigs of basil.
Cover grill. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until cheese is just melted. Serves four.
Notes: This one is so quick and so good. I actually used pre-made garlic-infused naan bread as the crust, a perfect thinand single-serving-sized crust. Be speedy, because this grills fast - I burned one crust in the process.
Whoops. You might also notice that the picture of the pizza doesn’t contain basil. I cooked this on day three, and I’d put the remaining package of basil in the cooler. But water got inside the package. It ruinedthe basil, but it did have the benefit of making the cooler smell very pleasant every time I opened it. As a bonus, if you don’t use all the pepperoni on the pizza, you can use them as part of a cracker and cheese snack or on a ham sandwich as another way to use the same things you’ve packed in multiple ways.
Life, Pages 7 on 06/12/2013