COOKING WITHOUT THE PAN

PLEASE NOTE: The following cooking methods have absolutely nothing to do with barbecue; which is actually a method of disguising the taste of, or preserving food and involves the application of sauces and/or spices.

Pit, Steamed-Baked

Although not identical, this style of cooking is very similar to the Hawaiian Pig Bake, see also, Clam Bake

1. At night when you're camping out, the first thing you do is to dig a pit according to the size of your fish, meat cut, or pig, usually about 3 feet deep and five feet in length. Line pit with stones or bricks, leaving a space in the centre for the fish or meat. Build a fire, using heavier wood and keep it going until it burns right down to coals.

2. Wrap your fish or; meat in a well-washed cloth and seal tightly.

3. Lay over a burlap or gunny sack, take some clay or mud, and slap the mud right over the original cloth; pat down on to cover all sides.

4. Wrap the burlap around and tie with cord. Lift onto coals in the pit, and lay something over it; a piece of canvas an old tarp or any such thing you may have.

5. Fill it with dirt. In the morning take the roast out and enjoy.

No. 2

These two recipes are extremely similar-however they are not the same.

1. At home, for a special treat (if you have the room and it's not against the law). Build a good fire. Make a hole for the meat. Put a few logs on and let them smoulder away.

2. Take a good sized cut; wash it; put on some salt and pepper,

3. To seal in the moisture, wrap the meat in oiled brown paper.

4. Wash a burlap or gunny sack well; rinse; wrap the sack around the paper. This will keep the paper from burning. Then wrap the burlap in heavy aluminium foil.

5. Put a few hot coals in the bottom of the hole; place meat over them and bury with hot ashes.

6. Leave for a minimum of 6 hours, it will be tender and juicy.

More Cooking Without the Pan

Fried Moose Steak

Look for 2 flat rocks. Put the rocks into hot coals, and build a fire right over the rocks.

When you think the rocks are hot enough, brush each one clean; rub one rock with grease, place the steak on it and cover with the other rock, which is also greased; it will sizzle.

A Word of Caution- Do not use rocks which have been lying in or near water. Water-soaked rocks could explode when heated.

Steam Baked Elk of North American Mouse

This method keeps the seasoning and the moisture sealed in and

**This same basic method can be adapted and used for other meats, game, any oily fish, or poultry. **

1. Lard meat, and rub well with garlic and either 4 whole allspice berries or a few crushed juniper berries.

2. Sprinkle with 1 cup red wine and 2 Tbsp. maple syrup or brown sugar. Add 1 large onion, sliced, and 1 or 2 bay leaves.

3. Marinate for several days in the refrigerator, turning frequently.

4. Remove meat and discard marinade.

5. **Take 3 sheets of brown grocery paper and thoroughly saturate them with oil.

6. Lay 1 sheet over the meat

7. Make a thick paste of flour and water and with it, coat the sheet of paper which is laying over the meat (If out doors, clay, mud, or sand can also be used for this purpose).

8. Lay the other 2 sheets over this, and wrap securely around meat. Tie with butcher cord**

9. Bake at 325 F. about 35 minutes to a pound

10. During the last 1/2 hour of cooking, crack open the dried out paste and discard.

11. Baste generously with butter, dust lightly with flour, return to oven and bake until golden brown.

While this method resembles the Boy Scout method of Aluminium Foil cookery it is much more satisfactory (aluminium has been linked to Alzheimer disease)

Steam Baked in Rock Salt

Make a thick paste of rock salt and water and plaster it thickly over a large joint, or bird until completely encased in a crust of salt (the meat will not become salty). Bake the meat as above or in a moderately slow oven (325 F.) for about 22 minutes per pound for a 6-8 pound roast. Take meat from the oven and immediately remove the crust of rock salt with a hammer.

Boiled Venison

Put meat into a hide bag with water and very hot smooth, round rocks.

Or

Put meat, seasonings and water into a container made from bark, canvas, hide or other flammable material and hang directly over the fire. The material will not burn, so long as the flames are kept below the water line.

Wild Goose Steam Baked in Mud:

1. Clean goose and chop off legs and neck; leave feathers on.

2. Salt inside, and tie goose, to hold in wings.

3. Make a big ball of mud around goose, and lay this in a nest of hot coals; build a good- sized fire over it and let cook for 1 hour.

4. To break open casing, insert a knife into it, and bang knife with a rock or log. The feathers will be pulled off with the clay

Fish, or Meat Steam Baked in Clay:

1. Cover fish with a good thick coat of mud or clay.

2. Bury under the ashes of a hot fire, and bake until the clay has hardened. When the casing is broken the scales will come right off.

Note; The tribal peoples of North America, and the early European settlers, also fashioned bake ovens and/or fire-places out of clay--these ovens or fireplaces were used both for cooking and to heat the home or abode. 

Fish, Baked in Newspaper:

1. Take a fresh whole fish (of the Fat or Oily variety) sprinkle inside cavity with salt can be stuffed if desired.

2. If the fish is less fat or oily, brush fish and newspaper with melted fat.

3. Wrap fish in lots of newspaper. Dip the whole package in water, so that paper is thoroughly saturated (if doing this indoors use less paper and do not saturate. Paper will not burn).

4. Bury under hot coals (not a fire) and leave 25-30 minutes per pound of fish. To serve, cut paper open; the skin will come right off with the paper. This is probably the best method of doing a larger fish .in the house.

Fish, Cooked in Parchment

2 lbs. boneless fillets

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. onion, minced

1 Tbsp. parsley minced

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

to taste Salt and pepper

Dampen 2 sheets of parchment paper and spread out flat. Brush with oil, or fat. Cut fish into serving pieces and place half the pieces on each sheet of paper. Place 1 teaspoon each of butter and onion on each serving and sprinkle with parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Gather edges of papers and tie securely. Place in boiling water and cook 15 minutes. Remove fish to a hot platter, taking care not to lose any of the juices. Serves 6.

The seashore is the natural place for a clambake, but it is possible to have one at any place where there is a flat open space. Preparations should begin several hours before the time set for the meal.

Clambake (Steamer)

1. Make a circle of flat stones-from 2 to 4 feet in diameter, according to the size of the party- and on this circle build a hot fire of wood. Let this burn 2 to 3 hours.

2. Rake off the fire and cover the hot stones with fresh seaweed.

3. On this lay fresh clams in their shells; also, if desired, oysters, potatoes in the skins, corn in the husk, and any other food that may be steamed.

4. Cover with a thick layer of seaweed, and over all spread a large piece of sail cloth, fastening down the edges with stones.

5. Leave for 2 to 3 hours; remove the cloth and the top layer of seaweed, and rake out the clams and other foods as needed.

The same materials may be cooked in a large kettle with the bottom covered with water and wet cheesecloth between the layers but will lack the fine flavour of the real clambake