The hunter’s lunch of champions may well be deer jerky and a candy bar, but that’s just because they can be eaten quickly, quietly, and they give a good amount of energy. After a long day, it is back at deer camp where you make the time for your real meals. Don’t think that just because you are roughing it out there in search of some whitetail, you can’t eat good. By assembling a few crucial ingredients and tools in one kit, you can create a portable deer camp kitchen kit that assures you can make any wild game recipe that strikes your fancy.
Hunters should note that it is best to have the below specifically for your deer camp and not borrowed from your home kitchen. Not only can you keep things all together, ready to grab and go, but you don’t have to worry about getting blood and dirt all over your home kitchen spice bottles and utensils.
Pot and Frying Pan – You can add any extra cooking equipment you may need if you are trying out a recipe that calls for it, but for most recipes, having a simple frying pan and stew pot will be enough. A crock pot may also be a nice amenity, as it allows for a nice hot meal as soon as you walk though the cabin doors.
Scoop, Spatula, and Tongs – As for cooking utensils, you can accomplish anything with a scoop, a spatula, and a set of tongs. You may get into a situation where you have to MacGyver some things, but you can do it. We believe in you.
Knife and Cutting Board – You probably shouldn’t use your field dressing knife for cooking, and having a cutting board just makes things easier than looking for a clean stump or rock to cut things up on. Plus, it saves the edge of your knife.
Aluminum Foil – It can be used for so many things, from baking potatoes to wrapping up leftovers. Bring a lot and definitely don’t cheap out on the foil. Heavier foil works best.
Salt and Pepper – They are the key seasonings, so of course you need to have a set of shakers in your mobile kitchen. Seasoning salt is also a versatile must-have.
Herbs and Spices – This can vary depending on your tastes, but some key spices to stock include:
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Oregano
- Chili Pepper
- Cumin
- Onion
- Flour (for thickening stews)
For garlic and onion, you can individually pack fresh for each hunting trip, but it is best to have some onion and garlic powder packed just in case you forget. They both lend a lot of flavor.
Oil – Regular old vegetable oil is preferable as it doesn’t go rancid as easily as olive oil, plus with a high smoke point you can both coat pans with it and fry with it while not having to worry about how hot your pan is getting.
Hot Sauce – This is possibly non-essential if you don’t like spicy food, but a good dash on a large chunk of freshly campfire cooked venison can be pretty close to heaven.
Beans, Pasta, and Rice – Typically non-spice ingredients for your deer camp meals should be packed individually for each hunt, but because beans, rice, and pasta can last so long when kept sealed and dry, you can include them in your mobile kitchen. By having these fillers on hand, you can not only create a variety of recipes, but you can also stretch a meal if any visitors show up at camp. Just be sure to change out these stores at the beginning of each hunting season, just to assure freshness.
You can also include some other canned goods as well, like canned tomatoes, canned stock, or any canned veggies. However, they do add more weight to your kit. Also, as the word kit describes, assemble all of this into one easy-to-grab container so you don’t forget anything. Plastic storage bins work nicely.
