Do you remember seeing the old Westerns with John Wayne and the wagons being pulled into the camp? “Biscuit” seemed to be a fairly common name for cooks, not very fanciful, but very descriptive.
You can be sure that Cookie had more than a few cast iron pots tucked away in her supplies. Skillets, cornbread pans, and a sturdy Dutch oven or two helped him prepare hearty and delicious meals for his crew! He cooked as if his life depended on it, and it did to a degree, as did the lives of the men he cooked for.
These movies represent a piece of American history that was real. They may have some drama thrown in, but cowboys of yore would ride from Texas to Montana moving cows in the spring and fall and stick with them in between. The wagon and supplies would accompany them on the long journey. Along the way they would hunt, fish and eat well thanks not only to the cook but also to his pots and pans.
Probably most of us aren’t going on a long cattle drive anytime soon, but plenty of people are going camping. Spending a weekend on the lake or in a nearby national park or forest means cooking over an open fire and nothing works better than cast iron! It is so durable and easy to clean. No soap or water is needed or recommended. While it’s still hot, wipe the pan down with a damp cloth.
I have a large dutch oven on a tripod that I can place over the campfire. I can make anything from baked beans, to stew, to sourdough bread with this pot. If it’s a short camping trip, I do some of the prep at home and bring the food to reheat at camp. If I’m making bread, I mix the dry ingredients together and then add the wet ingredients, mix them together, and bake on site. Everything that is prepared outdoors tastes better!
I always carry two cast iron skillets. For breakfast I use one for bacon and eggs, and one for making hash browns. Then I clean them, butter both sides of my bread, and make toast. Pancakes are another easy breakfast that can be made in one of the cast iron skillets. Preparing freshly caught trout is easy using a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven. Steaming the fish with a little lemon in a Dutch oven or frying it in a skillet makes a delicious “catch of the day” dinner.
You can also slice potatoes, onions and mushrooms with a little garlic and butter in the covered pan and set aside over some cooler coals. Prepare the main course in the second pan: fish, burgers, steak or chicken. All you need now are your favorite baked beans made in a Dutch oven and you’ll eat like a king or queen al fresco.
Take a look at Your Smart Kitchen’s range of cast iron cookware.