Camp coffee

[grandpacamper]

In my quest to minimize my camping equipment, I have used methods I remember from my youth camping with my father & friends.  I was introduced to 'hobo' meals as a boy scout, our leader was a highly decorated Marine hero.  He somehow ended up as our Scout Master.  We were his proving ground. 'boy' scouts should learn survival skills, we toed the mark every camping trip.  As mentioned my father rode fence for the Utah Brownings.  He passed many camp skills onto me & my brother.  

My memories conjure up sitting around the camp fire with a pot of water boiling in a pot.  He would take a hand full of fresh coffee grounds, dump them in the water, watch it until it had a froth (head) foaming on top.  Sheepherders or cowboy coffee he called it.  I tried it once & only once, the cold water he sprinkled on top didn't settle all the grounds so the coffee was somewhat chewy.  I know that filtering it through a 'tea' filter will remove most of the grounds, but as a youth the taste was a little (LOL!) strong for me.  His coffee was my wife's first taste, so she never tried drinking coffee until just a few years ago.

Finally getting to my question, does anyone know what the proper ratio of grounds to water is?  I've searched the web but can't find any reference to it.  I have a pot & grill, but want to know what is the common ratio & cooking time for a successful pot of coffee.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Now-a days, instant coffee is not too shabby!

2 scoops in a cup of hot water and presto!

We don't need no stinking coffee pot.....


PS> You musta been lurking on that other thread...

 

[highdesertranger]

I just use a percolator with a clear knob on top when it looks good in the knob it's done. I don't have a proper ratio I do it be feel. sorry not much help. highdesertranger

 

[grandpacamper]

tx2sturges, other thread? Don't know but not lurking. As for instant, after my many health issues, researching healthy foods & learning about added chems & processes I will avoid at all costs 'instant' coffee. Sorry. Getting away from the whole dish washing part of camping is my ultimate goal. I said I had new respect for my wife now after my maiden voyage.

 

[Wabbit]

Percolators(?) - after it starts to percolate, 2-3 minutes of perc'ing. Closer to 2 is better but only if you're an elitist. As to amounts, hard to translate. I use 2 level scoops of coffee and the water goes to the second line from the top.

Cinnamon on top of coffee grounds in filter before perc'ing(3-4 healthy shakes). Sometimes 1 packet(single use) of dark chocolate cocoa mix mixed into finished coffee pot or 2 packets of regular hot cocoa mix for fancy coffee's.

 

[caretaker]

i use 2 tablespoons for 10oz water. DO NOT use boiling water. you want to use water thats just beginning to form tiny bubbles, about 200 degs. if the water is too hot it will over extract the beans if you can avoid it don't buy coffee in cans, buy in bags. i use a melita 1 cup, you can get those made with fine mesh so you won't have to buy filters, and if you have to use chlorinated water get one of those filter pitchers, chlorinated tap water starts you out behind the 8ball

 

[TrainChaser]

1 mug of water (average mug holds 1 1/4 cups of liquid) + 2 tablespoons of ground coffee. Adust to your palate.

If you're using a teacup, they only hold one cup of liquid, so skimp a bit on the coffee.

See this for a clever way to do it: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Cup-of-Coffee-Without-a-Pot

 

[tx2sturgis]

tx2sturges, other thread?  Don't know but not lurking.

Oh ok....I had used making coffee in a van as an example in a thread about doing searches...just a coincidence...no worries.

Yeah I remember going to the lake and camping with my dad back in the 60's and he made coffee in an old percolator over the campfire...and it was always just right on those cold mornings in Wyoming...

By the way, some friends of mine have always had another friend bring fresh harvested coffee beans in 100 pound sacks up from Mexico, and then they roast and grind it. Supposedly its "the best cup of coffee you ever flopped a lip over"...

 

[grandpacamper]

TC - Did you ever read the book called *Don't raise the bridge, lower the river*? That link reminds me of it, lots of steps, thanks for the link though.

My wife uses 1/2 C for 96 oz (12 cup) pot, (6 Tbsps) makes less after cooking, I get about 3 20 oz cups. My goal - One pot (1), one paper cup (1), one plastic spoon (1), one metal tea filter (1). Rinse pot & filter, dump water & grounds around a tree, toss spoon in garbage, burn paper cup. Easy Peasy, Bob's your uncle. White filters are bleached, same as with paper towels don't use either of them as filters. I only use half n half in my coffee & I use never from a container. Grind my own, store in a glass jar. Both coffee & 1/2 n 1/2 are beneficial to a diabetic. Grounds are beneficial to the environment.

I do have a metal 'French press' but once again wash, wash, wash. It doesn't filter 100% of the grounds either, I've adapted my taste for a little residue at the bottom of the cup, I'm sure there will some even with the tea filter. Just like the chocolate coated coffee beans you can buy, I pretend that is uncoated ones. Thanks to all, I'll use the info to adjust to my taste. I found that coffee made with press ended up weaker (maybe the altitude) using the same method as home.

 

[johnny b]

for cowboy coffee a couple of eggshells coarsely crushed from your hand will help the grounds to settle.

don't throw the coffee into boiling water...take it off heat, count to 10, throw in 2 tablespoons per cup (8-10 oz.), stir, let steep (& settle) 5 minutes, pour carefully (or thru a strainer)...EZ PZ. (adjust amount of coffee & steep time to 'your' taste).

do not pour thru a paper filter...this removes oils and alters the taste.

'french press' coffee is just 'cowboy' coffee...the press pot has the strainer on the end of a stick that you push down on top of the grounds to hold them on the bottom while pouring.

sacré bleu :exclamation:

 

[grandpacamper]

for cowboy coffee a couple of eggshells coarsely crushed from your hand will help the grounds to settle.

don't throw the coffee into boiling water...take it off heat, count to 10, throw in 2 tablespoons per cup (8-10 oz.), stir, let steep (& settle) 5 minutes, pour carefully (or thru a strainer)...EZ PZ. (adjust amount of coffee & steep time to 'your' taste).

do not pour thru a paper filter...this removes oils and alters the taste.

'french press' coffee is just 'cowboy' coffee...the press pot has the strainer on the end of a stick that you push down on top of the grounds to hold them on the bottom while pouring.

sacré bleu :exclamation:

Same amounts & seeping time as with my 'French press' but I found that in the campground maybe it was the altitude, coffee came out weak & mostly tasteless.   I do remember my father's was black & STRONG!  I know that water boils faster at higher altitudes, I was letting it steep for up to 10 minutes but by then it was cold.  

We were up more than a mile back in UTAH (here about half that) for the deer hunting trips & the coffee had a great smell & steamed through the meals, mine was cold & over creamed (I used the same amount of half n half as home).  Thanks for the info.

Another thought

Since I've revamped my thoughts about cooking cleaning & dishes. With the hobo dinners wrapped double in tin foil) we used to place them in the coals, using a shovel scoop them out ashes & all. Gently pull off the foil & try to avoid any ashes mixed in the food. My idea is to use a cast iron dutch oven on a fire pit grill along side my water pot. Using a hay hook lift it off the grill to test & eat the meal, no ashes & if you have been turning it with a Bar-b-Que thong occasionally the food should be completely done. No need to wash the DO just let it cool before storing. The coffee is made & drank then dump & rinse the grounds, no washing. The cup is tossed into the fire, the plastic spoon is tossed in the garbage. I think I’m going to experiment with the DO/pie tin/eggs/thong to see if it cooks the eggs to perfection without burning the bottom. Toss the pie tin & plastic fork in the garbage.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

From roastycoffee.com

1. Add water to your pot measuring exactly how much water your pot will hold as you add the water.
2. Place the pot on the campfire and bring the water to a boil.
3. Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from the fire and allow it to sit for 30 seconds. This will lower the temperature to around 200 degrees Fahrenheit which is perfect for brewing coffee.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of coffee to your pot for every 8 ounces of water that your pot will hold.
5. Stir the grounds in the water thoroughly.
6. Allow the pot with the coffee to sit for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, stir the coffee again.
7. Leave the coffee pot alone for another 2 minutes.
8. After 4 minutes of brewing time has passed, sprinkle a little cold water onto the coffee to help it settle on the bottom.
9. Pour the coffee slowly into your mug of choice making sure the grounds remain in the pot.
10. Dispose of your used grounds and rinse out your coffee pot.

I'll be using a percolator cuz I drink a whole pot a day, not just a few cups ;-)

 

[minimotos95]

Important to note, that at elevation water boils at a lower temperature I think it's around 9000ft where boiling water can actually be the right temperature for coffee ~ 195f.

I have come to believe that a peculator is the best option for living in a van or camper. But I have never used one below 5000ft so maybe they do burn/over extract the coffee at low elevations.
Making single cups like I do now gets old fast when I know I have the room and engine to carry a heavier coffee kit. Cowboy coffee is good(I don't mind texture in my coffee) until clean up time.

 

[grandpacamper]

From roastycoffee.com

1. Add water to your pot measuring exactly how much water your pot will hold as you add the water.
2. Place the pot on the campfire and bring the water to a boil.
3. Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from the fire and allow it to sit for 30 seconds. This will lower the temperature to around 200 degrees Fahrenheit which is perfect for brewing coffee.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of coffee to your pot for every 8 ounces of water that your pot will hold.
5. Stir the grounds in the water thoroughly.
6. Allow the pot with the coffee to sit for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, stir the coffee again.
7. Leave the coffee pot alone for another 2 minutes.
8. After 4 minutes of brewing time has passed, sprinkle a little cold water onto the coffee to help it settle on the bottom.
9. Pour the coffee slowly into your mug of choice making sure the grounds remain in the pot.
10. Dispose of your used grounds and rinse out your coffee pot.

I'll be using a percolator cuz I drink a whole pot a day, not just a few cups ;-)

That is pretty much the same routine as with a 'French press' I use a whistling tea kettle heat water, pour into pot, stir, 5 min, push, pour. Coffee was weaker than home with the same amount. Altitude, I can never get good coffee from a percolator, my lack of skills probably.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Perhaps increase the amount of coffee from 2 Tbs per 8 oz to 3 Tbs... if that's still too weak, increase it some more! I too would rather have too strong and bitter coffee as opposed to a weak, watery cup!

 

[Ballenxj]

I found an old Revere Ware peculator pot on ebay a few years ago, and this combo is what I was planing to use on the road.
I will have to remember to get course ground coffee for this set up.

 

[grandpacamper]

Perhaps increase the amount of coffee from 2 Tbs per 8 oz to 3 Tbs... if that's still too weak, increase it some more! I too would rather have too strong and bitter coffee as opposed to a weak, watery cup!

EUREKA! Just this morning I figured out why my coffee was weak out of my 'French Press'. DUH! I had bought one that was made completely out of stainless steel.  Metal conducts heat & cold very rapidly!   When I would pour my boiling water into the container of grounds to let it steep for the required 5 minutes the cool mountain air cooled the carafe down FAST, so no matter how long I let it steep I only was getting about a minute to a minute & half of processing, the last 3 minutes I was trying to use cool water. New approach or should I say old approach, buy myself an enamelware 12 Cup percolator! Now that's the Easy Peasy solution. Remove the insides, keep the pot on the grill to keep the coffee hot. Easy cleanup.

I ALWAYS OVER THINK THINGS

 

[KathyC]

I have recently begun making easy cold brewed coffee...it comes out fantastic and you can either heat it for hot coffee, drink it cold/iced add to other beverages. It's so easy and so incredibly smooth compared to brewed coffee...

3/4 cup medium-ground coffee
3 cups water

add water and coffee grounds to 1 qt mason jar. seal and shake until mixed. set aside for four hours.

strain through coffee filter (I use a reusable one/a paper one will do). A wide mouth jar works best.

refrigerate up to two weeks. Makes around 20 ounces

 

[eDJ_]

As for the French Press,  if I was inclined to use one in the outdoors,  I think I'd either make small batches or have some terry cloth towels to wrap around it to insulate it from the cold air.   To me,  a percolator is hard to beat.  It can remain sitting on a low fire to keep it warm after it's perked.

And if there are those here who haven't used a percolator before,  remember to fill it with cool water before putting it on the fire.  That way it will start the perking process.  If you fill it with hot water it won't perk.

Since Automatic Drip Coffee Makers have become so common in the homes,  the arts of making coffee have
sort of become lost.

This site is a favorite of mine when talking about Coffee.  I once met the owner when he was based in Columbus,
Ohio.   He and his wife have since moved to California. 

https://www.sweetmarias.com

 

[Queen]

I found an old Revere Ware peculator pot on ebay a few years ago, and this combo is what I was planing to use on the road.
I will have to remember to get course ground coffee for this set up.

I'd give my right arm for that pot! All my pots and pans are old Revere, I love them, that would be an excellent addition... and I love the way the copper bottom evens out the heat.  Great find.