Some of the best meals you will ever have can only be experienced while at camp. Even the same coffee you make at home, prepared in the same manner, is miraculously better when waking up from your tent on a crisp morning.
Overland chow is not the same as survival food. Your Go-rig is an extension of your rucksack and that means you can shed the freeze-dried food. Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for Mountain House meals, but as a rule, I like to up my cooking game with the added space of my rig.
Overland Chow does not need to be complicated and that goes for food in general. People have been using heat to cook food for centuries, so no need to go overboard. As we roll out content for you all on YouTube, I recently had the chance to make a menu for our crew while filming the Paradise Fire Documentary soon to be released. Here is one of my favorite meals that you can try on your next trip. Lemon Pepper Chicken and Veggies.
1. First source Chicken Thighs. Since I have a 12v fridge in my truck I can easily store food and not have to worry about it spoiling. An ice chest works great too. Make sure you get enough chicken for everyone in your crew.
2. Source assorted vegetables including red onion, red and green bell peppers, white mushrooms, zucchini, and yellow squash. If you are short on time, you can source veggie kabobs at your local grocery store.
3. Next, source Lemon Pepper seasoning. I use Tone Lemon Pepper. Season the chicken generously and the veggies lightly.
4. Decide on a cooking surface. Grill, Skillet, Hot Rock, etc. I use an iKamper Disco in my overland kitchen. It adds a unique and specific flavor to everything I cook. Highly recommend it.
5. Cook chicken thoroughly and make sure no pink is present. Cook Veggies in the same disco after you are done with the chicken until you reach your desired temperature. I prefer a little more done veggie with a little sear.
6. Final step is plating all the delicious food and enjoying each other’s company.
Overlanding is easily described as driving any number of miles to have a meal outside. Let me know how the meal went the next time I see you and always, Operate the Outdoors.