Cub Scouts : Programme Ideas

Cooking with foil

Foil cooking is an excellent outdoor adventure for your Cub scouts/Macaoimh to try at your local campsite. All that is required is some aluminium foil, a fire and a selection of food. Each Six armed with some basis utensils can cook their food using a number of methods and the whole experience should be run with ?learning by doing? to the fore.

Getting ready

You will need a good supply of good hot embers. A keyhole shaped fire allows a main fire to be made in

the main circle and hot coals can be raked into the smaller area for cooking. You can also consider giving each Six a bar-b-que pack which can be purchased in your local supermarket, or make a bigger bar-b-que type fire in a barrel. However, there is a certain romance attached to making your own fire and cooking your food on it. Opt for the bar-b que option only if a ?real fire? is not possible. Choose heavy duty foil rather than the domestic version as it can be a bit light or use two layer of light foil.

Food is a matter of choice. It is usually a good idea to ask your Cubs to bring their own food to the activity suggesting some possibilities. These could include -burgers, sausages, corn on the cob, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, a potato, an orange, an egg etc. it is best to suggest foodstuff that cooks quickly.

Chunks of meat should be avoided as it is hard to get all the items cooked at the same time. You will need a plastic sheet for each Six on which to prepare food. It is also a good idea to have a plastic lunch box or small plastic bags in which prepared food can be placed before cooking. Taking care with the preparation and

hygiege will discourage flies and insects and avoid upset tummies later. Be sure to tidy up after your meal.

Sixes will need to be supervised so that nobody or nothing is burnt. A first aid kit will need to be available. Leaders should allow Sixers to direct their Cubs in the cooking operation making sure that safety is maintained and everyone has an opportunity to prepare and cook their food. Sixes should also be responsible for cleaning up their area afterwards. Try these ideas with your Cub Scouts / Macaoimh

foil1 Egg in orange

Ingredients (per person): 1 orange and 1 or 2 eggs.

Method: Cut an orange in two, eat the contents without damaging the skin, break an egg into the orange shelf, set the shell in the coals of an outdoor fire and allow to cook. When done, eat it from the container.

Onion eggs

Ingredients (per person): 1 large onion and 1 egg.

Method: Cut the onion in half after removing the outer skin. Remove internal contents except for three remaining outer layers. Break egg into shell and set in the coals of an outdoor fire to cook. When done, eat from the onion container after removing the outer scorched layer. Eat the onion, too, if you like - onion has Vitamin C.

Kebab

Use a metal skewer or a 600mm straight green stick with the bark removed about as thick as a lead pencil and point one end. Cut tender beef steak or lamb into 25mm squares; it may be marinated, it need be or you could use balls of mince meat. Peel onions and cut lengthwise once; separate the layers. To get fancy, cut up bacon, quarter tomatoes, slice cucumbers, or quarter green peppers, as you wish. Alternate slices of meat with vegetables on skewer then put over or beside hot coals, turning to grill evenly. Let everybody do his own. Eat right from stick.

Foil shish kabob

Ingredients: Meat in 4cm Cubes, rings of onion, potato, tomato, bacon, pineapple, banana.

Method: Make a skewer out of a thin green stick (without bark) or piece of clean fencing wire. Thread meat cubes on the skewer, sandwiched with rings of onion, potato, tomato, bacon, pineapple and banana in any order or combination. Wrap in foil and cook in coals for 15-20 minutes, depending on the heat

foil2 Burger in armour

Wash, peel and cut in 4mm slices a medium potato and a large carrot. Double foil into a 460mm square and

spread the vegetables on one quarter of it, leaving a 50mm margin around them. Put a handmade burger of mince meat or a thawed out frozen burger beside the vegetables. Salt the vegetables, but not the meat; pepper, if you like. Add slices of onion and a dab of butter. Wrap in foil and leave room for expansion. Set on not too hot coals and cover with more. Cook 15 to 20 minutes. Eat from foil.

Camp bread

Make camp bread mixture-a moderately stiff dough with these ingredients: 1 teacup flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1

tablespoon sugar,1 teaspoon baking powder. Pat the dough into a round fairly flat cake. Wrap loosely in foil to allow for rising. Cook for about 10 minutes. You can also make a ?twist? by rolling the dough into a sausage shape and wrapping it around a thick stick to slowly cook beside the fire.

Chocolate Banana

Ingredients-. 1 large banana, 3-4 pieces of chocolate l cm square.

Method: Slice a fine opening along the skin of the banana and carefully press the pieces of chocolate into the

banana at intervals. Wrap the banana (still in the skin) in double foil and cook for 5-10 minutes

Foil cooking times

Cooking time will depend on such factors as the size of the package and the heat of the coals; if necessary, peep into the foil3 package to see if it is done, but be sure to seal it up airtight again before replacing it in the coals. When cooking several things together, you must, of course, allow enough time for the slowest one to cook.

Some suggested foods and approximate times -Food

Time (minutes)

Mince beef 8-12

Sausage 5-10

Lamb Chop 20-30

Fish - whole 15-20

Fish fillets 10-15

Carrots - sliced 15-20

Potatoes - whole 45-60

Potatoes - sliced 10-15

Apples - whole 20-30

Corn Ear 6-10

Onion - sliced 10-15

Cub Scouts : Programme Ideas

In this Section

Cooking with foil

Getting ready

Some suggested foods and approximate times -Food