NW Recipe... by Chef Marcus Hollingsworth

Well, its that time of year again. Indian Summer leads to the wet roads of winter. This is usually a good time to plan one last camping excursion and you are in luck because the Pacific Northwest has some of the most beautiful and pristine wilderness in America. It also has some of the most extravagant back road country a biker could wish for.
What comes to mind immediately is the Mount St. Helens national park area. If you are like me and enjoy more of the “Easy Rider”-type camping, where you just ride until you are done riding and simply hike back and roll out your bag, this area cannot be beat.
“What the hell am I gonna eat” you may ask? How about tri-tip and potatoes?
This dish is easy to prepare, haul, cook and eat. After preparing the tri-tip the night before the trip you freeze the meat. The next day you throw it in your saddle bag and off you go. The meat will stay safely cold for up to 7 hours and you will even have room for your old lady—if you want.
One last thing: don’t forget the beer!

BIG FOOT TRI TIP AND POTATOES

5 # tri-tip per person
8 cloves garlic—peeled
10 slices bacon
Black pepper—cracked
This is easy. Put the garlic in the tri-tip. Yes, in the tri-tip. Just push it in, evenly spaced. Now put a generous covering of pepper on the tri-tip and wrap the bacon around it. Wrap the bacon as tight as you can without breaking it, being sure to cover as much of the surface of the tri-tip as possible. Wrap in 8 layers of aluminum foil. Place this package in the freezer. You are done with the first step.

3 red russet potatoes per person—quartered
½ Walla Wall onion
Olive oil—as needed
Salt—as needed
White pepper—as needed
Tarragon—dried
This is easier. Quarter the potatoes, chop the onions and toss with the salt, pepper, tarragon and oil. Taste the surface of this mixture. Is it enough salt? You know how much salt you like. If not, ask your lady. If you have never had a Walla Walla onion you are in for a treat. They are arguably the sweetest onion in the world and grow only in Washington State. Wrap this mixture in 8 layers of foil and put in the refrigerator. You are really done.
When you get to the campsite, build your fire, let it burn down to coals and throw these babies on the embers. Turn every 15 minutes for a total of about 45 minutes. You will truly be amazed at the flavor of this dish. Crack a beer (probably your second or third at this point) sit down to eat and enjoy the weather.
Bon appetite and Cheers!