Crockpots on the Playa

ellisbelle · Post by **ellisbelle** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:27 pm

So I've convinced myself that the low-maintenance route to feeding 25-odd campmates is so bring up a couple of crock pots and use them cook healthy, easy, yummy meals. We're planning several elaborate sit-down meals but for the off-nights, I think it'll be nice to have a warm bowl of stew-y deliciousness on hand for folks to eat when they get around to it. We'll have 24/7 power so that's not an issue.

Does anyone have interesting ideas for crock pot recipes? Ideally they'd be something that can be meatless or meaty.

Ideas?

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:40 pm

I first rread the title as "Crackpots on the Playa", which didn't phase me at all.

Anyway, chili is good both meaty and meatless.

You can roast a big hunk o' meat like an english roast or pork roast.

You can cook big bunches of potatoes or yams too.

I think you might even be able to bake a quickbread in them.

I think they sell cookbooks too.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:13 pm

Great idea, My campmates would come back to camp about midnight and raid whatever I had cook for dinner that day.. The crock pot would give some warmth during the cooler nights.. It's got me to start thinking about what I can do this year..

ellisbelle · Post by **ellisbelle** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:21 pm

yeah, there are a whole bunch of recipes to weed through on

http://www.crockpot.com/recipes.html

Ideally, I think I'll do one veggie and one meaty per day and just let folks graze.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:53 pm

I have a small honda eu2000 generator to use. It will just purr along while it simmers the pot...

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 6:31 am

Most crockpot stews or chilis can be prepped preplaya, placed in big zipper bags, frozen, and then popped into the crockpot each morning. Would save on clean up and time; you'd need a seperate cooler just for the frozen stuff though (if you're using coolers).

ellisbelle · Post by **ellisbelle** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:14 am

yeah, pre-playa prep is a possibility. (so is alliteration, apparently). the only problem, besides the freezing bit, is that i actually like doing some of the cooking on the playa. there's something really satisfying about whipping up a big delicious meal out there.

i was even considering using those disposable slow-cooker liner things that they sell now to aid in clean-up. wondering though the trade-off. you end up with one small bit of trash to haul back home but at the same time, reduce the water you need for clean-up. i know it's sort of heresy to consider the disposable stuff but it does seem like you could make the argument from an environmental standpoint when you look at the entire process. maybe.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:44 am

Crockpots are for those who don't have Dutch ovens.

5x5 · Post by **5x5** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:48 pm

research solar cookers. my campmates (native to reno) use one at home all the time, and it was handy out there. they would mix something up after breakfast and it would be done for dinner! no generators needed!

ellisbelle · Post by **ellisbelle** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 2:28 pm

yep. we actually built a solar oven my first year out there and baked chocolate chip cookies in it. but it assumes pretty constant sunlight (yeah, it's the desert but we had trouble keeping the temp steady with the cookies) as well as people who can be counted on to have decent carpenter skills.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 9:23 pm

I'm assuming you have a generator to power it...

For those who don't, you can approximate crock pot recipes with a dutch oven. I'm bringing mine and planning to do a roast and stickybuns at different times during the week. Still haven't decided on what to roast...current favourites are boneless leg of lamb, venison osso bucco or buffalo standing rib.

Desert Duck · Post by **Desert Duck** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:12 pm

OOohhhh. Chicken pot pie from scratch-use biscuit dough for the top crust, would work well in a dutch oven, you can do some prep before (peel carrots, partially cook chicken, etc) but still do most on the playa (all the chopping, mixing, baking), you could also use a combination of crock pot and solar oven (oven for the biscuits). YYYUUUMMMM!!!!

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:43 am

Our favorite "quick" hot meal is couscous in a disposable container with canned chicken and raisins or other dried fruits and a handful of spices. Boil some water, mix it up, let it sit to plump the grain, and Voila! Takes five minutes, is hot and filling, practically no cleanup.

Doesn't sound nearly as tasty though, does it?