Favorite camp meal

nv-hunter

Veteran member
Feb 28, 2011
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Reno
What is the one meal you look forward to in hunting camp? The one that is always in camp? And the one you least expected?

Fav is chicken and sausage gumbo
Always is ham hocks and beans
Least expected was fresh grilled tuna steaks

Im camp cook and looking for ideas
Thanks
 

Colorado Cowboy

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Jun 8, 2011
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Dolores, Colorado
One of my favorites is Fresh venison heart (chicken fried), fried potatoes w/onions and a green salad. I also like dried lima beans with ham hocks.
My pet peeve is a cook who doesn't really know how to cook the fried potatoes & onions. Usually they dump the diced onions into the sliced potatoes when they start them. The potatoes will not brown up before the onions burn. Got to wait until the potatoes are getting brown , then add the onions...that will make a feast.
 

JimP

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Mar 28, 2016
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Gypsum, Co
Favorite camp meal is deer liver and onions, I live for it. I have even been known to scavenge a fresh gut pile just to get the liver out of it.

Next would be fresh trout, which we usually catch the day before the hunts start. I always have a fishing pole with me whenever I am in the hills.

I also don't think that you can beat lima beans and ham hocks, a great camp meal that is easy to fix beforehand and then just warm up when you are ready. But don't forget the corn bread out of the dutch oven.

I am also a hunter of opportunity and will never turn down the chance to shoot a grouse if we come upon one while hunting. Even after I have filled my tag I'll pack a shotgun just encase a grouse or rabbit should show up withing range. Just last year we stopped along the road from one elk camp and shot 20 or so rabbits between 2 of us along with 5 chuckars. Now that was a good meal with them in the dutch oven with some cream of mushroom soup added.
 

CrimsonArrow

Very Active Member
Feb 21, 2011
857
363
Minnesota
I'll second the fried deer heart, but would add the tenderloin to that meal. I'm a big eater, especially while hunting hard. A good meal to take to camp is venison pumpkin curry served over rice. Just warm the curry and boil some minute rice and you're eating.
 

dustin ray

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Oct 23, 2011
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Alta Loma CA
Elk sloppy Joes
spagetti with hot Italian deer sasage
Pho soup with elk hart
wild bore chorizo and egg breakfast burritos
jalape?os stuffed with duck or dove ,grouse and wrapped with bacon
rabbit smoked on the treger
cast iron pot lasagna with ground deer meat
cast iron pot duck onions potatoes carrots and fresh sage
 

Slugz

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Oct 12, 2014
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Casper, Wyoming
Favorite: Chicken and Dumplings. Prep/cook the soup base at home and freeze. Thaw heat up and mix the dumplings in camp and drop in.

Favorite: Caul fat meatballs. Make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze. Knock down an elk or deer and use that to wrap the meatballs in and cook.

Always: Burritos. Cook the taco seasoned meat at home and freeze. Meat, cheese, sour creme and salsa.

Least expected. chicken and sausage jambalaya ( Zatarain seasoning) and blackend redfish.
 

Ikeepitcold

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Staff member
Feb 22, 2011
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Reno Nv
Antelope camp we have a pretty good set up. My favorite meal is Ribeye with garlic mashed potatoes. There is usually a salad and some vegetables to go with that but I don't like to waste room in my belly for that kind of stuff. Lol
 

Fink

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Apr 7, 2011
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West Side, MoMo
Deer camp in the East is a little different then your tent camps out West.. But some of my favorites:
My dad's bbq chicken, takes him forever to grill it, but it is worth it. Delicious!
My bbq brisket with cheesy potatoes - I work from home about 75% of the time, so I'll smoke a brisket all day, and get it prepared and ready to go for the weekend. Toss it in the oven for 30 minutes at 250 or so, and it tastes even better than fresh off the smoker!

Opening weekend of rifle deer season is a family event for us, wifes and moms and grandmas cook up a feast for lunch and dinner on opening day. Kinda makes it tough to stay in the woods all day. Our opening day menu is similar to our Thanksgiving menu. Ham, wild turkey, mostaccioli, green beans, cheesy potatoes, sweet potatoes, 10 different pies...
 

Colorado Cowboy

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Jun 8, 2011
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Dolores, Colorado
I know I've already put in one, but I would be remiss if I didn't add one more.

On our family wilderness backcountry deer hunting trips in the Sierras in California, we have been doing one meal for years. There is anywhere from 6 to 9 hunters in camp and usually towards the end of the trip that lasts for 10 days, I usually pit roast a deer hindquarter. I take the full quarter and make cuts in it and bury whole garlic cloves (8 to 10), coat the meat with olive oil and my special rub. Add 2 or 3 onions sliced and wrap the quarter with a couple of ham skins (from smoked & fully cooked hams we bring to camp). Wrap the quarter in foil and then wrap the meat in a wet cotton or muslin sack.

We have a pit about 3' x 3' and 3' deep lined with slate. Build a fire in it a hour or so in advance of adding the meat. When there is about 4 to 6" of coals add a 2'x2' piece of slate and put the meat on top of it. Cover with a steel plate (we have one we leave in camp) and build a fire on top. After coals are a couple of inches deep, leave it cook for 3 to 4 hours. Take it out and unwrap and its ready to eat. Make tacos, burritos add BBQ sauce or any other way you like it. Usually there is nothing left but the bones......
 

kidoggy

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Apr 23, 2016
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idaho
most anything carnivore. some days when I hit camp ,I would be willing to eat the south end out of a north bound rino