Big Bend Ranch State Park - An Off-Roading Adventure: Day 1
Hi! I'm Nedra! Food tastes better when it's enjoyed in the great outdoors. Life's an adventure, so travel, explore, and go cooking!!
I don't know where to start other than to dive right in. I recently planned a four day trip with a couple friends of mine to get out of town for SXSW. While everyone else was flocking to the city of Austin to attend the festival, we had rented our houses and were looking forward to getting out to the quiet and serenity of Big Bend Ranch State Park.
We set up camp, had a quick snack and headed down to the river to check it out. Elmo was particularly happy to get in the water and go for a quick swim.
I recommend a hotel stop the night before entering the park to regroup, get a good night's rest, shower, and get an early start in the morning. There are great historic hotels in the four gateway cities to Big Bend. Marfa has The Presidio Hotel, Fort Davis has The Limpia, Alpine has The Maverick, and Marathon has The Gage. All these hotels are classy, affordable, and in the middle of interesting stuff. They are also dog friendly which is really important to me because I rarely travel without my dog, Elmo.
We headed out first thing the next morning to check into our first campsite at Upper Madera Canyon. We took our time, stopped and got our permits at the Barton Warnock Visitor Center, and arrived at our campsite around 2pm. The site was a good one overlooking mountains, the Rio Grande, and the coolest picnic area ever - the tables are shaded under giant Teepees. In a short hike, we could be down on the river itself.
After our river hike, we were getting hungry, making it was time for dinner prep. Sarah snapped the beans as I did the slicing and dicing for the Dutch Oven Sauerkraut Dish. Big Bend Ranch State Park is very remote, so careful planning of who brings what food, water, firewood, and things like ice, coffee, beer, and batteries is really important. I always make a list and share it with whoever is going on the trip.
Driving from Austin to Big Bend is one of the most varied and interesting drives in the United States. Problems seem to melt away with the change of landscape as you leave the city, pass through quaint Hill Country towns, and finally reach the expanse of the desert. Open
sky lends to expansive thoughts, especially when taking in the view of the distant mountains.
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Food really was on my mind during that drive. I was looking forward to preparing my friends some delicious meals and getting shots for this website.
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Our first stop was Marfa, Texas and The Presidio Hotel. If you didn't already know, Marfa is where they shot the movie,
Giant. It has a vibe all it's own and is a mecca for anyone looking for a modern oasis in the desert.
Dinner was on the table just as the sun set. We spent a delightfully cool evening enjoying our meal followed up by a group clean up using The One Pot Method. Afterwards, we conversed around the fire until it was time to wonder off to our tents to sleep. The end of the first of three epic days in the park.
Smoked Pork Chops, Bratwurst, and Sauerkraut Braised in Beer
This delicious and easy to prepare one pot meal will warm you up on any chilly camping night. A large Dutch Oven works best, but it also can be made in a large deep sauté pan with a lid. I like using Bavarian Style Sauerkraut as it has that traditional German flavor, but there are plenty of varieties out there that are equally delicious. Throw in some caraway seeds and large diced apple for an added something something to plain sauerkraut. I also like to use fresh brats, but already cooked will work too.
This recipe serves 2-3 people. Double recipe to serve 4-6 people…
Prep time: 5 min Cook time: 40-45 min
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1 tbsp olive oil
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2 smoked pork chops
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Salt and pepper
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2 fresh bratwurst
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½ medium sized white or yellow onion, sliced into ¼ inch slices, about 1 cup
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3 green onions cut into 3 inch pieces lengthwise
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1 clove garlic, minced, about 1 tsp
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1 15 oz can or jar of Bavarian Style Sauerkraut
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4 whole cloves
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6 whole allspice
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½ can beer, preferably a German Style Pilsner or Lager
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Season the pork chops with the salt and pepper. Heat Dutch oven on a camping stove, or on a grill set above the fire, or a thin layer of coals set in the fire pit. When hot, add the olive oil, heat until just smoking, and add the pork chops and bratwurst in a single layer. When they are brown on one side, about 3-4 minutes turn over to brown on the second side.
Add the onions to the pot without moving the meat.
When meat is browned on the second side, prop up against the side of the pot and cook the onions until they begin to caramelize, aka, turn brown around the edges. Add the garlic, cloves, and allspice and cook for a minute longer.
Add the sauerkraut, stir it in with the onion mixture. Nestle the meat on top of the sauerkraut and add the beer.
Cover and either continue cooking on a low flame on the stove top or move to an area in the fire pit where you have pushed coals aside in a thin layer. Be careful not to put Dutch oven on too hot of coals. I torched the bottom of my Dutch oven the first time I used it by doing this. Coals in the fire are hot, hot, so not many are needed to slowly cook this dish. Just keep an eye on it and if it’s really sizzling then move it further away or set it on top of a grill near the actual fire. Braise for about 40-45 min to allow the flavors to meld and the meat to become tender.
Divide up the meat and sauerkraut mixture and serve.
