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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

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Sausage and bean casserole

A tasty filling meal full of everyone’s favourites.
Plan a session with this activity

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You’ll need

  • Chopping boards
  • Knives
  • Wooden spoons
  • Bowls
  • Access to water
  • Ingredients (see recipe card)
  • Gas stove or open fire
  • PPE (protective equipment) such as heatproof gloves
  • Wide deep frying pan
  • Can opener
  • Garlic press or alternative
  • Cutlery
  • Carbon monoxide alarm

Before you begin

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples can be found here.  Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
  • Make sure you have all the ingredients and any equipment ready.
  • Prepare your fire, this activity gives further details on how to do this. This recipe is designed to be cooked in a Dutch Oven.

Be prepared

  1. Ensure that everyone’s fires have been built outdoors in clear and open areas with plenty of ventilation away from where people sleep. All the fires need to burn down to hot embers before they can start cooking. This increases the chance of the fuel burning without enough oxygen present, increasing the risk of carbon monoxide exposure. We have more guidance on different cooking methods.
  2. If using a gas stove ensure it is on a stable heatproof surface and in a clear and open area with plenty of ventilation.
  3. In addition to these safety measures, bring along a carbon monoxide alarm to keep everyone safe.

Consider using this script to teach young people about carbon monoxide and how to keep themselves safe when burning fuel. 

Does anyone know the three things we need to ignite or sustain a fire? 

We need oxygen, a heat source (this can be a match, lighter, electricity or flint and steel) and fuel (this can be wood, gas, or solid fuel). This is known as the fire, or combustion triangle. When these three things come together, a chemical reaction happens and that is how we get fire.  

What would happen if we removed the heat source from this triangle? 

With just oxygen and fuel, nothing would happen. 

What would happen if we removed the fuel from this triangle? 

With just oxygen and a heat source, nothing would happen. 

What would happen if we removed the oxygen from this triangle? 

When there is not enough oxygen available for the fuel to burn fully when introduced to a heat source, carbon monoxide is released.  

Does anyone know what carbon monoxide looks like? 

It is actually colourless, odourless and tasteless – so we can’t sense it at all.  

How do you know if you, or someone else might have carbon monoxide poisoning? 

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning might be confused with ‘flu-like’ symptoms. This could be headaches, dizziness, feeling weak, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.  

Safe or unsafe? 

Gather everyone together and explain that you will be reading out statements. It is up to your young people to decide if the statements are safe or unsafe. They can do this by a show of hands, or marking areas on the floor for people to stand in. Make sure you play this away from any fires, in a safe area.  

Our troops gas stoves haven't been serviced or cleaned properly in a long time. We bought new stoves for the trip and have set the old ones aside to be serviced or disposed of.  

SAFE – Don't leave known faulty equipment to chance. Ensure that all equipment is maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and visually checked before each use. Signs to look out for are lots of black soot and a yellow flame that is droopy and lazy.  

We have a carbon monoxide alarm, so we don’t need to worry about the risk of being poisoned. 

UNSAFE - A Carbon Monoxide alarm detects the presence of the gas in the air, however should be used as an extra precaution in addition to making sure you are cooking in a well ventilated area. 

Sausage and bean casserole recipe

Ingredients:

  • Cooking oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 12 Sausages
  • 1 cans of chopped tomatoes
  • 2 cans of baked beans
  • 2 beef stock cubes

Prep time: 10 – 15 minutes

Cook time:  30 – 40 minutes

Serves:  4

  1. Peel and finely chop your onion and put to one side.
  2. Peel and crush garlic and put to the side.
  3. Add a small amount of oil to your hot pan.
  4. Fry your sausages to colour the outsides. They do not have to be cooked through at this stage.
  5. Remove your sausages from the pan and put to the side.
  6. Into the same pan, add your onion and garlic and fry gently until soft.
  7. Add the cans of beans and tomato.
  8. Sprinkle over the stock cubes and stir in.
  9. Add the sausages back to the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes stirring regularly.
  10. Salt to taste.
  11. Serve on its own or with jacket or mashed potato. Check the sausages are cooked right through before serving.

Reflection

This activity was an opportunity to spend some time in the great outdoors, whilst working together to create a meal to share. How did it feel to cook outdoors and on a fire? How is it different to using modern methods?  How did you work well together?

Everyone needed to be responsible and safe around the fire. There are lots of risks and hazards that we must be mindful of when enjoying our fire and using it for cooking. Can anyone spot the different ways we have tried to keep everyone safe? Has anyone heard of carbon monoxide? What have we done today to make sure we don't suffer from carbon monoxide exposure?

This activity was also a chance to explore recognizable foods in different recipes. How did this recipe change the flavour of your baked beans? Were the sausages a different texture.

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Cooking

Teach young people how to use cooking equipment safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Make sure it’s safe to use and follow manufacturers’ guidelines for use.

Fires and stoves

Make sure anyone using fires and stoves is doing so safely. Check that the equipment and area are suitable and have plenty of ventilation. Follow the gas safety guidance. Have a safe way to extinguish the fire in an emergency.

Food

Remember to check for allergies, eating problems, fasting or dietary requirements and adjust the recipe as needed. Make sure you’ve suitable areas for storing and preparing food and avoid cross contamination of different foods. Take a look at our guidance on food safety and hygiene.

Flammable items

Always take care when using flammable items, especially if you’re near fire. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines.

Outdoor activities

You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

Visits away from your meeting place

Complete a thorough risk assessment and include hazards, such as roads, woodland, plants, animals, and bodies of water (for example, rivers, ponds, lakes, and seas). You’ll probably need more adult helpers than usual. Your risk assessment should include how many adults you need. The young people to adult ratios are a minimum requirement. When you do your risk assessment, you might decide that you need more adults than the ratio specifies. Think about extra equipment that you may need to take with you, such as high visibility clothing, a first aid kit, water, and waterproofs. Throughout the activity, watch out for changes in the weather and do regular headcounts. 

To decrease the level of the challenge, you may want to build the fires for your young people in advance.

You could peel and chop the ingredients before the session, or have the group involved in all stages of the process. 

Remember to check your ingredients against any allergy or dietary requirements to ensure everyone can enjoy the dish. This recipe can easily be adapted. 

Don’t forget to check the type of stock you’re using, as this can contain allergens. Remember any side dishes you’re having too – did you know that couscous contains gluten?

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Cubs Our Outdoors Challenge Award
Beavers My Outdoors Challenge Award
Scouts Expedition Challenge Award
Scouts Outdoor Challenge Award
Explorers Survival Skills Activity Badge
Beavers Camp Craft Activity Badge
Scouts Chef Activity Badge
Explorers Chef Activity Badge

You could try more recipes, and different cooking methods. We have lots more recipes to inspire you.

Everyone was reminded of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning at the start of this activity. Consider combining this with some other activities on carbon monoxide safety.

Young people could adapt the recipe, adding or replacing ingredients, and decide how they’re going to work together to make the meal.