Thanksgiving Day Feast While Camping?

[MarkBC]

Lighthawk's post got me thinking about this topic...and thinking about all the Thanksgiving Days I've spent out in the middle of nowhere camping.
Most of these times I've been by myself, but even then I've usually tried to have a turkey-day component to it, even if it was turkey and sides that I'd already cooked at home so just had to heat up at camp.

Back in the '90s, CraggyMan and I did a full-on T-day feast while camped at the mouth of McGill Canyon on the west side of the Jackson Mountains on the far-northeast side of the Black Rock Desert of northwest Nevada.
We grilled a full turkey on a Weber kettle q...with all the fixin's -- out there in the middle of nowhere.
As good as Martha could have done, we thought.

We did this in that spot for a couple of years. It was great!


The Kentuckian's (a couple of desert rats from Bowling Green, Kentucky, believe-it-or-not, who were camped in "our spot" the second year of this tradition) said they were going to climb this snow encrusted peak -- "King Lear Peak"...but then they came to their senses and decided it wasn't a good day to die.




Anybody else have stories/photos to share of Thanksgiving-Day dinners done while way-out-and-about?

 

[CraggyMan]

Wow, those are some way young Craggy pix. I know we were a little bent back in those days but I'm looking really blurry........

 

[MarkBC]

...I know we were a little bent back in those days but I'm looking really blurry........

I can post the non-anonymized versions if you like...but this way I didn't need to get a release from the model.

 

[CraggyMan]

Nobody would know me anyway. Way too much hair and very underweight compared to now. I'm sure the Kentuckian's thought we were crazy.

 

[Smokecreek1]

You guys look to young and skinny, but still looks like fun, maybe we out to revive that for next year or just have a "designated acting "T-day out there and and just do it. I can tell you the worst T-day I ever had and it wasn't while I was in the Army--it was here in Susanville, got snowed in at the last minute and couldn't make it home to Tahoe and didn't want to try to brave the snow & show up at some friends house uninvited (even though I would be welcomed) . Sat here with uggggh, a tv turkey dinner and a bottle of vodka and some orange juice. Made up my mind that I'd never do that again, even if it was just the dog, cat and me I would cook a turkey meal up. Now we have three NFL games to watch instead of the one, then the two games of old! Have some friends who go snow golfing every New Years up in the Skedadle Mountains, maybe aught to try that, but your T-day trip sure looks good!

Smoke

 

[MarkBC]

...I know we were a little bent back in those days...

Yes...a little bent...

Seems like I remember drinking hot tea with Myers's Rum while waiting for the turkey to cook...occasionally adding more briquets/wood to the Q when the oven thermometer indicated the need...and enjoying the huge view of the eastern Black Rock and beyond.

Hot tea because -- though it was sunny, it was a bit nippy, and Myers's...ummm...to be in the holiday spirit?

Playing with fire:

 

[Ted]

We have camped the last few Thanksgivings and will be again this year. I need to bring all the cooking toys to do the traditional dinner. Just the two of us so not a whole turkey, just a turkey breast on the BBQ. Gravy, mashed potatoes, and string beans on the camper stove and Partner stove, and crescent rolls in the Coleman folding oven placed on the other burner of the Partner stove. No pictures from past T-days so I'll try to get some this year.

Another tradition for us is Eggs Benedict on Christmas morning, also usually spent camping.

 

[Alley-Kat]

Many years ago, not turkey, T-Bones. Yep, I too lugged that 22" Webber out camping, back in the day. At 10,500 ASL, I'm a bit B-B-Q challenged, hence the thermometers to know what is going on inside (and, I'm glad I did that, perfect Medium Rare).

 

[craig333]

I've never got to go camping on T-day. Considering its one of the rare weeks off I get it hurts but oh well, soon enough thats going to be over.

My only question cooking a turkey camping is, what do you do with all the leftovers?

 

[MarkBC]

My only question cooking a turkey camping is, what do you do with all the leftovers?

As I recall, it fit in an ice chest ok...seems like we took the meat off the bone. It was only a 12-lb-er, which is what they recommend for grilling/bbqing: use a small one.

 

[Beamer pilot]

You guys got me slobbering...eeh... I mean salivating, no not about you cooking but about you camping in November.
Camping out here this time of the year? Out deer hunting yesterday just about froze my nose off…after two hours exposure.
Love the South West.

 

[MarkBC]

Camping out here this time of the year? Out deer hunting yesterday just about froze my nose off…after two hours exposure.

Where is "here" for you, Beamer pilot?

 

[Ted]

The components - Turkey breast on the grill; mashed potatoes and green beans on the camp stove, rolls and gravy on the camper stove:

The final result. Granted, no stuffing but the wife doesn't eat it anyway.

 

[MarkBC]

Good job, Ted -- looks great! I think you get extra points for actually baking the rolls in an oven!

I like that you included the traditional gelled-cylinder form of cranberry sauce. That's how I remember T-day from my childhood at grandpa/grandma's house...before food-radicals introduced the whole-berry form.

 

[highz]

Looks really tasty -but- I just can't envision Thanksgiving dinner without stuffing.

 

[ski3pin]

Looks really tasty -but- I just can't envision Thanksgiving dinner without stuffing.

x2!

Looks like a great job Ted! Did you serve in your good slacks and tie?

My indirect grilled whole turkey - sage & lemon and maple wood smoked is legendary as is my oven baked stuffing. My father in law could live on my stuffing alone. Points for me! No cranberries here except in the sparkling apple cranberry cider. We're having left overs right now!

 

[Hittheroad]

Looks really tasty -but- I just can't envision Thanksgiving dinner without stuffing.


How about nothing but stuffing?

My memory is of a trip brought on by exam induced insanity during grad school. We decided to spend Thanksgiving day hiking into Avalanche lake in the Adirondacks with food supplies consisting of nothing beyond a box of glazed doughnuts. There was a dusting of snow and nearly frozen glazed doughnuts are an interesting substitute for hot turkey and pumpkin pie. It was a Thanksgiving we are never likely to forget.

 

[Ted]

I have no arguement with the pro-stuffing crowd. Personally I love it, too. But I was out of burners and something had to go. Since that is the thing only one of us likes, it drew the short straw.

 

[ski3pin]

<snip> Did you serve in your good slacks and tie?


towel over your arm?

 

[Ted]

Did you serve in your good slacks and tie?

No, it was casual night. The formal wear only comes out when we have important company.