Time saving tips for potatoes
Fred is a meat and potato kind-ah guy. One of the first things a cook learns when camping, particularly when camp is a mile or more high, is it takes longer for things to cook. This is true for potatoes. For a long time I just could not get the two done at the same time until I learned these tricks:
Using fresh potatoes
Peel,
Cut in half,
Than cut the in quarters the long way,
Cut across in thin (about 1/4-inch) slices.
Toss in your pot full of water and bring to a boil on campfire or campstove. Note: cook time is nice less so keep an eye on the pot. Leftover potatoes are ready for a breakfast.
Canned, pre-cooked or frozen potatoes.
This isn’t cheating but can be a challenge because such potatoes take up room in your ice chest or fridge. If you opt for canned potatoes, you will need to rinse well and pat dry if fried.
Instant mashed potatoes
I think instant mashed potatoes must have been invented by a camper. Lightweight and quick, requiring less water and minimal cooking time, they are my favorite and trusted go-to potato product. One trick I often use is adding vegetables (peas are our favorite) to the water before it comes to a boil.
Campfire Roasted Spuds
MY preference is use the foil packet method to campfire roasted spuds but you can go old-school and roast your potato directly in campfire hot coal. I recommend using smallish boiling potatoes, unpeeled, for the foil packet and good size Idaho baking spuds. Check the Internet and contact me for recipes.
