60 Nebraskaland • April 2021
Although luxurious, steak dinner is one of the easiest meals to prepare while camping. A bottle of red wine, where permitted,
completes the outdoor dining experience.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
•
4 ribeye steaks (1 inch thick)
•
Coarse salt and pepper, to taste
•
1 tablespoon of oil
•
4-ounce package of Idahoan instant mashed potatoes
•
2 cups of water
•
2 tablespoons of butter, divided
•
1 package of pre-washed spring salad mix
•
Your favorite salad dressings
Special equipment: Two gallon-size zip-top bags and
kitchen towels
Note: An hour before you cook, take steaks out of your
cooler to let them warm up a bit — cold steaks do not cook
evenly. I usually start cooking my steaks when they feel like
room temperature to the touch. Keep your steaks covered
to keep away bugs, pets, wild animals and debris. However,
use common sense. Don't leave your steaks out long if it's a
scorching 115 degrees outside.
1. First, make the mashed potatoes. Bring 2 cups of water
to a boil (as stated on the packaging). Meanwhile, line the
first zip-top bag with the other one, and empty the Idahoan
mashed potatoes packet into the bags. This step may require
an extra set of hands — carefully pour boiled water into the
double bag. Squeeze out most of the air and close the bags.
Keep warm and set aside.
2. To cook the steaks, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Dab steaks dry with paper towels and season liberally with
coarse salt and pepp er. When oil begins to slightly smoke,
cook each steak for 2-3 minutes on each side for medium-
rare. Use a meat thermometer to be sure — shoot for 130
degrees. Place a pat of butter on top of each steak, tent with
foil and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
3. Carefully massage the mashed potato bag using kitchen
towels to cover your hands — bag will be hot. Serve steak
and mashed potatoes with salad on the side. To make this
dinner extra special, bring a bottle of red wine with you to
camp, where permissible.
Dinner: One-Pan Steak Dinner
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
