Jetboil system review in the Yorkshire Dales

Yorkshire dales

Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips

In a recent expedition to the Yorkshire dales, helping out on a Duke of Edinburgh Gold trip, I tried out my new Jetboil system. It’s fast, its efficient, it’s compact. The 1L beaker holds the burner and gas cylinder. It all fits together and self lights. Due to the cosy cover and heat distribution system it boils the water fast. I loved it on this trip where I would wake up and put on a brew to make a nice cup of ruibos tea.
We had extreme weather – sleet, snow and rain. The going was tough but the tough just got going leaving me sitting drinking tea and contemplating my excellent lightweight tent and cooking equipment.
There is a larger saucepan which is jolly handy for cooking up dinner and uses the same burner. It has a non stick surface so after we made our tuna fish curry I left it soaking and in the morning the residue just lifted off. Both the beaker and the saucepan have a neoprene cover that helps keep them warm and saves fuel. There are a variety of other accessories on the jetboil.com website.
Highly recommended. You can buy one at the Ymzala Book Shop

Gumbo

Camping kettle

Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips

This is an easy dish to do after a long walk in the country. Its a cold winter’s night and you don’t feel like doing much work in the kitchen yet you are starving hungry and want something fresh and fulfilling.

Ingredients: chicken pieces, prawns (frozen), onion, celery, pepper, leeks, optional carrots and cabbage. Bay leaf, tabasco, soy sauce, stock concentrate. Parmesan to sprinkle on top.

If you want rice with this dish, put it on first so it will be ready by the time the rest is cooked. I cook the rice with two cups of water. Boil and then turn the heat off and put the lid on the rice. It will cook nicely in its own steam and this works well if you cooking this out on camp. First fry the chicken pieces and then remove. Fry the onions gently in olive oil. Then add the celery which adds a really wholesome flavour to the dish. Add peppers and leeks, some thinly chopped carrots. Stir all this up for about ten minutes and then add a spoonful of flour and stir in. Then gradually add water or wine – half a pint. Add some soy sauce and tabasco if you have any. I usually add some liquid vegetable stock to give the liquid a little more flavour.

If you are cooking tagliatelle then get it on at this stage. Add prawns and peas to the mixture and cook for a few minutes. I like the vegetables crunchy so it doesn’t take long. Serve with some Parmesan sprinkled on top