Canoe trip

Michael B · January 2008

Has anyone packed a small BGE on a canoe trip?

I have been asked to cook a brisket while on a three day canoe trip in Maine next June. If I agree to this I would obviously be doing more cooking than just the brisket, but I'm not entirely sure I want to do it. The idea is intriguing; I just have a few reservations about it.

1. The person who asked says he has 4 other dads who would be interested in joining our group if I agree, so a full packer would be needed.
2. I suppose I could cut the brisket in half and double deck a small. Anyone tried this?
3. Anyone tried an overnight cook while camped out on a sand bar?
4. Packing 70 pounds of ceramic in a canoe.

The way I see it I have 4 choices:
1. Go for it.
2. Start watching for a WSM.
3. Build a barrel smoker. (Anyone know where I can pick up a 30 gallon food grade open top steel barrel?
4. Tell them I can’t do it.

So….. what do you all think?

Michael B

Braddog · January 2008

Sounds like the wrong venue to mix a packer cut brisket with.

Braddog

Michael B · January 2008

Yes it does, but I do like a challenge.

BBQster1 · January 2008

I've done a lot of canoeing and BBQ (5 canoes, 5 smokers) and I don't think they mix.

I would shy away from anything that required heavy equipment and packing in fuel. When camp cooking, especialy for strangers, I try to keep it as simple as possible. You don't want to spend your trip worrying if your big moment is going to be a flop.

Why not cook the brisket ahead of time and enjoy sandwiches at room temperature (or reheat the brisket in a steamer). A pot of Brunswick Stew would be appreciated as well. I've had a lot of luck taking black beans, chili, and stews frozen in gallon ziplocks. If you lay them out flat in the freezer, they pack efficiently and they taste a lot better than water when they melt.

Camp food is always well received as long as is not burnt and someone else is doing it.

Sundown · January 2008

And you would have to pack the charcoal along too. Sounds like a lot more work than it might be worth but, like you said, an intriguing idea none-the-less.

bobbyb · January 2008

MichaelB,
If it were me, I'd cook ahead of time, slice and put in seal-a-meal bags. Boils the bags riverside.
Bob

Spring Chicken · January 2008

I would do as the others suggested and pack some already cooked food that could be easily heated up or eaten at sandbar temperature.

A can of vienna sausages and just-opened pork 'n beans tastes fantastic to someone spending time in the wild, especially at the end of the day. You don't need to lug around a Big Green Egg to serve food that will satisfy even the hardiest woodsman.

I say use your small Egg to celebrate your adventure once you return home.

Spring "Gourmet Dining In The Wild Is Not An Option" Chicken
Spring Texas USA

Dr. Strangelove · January 2008

Aintry? This river don't go to Aintry! You done taken a wrong turn boy...
(iimagine Dueling Banjos playing)

Sounds like fun but don't think I would bring an egg along unless you are staying in one place the whole time. How long would you have to sit after an overnight cook to let it cool enough to put back in the canoe? Sounds like a good way to crack it, capsize and sink it, etc.. Take a dutch oven and you won't have to worry the whole time. By the way - if you hear banjo music - run!

Bet you have a purdy mouth!

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

Michael B · January 2008

Aintry?
No, the Saco. We put in in New Hampshire and take out in Maine. Several dads rent canoes from a place named Saco Bound.

We used to camp in two locations, but the last two years we stayed in one spot for the three days (two nights).

It is always a good size group, with 25 to 30+ canoes. At camp, people generally break into sub-groups when they set up, with space allotted for horse shoes and volley ball courts and a space left open for Frisbee or football.

Cooking on site is kind of an unwritten rule, with pre-cooked food being almost taboo. The food is not, however, typical camp fare. Last year the group next to us packed in live lobsters and the makings for a seafood stew that was one of the best I've sampled anywhere. Our group usually does fillets; last year we did a tenderloin. (That is just not the same cooked with propane. One reason I would kind of like to do this.) Sides included baked sweet potatoes, grilled stuffed mushrooms, asparagus, and corn-on-the-cob steamed in the husks. A couple dads bring Dutch ovens every year and cook some d-m good food in them. Every year I tell myself I need to get one of those. Still haven't.

Yes, there is some competition with the cooking. Everyone cooks a little extra because everyone wanders the camp sampling each other’s fare. The guy who asked if I could cook a brisket did so after sampling the seafood stew, and at the urging of his son. My first impulse was to say no, but I said I'd think about it.

fishlessman · January 2008

some of those sites can be driven too, with a group that size im assuming your staying at one of those. i would see if you can leave the egg with the landowner as there can be some pretty drunken folk around that maybe might not steal an egg, but would see no problem using it during the day.

FlaPoolman · January 2008

Michael; This is cheating but I use it for charity cooks where you can't cook on site.
Brown 10 + lb brisket About 1 1/2 hrs per side at 275. Then foil, or foil on site with mix of 1 beer, 1 cup water, minced garlic, About 5 shakes worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup brown suger, 3 shakes tobasco and any spices you like. Can finish cook on open fire or indirect, whatever is available covered (it"s like a pot roast now). The liquid is a little to strong to serve with so bring along some au-jus. cook covered for 3 to 5 hrs. Bring a sharp knife as it will fall apart as you try to slice. Hope it works for you. Dutch oven is great for finish.

Pat

Canoe trip

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