Chapter 20 - Night Time Meat Grilling
"Before I start grilling, I need to get the rice ready."
Since I’m the type to pair grilled meat with rice, preparing it was a must.
For this, I used a mess tin.
It’s an aluminum, rectangular cooking container that’s incredibly versatile—it can be used for all sorts of cooking methods, like boiling or grilling.
In fact, the mess tin is so convenient that campers often say there’s no dish you can’t make with it.
Every seasoned camper has at least one or two of them.
This time, I decided to cook the rice in it.
I added one cup of rice to the lid, then added the same amount of water. Normally, that would be the perfect ratio for regular rice, but since this is pre-washed rice, I added just a little extra water.
Since grilling meat on the portable stove would take up space, I set up a pocket stove instead and placed a solid fuel tablet inside.
Using a Chakaman (TL/N: a Japanese lighter brand), I ignited the solid fuel, then placed the mess tin on top.
All I needed to do now was let it cook on low heat for 15 minutes, then steam for another 10.
By the time the rice was ready, the grill on the portable stove had heated up nicely.
"Let’s start with the beef tongue."
"Beef tongue?"
"It’s the tongue of a cow."
"Hmm, this will be my first time eating such a thing."
As I placed the first slice of beef tongue—brought to room temperature—on the grill, a satisfying sizzle echoed through the quiet surroundings. Smoke rose, carrying the rich aroma of grilled meat, which tantalized my nose.
"What a great sound."
"And the smell is incredible."
I added a second and third slice, spacing them evenly across the grill.
Each time the thinly sliced beef tongue hit the grill, the blue flames seemed to cheer in welcome, flaring up with a crackling applause.
Tiny beads of fat surfaced, and the delicate patterns unique to beef tongue began to change color.
When the first side had a slight char, I flipped the slices with tongs, releasing an even stronger wave of savory aroma.
Because the slices were thin, I didn’t need to cook them thoroughly on the other side.
Once they were adequately heated, I plated them and sprinkled a touch of salt.
"They’re ready."
Before I could finish my three short words, Haku eagerly took a bite.
"Delicious! The perfect amount of chewiness, and with every bite, the rich flavor of the meat spreads!"
"Right?"
"I never imagined cow tongue would taste this good. But, the only thing I'm not happy about is how thin the slices are..."
Haku stared mournfully at his empty plate as though lamenting the vanished beef tongue.
"In that case, how about thick-cut beef tongue next? These slices are 12 millimeters thick—much more satisfying."
"Let’s have it! Grill it quickly!"
"Got it, but thick slices take longer to cook, so be patient, alright?"
"Fine. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the thin slices."
I emphasized my words as I answered Haku’s eager response, then I quickly seasoned the thick-cut beef tongue with salt and pepper and placed it on the grill. At the same time, I continued grilling the thin slices.
The thin slices cooked quickly. Once the fat surfaced, I flipped them and gave the other side about 20 seconds before they were ready.
Most of the thin slices ended up on Haku’s plate, but I managed to sneak a few for myself between rounds.
"Delicious!"
The unique texture was both chewy and tender, with just the right amount of bounce. Each bite released a burst of umami from the meat juices, and the low-fat content left a refreshing aftertaste without sacrificing depth of flavor.
"Food tastes even better when you’re outside."
At first, I doubted that grilling meat on someone else’s property could really be enjoyable, but once I started, it didn’t matter. Grilled meat always tastes amazing when eaten outdoors, no matter the setting.
"Tohru, is the thick-cut beef tongue ready yet?"
Haku had already devoured the thin slices and was now fixated on the thick-cut pieces grilling over the flame.
"Almost there."
Thick-cut beef tongue needs to be cooked more carefully to bring out its full flavor.
I seared the surface over medium heat, flipped it, and moved it to the edge of the grill where the heat was lower.
After slowly cooking it through, I returned it to the hotter part of the grill to finish it off, creating a beautifully charred exterior.
"The thick-cut beef tongue is ready."
"Finally!"
Normally, I’d cut the thick slices into bite-sized pieces with scissors, but with Haku, a White Fenrir, that seemed uncouth. He tore into the 12-millimeter slice with his large mouth, tearing it apart.
"This is delicious! Tohru, I’ve taken a liking to this thick-sliced beef tongue!"
"I'll keep grilling more and more of these, so don't worry."
I grilled three more slices at once, knowing full well that with Haku's appetite, they'd vanish in no time.
Before he could even finish commenting on his meal, I laid additional slices of thick beef tongue onto the grill.
While Haku savored his second slice, I helped myself to some from my plate, dipping the pieces into lemon juice before taking a bite.
"This thickness really feels luxurious."
The thick cuts boasted a perfect balance of chewiness and juiciness, far superior to the thinner slices.
The charred surface paired with just the right amount of fat gave a subtle sweetness.
Thanks to the refreshing lemon juice, I felt like I could eat as much as I wanted.
"Ah, I can’t wait to eat this with some rice!"
Checking my watch, I realized the rice had been steaming for fifteen minutes. I carefully removed the mess tin from the heat and wrapped it in a towel to let it sit for another ten minutes. Once done, I knew the rice would be perfectly fluffy and glossy.
But those ten minutes felt like torture. I was so tempted to dig into the rice with the beef tongue right away, but I knew it would taste much better if I waited. With all my willpower, I held back.
In the meantime, I grilled other types of meat: pork belly, spare ribs, and chicken thighs.
"You seem unusually devoted to cooking today."
"Meat always makes me crave rice. Cooking helps distract me from the wait."
"Oh, rice, huh..."
Haku's gaze shifted toward the mess tin as he ate his meat.
"Here, the next batch is ready—pork belly and chicken thighs."
"Oh, both are delicious! I've had pork and chicken before, but this is on a whole other level!"
"Well, that's because this meat was specifically bred for consumption."
To distract Haku, I offered him the grilled pork belly and chicken thigh that had just finished cooking.
Haku was captivated by the flavors of pork and chicken from another world.
After enough time had passed, I untied the towel and opened the lid of the mess tin, revealing the steamed contents inside.
"Hot... oooh, this looks incredible."
A quick stir with my chopsticks confirmed it—there were no burnt bits.
The rice was perfectly cooked.
"Just add the sauce to the pork belly and place it on top of the rice, and the pork belly bowl is ready! Now, let's—"
"Looks like you're eating something delicious, huh?"
Just as I was about to savor my creation, Haku leaned in closer.
Damn it, my attempt to distract him with other meat had failed.
"Isn’t the meat enough for you? Just eat that."
"You’re the one who’s going to all this trouble to eat it. It must be delicious when eaten with meat, right?"
I tried to shoo him away, but Haku only grew more insistent, his presence looming over me.
How much of a foodie could you be?
"...Fine, but I’m eating too, so we split it half, alright?"
"Fair enough."
At this point, it would be too painful to have all the freshly cooked rice taken from me.
When I desperately pleaded, Haku reluctantly nodded in agreement.
I placed half the rice onto Haku's plate and topped it with the grilled pork belly coated in sauce.
Together, we both took a bite of pork belly and rice at the same time.
"Mmm! The white grains are so tender with a slight sweetness. On their own, they're subtle, but paired with the meat, they’re extraordinary!"
"Ugh, you’ve discovered the magic of white rice too!"
"Of course. Who do you think I am?"
I didn’t think appreciating rice depended on whether one was human or a White Fenrir, but that wasn’t worth arguing about right now. All that mattered was focusing on the pork belly meat and rice in front of me.
"Tohru-san, if you wouldn’t mind, I brought some vegetable soup..."
As I was engrossed in eating the pork belly rice bowl, I noticed that Aina, who had brought food, had stopped in her tracks.
Her gaze was fixed on the pork belly rice bowls we were eating, then smoothly shifted to the pork belly and spare ribs sizzling on the portable stove.
"......"
Though silent, her face clearly expressed a single sentiment: That looks delicious.
"W-would you like some?"
"I’d love some!"
I handed over a freshly grilled piece of pork belly, and her smile widened.
Since she seemed unfamiliar with using chopsticks, I passed her a fork. Standing right there, Aina eagerly took a bite of the pork belly.
"How is it?"
"It’s delicious! I’ve never had meat like this before!"
Aina’s small mouth moved as she chewed and swallowed, then she spoke with a voice full of awe.
"Really? I’m glad to hear that. There’s plenty of meat, so feel free to eat as much as you like."
"Really?! Then I want more!"
"I want seconds too. This time, I want meat on the bone."
"Spare ribs, you mean."
Not only Aina, but also Haku, who had just finished his pork bowl, held out his empty plate.
I served them both, piling freshly grilled pork belly and spare ribs onto their plates.
"Mmm! This is amazing! It’s juicier and fattier than the other meats!"
"The sweet and savory sauce is delicious!"
"There’s something primal about eating meat on the bone, isn’t there?"
"I know exactly what you mean. The way the meat comes off the bone is just irresistible."
Honestly, I could have done without that much vivid detail.
"Aina, so this is where you’ve been."
"Oh, Father!"
As I grilled more meat for the ever-hungry wolf and girl, Lugh appeared from the house.
If his daughter went out to deliver food and didn’t come back, of course, he’d get worried.
Lugh approached with a relieved look, but his gaze soon shifted to the portable stove and the sizzling meat.
"......"
The way he froze at the sight of delicious food was exactly like his daughter—clearly a family trait.
"Lugh-san, would you like some grilled meat too?"
"Huh? Is it okay?"
"There’s plenty of meat to go around."
"Thank you so much."
I handed him a plate and fork, and like Aina, he smiled warmly.
"Mmm! The meat is so tender! And there's no unpleasant smell! I've never had meat that's so easy to eat and so rich in flavor!"
Lugh’s eyes widened as he bit into the spare ribs, his voice practically a growl of admiration.
It seemed the meat I bought from the Shop was not only popular with kids in this world but also with adults.
"...This meat is so delicious; I wish I could share it with Mother."
Aina, who had been delighted by the grilled meat, suddenly lowered her head, her expression turning somber.
What a kind-hearted girl, wanting to share something wonderful with someone she cares about.
"You’re right."
It seemed like Lugh shared the same sentiment, as he also wore a disappointed expression, much like Aina.
Even though she had taken the medicine, it would still be too much to feed grilled meat to the sickly Roanna.
I remembered that if she got proper nutrition, her recovery would speed up.
An idea struck me, and I stood up from my chair, heading inside my camper van.
I rummaged through the storage cabinets above the kitchen and found an assortment of easy-to-eat items for the sick—rice porridge, jelly, canned peaches, nutritional drinks, and the like.
Just like with the emergency kit, there might be times when I’d end up getting sick while camping.
As a precaution for situations like that, I kept some easy-to-digest food stored away.
I heated up a packet of seven-herb porridge in the camper van’s microwave.
After about two minutes, I poured it out of its container and into a bowl.
"Tohru-san?"
"I prepared something light and easy to digest for someone who’s unwell. If she’s feeling up to it, please have her try it."
"That smells amazing! And it’s packed with herbs!"
"Tohru-san, are you sure it’s okay to give us this?"
"Of course. Please, take it."
It wasn’t a big deal—I could always buy more from the Shop. What mattered most was that Roanna could benefit from it.
"Oh, and take this nutritional drink too."
"What’s this?"
"It’s a drink that helps with recovery and fatigue."
"So, you mean potion?!"
"Huh? No, no, nothing that fancy. It’s more like a medicinal tonic from my hometown."
"Thank you so much for giving us something so precious!"
Lugh, deeply moved, took my hand and shook it up and down in gratitude.
I had a feeling there was some misunderstanding here, but as long as it helped Roanna, I didn’t mind.
The two of them finished their meal and, with the seven-herb porridge in hand, made their way to Roanna's room.
"Tohru, seconds."
"......"
As I was getting emotional over the sight of their family bond, Haku ruined the mood by holding out his wooden plate, completely oblivious.
Couldn’t he at least try to respect the atmosphere...
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