SC - Suggestions

[Heitman]

At 12:00 PM 3/30/99 EST, you wrote:
>Good Gentles,
>
>If all goes well, I will be cooking a feast for 120 at a state park with no
>kitchen facilities other than a power outlet and a spiget for water.
>Knowing of these primative conditions, I'm planning on renting a 5ft by 2 ft
>charcoal grill plus borrowing a number of propane burner thingies. What else
>should I be thinking about bringing to the site to make life a little easier
>for myself?


First, I have read several posts about not being able to get hot water for
washing dishes.  There is a means available, tho you might have a little
difficulty finding one.

The US army has regular field kitchens that face exactly the same problem
that you describe, except that they have to carry the water in as well.
They have solved the problem of soldiers washing trays by a simple
butane(?) heater stuck into a galvanized steel trash can. This heats the
water up to temperatures over 200 degrees if need be. More than sufficient
to wash a battalions' trays.

You might want to investigate a number of on-line military surplus outlets
to see if they might have a chance of obtaining one for you.  I know that
one in Springfield, MO had two several years ago, but I haven't been back
since.


>>Here's the proposed menu as I envision it at this time:
>Roast Beast
>Cold Chicken in Sage Sauce (chicken cooked in advance & frozen)

My suggestion is that both of these be wrapped in heavy foil and frozen in
individual servings with all the spices and flavorings inside the foil
wrap. Keep them frozen until they actually go on the grill. When you rent
the trailer grill, make sure you get one that has the "smoker lid" to help
create the oven effect. Then get the oven up to 275 or 300 degrees. 

Then slow roast the meats for 2 to 2 1/2 times the scheduled time for the
size serving you have. Generally, this means several hours (like 4-5).  But
the end result will be three things:

	1)  extremely moist and tender
	2)  superbly flavorful
	3)  fully cooked, and STILL food borne illness free.

That last one is the biggest fear of the camp kitchen, as evidenced by the
other posts. You may want to "experiment" with the fire and meat *before*
you get to the event to see how long it will really take to be safe.
Especially since camp fires are hard to judge as to temperature.

>Rabbit Stew (made in advance and refrigerated)

STIR, STIR, AND STIR AGAIN. Nothing worse than scorched rabbit stew.


Franz

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