A couple of weeks ago, I went on my annual trip up to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota.  For those unfamiliar, it is a 1.1M acre wilderness area that offers over 1,000 miles of possible canoe routes, coupled with around 2,200 backcountry campsites on a multitude of connected or close-in-proximity lakes and rivers.  It is federally protected land, and is one of the few things that our federal government actually seems to run effectively.  It is also one of the most incredible places I have had the good fortune to visit.

The Kitchen

The close-in-proximity part is where it gets really fun, as your canoe and all your gear must be carried – or “portaged” – from lake to lake.  Now for most people, this means traveling incredibly light, taking only the necessities.  When it comes to sustenance, many opt for prepared “backpacker” meals which have been freeze-dried, but contain ample calories, vitamins and minerals; just what you crave after a long day of paddling and portaging.  For fluids, it is lake water (filtered, of course, if you want to enjoy your trip) and perhaps a Nalgene bottle or two filled with the liquor of your choice.

That is what most people take.  Not me.  At least not when it comes to beverages.  Most years I have opted for freeze-dried food, which admittedly does not taste all that bad when you’re in the woods, and makes for very easy clean up since your meal is eaten out of the bag, and you just pack it out with you when you leave.  Fluids however, have been a different story, as I have always (since reaching 21, of course) enjoyed one or more cold beers when canoeing and fishing.  Five or so days worth of that kind of enjoyment requires more than just a couple of waterproof backpacks.  So, my buddy and I on more than one occasion have had the distinct pleasure (read: misfortune) of having to drag coolers packed to the brim with beverages and ice over rocks and muddy trails.  You earn that first beer, that is for sure.

We decided to up the ante this year, and paddle in with not only our standard liquid rations, but real food as well.  The thought of a thick New York strip and sautéed potatoes just seemed a bit more appealing this year than freeze dried rice and beans.  Typically I boil water and do any basic camp cooking in a lightweight aluminum cook set from REI, but I knew that to get the true camp flavor, cast iron was in order.  I ordered a 4 quart Dutch oven from Amazon, and started to mentally prepare myself for not only the additional weight of all the dry goods, meat and produce we would be dragging in the cooler, but the additional 13 lbs. of iron I would be carrying in my backpack.

Cast iron has been used in cooking for hundreds of years, and is renowned for its heat retention and diffusion properties.  I read recently that on Lewis & Clarks long journey into the West in the early 19^th century, they rid themselves of many supplies along the way in order to lighten their carry.  One thing they did not leave behind, however, was their cast iron Dutch oven.  A well-seasoned skillet or Dutch oven will cook eggs just as superbly as the slickest of Teflon pans, but it is also great for the low and slow cooking required of stews and roasts.  The iron lid of the Dutch oven allows coals to be placed on top, creating an evenly heated environment that also allows for baking breads, biscuits and pizza.  It’s a classic piece of cookware that, if well cared for, will last for years.  It is also, of course, incredibly durable, and is made for throwing over a campfire and just letting it do its thing.

With all that in mind, we lugged our vittles, still very much in their natural, hydrated state, into the Boundary Waters.  It was absolutely worth it.  The one-half mile portage onto the lake we would be camping on the first night was awful, no doubt about it.  A few years ago, when I was more into cycling and running, that same little jaunt was much more tolerable, but not this year.  But it didn’t matter.  That New York strip with sautéed potatoes made it all worth it.  So did the beef stew the next night.  And the jambalaya the next night.  The Velveeta shells and cheese….well, I won’t say I couldn’t have done that in the lightweight aluminum pot.  But I swear, it still tasted better in cast iron.  So should you be heading up to the Boundary Waters (and believe me, you should be), do yourself a favor and treat yourself to some real food.  It will make dragging the cooler all the more worth it.