Fishing | Wilderness Outdoors | Family Camping, Campfire & Dutch Oven Cooking Recipes

Family Camping – Mushroom Festival

A Festival For Outdoor People

Spring brings many GREAT things to northern Michigan like Mothers Day, Steelhead fishing, beautiful flowers & woodland surprises such as tasteful morel mushrooms. with that said it brings to mind our annual Mesick Mushroom Festival in Mesick MI. Which is known as mushroom capital. You can enjoy adventurous fun filled days, for people of any age. There is carnival rides for those of you that are thrill seekers, crafts & a flea market. There will be several contests for mushroom hunters, a lucky duck race & much more. View our Grand Parade. There will be lots of good food like BBQ chicken, a fish dinner or taco night and of course many fair goodies. Games for kids of all ages. Watch the Mug bog racers throw some really wet earth up into the air. It’s safer this way. So start your engines, let the mud fly at our great hometown mushroom festival. Mesick is known as a small town, with a big heart. There is many great recipes for cooking mushrooms, some that are a secret that has been passed down from generation to generation that you can taste but you will never get the secret out of the owner. Others share there great tasting recipes with others & we want to share this recipe made for a cast iron skillet with you.
Cubed Steak in Mushroom Sauce
5 cubed steaks
family sized can of cream of mushroom soup
with half a dozen fresh moral mushrooms added when in season.
1/2 cup water

Fry the cubed steaks in a frying pan or wok – I use my two burner camp stove stove. Remove cubed steaks and set them on
several layers of paper towels to drain the grease. Wipe out the pan and put the steaks back in the pan with the cream of
mushroom soup and the 1/2 cup water. Stir the soup in with the water and cover. Let simmer for at least 10 minutes with a low
flame (the meat becomes more tender if you simmer for longer). Serve over rice or egg noodles.

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Dutch Oven Recipes – Barbecued Brisket

Dutch Oven Barbecued Brisket

This is a great barbecued brisket recipe you are sure to enjoy. We always have
a watchful eye for good recipes to share with our readers & when we saw this
dutch oven barbecued brisket recipe we was sure our campground friends would enjoy
making this on their next camping or fishing trip. We have our dutch oven & tripod packed away
for next weekend & we hope to see some of you at our next campfire cookout !

3 cups apple cider
¼ cups honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon whole coriander
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 brisket of beef (2½ pounds)
1 cup white wine (optional)

Combine, white wine, cider, honey, mustard, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger root, coriander and thyme in Dutch oven.
Add brisket. Cover tightly and place in oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees F and cook 1 hour. Remove brisket from cooking
liquid, cover and set aside. Transfer liquid to medium pan and cook over medium heat until reduced to a glaze and thick enough
to coat back of spoon. Using covered grill, light about 12 charcoal briquettes and add small piece of mesquite or other wood. Be
sure to place charcoal and wood to one side of grill. Arrange brisket on grill so that it is not directly over burning wood. Paint it
with some glaze. Place cover on grill and smoke brisket 1 hour, turning meat and coating with glaze every 15 minutes. Add
charcoal or wood, small piece at a time, if fire seems to get too cold. Remove from grill, thinly slice meat against grain and
serve. Offer any remaining glaze on side.

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Fishing – River Fishing

Spring Steelhead Fishing

Growing up in Northern Michigan I will always remember vacations we took to fish at Tippy Dam
There was always anticipation for these trips for a young boy every spring when these fish would start their trip up river to spawn as they are now. Banks full of men & women standing with long poles in hand to bring in one of these big fish. There would be several days I would spend with my family on the banks of the Manistee River fishing & camping under this big dam; it’s something that I don’t think I will ever forget. Grandmother would have a big 15 inch cast iron skillet with fresh fish cooking over a campfire every evening & Eggs with sausage every morning. Every time I pull on my waders I think of the smell of cast iron & pine smoke coming from her campfire. River fishing reports this week say that fishing on gravel beds are best with spawn in full swing, fishing on this river is changing daily. Everyone that fishes these rivers knows that anyone can fish while a few catch fish, it is a time learned thing that you just have to spend time to know. The main thing is to enjoy what I learned when I was a small boy with my family on these river banks. Catching fish is a bonus but being with your family & friends is what really matters. Sharing old stories that are passed on from grandparent to younger generations & then passed on again over a burning campfire on a star lit night is something you will never forget. I listen to my friends talk about their trips to places I have been & we share stories about our trips. We know all of you have stories you would like to share. Leave your comments & ideas of your experiences on river or bluegill bass or pike fishing; we would like to hear from you. Share your outdoor experiences with us.

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