Straight on Detour – Find your own adventure

How to Thicken BBQ Sauce

July 4, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

It really doesn’t matter when you are using BBQ sauce, it is always delicious. The only problem that most people have with this sauce, is that it is really not thick. It runs all over the plate, and can’t really be brushed on meat when you are marinating the meat in the BBQ sauce.

The good news is that we have some great methods on how you can thicken the BBQ sauce, without messing around with the taste of the sauce. In fact, without methods, you can even have some better tasting BBQ sauce than before. These are the different ways on how you can thicken your sauce to make it easier to use and tastier to eat.

Campfire BBQ 101. Everything You Need to Know About Purchasing a BBQ

Reduction of the Sauce

Yes, this is an easy way to make your BBQ sauce thicker. However, it is also easier to burn your sauce and to make the amount of sauce a lot less than what you had before the reduction.

This isn’t always a recommended method, because most of the BBQ sauces have a sweetness that can burn easily, making your sauce taste bitter. Or, the reduction will work, but the sauce doesn’t really get a lot thicker. You are only going to lose quantity. This really should be a last resort, if nothing else work in making your BBQ sauce thicker.

Adding Starch to Your BBQ Sauce

This is the easiest and most common method that people are using to make the sauce thicker. The only problem with this method is that it can make the sauce taste starchy as well.

When you are thinking about making sauce thick, using starch, you normally think about cornstarch. However, the good news is that there is more than just cornstarch that you can use. Especially for those that don’t like the taste of cornstarch.

Wheat flour
Rice Starch
Arrowroot
Potato starch
Tapioca starch

Just remember that you need to reheat your starch with your BBQ sauce if you want to get the right thickness. And, don’t add too much starch to start with. It can get really thick, fast.

Things That You Might Want to Add to Your Sauce When You Want to Fatten Up the Sauce

In some cases, you want to make sure that you are adding some fattening ingredients as well to your BBQ sauce. Especially when you are thickening your sauce. There is some meat that doesn’t have as much fat to ensure that the meat is moisture. And, this can mean that your meat ends up dry, even if you are marinating your meat with BBQ sauce.

So, if you are thickening your sauce, you might want to add some fattening ingredients as well. But, then you need to know what ingredients you can add to fattening your BBQ sauce to make it even taste better. These are some of the fattening ingredients that you can use without any problems.

Butter. The real thing. We don’t talk about margarine here.
Coconut oil and cream. You will be surprised about how great these taste with BBQ sauce
Olive oil. This isn’t tasting the same as with butter or coconut oil, but it will still work to get a fattening BBQ sauce.

Making Your Own Sauce

Most of us are purchasing our own BBQ sauce and then adding it to our meat. Or, we are purchasing the sauce and adding ingredients to thickening the sauce and too fattening it. However, did you ever consider making your own BBQ sauce? By making your own sauce, following some of the best recipes online, you can make sure that your sauce is thicker and fattier for lean meat.

It is a lot easier to make your own BBQ sauce than what you might think. You only need to have some time to do some research and to find a recipe that you can make. And, you can still add the starch and the fattening ingredients to make your sauce your own.

Tips to Consider When Thickening Your BBQ Sauce

Remember that it is always best to use a small amount of sauce when you are thickening it for the first time. You will not know what the results are going to be. You don’t want to lose all your sauce at once. It is better to start with a small amount and taste it before you thicken all your sauce.

Read the instructions carefully. Especially, if you are purchasing the ready-made BBQ sauce. Not many of them can be thickening because it is already been thickening as much as possible.

It isn’t hard to thicken BBQ sauce. Especially if you are using a small amount of starch. You don’t need to worry about changing the taste of the sauce, when you are thickening the BBQ sauce and when you are adding some fattening ingredients to it. You will just make it thicker and taste a lot better.

Portable Hammock With Stand

June 30, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

Activities like beach camping or enjoying the sunshine outside require you to relax in style and a portable hammock with stand can play a pivotal role in satisfying your needs. If you want to buy this important possession, you need to consider a number of factors into hammock stand selection.

Portable hammocks with stands have many benefits that include bypassing the hassles of using other traditional tents. Investing in this vital camping equipment is a wonderful idea since it can help you enjoy the wonderful experience of outdoor camping. There are many benefits that you can obtain from this product.

Benefits of using Portable Hammock with Stand

A hammock with stand plays a lot of functions compared to other traditional hammocks where you may need to find two trees that are closer to each other to suspend them. It is possible to enjoy hammock camping even in locations that are less ideal when you have the right portable stand.

You can use a hammock with a stand for other outdoor or even indoor activities if you want to relax in style. You can also use a hammock for enjoy sunshine in your back yard and it is convenient since you can carry it to different places. You can use your hammock in any place imaginable as long as your stand can fit properly without looking for trees.

Hammocks with stands also give you the opportunity to enjoy roadside camping when you feel tired of driving. You can take out your camping equipment then relax until you feel refreshed such that you can proceed with your journey. Even in the event of breakdown, you can relax in your hammock with stand while waiting for assistance.

If you are camping in swampy areas, you can enjoy a peaceful sleep at night using your hammock with a portable stand. The other thing is that this camping equipment is flexible and you can use it even for desert camping. You do not need to worry about anchor points for your hammock given that the stand is movable and you can use it in any environment.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Portable Hammock With Stand

For instance, factors such as where and when you intend to use the hammock determine the type of product that you will buy. Your choice of stand may be limited in the event that you already have a hammock. Thus, the choice of the best portable hammock with stand depends on your unique needs. You need to consider some of the following factors to make a good choice of this product.

Some hammock stands can be bulky while others are portable and this mainly depends on their material. Stands made of aluminum material are lightweight such that you can carry them from place to place. Depending on the nature of your outdoor activities, you can choose this type of stand if you would like to move to different areas.

Other stands are made of heavy wood and steel and these are ideal for home use especially in a place where you will not move the stand quite often. If you want to use your car to carry the stand when going camping, then a light one is probably the best choice.

You must also consider buying a product that is simple to assemble as well as to dismantle it. After a long journey of driving, your body will be ready to relax and the last thing that you would want is to put together your hammock stand and tent then enjoy your peaceful sleep.

You can also consider some accessories that often come with hammock stands to make sure that they are versatile. You can check if the product has mosquito nets, rain tarps as well as carrying bags since they are useful in different camping environments.

You must also consider the number of users of the hammock stand when you want to buy one. If you are going to use the stand together with your partner, then you will need one that is sturdy. If you are going on a solo venture, then you need a lightweight stand. However, you need to be careful since the majority of hammocks that are light weight are not very strong.

Above all, the value of the hammock stand should also play a pivotal role in determining your choice of the product that you can buy. In most cases, pricey products are durable and they also come with extra features that can help improve your camping experience.

In some cases, it may not be necessary to splurge your money on expensive things since you may not need the extra things provided. All the same, you need to buy a product that you can use for a long period instead of repeatedly buying the same thing over and over again.

Explore the Greatness of Camping With 4 Season Hammock Tarp

May 26, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

Planning to go out for a hiking or camping expedition that will last you a few days?

You can enjoy the best experience of camping when you have the right sleeping kit so that you can rest comfortably at night or even during the day. Hammock camping is popular since it gives you peace of mind when you are away from home.

Hammock camping has more advantages compared to traditional camping with tents. A hammock is convenient since you can easily mount it on two nearby trees and you can enjoy your night under the clear sky.

However, you need to plan for the worst when you go for camping hence the need to pack a hammock with a tarp.

A tarp is a lightweight shelter that resembles a conventional tent and you can mount it on your tarp so that it offers you protection against bad weather conditions.

The weather is unpredictable and it can suddenly change while you are camping somewhere far away. A simple overhead hammock tarp comes in handy since it protects you against rain.

There are different types of hammock tarps that are designed to suit weather conditions in different environments. Some of the tarps are more advanced and they can withstand heavy wind and downpours.

In such a situation, a four-season hammock tarp will be the best companion for your camping expedition.

4 Season Hammock Tarp

A 4 season hammock tarp provides you the most coverage and protection against various weather elements that can affect you. When you set up this particular tarp, it resembles a pitched tent only that it will be suspended over your hammock.

When you are hiking, camping or engaged in other outdoor adventure, a quality hammock tarp is an essential thing to have.

A 4 season hammock tarp has many advantages since it protects you against rain or cold weather. The kind of tarp is designed for all weather seasons and it also helps to prevent leaves, insects or twigs from disturbing you when you are resting.

With a 4 season tarp, you are always assured of a dry place to sleep where you can also enjoy watching the environment. In case the sun is too hot, the tarp offers you protection.

When you are looking for all weather 4 season tarp, there are different factors that you should consider so that you get the best product.

Tips for choosing the best hammock tarp

When you want to buy the best hammock tarp, you should make sure that its size is large enough to cover the whole hammock in case it rains while you are camping. A large tarp is also ideal since it can protect you against other weather elements like high wind and snow.

A big tarp also provides extra privacy when you are in your hammock. Therefore, it is crucial that you buy a tarp that can overlap your hammock so that it gives you maximum protection against elements that can affect your camping experience. You also need to consider the shape of the tarp so that it gives you the best coverage against bad weather conditions.

A 4 season tarp offers you the best coverage such that you do not need to worry about issues related to weather when you go out camping.

The other factor that you should consider pertains to weight. When backpacking, you must consider the weight of the tarp so that you can easily carry it from place to place.

In this scenario, a lightweight tarp will be ideal since it allows you to carry it easily when you are out camping. The element of weight is also determined by the type of material used in the manufacture of the tarp.

You should contend with the fact that durable tarps are made of heavy nylon material. For instance, ripstop nylon is the most durable material that is used for making 4 season hammock tarps.

You should, therefore, be also prepared to handle the penalty of extra weight should you decide to buy this particular type of tarp.

A 4 season hammock tarp is advantageous in that it is suitable for all seasons. However, setting up your hammock will require more parts that you can expect.

For instance, you need a full hammock, suspension system as well as the right tarp that can fully cover your gear. You also need to buy a quality top quilt together with an underquilt so that you can stay warm during the night.

With the right hammock tarp, you can enjoy every moment of your camping experience since it provides you with maximum comfort always.

Not all tarps are excellent in terms of their specifications so you need to shop around for the best product that suits your needs to make your outdoor adventure memorable.

Campfire BBQ 101. Everything You Need to Know About Purchasing a BBQ

May 19, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

Campfire BBQ. The one thing that everyone likes to do during the summer. There is just nothing as great as having a campfire, enjoying family time and eating your favorite BBQ meal. However, when it comes to purchasing a BBQ griller, you need to make sure that you are purchasing the right one. The right one for your family and the best one on the market. This is the best and only way that you can be sure to have an even better time around the campfire. With all this info, you will be able to make sure that you are purchasing the right griller for your next get together.

The size of your BBQ griller

Before you can start looking for your campfire BBQ, the one thing that you should make sure about is that you are knowing the size that you’ll need.

There are different sizes available, and because not many people realize it, they are purchasing the wrong one. If you are a large family that is always grilling together, then you should want to make sure that you are getting a larger BBQ. If your family is just a couple of people, then a larger BBQ will be a waste of money and energy. So, this is the first thing that you should consider before you choose your very first grill.

The old fashion charcoal griller, the gas griller or the electric griller?

Which one should you want to consider? The charcoal one that we all know, the gas griller or the electric griller? You need to make sure that you have knowledge about each of them before you can make this decision.

Charcoal BBQ. This is the one that we all know. This is the griller that gives the smell of barbeque meat. This is also the one that is taking the longest to heat up and to cook the meat thoroughly. Buying the charcoal BBQ is cheaper and the maintenance on it is cheap as well. The only thing that you need to barbeque your meat, is charcoal.
The gas BBQ. Besides the charcoal, the gas campfire BBQ is the most popular. This is because people prefer the method that is giving the least amount of smoke, and that is a lot faster to cook the meat. The gas isn’t that expensive and you can refill it easily. The BBQ itself is more expensive and the maintenance is more than with the charcoal griller as well.
Electric BBQ griller. The electric BBQ griller is the least popular one. This is because it is the most expensive one, and the power it uses can cost you a lot of money at the end of the month. However, there isn’t much maintenance that you need to consider or refills that need to be done before you are able to grill again.

Where should you start looking for your Campfire BBQ griller?

Most people will say that finding a quality campfire BBQ isn’t that hard. You can walk into any store and you will be able to choose between these three grillers. However, not all of them are equally great and value for money. This is why you should make sure that you know where to start looking for your new campfire BBQ.

The best place is to start searching online. There you can find all sorts of grillers. And, you will be able to choose the one that will be best for you and your family. You can look at the cost, the features and the size that you are willing to spend. Making it easier and faster to find the perfect barbeque griller.

The features that you should look at

When you are purchasing your griller, you should make sure that you are considering the different features that you can find. You want to make sure that you are going to get value for money. So, this is why you should look at these features, to know what makes a perfect griller.

Smoker and griller in one. This is great if you like the grill and smokey meat.
How easy to clean is the griller?
Material that the griller is made of.
Is the BBQ energy sufficient? And, is it cost sufficient?
Does it offer temperature control?

Smoker versus griller

What is the difference between a smoker and a BBQ griller? Which one should you consider when you are looking for a griller? For those that don’t know, the smoker is giving the meat a smokey taste and not the normal grill taste.

First of all, if you like to smoke and grill your meat, you should look for a 2-in-1. This is where you have the option to grill and to smoke your food, using one BBQ grill. This is the best option; however, this can be expensive as well. If you don’t want both options, you should consider the one that you are enjoying the most. Most people are just looking for a griller, but this doesn’t mean that this is the one that you should purchase as well. You should make sure that you are finding the one that is best for your family.

Last things to consider when choosing your griller

You might have an idea now which campfire griller you want to purchase. However, there are still a couple of things that you should consider before you can make the final decision.

Do you want to take your BBQ with you when you are going on holiday?
Are you looking for the traditional way of barbequing or are you looking for a faster modern way?
The more features your BBQ has, the more expensive it will be. However, the better value for money you will have as well.

Campfire BBQ. Everyone wants to have the perfect BBQ griller. And, with this guide, you will be able to find the right one for you and your family. There are a couple of things that you should consider in order for you to make sure that you are getting value for money. And, that you have a griller that you will enjoy all the time.

Sisterhood Blogger Award: Digging Deeper

May 19, 2019 By Becks Leave a Comment

Whilst we’ve been busy fighting grizzlies and living out of our car ‘Moose’ here in Canada we’ve been lucky enough to be nominated for the Sisterhood blogger awards by three awesome female travel bloggers.

Jennifer from Just Chasing Rabbits

Steph from Big World Small Pockets

Mimi from The Atlas Heart

Ladies, thanks for the support, love, and recognition for what we do. It’s pretty cool when other bloggers like what you’re about so CHEERS!!!

How it Works:

The Sisterhood is a way to show appreciation and acknowledgement of other female travel bloggers, and to connect and discover some unique new voices in the travel blogosphere. If you’re nominated, after thanking your fellow blogger, you answer the questions they present to you. You then have the chance to nominate up to 10 other blogs and ask 10 of your own questions. Not a bad gig!

Jennifer from Just Chasing Rabbits questions:

1. How long have you considered yourself a ‘traveller’?

Prue: Oooh I like it. I guess when I left home the first time without a return ticket… geez 7 years has flown!!

Becky: I suppose it was when I returned home from my first long stint abroad and thought “I can’t wait until I go again.”

2. What is your funniest travel story?

Urmmm… well last week Becks and I were camping on this precipice for an amazing view… In the middle of the night our tent collapses from the huge gusts zipping through the mountain range and we were too snug in our sleeping bags to brave the frigid temperatures to do anything about it. So when we eventually wake up, we’re literally engulfed by our tent and unable to find the door to get out. TWATS!

3. Why is travel so important?

Prue: Travel adds perspective, not just between those who have and those who don’t have but it makes us realise how small we are in this world, how little we really are – a very humbling lesson and one I’ve grown to cherish.

4. What is the biggest lesson this world has taught you?

Prue: It’s taught me to go out there and get what I want..

Becky: The world teaches one lesson after another, haha. I suppose the biggest lesson for me is about how I can overcome any obstacle so long as I am determined, a life on the road is not without numerous challenges and it is great to tackle them.

5. If you could change one thing in this world, what would it be?

We both are strong believers is catching and killing what you eat. Animal production lines, battery hens, commercial meat farming and milk farming is something we advocate against however if we could change one thing in this world it would be for people to stop being naive about where their food comes from and the conditions animals have to go through to get to your mouth.

6. Couple or solo travel? Why?

Both!!!

Both Becks and myself have travelled solo and as a couple and they are such different experiences. We loved our bachelor days on the road, travelling wherever the wind took us, or wherever the beer flowed but we also love sharing experiences together, curling up under the stars and reminiscing about the day. Also travelling as a couple gives us more balls, we are more daring and push our travels further as a duo. We would never have slept on a strangers floor, hitch-hiked western China or camped on the side of the road on our own….

7. What is one travelling tip you’d tell a fellow travelling sister?

Find out why you want to travel… because it’s in this ‘why’ where you’ll find out where you should be and where you should go.

8. What one destination could you visit again and again without ever tiring of it?

Indonesia. We’ve been back a few times and spent over 8 months in the country and we still have a to-do list to-die for!

9. What is the one item you can never leave home without?

Prue: My jewellery… It never leaves me, ever!!! Unless the ocean steals it.

Becky: My note pad and pen, I might rant and rave at our blog now and then but I couldn’t live without writing!

10. How has blogging been rewarding for you?

Prue: Blogging and everything that goes with it has slowly created a new skill set. Media communications, website design, social media and marketing… they’ve all snuck up on me but I use them every day!

Becky: My camera skills have taken a leap and I have been published a few times this year which was really rewarding.

Steph from Big World Small Pockets

1. When did you first realise you wanted to travel?

Prue: I remember I wanted to travel as soon as I finished high school, I was still 17. I wanted to visit those places with really blue water and sip coconuts on the beach like in the magazines. So I went to a travel agent and found Thailand, I even wrote letters to all my friends parents telling them why you should let their daughters come travelling with me. haha.

Becky: As a kid when I was told that Australia was opposite England I started digging a hole in the back garden to get there, I think it has always been there, ha!

2. Do you think you’re desire was something innate or something taught/learnt?

Prue: I would have always thought the latter until recently I found out my grandmother was an insatiable adventurer. She’s told me the most incredible stories of when she was a solo female traveller back in the 60 and 70’s – She went to East Timor on her own in the 1974 for christ sake!! So damn cool.. so maybe being a traveller was inevitable, i’d like to think it was 🙂

Becky: As above 🙂

3. What made you start blogging?

Prue: Blogging came about when we felt we were pushing boundaries, digging deeper than the guide books but in hindsight blogging came about at a time when both of us wanted to look at travel with fresh eyes.

Becky: true, plus it is a great way for people back home to stay connected and know that we are safe and happy.

4. What is your number one tip to new female travel bloggers.

Travel first… Enjoy travel for what it is, leave the blogging until you’re looking for something more out of your travels. Go live with a tribe, teach english, surf your way around Asia and when you’re done and need something more, start blogging 🙂

5. Do you think travelling can make a difference and why?

Prue: hmm that’s tough. No I don’t think it does.. I feel as though travellers are the spectators of normal life, fascinated by the subtle differences between cultures and clans and by the way the worlds carved.

Becky: You can make a difference to the daily lives of locals by buying locally and hiring local guides but I think the main aim is to preserve the wonderful places we see without making a difference.

6.What’s the best food or meal you’ve had while abroad?

Prue: Hands down the fried papaya salad and sticky rice from a little place around the corner where I used to live in Thailand.

Becky: This is the toughest question yet! Italy blew my mind and I must confess, that was the one place where I travelled to eat. Oh and you can’t beat an Aussie breakfast: Smashed avocado, cheesy croquets and poached eggs on sourdough… ooohhhhh!

7. Which city in the world would you most like to visit and why?

Prue: Cleveland, because I have a date with a long lost friend who wants to tell me all about her trip to Alaska!

Becky: Berlin, I’d like to visit the Berlin wall, grab some German beers and meet several friends of mine who live in the area! That sounds silly doesn’t it, it’s about a 2 hour flight from my home country.

8. What has been your worst moment as a female traveller?

Prue: I’ll keep this one short and sweet, it’s times when men think they can take advantage of you just because you are a women. It’s absolute bullshit but it happens everywhere.

Becky: yes, as above… YES! but the more kind of “you need help because you’re a woman” kind of thing.

9. Travelling romances, do they ever last!?

Time will tell 😛

10. Which other female travel blogger inspires you?

Sarah Duncan from Serepa. She has honed in on Colombia, a country she loves and is truly passionate about and we love that.

Mimi From My Atlas Heart

1. Describe the most interesting person you’ve met on your travels? Where were they from?

There are too too many as this is one of the massive reasons we travel. We’ve met volcano guides who paint about the civil war to help them overcome the trauma; Lived with a maasai tribe; Volunteered in schools and chatted with men who are determined to live in polar bear country. The world has the most incredible and unusual people and it is these folk that determine how much we fall for a country.

2. What’s your favourite travel quote?

“The farther you go, however, the harder it is to return. The world has many edges, and it’s easy to fall off.” Anderson Cooper

3. Which place do you think you’ll settle down?

Ahhh the question that is always on our families lips. Hmmm we have no idea. We talk about what we’d like to do when we settle down, what our pet goats name will be but we never connect our future to a place. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. 🙂

4. What’s the longest amount of time you’ve been abroad?

Prue: Becks and I haven’t had a base for the past 2.5 years. That would make it my longest… However I know Becks parents had to wait 4.5 years before they got a cuddle from her.

5. Do you have a favourite travel-related tour you’ve been on?

Climbing Dukono was a pretty incredible tour. Mr Yus, a local Indonesia takes tourists on an overnight adventure up his local volcano, we never expected a bubbling lava pit the size of a football field be at the top of it. HA!

6. How many countries have you visited? Best and Least favourite country?

Prue: 26. Best – Canada… Least favourite: Singapore

Becky: Ooohhhhh I wrote this “Why country Counting Will Ruin Your Travels” as a backlash to everyone being obsessed by country counting but I’ve probably been to nearing on 60 countries. Best – China… Least – China, oh my gosh this was a country of contradiction 😀

7. Where do you want your blog to be in the next 5 years?

haha, a lot more complete than it is now! We have a list of articles to write that no joke, exceeds 70. Tying our blog together, rounding off destination guides and having a complete full circuit interaction for visitors would be great.

8. What’s your favourite choice of alcohol on the road and why?

Beer! It’s cheap, it’s social and it’s also cultural… triple wammy, hard to beat!

9. Have you always been a writer?

Prue: me no, never… I’ve always been told I have great ideas but cannot transcribe them to paper. Becks on the other hand has always perused the idea of writing more seriously and often finds writing to be therapeutic rather than work… Lucky her huh! 😛

10. What’s the craziest food you’ve ever tried?

Prue: Being veggies we don’t have any pigs hooves, or goat hearts but I have tried locusts… that was enough!!

Becky: Yeah mine were crickets, although I have seen some awesome things eaten by non-vegetarians…. meat treats I call them 🙂

Our Nominees:

Sarah from Serapa

Katie From Feathery Travels

Alice from Teacake Travels

Questions for you sassy ladies:

Are you a boozer, culture buff, adventure seeker, landscape lover or museum junkie?
What do you look for when planning a trip?
Why did you start blogging?
As a women, do you think your travels are hindered in any way?
Is blogging your full time job? If not what kind of work do you do?
What is your favourite country and why?
If you were given $10,000 and had to spend it on travel would you a) spend it on an expensive dream trip like the galapagos or b) use it for lots of cool little trips or c) make it last as long as you can
Share with us a travel experience that was out of your comfort zone
What is and where is your favourite hike?
What can’t you travel without?