Camping Meals - Post your recipes, suggestions, tips, and pics

@MrsJabo that sounds amazing and right up our alley.

I'm marking that one down for the next trip and would love a pic if you had one.

brucered said:

@simon1

I don't have a dutch oven (yet) but should probably get one....they sound quite versatile and I could have used it for Campfire Chili and corn muffins, which are cooking right now.

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Yup, especially the muffins. Wait till you get a good seasoning on the iron though before ya do a 'mater based recipe. They turn out GREAT bread.

Along with stew, birds, roasts, etc.

Is that fire grate adjustable down? That seems a bit high...and a whole lotta wood needed to get the skillet hot...unless you're just getting a good fire going for fun. I usually cook over coals that have burned down. But for breakfast ya want it quick!

MrsJabo said:

My husband is an amazing cook and my favorite of his dishes is literally just for when we go camping. We call it a "hobo pack." It's a piece of cake to make.

Take a large piece of foil (~1.5-2') and place chunks of chicken breast, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and green/red peppers on top of one half of the foil (probably best to cut everything up at home, but we use a knife and cutting board while camping because we're never prepared). I would say about 2 cups worth of all that. Add chunks of butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Fold the other side of the foil over the top of the food. Roll the sides of the foil up and in to secure the top and bottom together (to keep the juices all inside!). Place the pack directly on top of some hot coals and just walk away. We usually say a couple of beers or 45-60 minutes. It is so delicious. My husband and I make two of these, one for each. We like to get the veggies a little charred. You can also open and peak to check for done-ness. We do the same thing in the morning with eggs, sans chicken and garlic. I will see if I can find a picture! Sweet corn cooked over the fire is also always a hit!

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That looks like a great foil pack! I'll have to try that one. I started to say something about foil cooking. I usually get the ground hot with the fire, rake the coals from the center and bury the foil pack (taters, fish, etc.) where they have about 2-3 inches of dirt to cover them on top, then rake the fire back over it for an hour...or how ever long it takes.

I need to get out to a lake this year, when it cools down a bit.

By the way...that looks like a beautiful lake Bruce. I've never been to Canada but mom has...she loved it.

The fire pit is not adjustable but I've been able to get a good burn going with minimal wood. It was actually a bit too hot, so I used the cast iron as a buffer.

The chili has been simmering for about an hour, corn (from the cob) just went on and muffins were cooked in the trailer oven.

Overall a successful first effort with two new recipes.

Campfire Chili & Corn Muffins

Pics. of the finished meal!

And the recipe for your chili.

Edit: Ooops, you beat me to the pic. with your post.

Now...the recipe.

Dang that looks good.

I'll post up that recipe when we get back.

Family all liked it which was the main thing and our 9y old loved helping make and taste testing it every 5min .

We may cut back on the crushed tomatoes next time though.

I have a standby meal that works well for me in case of miscalculation -- vegetable beef soup.

I always keep in my larder the following:

Dried beef -- slice beef as for jerkey, then boil it for 8 - 10 minutes in water with vinegar added. Place the sliced beef atop two layers of paper towels, cover with two more layers of paper towels, and then use a rolling pin to squeeze out all the excess water. If you don't do this, it will take much longer to dry. Then dry as if you were making jerky. Seal in plastic bag.

Mixed vegetables -- just get a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, spread on the dryer tray, and dehydrate. Seal in plastic bag.

Seal both bags in another bag with several packets of beef bouillon.

When you prepare the meal, break several sticks up into the pot, dump everything else in, and add COLD water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until the meat is tender. Season to taste. The time required to bring the water to boil allows the meat and vegetables to rehydrate.

So long as this is kept dry, it will keep indefinitely. Just store somewhere that the bags won't get punctured, and you'll always have a hot meal available, even in the event of mishap.

I do the meat in one pound batches, and put each pound in a separate bag. If like me, you like salt and vinegar potato chips, it's best to tuck the dried meat away in the back of the freezer so that your camping supply doesn't get nibbled away.

Tonight was supposed to be: Local Farmer Sausage, hash browns and beans...but not everyone likes beans.

I threw on a cob of corn and some peapods in foil to make everyone happy.

Turned out great and amazingly all done at the same time.

I can't wait til Bruce takes me camping!

I spent about 8 years in BSA, 4 as a scout and 4 more as an adult leader. Most of which was done on open fire, (other than 3 or 4 campouts due to no fire/drought restrictions).
We really didn't do anything fancy or exotic except for a couple times they did pit bbq and cooked a wild pig underground. Tasted just like a baked ham.
thanksgiving someone would deep fry a turkey. you dont have to worry about catching your garage on fire when your in the woods.

Some easy recipes was someone would make soup and freeze it in a 1 gallon ice cream bucket and then just heat it over the fire (not in the same bucket of course)
breakfast was always sausage egg potato taquitos with cheese. More people you can add more potatoes to make it cheaper.

Parjay said:

I can't wait til Bruce takes me camping!

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If you don't mind sleeping with a wet 70lb dog, you're more then welcome.

Today's lunch was bannock with homemade strawberry jam and double smoked back bacon.

brucered said:

If you don't mind sleeping with a wet 70lb dog, you're more then welcome.

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Sounds good to me, I will brush up on my Canadian fireside tales and songs.

brucered said:

If you don't mind sleeping with a wet 70lb dog, you're more then welcome.

Today's lunch was bannock with homemade strawberry jam and double smoked back bacon.

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I don't speak Canadian (except for bangers and mash).

As far as the wet dog goes...I do speak Canine a bit.

Looks like you are eating better than I am tonight...SWMBO is frying up some hamburger patties and onions. But, that will be good too. Just no wood smoke on them.

I Wanna Go!!!

@simon1 turns out we do have a dutch oven and I found out when my wife out of the blue said "why don't you use the Dutch Oven next time for the chili?"... Who knew?

As for burgers, they were on the menu tonight for us too.

Served on toasted buns, topped with Jalapeno cheese, fried onions and a side of left over chili and ripple chips. They turned into Chili-Burgers seconds after this picture was snapped.

This thread makes me hungry.

brucered said:

but not everyone likes beans.

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That leave more for me. I need to go camping with you.

I'll have to say we don't eat as good as the rest of you. I backpack mostly, and carry light. The last meal is usually Rib Eye's and mashed garlic potatoes. Breakfast and lunch is MRE's.
I like to make Spambalaya with cheese for one evening meal. Always make room for a flask of Knob Creek and some Arturo Fuentes Hemingway Short Stories. Even though it's been a couple of years since I've been, we almost always hike on the AT. Love the Cades Cove area.

@Snappy Lunch trust me, if we backpacked, we wouldn't be eating like this.

We have to mix it up and keep the kids happy and hopefuly they will keep up camping when they get older. They'll start out tenting like we did and hope the memories thy take away will last a long time.

Although I have never gone backpack camping, we did start out tenting and the meals were nowhere near as luxurious as they are now.

brucered said:

@Snappy Lunch trust me, if we backpacked, we wouldn't be eating like this.

We have to mix it up and keep the kids happy and hopefuly they will keep up camping when they get older. They'll start out tenting like we did and hope the memories thy take away will last a long time.

Although I have never gone backpack camping, we did start out tenting and the meals were nowhere near as luxurious as they are now.

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I understand about the kids. You have to keep them happy or they will not want to go back. When they get older maybe you can open them up to the joys of backpacking. I mostly did tent camped when young. Did Linville Gorge, NC back when you didn't have to check in with Rangers. We went several times in the winter.

Almost forgot to post tonights meal....Marinated Greek Pork Chops that we had I'm the freezer from Costco, with grilled sweet peppers and Ricearoni.

Had to grill it under the awning in the rain, but it all worked out.