Family cookouts become bountiful feasts

Deerfield Lake and Campground owner Eric Adams is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to cooking. He’s a master of the grill.

Ask him what the secret to a tasty piece of meat is and he’ll divulge.

“Gold Medal seasoning. I use it on everything. And charcoal. There’s no propane here,” he stated.

It’s not uncommon to find Adams on a Friday night behind an open flame and surrounded by family, friends and campground patrons.

“We started getting together for big cookouts like this about three years ago,” said Adams. “It seemed to be the only way to keep our twin boys, who were 16 then, around the house long enough to have a conversation.”

Eric’s sons (he has three) love to eat their dad’s cooking but don’t share his passion for the work beforehand.

Family cookouts soon turned to campground gatherings when neighbors began bringing over dishes.

“I really like it when a bunch of campers get together and we do a covered-dish thing,” he said. “Imagine 40 people getting together and everybody brings something different. It might be the same dish sometimes but none of them taste quiet the same and you get to try a lot of new things and pick up ideas for the next cookout.”

One time, he said, they had a visitor join them for burgers. He had pulled in off the river from paddling all day and was welcomed like an old friend.

Eric and his family took over Deerfield Campground in 2001. They live on site year-round to maintain the place.

“There’s so much food at times, you don’t know what to do with it all,” said Eric’s wife Melissa.

She added that while Eric does do all the cooking, she still gets stuck with cleaning up after him, and he gives her no mercy.

“Well, it takes a few cracked eggs to make an omelet right?” said Eric.

A McDowell News reporter was able to sit in and dine with the Adams family last Friday during one of their cookouts. On the menu was sirloin steak, grilled chicken and squash, low country boil and plenty of side items. For dessert, there was an ice cream sandwich cake, made by friend Amy Ward, and chocolate chip cookies.

Sitting on the back deck of the Adams’ camper, which overlooks the Catawba River, friends and family tell of their favorite “Eric” dishes and of all his abilities.

“He makes the best ribs ever,” said Debbie Hollifield, his mother-in-law.

“My favorite is his fried chicken,” said 13-year-old son Samuel. “And, you should try his chow-chow. He cans anything and everything. Spaghetti sauce, pickles, deer sausage … I like it all.”

So what does a food bill run the family on a typical weekend?

They say not a whole lot. Eric has a large garden at the campground, so anytime he needs fresh vegetables, they’re just a walk and pick away. For good meat deals, Eric heads to West Court Food Center. And during the fall and winter months, he and his boys take to the woods for deer hunting.

“They’ll turn this camper into a deer factory,” said Melissa. “They’ll cut meat up for freezing, cook it, can it, make jerky, you name it. I head for home when that time rolls around.”

As far as side dishes go, neighbors and friends usually take care of that department.

While he’s always enjoyed cooking, Eric says his favorite part isn’t the process itself, but afterwards when everyone is sitting down and “filling their faces.”

“Cooking is a good way to bring the whole family together as well as friends and neighbors,” he stated. “Everyone seems to get along when good food’s involved. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from.”

While Eric tends the grill, his wife is busy setting out utensils and condiments and checking on everyone.

“He should’ve been born a woman,” she teased. His mother-in-law nods her head in agreement. Eric pays no attention to the quips and instead focuses on his sizzling squash strips, lightly seasoned with Gold Medal, of course.

“You don’t want to marinate your vegetables,” he said. “It takes away from the flavor of the meat.”

Friends and family members all agree Eric’s great at what he does and can make almost anything taste delicious.

After Friday’s meal, one stuffed McDowell News employee, along with her 9-year-old daughter, start to head for home.

“You all come back anytime and eat,” Eric stated. “There’s always plenty and we enjoyed having you.”

Whether it’s barbecues for the Fourth, an afternoon fish fry near the pond or hamburger and hot dog cookouts for graduation, you won’t leave Deerfield Campground on an empty tank.

“If you fix it, they will come,” said Eric.

Eric’s Low Country Boil Recipe:

 2 packages Polska Kielbasa sausage (beef)
3 (2-pound) packs of frozen medium shrimp
12 ears of corn, broken in half
6 pounds potatoes, halved

3 ounces Old Bay seasoning

Using a turkey fryer with strainer, add 3 ounces Old Bay seasoning to boiling water. Add sausage and potatoes and cook 20 minutes. Add corn and cook an additional 15 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes then remove. Cover picnic (or other) table with foil and dump ingredients on table.