Bouilli Basics

Art. IV. Fur Fort Food - Bouilli Basics, by A. Gottfred.

A simple campfire meal in a pot.

In Quebec today, bouilli is used to refer to a variety of dishes, ranging from pot roast to stewed whole chicken with vegetables. The common theme is meat boiled in a pot. The camp bouilli below is a version that could have been cooked by voyageurs while travelling.

Camp Bouilli

Half fill a large (5-6 qt.) pot or camp kettle with water; bring to boiling. Cut 1 lb. each stewing beef and pork into 1" cubes ; add to boiling water. Add in 1 turkey drumstick and a small (1/4 lb.) piece of salt pork, 1 tbsp. summer savoury , and 1 1/2 tbsp. whole sage (not ground). If you use salt pork, do not add salt! You can also add wild rice, brown rice, or hominy (also called lye corn–available in cans at some grocery stores). These were common staples for travelling voyageurs. A cube or two of portable soup (beef bouillon) can add flavour to the stock. Simmer covered until meat is tender, one or two hours. If you wish, remove the drumstick from the broth and remove meat from the bones once it is tender. Adjust seasoning in last half hour of cooking. If you have game, feel free to substitute it for the beef, pork, and/or turkey. Some possibilities are rabbit, buffalo, wild goose, duck, elk, moose, deer, and, of course, beaver.

Fort Bouilli

Fur posts often had modest gardens, and therefore could add some vegetables to their meals. To make fort bouilli, add your choice of potatoes, beets, cabbage, turnips, parsnips, and/or carrots to bouilli about a half hour before serving.