High Sierra Topix

No fuel, no clean-up

I just returned from a trip where I caught a huge fish (20-in). Fire not an option because I was above timber. I cut the fish smaller pieces, stuffed them in my pot, added about 2 tbs oil, a dash of water (the fish themselves have lots of water), and simmered (very low heat) for 15 minutes (I too have a snowpeak giga). You have to shake the pot often so the fish do not stick to the bottom. I spiced it up with burbon bbq spice. THEN, I wrapped the pot in a cozy and let it sit for 10 minutes. I made my own cozy from an old foam sleeping pad. This method is similar to "braising". Admitted- not as good as fried on a fire, but better than boiled.

I had fish every night on this 7-day trip and used one medium canister of fuel for seven days. I use the cozy for all meals - cook for about half the time and put it in the cozy for the other half.

Nothing to do with fish, but I always solar pre-heat my water. Getting water and putting it in the sun is the FIRST thing I do when I get to camp.
I also have a home-made wind screen on my stove - really saves fuel.

I generally prefer filleting, then poaching the fish in a frypan with a touch of olive oil and salt for flavor. Sometimes, I'll add a mustard packet or dried dill.

Filleting takes time, but cleanup is a lot easier after cooking.

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Tried a few methods of trout cooking...Luckily have been able to hike with/ cook for Mike...a picky Old Fart - but, we may have caught more than our fair share over the years.
- Boiling or poaching - (yuck).
- Baking - did it once - (meh, oven too heavy),
- Carrying a small aluminum grill to be suspended over the fire - (too easily burned if not constantly attended or, when turning, the fish chunks fell right through...still, this way worked OK till I learned better).
- The single stick - (worked in a pinch but), inconsistent cooking; lot of burned or raw fish areas.
- Frying in oil; best if filleted - (Tasty, uses lots of oil, clean-up and prep, a real pain).

- Foil wrap method mostly now preferred. Uses but a little oil, Easy to add spices (IE - a little salami and hot pepper flakes inside?), Easy prep, easy clean, and can be done without worrying during that un-attentive twilight cocktail hour.
Just drop packets into the red-hot coals (if low enough), or pressed into a hot fry pan using any convenient granite. BTW, Why do you need to carry a fry pan lid?

A few times I boiled my fish and then used the fish filet and water to rehydrate a pre packaged meal. Almost always I use a small grill over an open fire and BBQed them for filet in the meal. I usually had some fish filet that didn't make it passed my mouth in the middle of cooking. I peele off the skin and ate it with one hand on the head and the other on the tail. This cooking method uses VERY LITTLE wood to cook them. I don't always drive my car under the speed limit either. Do you?

Giving this thread another bump.

Has anyone tried cutting the trout in chunks, putting it in tin foil and then on a frying pan? Trying to avoid a mess/having my frying pan constantly smell like fish.

Also, any light frying pan recommendations?

Markskor posted a nice article on this at: http://www.highsierratopix.com/culinary ... g-methods/