It is hard to boast the title of “Ultimate All Purpose Camping Spice” for any single combination of spices. There are any number of spice combinations in this world. Among them are lemon pepper, Herbs de Provence, and Italian seasoning. Each lends itself to certain applications.
While no spice is going to fit every meal, this one does work with a great many types of meal that might be found on camping, hiking and backpacking trips. This ultimate all-purpose camping spice is just as at home on potatoes and steak as it is in trail stroganoff or a bland soup.
This was the best of roughly 60 spice sets that we combined in a long string of experiments. It worked well with many dishes and didn't seem to be found lacking by any of those who tried it. Since it works well with a fair number of dishes, especially the varieties found most often while camping and hiking, it turned out to be a wonderful universal spice that became the favored all-purpose item for the camping boxes and packs of a number of those involved in the testing.
Ingredients
- 1 part Pepper
- 1 part Celery Salt
- 1 part Onion Salt
- 1 part Garlic Salt
- 2 parts Fine-ground Sea Salt
Instructions
- Determine how much of the spice is desired. Generally, teaspoons may be used as the measure of parts for short trips. If a large supply is desired, it can be measured in ¼ Cups.
- Combine all ingredients together in a plastic bag or a selected spice container.
- Seal and shake thoroughly to ensure all of the spices have completely mixed.
Notes
This spice is strong, so it must be used sparingly if the user is unfamiliar with it. Some campers prefer the ratio of salt to be slightly stronger. If this is the case, make the ratio 3 parts salt and leave the other ingredients as they are. The grind level of the pepper can influence the flavor some also, so experiment with fine grind and course grind to determine if you prefer one to the other.
This spice works wonderfully around the house of course, but hikers, campers and backpackers may want to consider special treatment. If they don't plan on needing large volumes of this spice, they may wish to consider using spice straws. This is especially true if an ultra-light backpacking or hiking trip is planned.
The experiments were conducted with Stacy Britton, who deserves due credit as well for his contributions in this recipe.
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