Mid America Buckskinners Info Page
Stories

Easy Dinners


Missouri Iowa Nebraska Kansas
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No, it's not skinning bucks............ Developed and maintained by JP Finn






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A little background on me (very little):
I bought my first BP gun in the fall of '69. (.62 cal smoothbore caplock -"made in Spain" brand) Nevada jackrabbits learned to hide that winter.
Played in the hills of North Idaho / Montana off and on for a couple decades, decided I wanted a little more summer than was offered, and moved down to Florida. Fell into the North Florida/South Georgia reenacting circuit as a ner-do-well/deer hide trader in the 1790 time frame. (I was the guy out on the edge of the camp that nobody knew) Soon as I got comfortable at that, I packed up and moved to Missouri. Now, I'm trying to move up to the 1810-1830 era. Old habit are hard to break.

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Cooking
I was at a doing and heard from several people that they couldn't cook. Then I spoke to a person that only attended for the day for the same reason. For those people, I dedicate this 2 Cents Worth.

Learning to cook, if that is the proper term, is just a matter of practice. The clean up afterwards is the part that I don't care for. I don't have a problem when it is just me, but when there is a crowd..... That may be why I manage to be the cook at most of my outings. The excuse that "I cooked, you wash the dishes" seems to work most of the time!
Most doin's are for a weekend. That means, usually, 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 1 dinner. Breakfast is scrambled eggs and bacon or sausage, or, my favorite, oatmeal and biscuits. Lunch is apples and cheese, or other such ready to eat stuff. That leaves dinner as the only meal to really cook.


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Easy Dinners

Polish Sausage and Cabbage
about 45 minutes cook time
Pot
water
salt (about a spoonful)
Head of cabbage (remove the outer leaves and cut remaining into quarters)
Potatoes ( I figure 2 per person and an extra one for every 2 people - or 2-1/2 per person. Less if the potatoes are big) Peeled and cut up
Carrots (one per person) Cut off both ends, scrape the skin off and cut up
Polish sausage, precooked. Big if there is a crowd, small if there isn't. Cut into 1-1/2" long pieces

Put water in pot (1/2 to 2/3 full), add carrots and put on fire to boil. Let boil about 15 minutes. Add everything else. Simmer (just barely boiling) until potatoes are done. (Potatoes will break easily)

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Stew
about and hour and a half cook time - longer is better
Pot
Salt and pepper (a spoon of each)
1/2 cup of flour (any kind)
Deer meat , elk (my favorite) or beef. cut into bite sized pieces
A couple spoons of Crisco, lard or cooking oil
Potatoes (2 small ones or one big one per person) Peeled and cut up in big chunks
Carrots (one per person) Cut off both ends, scrape the skin off and cut up
Large onion, peeled and chopped up
Celery - a lot if you like it, a little if you don't ( Something in celery helps make meat tender. If you don't like it in your food, do like I do - make big chunks and pitch it when the stew is done.)
Can of whole stewed tomatoes
Can (single serving size) of corn and one of peas
A handful of barley and/or lentils. (not needed but I like it, makes the stew thick)

Put oil in pot and put pot on fire. roll meat around in flour (in a plate) and drop flour coated meat in the pot. Keep stirring until the meat is browned. Add everything else. Add enough water to fill the pot. Put on a lid and let simmer until done. Add water as it evaporates

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Tough Squirrel
about an hour - longer if you have time
One squirrel per person, cleaned and cut up into chunks
(or pork chops - without the flour)
A couple spoons of Crisco, lard or cooking oil
Salt and pepper (a half spoon of each)
1/2 cup of flour (any kind)
Large onion, peeled and chopped up
Can of Cream of Mushroom soup
Put oil in skillet and put skillet on fire. Roll meat around in flour (in a plate) and drop flour coated meat in the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add onion. Sir-Fry until brown. Add can of soup and half can of water. Let simmer until meat is done and tender.

Boiled Potatoes
I generally start the potatoes after the squirrel has been cooking for about half an hour.
Potatoes (The famous 2 per person and all that) Peeled and cut up
Salt and pepper (a half spoon of each)
Put everything in a pot. Add water to fill pot. Boil until done. Drain water.

Dump a can of vegetables in another pot and heat.
Use soup as gravy on the potatoes.

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Try these at home. Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.
Make up a different reason why you can't camp. Or tell the truth - You are afraid of the dark!

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