Summer Backpacking and Camping

Getting out into the mountains seems to be a big part of

our summers.

While I was at Girl's Camp dining on smoked brisket

that I had smoked ahead of time and brought to camp,

my husband and two of my sons and my son in law

went backpacking.

They were having steaks the first night.

They ate pretty well  this year , because they used horses

to pack in heavier items, like some fresh food and dutch ovens.

The horses belong to a guide they hired to take them in.

While the girls were sleeping in cabins, the guys had

invested in new hammocks to sleep in.

I guess they could have shared this teepee that they found in

the backwoods, but who knows who might have shown up to

sleep in it.

Left to right, my son's friend, my son-in-law and my youngest son.

I am not the only one who likes to cook.  Part of the reason they

used horses to pack this year is so that they could eat well.

This is a chocolate cake they cooked in a dutch oven using

charcoal.  They topped it with the S'more's Trailmix that you

can buy at Target.  Yummmy!  They are not suffering.

I have a great chocolate cake recipe made in a dutch oven I

will get around to posting one day.

Last year was the first time they didn't carry everything themselves.

They tried GOAT PACKING.

They hired 8 goats that carry gear in side packs

This is Goatee.

They found out why the goats will be separated from the sheep!

Some goats are just stubborn and wouldn't move.

They ended up having to remove packs from half of them.

He looks like he has attitude.

A big part of their trip is fishing for trout.

It is mostly "catch and release" but they did keep three

trout that they made Trout Alfredo Fettucine with. They used

a dried package mix made according to package

directions for the fettucine alfredo, and then they top it with grilled trout.

I guess they decided to swim too!  You can't believe how freezing

these mountain lakes can be!  Like a cold plunge at a spa.

These are two of my sons who went, the third son was home

getting ready to have a baby.

This is my husband and my son.

We had expected rain at Girl's Camp but had a perfect week.

These were the only clouds the last night.

The boys took this the last night.  It was a beautiful moon.

We both had a beautiful moon.  How cool,  we were under the same moon.

 This is the brisket cooking in my smoker that

I bought off Costco.com.  I went to visit my sister in

Texas and she made me some smoked meats.  I

called home and had my daughter order me a smoker

on-line.  It arrived before we got home.  I would

highly recommend getting one.

Smoked Texas Brisket

(Made Easy)

Heavily season a beef brisket that has been trimmed - remove the thickest pieces of fat-

with Montreal Steak Seasoning.  Rub it into all sides.

Place the brisket in a roasting pan in the oven, uncovered, at 350 for 1 hour.

Cover with foil and add 1/2 C. water if the pan is dry.  Turn down

the heat to 250.  Let it slow cook for 4-5 hours or until you

can pull the meat apart with a fork.  You want it very tender.

Remove the meat and place in a smoker that you have

prepared with mesquite wood chips, or whatever wood

you prefer.  Place 2-3 C. water in the pan to provide a "wet" smoke.

Let it smoke on medium for 1 hour.  Don't do

it so long it dries out. 

Slice across the grain to serve.

I like to save the pan drippings and pour over

the meat.  Serve plain or with your favorite BBQ sauce.

This is wonderful and worth the $300 or so investment of a

smoker.

We even smoke in the winter, out in a foot of snow.

I just throw on my snow boots and put it in.

I would love to post recipes for dutch oven cooking.

We usually get together every summer with family and

do a dutch oven cook out.  Sometimes we camp,

sometimes we just go up in the mountains for dinner.

Here we are cooking corn bread or pulled pork enchiladas

or some other yummy treat in the dutch ovens at Girl's Camp.

Have a great summer and get out of doors!

My husband said that he decided he wanted to use my

signature goodbye - a picture of his feet.  Clever guy.

He must be paying attention to my blog!

Glad to have everyone home again.

I will be posting this with the Tablescaper on Summer Sundays.