For me, campfire recipes have to be simple. Easy cleanup is important as water may be limited. Of course, this depends on how long your camping trip will be.
Campfire Cooking
If you only go for a night, buns and hot dogs, and a bag of marshmallows will probably do. I like to put some nutrition into my camping food and make a menu plan before I leave home.
When I took guests on overnight trips with horses, the food was an important part of my planning.
Making up a menu plan is a good idea. It makes it easy for writing a list of all the ingredients you need. A list is also a must for your camping gear.
I always pack some extra potatoes and veggies to cook in foil, and some cookies, dried fruit and nuts and a bar of chocolate.
If you arrive at a campsite late, cold, tired and hungry, try French toast for a quick meal. Break a couple of eggs in a bowl, add some milk (powdered milk with water), and salt and pepper. Dip the bread slices in the mixture and fry them. Pour some maple syrup over the french toast and enjoy.
My 8 Favourite Campfire Recipes
There are many great campfire cookbooks available. And don’t forget about the barbeque recipes you use at home.
1. Bannock
Makes 12 servings
Prep time at home: 15 min – Prep time in camp: Ready to use
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup baking powder
1 Tbsp salt
2/3 cup dry milk powder
1 1/2 cups quick oats
At Home: Cut together shortening and flour until the mixture is well combined. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pack in airtight large zippered plastic storage bags. A bag containing 3 cups provides 2 8” bannocks, enough for 4 people to have a couple of pieces each.
In Camp: Just add about 1 cup of water to 3 cups of mix. If bannock is for breakfast, add raisins or dried cranberries, and some sugar if desired. Roll dough out to 8’ – 10” round, 2 cm thick. Cook in a small frypan over low heat with an aluminum foil cover. Check frequently and when the bottom is light brown, flip over.
2. Oatmeal Porridge
Ingredients:
3 cups water
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups oatmeal
Directions: In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Gradually stir in oatmeal. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until desired thickness, stirring occasionally. Serve with fruit compote or fresh fruit.
3. Swiss Alp Macaroni Pot
Melt 3 tbsp of butter or oil in a large camping pot, add 2 – 3 onions (chopped), and saute until the onions are brown, add 1 – 2 potatoes per person, cut into small pieces, add pasta, mix together and saute for a couple of minutes, add water to cover everything, stir well! Add vegetable stock, salt, and pepper, and cover with a lid until it comes to a boil.
When it boils, take off the lid and cook until all water is absorbed, stir from time to time. Add more water as necessary. Once the pasta is cooked, add grated cheese and a little milk or cream, more spices, stir and serve!
4. Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
1 generous cup of red lentils
1 diced red onion
2 large carrots, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 parsnip or potato, diced
5 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp paprika
Put lentils and vegetables and stock in a pan, boil for about 30 minutes, season to taste, and serve.
5. Campfire Beans
Heat some oil in a cast-iron pot, nestled in the coals, add onions and other veggies, and toss in canned or DRY beans (if they have been soaked great, but it does not matter). Put in whatever meat is available. Add garlic and any other seasoning you like, maybe a pinch of cinnamon as well. Keep adding liquid…beer, wine, water a few bullion cubes help, chopped celery, and diced tomatoes (this is a great way to use the veggies that get soft in the cooler). Enjoy!
6. S’mores
Put a marshmallow on a stick and toast it over the campfire until it is just right. Place the soft marshmallow onto a cookie or graham cracker, top it with a piece of milk chocolate, and sandwich together with another cookie or cracker. Yum!
7. Banana Boats
Ingredients:
1 banana per person,
pieces of milk chocolate or chocolate chips
miniature marshmallows (optional)
Slit each banana lengthwise through the peel, making sure not to cut all the way through to the other side. Stuff the bananas with chocolate pieces and marshmallows.
Wrap each banana in aluminum foil and cook over the fire until the chocolate is melted. Eat with a spoon.
8. Cowboy Coffee
One of the most valuable campfire recipes is how to make Cowboy coffee. Out here in the West, the tradition lives on with many folks. Cowboy coffee has been part of cowboy cuisine since the days of the huge cattle drives. Many different techniques and recipes are used. Cowboy coffee reminds me of the black brew I used to drink when hiking in the Swiss mountains. The coffee was brewed the same way, but over a stove instead of over the campfire.
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