13 days until 8 on Knife Lake!!!  Was wondering, do most of you use oil or shortening to fry your fish, and if you use oil, how well does it transport (leakage, etc.), or has anyone used the shortening sticks, like a butter stick?  Saw most prefer peanut oil in previous posts, but was concerned about it getting all over everything.  Is this not really a problem?  What knid of container do most of you transport it in?  Also, if anyone can tell me how busy it is up there right now, that would be great!!!

We have used several types of containers in the past but Nalgenes  still work the best for us.  You can reuse the oil, and the PC (poly-carbonate sp?) can take boiling water.  Most of their bottles can take temps above 225 so after cooking if you let oil cool down enough you can just pop in it and save it for later.  They make small enough containers - we take in 16 oz for a week and we usually have a few ounces left over.  

I am a big fan of Olive Oil so that is what we bring in.  Not so good for pancakes though.  

Never tried the stick style but we have a butter flavor in the pantry that would be interesting.

I use the sticks and they work fine.  I like not having to worry about oil spillage - worrying about spilling the wine is bad enough. :-)  

wrote on Aug 24^th, 2004 at 3:41pm:

What knid of container do most of you transport it in?

I've tried "smaller" containers w/o much luck. So now I just leave it in the original bottle from the store and just go with the smaller sizes.
-YB

You know canoejack the secret to not spilling the wine?  Do what I do - Drink more early on!   ;D

Do you save the remainders from the sticks?

wrote on Aug 24^th, 2004 at 4:26pm:

... now I just leave it in the original bottle from the store and just go with the smaller sizes. -YB

Same here.  However, it is probably a good idea to double (ziplock) bag the smaller bottles ... just in case.  Of course the bottles are plastic.

We also take olive oil the same way (e.g., for pasta dishes, etc), but since many olive oils come in glass we transfer to plastic bottles.

dd

We (Snowdog and I) use squeeze marjorine, available in 1 lb bottles. We take 3 for a week or so. We also take 1 1/2 pts of canola oil in a nalgene bottle. All of the bottles are put in ziplocs for safety. Only had one trip where the oil bottle sprung a leak, but cleaning up oil in a foodbox is one picnic I have no desire to repeat. Its also good insurance in case some seasoned veteran doesn't get the top closed tightly. :o

I take oil in nalgene bottles as well.  I haven't got anything to add regarding oil.  However, I'd like to suggest taking some aluminum foil as well.  Oven baked/steamed fish is a nice change of pace from frying.  Place filet on foil. Add a little margarine.  Some spices/herbs if you have them.  Seal the foil closed.  Heat on the coals or fire grate, ten minutes to a side.

This year we took 2-12 oz disposable water bottles, dried out filled with peanut oil and packed in a zip-loc. Neither leaked and we were able to easily burn the bottles when empty.
However, the best eating fish this year was baked in tinfoil with squeeze butter flavored margorine and fresh onions.

We take vegetable oil in the smaller bottles, duct tape the lids on good and put in zip-lock bags.  Take a little care where you pack them (ie: away from sharp objects) & there's no problem.

In addition to DD and YB I might add we used approx. 16oz for 3 fish/home fries meals, 4 pancake meals and 2 egg-like meals.
                    Jeff

I learned a lesson from Old_Salt several years ago...  A little squeeze margerine, and a little oil cooks a whole lot of fish... that is if you do not bread it or roll it in cornmeal.  I have a favorite of all who go with me now... actually two Cajun Walleye and Lemon Pepper Walleye... and yes in a pinch you can substitute northern or even... I hate to say it... smallies :'( ( sorry, I just love catching them too much to eat them!!! ;D)  As far as amounts to take and How I take them... 16 oz of oil in the original bottle carried in a plastic bag, and two 16 oz containers of squeeze butter also in a plastic bag.  Those amounts are for 4 people for a week, and we have pancakes and bannock.  Oh by the way... has anyone ever tried squeeze strawberry jam on pancakes???  Very Good!!!! we don't ever take syrup anymore!!!

Bruce

How well does the jelly hold up?  I thought most were supposed to be refrigerated.  Also, what brand of squeeze margarine do y'all bring?

I/we use Country Crock brand. As Bruce pointed out, it doesn't take a lot. We use no breading, let the spices do the trick. I take Cajun, Lemon n' Herb, and this year added Grillmates by McCormick. Grillmates is good for steak or fish. Trout can be cooked in foil (best way) or fried, if after 3-4 weeks of foil wrapped, you decide to do something different. ;D ;D We use marjorine-oil about 50/50 ratio. Just don't soak the fish. Another hint, start with a very hot skillet. Those drops of water should be dancin'. Test it before cookin' commences. The secret is to properly sear the fillets so they flip all over your mouth, in a final desparate escape attempt, before dissappearing forever down the hatch. 8) 8)

The jelly we use is Smuckers Squeeze Jelly, and it last fine... of course the last two times I have been it has been cool enough not to worry about anything spoiling... ha ha  Oh well that is life... anyway the margerine I use is Parkay Squeeze... never have had a problem with either of the products... we also carry cream cheese for bagels, and block cheese, for lunches and dinner... and plenty of home made trail mix... this year we took 4 one gallon bags of trail mix... came out two days early because of weather and there was only half a bag left... Good stuff... wish I had some now... :-/

Bruce

We used Peanut Oil this year.  It is supposed to fry hotter.  It worked great!  How does one spoil fresh caught and cooked walleye anyway?

The last 3 years we've been able to keep evening walleye fillets cold tll the next nights meal by placing them in a baggie, and putting them in a small styrofoam cooler (usually with the crawllers) and throwing in a chemical cold pac or two.  Keep the cooler out of the sun and they'll still be cool by the next evening...even in the heat of August.