Deer Camp Corn and Bean Mash
Instant grits and bean flakes cooked into one thick bowl for a cold sit in a blind.
- calories
- 720
- weight
- 5.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 131
- protein
- 21 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 8 min
- total time
- 10 min
- water
- 600 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Canister stove
- Campfire coals
- Liquid fuel
- Car camping
- Backpacking
- Basecamp
- Winter / snow
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant corn grits | 3/4 cup | quick grits, not stone ground |
|---|---|---|
| Instant black bean flakes | 1/2 cup | |
| Dried sweet corn | 1/4 cup | |
| Dried onion flakes | 1 tbsp | |
| Chili powder and cumin | 2 tsp | |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp | |
| Olive oil | 1 1/2 tbsp | dropper bottle |
Method
- Bring 600 ml of water to a boil. Drop in the dried corn and onion and hold it at a simmer for three minutes so they soften first.
- Take the pot off the heat. Pour in the grits and bean flakes in a slow stream, stirring the whole time.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Put the lid on and let it sit five minutes.
- Stir in the oil last. If it has gone stiff, add a splash of hot water and beat it smooth.
Two starches do two different jobs here. The grits set up fast and give the bowl its body; the bean flakes carry the protein and keep it from tasting like plain porridge. Both rehydrate off the heat, so the stove only runs long enough to soften the dried corn.
The corn is the part worth waiting on. Add it with the powders and it stays leathery. Simmer it first and it comes back sweet, which is the only contrast in an otherwise flat bowl. The oil goes in at the end because stirring fat into boiling starch makes it separate.
Packing
Grits, bean flakes, corn, onion, and spices go in one quart freezer bag at home. Oil rides in its own bottle in an outside pocket.
Variations
- A foil packet of chicken or a handful of chopped jerky pushes it past 35 g of protein.
- Hot sauce or a squeeze of lime cuts the starch if you are eating this three nights running.
https://realtree.com/food-plots-and-land-management/articles/mess-hall-mixtures-5-food-plot-combos-for-full-season