INDIVIDUAL COOKING
=1256. Importance of individual cooking.= It often happens in campaign
that it is impossible to have the field ranges and cooking utensils
accompany the troops, and in such case each man must cook his own food
in his mess kit. Also, it frequently happens that detachments
operating away from their companies must do individual cooking.
All food we eat should be properly cooked, if not, stomach or
intestinal trouble will result. Hence, the importance of every soldier
learning how to cook in his mess kit the main components of the
ration.
=1257. Fire.= Remember that the best fire for cooking is a small,
clear one, or better yet, a few brisk coals. Dig a hole in the ground
with your bayonet and make your fire in it with dry wood, starting it
with paper, shavings, dry leaves or dry grass.
If preferred the fire may be made between two small flat stones or
bricks, care being taken to so place the stones that the draft will
pass between them. The mess pan can be placed on the stones, across
the fire, and the cup for boiling the coffee at the end away from the
draft where it will get the most heat.
This method will, as a rule, be necessary on rocky or stony ground.
=1258. Recipes.= The following recipes, which are based on the War
Department publication, "Manual for Army Cooks," require the use of
only the soldier's mess kit,--knife, fork, spoon, cup, and mess pan:
Meats
=1259. Bacon.= Cut side of bacon in half lengthwise. Then cut slices
about five to the inch, three of which should generally be sufficient
for one man for one meal. Place in a mesa pan with about one-half inch
of cold water. Let come to a boil and then pour the water off. Fry
over a brisk fire, turning the bacon once and quickly browning it.
Remove the bacon to lid of mess pan, leaving the grease for frying
potatoes, onions, rice flapjacks, etc., according to recipe.
=1260. Fresh meat.= _To fry._--To fry, a small amount of grease (1 to
2 spoonfuls) is necessary. Put grease in mess pan and let come to a
smoking temperature, then drop in the steak and, if about one-half
inch thick, let fry for about one minute before turning--depending
upon whether it is desired it shall be rare, medium, or well done.
Then turn and fry briskly as before. Salt and pepper to taste.
Applies to beef, veal, pork, mutton, venison, etc.
=1261. Fresh meat.= _To broil._--Cut in slices about 1 inch thick,
from half as large as the hand to four times that size. Sharpen a
stick or branch of convenient length, say from 2 to 4 feet long, and
weave the point of the stick through the steak several times so that
it may be readily turned over a few brisk coals or on the windward
side of a small fire. Allow to brown nicely, turning frequently. Salt
and pepper to taste. Meat with considerable fat is preferred, though
any meat may be broiled in this manner.
=1262. Fresh meat.= _To stew._--Cut into chunks from one-half inch to
1 inch cubes. Fill cup about one-third full of meat and cover with
about 1 inch of water. Let boil or simmer about one hour or until
tender. Add such fibrous vegetables as carrots, turnips, or cabbage,
cut into small chunks, soon after the meat is put on to boil, and
potatoes, onions, or other tender vegetables when the meat is about
half done. Amount of vegetables to be added, about the same as meat,
depending upon supply and taste. Salt and pepper to taste. Applies to
all fresh meats and fowls. The proportion of meat and vegetables used
varies with their abundance and fixed quantities can not be adhered
to. Fresh fish can be handled as above, except that it is cooked much
quicker, and potatoes, onions, and canned corn are the only vegetables
generally used with it, thus making a chowder. A slice of bacon would
greatly improve the flavor. May be conveniently cooked in mess pan or
tin cup.
Fresh Vegetables
=1263. Potatoes, fried.= Take two medium-sized potatoes or one large
one (about one-half pound), peel and cut into slices about one-fourth
inch thick and scatter well in the mess pan in which the grease
remains after frying the bacon. Add sufficient water to half cover the
potatoes, cover with the lid to keep the moisture in, and let come to
a boil from fifteen to twenty minutes. Remove the cover and dry as
desired. Salt and pepper to taste. During the cooking the bacon
already prepared may be kept on the cover, which is most conveniently
placed bottom side up over the cooking vegetables.
=1264. Onions, fried.= Same as potatoes.
=1265. Potatoes, boiled.= Peel two medium-sized potatoes or one large
one (about one-half pound), and cut in coarse chunks of about the same
size--say 1-1/2-inch cubes. Place in mess pan and three-fourths fill
with water. Cover with lid and let boil or simmer for fifteen or
twenty minutes. They are done when easily penetrated with a sharp
stick. Pour off the water and let dry out for one or two minutes over
hot ashes or light coals.
=1266. Potatoes, baked.= Take two medium-sized potatoes or one large
one cut in half (about one-half pound.) Lay in a bed of light coals,
cover with same and smother with ashes. Do not disturb for thirty or
forty minutes, when they should be done.
=1267. Rice.= Take two-thirds of a cup of water and bring to a boil.
Add 4 spoonfuls of rice and boil until soft, that is, until it can be
mashed by the fingers with but little resistance. This will require
about 15 minutes. Add 2 pinches of salt and, after stirring, pour off
the water and empty the rice out on the lid of the mess pan.
=1268. Canned Tomatoes.= One 2-pound can is generally sufficient for
five men.
_Stew._ Pour into the mess pan one man's allowance of tomatoes, add
about two large hardtacks broken into small pieces, and let come to a
boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, or add a pinch of salt and
one-fourth spoonful of sugar.
_Or_, having fried bacon, pour the tomatoes into the mess pan, the
grease remaining, and add, if desired, two broken hardtacks. Set over
a brisk fire and let come to a boil.
_Or_, heat the tomatoes just as they come from the can, adding two
pinches of salt and one-half spoonful of sugar if desired.
_Or_, especially in hot weather, eaten cold with hard bread they are
very palatable.
Hot Breads
=1269. Flapjack.= Take 6 spoonfuls of flour and one-third spoonful of
baking powder and mix thoroughly (or dry mix in a large pan before
issue, at the rate of 25 pounds of flour and three half-pound cans of
baking powder for 100 men). Add sufficient cold water to make a batter
that will drip freely from the spoon, adding a pinch of salt. Pour
into the mess pan, which should contain the grease from fried bacon,
or a spoonful of butter or fat, and place over medium hot coals
sufficient to bake so that in from five to seven minutes the flapjack
may be turned over by a quick toss of the pan. Fry from five to seven
minutes longer or until, by examination, it is found to be done.
=1270. Hoecake.= Hoecake is made exactly the same as a flapjack by
substituting _corn meal_ for _flour_.
Drinks
=1271. Coffee.= Fill cup about two-thirds full of water and when it
boils add, 1 heaping spoonful of coffee, and let boil 5 minutes. Stir
grains well when adding. Add 1 spoonful of sugar, if desired. Let
simmer ten minutes after boiling. Settle with a dash of cold water or
let stand for a few minutes.
=1272. Tea.= Fill cup about two-thirds full of water and when it boils
add 1/2 spoonful of tea, and let boil 5 minutes. Add 1 spoonful of
sugar, if desired. Let stand or "draw" 8 minutes. If allowed to stand
longer, the tea will get bitter, unless separated from the grounds.
=1273. Cocoa.= Fill cup about two-thirds full of water and when it
boils add 1 heaping spoonful of cocoa and let boil 5 minutes. Stir
when adding until dissolved. Add 1-1/2 spoonful of sugar, if desired.
Let cool. (If available, milk should be used instead of water, and
should be kept somewhat below the boiling point. A 1-pound can of
evaporated milk with 3-1/2 quarts of water will make 1 gallon of milk
of the proper consistency for making cocoa or chocolate.)
=1274. Chocolate.= Same as cocoa, using 1 cubic inch of chocolate.
Emergency Ration
=1275. Emergency Rations.= Detailed instructions as to the manner of
preparing the emergency ration are found on the label with each can.
Remember that even a very limited amount of bacon or hard bread, or
both, taken with the emergency ration makes it far more palatable, and
greatly extends the period during which it can be consumed with
relish. For this reason it would be better to husband the supply of
hard bread and bacon to use with the emergency ration when it becomes
evident that the latter must be consumed, rather than to retain the
emergency ration to the last extremity to be used exclusively for a
longer period than two or three days.