When you live in Idaho you had best know how to make a roaring campfire, identify and pick huckleberries, use a chain saw, and fly fish. Bonus if you tie your own flies.
Over the weekend we launched a backpacking expedition into the Cabinet Wilderness in Western Montana at the height of huckleberry season. When you go backpacking, one must be very choosy about what comes along. The weight really adds up quickly, especially if you plan on covering some ground or gaining some elevation. Some things are too good to be left behind.
That is why our Cedar Grilling Wraps and little packet of Bill Baron's Hickory Smoked Salt and Pepper Rub made it in the pack. That’s would have been all we brought in the way of food, other than maybe some oatmeal and that bag of white wine, if we would have known that we could gorged ourselves on the bumper crop of blueberry-sized huckleberries and all the trout we could possibly want to catch.
Here is a quick How-To on making a wilderness feast that can’t be beat.
- Buy fishing license. Pack fly rod and aforementioned Cedar Grilling Wraps and spice.
- Catch, clean, and gut trout. We caught a couple of beautiful Cutthroat Trout in Engle Lake.
- Start fire. Tend fire until it burns down to useable coals; mostly ash grey with some glowing embers.
- Meanwhile, soak cedar grilling wraps in water (or beer, or wine if you are feelin' fancy) in a zip lock bag.
- Then liberally season cleaned fish inside and out with spice rub
- Wrap trout in soaked cedar grilling wraps, tie with twine, and place directly on coals.
- Cook on open coals.
- Enjoy your wild feast!