Foil Cooking

Foil pack cooking is a great way to introduce novices to the world of outdoor cooking. They are easy to prepare, great to eat, and simple to clean up after. They can be prepared in advance -- at a den meeting -- frozen, and then thrown right on the fire at camp. There are probably hundreds of great recipes around, but they all use the same basic concept. The pack needs to be sealed tightly -- a "drug-store" fold -- to hold in the moisture, turned several times during cooking, and the actual recipe can be just about whatever you want it to be. Here's a basic recipe:

Use two layers of lightweight foil, or one layer of heavy‑duty foil. A square sheet the width of the roll will work just fine, shiny side up. Some folks smear a layer of butter or margarine on the foil to start. Add a hamburger patty, then sliced potatoes, carrots, onions, broccoli, or whatever else sounds good. Vegetables should all be cut to about the same thickness to help them all cook evenly. Starting with a cabbage leaf first, and then adding the meat will keep the meat from burning. Encourage the Scouts to add a little onion, even if they're not going to eat it later‑it really helps the flavor. Season with salt, pepper, garlic salt, etc., then fold the foil edges up over the food. Fold them down once, crease gently, then fold down again and crease. The object is to seat the moisture in the package. Try not to rip the seams, but if you do, finish wrapping, then repeat with another layer of foil. The trick is to be able to identify your foil pack later, so scratch your name into a small piece of foil and leave it near the outside. Cook this pack for 20 to 30 minutes. You may want to add a handful of rice; just add a few ice cubes also, and it will turn out great!

Spread the white‑hot coals shallowly, and distribute the packs evenly on top. While the packs are cooking, watch for steam venting from a seam. If that happens, seal the pack by folding the edge over or wrapping it in another piece of foil. Turn the packs twice during the recommended time. When it's close to the completion time, open a comer of a pack and check to see if the meat is done.

Foil Cooking Times

Cooking times are approximate and will be affected by the depth of the charcoal bed, altitude, temperature of the food, etc. Frozen packs may be put directly on the fire, but they will take longer to cook. Recipes below may have to be adjusted depending on ingredients, etc. It is best to try them in advance to verify the ingredients and cooking time in your area.

Additional              Scout‑Level Recipes

Thanksgiving foil pack. Place a layer of ice cubes on the foil.   Lay turkey breast on top of the ice. Add 1/2 cup Stovetop stuffing mix, 1/2 cup regular stuffing mix. Then add 1/2 - 3/4 can of chicken soup (mixed with water according to directions on can). Wrap the pack using the drug store fold, and cook over coals about 40 minutes until done.

Baked apple. Core apple. Place on a square of foil. Fill hole with I tablespoon raisins, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and a dash of cinnamon. Candy red hots also make good filling. Wrap foil around apple using the drug store fold, and bake in coals for 20 minutes.

Hobo popcorn. In the center of a foil square (6" by 6"), place 1 teaspoon of cooking oil and 1 tablespoon of popcorn. Bring foil comers together to form a pouch. Seal the edges, but leave room inside for the popcorn to expand. Tie the pouch on a long stick with a string, and hold the pouch over the coals. Shake constantly until all the corn is popped.

Pizza. Place a half of an English muffin on foil. Layer on pizza sauce, grated cheese, pepperoni, or whatever else you like on your pizza. Drug store fold the foil, and place in the coals for 5 - 10 minutes.

Orange surprise. Cut off top 1/3 of an orange. Remove and eat the insides, leaving a little orange on the inside. Mix up a yellow or spice cake mix according to the directions on the mix box. Pour mix into orange about 1/2 full. Place the top back on the orange, and wrap in three layers of foil, using the drug store fold to seal the pack. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove and let cool before eating.

Stick bread. Use "refrigerator" biscuit dough, or prepare biscuit mix very stiff. Heat stick, flour it, then wind dough like a ribbon, spiraling down the stick. Keep a small space between the twists. Cook by holding about 6" from coals at first so inside will bake, then brown by holding nearer the coals. Turn continually Bread will slip off easily when done.

Camp doughnuts. Pour a few inches of cooking oil into a large pot. This will work on a camp stove or coal bed, but use caution as it works best when the oil is very hot. Make the "doughnuts" by poking a hole in the center of a canned biscuit. Drop in the oil, and turn once with a tong or stick. They cook very fast; watch for good color. Remove to drain on paper towels, and roll in confectioners or cinnamon sugar.

COOKING WITH FOIL

Place food in center of foil.	Bring sides up loosely.	Fold top 1/2 inch down, crease.	Fold top down again. Don't crease.
Fold top down flat. Press ends together	Fold corners over along dotted lines.	Fold pointed ends over 1/2!nch	Fold ends over again. Place on coals.