There’s nothing like a good campfire meal when you’re hungry and out in the fresh air. Check out our favorite camping recipes, then apply these practical, reader-submitted tips. You’ll be reaching for the tent in no time!
Before you hit the woods, stock up on the best dehydrated camping foods.
1. Cook With Foil Packets
Foil-packet cooking is a great method for campfire meals…and cleanup is a snap! Here are some simply delicious suggestions:
- Sausage Dinner for Six. “I coat the inside of a large foil cooking bag with nonstick cooking spray and add 1 pound of fully cooked smoked sausage (sliced), three to four chopped potatoes, a small cabbage cut into six wedges and 1/2 cup water. I seal the bag and cook on coals for 30 to 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Yum!” (For a similar recipe, check out Bratwurst Supper.) —Kelly Reed, Paragon, Indiana
- Banana Splits. “My grandmother took my brothers and me camping when I was little. She’d make these banana splits: Cut a whole unpeeled banana halfway through from end to end. Place marshmallows and pieces of chocolate bar in the slit. Wrap banana in the foil with the cut end up. Place in coals for 10 to 15 minutes until chocolate and marshmallows are melted. Open the foil carefully and scoop from the banana peel.” (We also love these Hot Quick Banana Boats.) —Laura Miller, Highland, California
- Girl Scout Grub. “My troop members love making individual foil packs to cook over charcoal. Here’s how they do it: On a sheet of heavy-duty foil, place two cabbage leaves, a marinated chicken breast or hamburger patty, and thinly sliced potatoes, carrots and onions. Sprinkle on seasonings of your choice. Cooking time varies, but we test a packet after 25 minutes.” —Leslie Rhodes Burlington, North Carolina
Garlic & Herb Artichoke Salmon
Grilled Green Beans
Grilled Up Sweet Potato Casserole
Cheesy Ham & Potato Packet
Bacon-Corn Stuffed Peppers
Tomato-Herb Grilled Tilapia
Lemon-Dill Salmon Packets
Sausage Vegetable Packets
Caesar Salad with Grilled Steak and Potatoes
Grilled Hash Browns
Sizzling Tex-Mex Fajitas
Hot Quick Banana Boats
Grilled Cabbage
Campfire Bundles
Grilled Cajun Green Beans
Rice on the Grill
Grilled Peppers and Zucchini
Three-Cheese Potatoes
Grilled Sweet Onions
Summer Sausage Hobo Packets
Campfire Trout Dinner
Spiced Grilled Corn
Grilled Waffle Treats
Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Sole
Grilled Summer Squash
Herbed Potato Packs
Garlic-Ginger Salmon Packets
BBQ Hot Dog & Potato Packs
Grilled Potatoes & Peppers
Fish & Vegetable Packets
2. Get Creative Around the Campfire
Improvising can lead to some memorable outdoor meals, as these reader ideas demonstrate:
- Singin’ Apples. “Place an apple on a cooking stick and roast over hot campfire coals until the apple peel splits and ‘sings’ (sizzles). Carefully peel away the skin (adults should help kids with this) and roll the apple in cinnamon-sugar.” —Carol Milligan, St. Clair Shores, Michigan
- Stacked Supper. “Put a pan of hot dogs in water over the fire. Use a second pan of baked beans as a lid. Top it with a metal pie plate. Pour a prepared Jiffy muffin mix into the pie plate. Cover with a 10-inch fry pan lid. It takes about 15 minutes for the muffin batter to bake, and by then, the hot dogs and beans are ready.” (Find more campfire casseroles here.) —Marge Austin, North Pole, Alaska
- Biscuits on a Stick. “Swirl a refrigerated biscuit on a 1-inch by 3-foot dowel. Cover the end of the stick with dough and, as you turn the stick, gently stretch dough 3 to 4 inches, overlapping the biscuit onto itself to seal edges. Turn as you cook until biscuit is golden brown and will easily slide off the stick. Fill the center with butter, jam, peanut butter or chocolate…or slide a cooked sausage link inside.” —Sandra Smith, Battle Creek, Michigan
Milky Way Pudgy Pie
All-American Hamburgers
Campers Favorite Dip
Eclairs on the Grill
Chicken Ole Foil Supper
Grilled Veggie Pizza
Bratwurst Supper
Cake & Berry Campfire Cobbler
Campfire Bean 'N' Ham Soup
Mushroom Cheese Bread
Honey-Mustard Brats
Blueberry-Cinnamon Campfire Bread
Fruit 'n' Cake Kabobs
Cheese-Topped Potatoes in Foil
Grilled Sausages with Summer Vegetables
Pizza Mountain Pies
Overnight Oatmeal
Grilled Cajun Green Beans
Cherry-Chocolate Pudgy Pie
Grilled Zucchini & Pesto Pizza
BBQ Hot Dog & Potato Packs
Camper's Breakfast Hash
Ham & Jack Pudgy Pie
S'mOreos
Herbed Potato Packs
S'more Pudgy Pie
Kathy's Herbed Corn
Walking Tacos
Campfire Hash
Granola Trail Mix
Potato-Sausage Foil Packs
Pot of S'mores
Dutch Oven Cheesy Bacon & Eggs
Ginger Pound Cake S'mores
Campfire Peach Cobbler
Scrambled Egg Bread
Campfire Cinnamon Twists
Grilled Spicy Corn on the Cob
Apple-Cinnamon Pudgy Pie
Campfire Pancakes with Peanut Maple Syrup
Campfire Cheese Hash Brown Packets
Cookout Caramel S'mores
Grilled Cranberry Pear Crumble
Reuben Pudgy Pie
3. Revamp a Classic Recipe
Try out these twists on an old favorite…
- Cookie S’mores. “Instead of packing graham crackers and chocolate bars for s’mores, we use fudge-striped cookies. Just slide a roasted marshmallow onto the bottom of one cookie and top it with another cookie.” —Shelly Leingang, Mandan, North Dakota
- Lots of Chocolate. “Substitute chocolate-covered grahams in place of the plain graham crackers and chocolate bar. It’s easier and less messy.” —Martha Collins, Nelson, New Hampshire
- Peanut Butter Twist. “For a different twist on flavor, use peanut butter cups instead of chocolate bars when you’re making s’mores.” —Amy Lester, Dimondale, Michigan
S’mores Creme Brulee
A big bite into a scrumptious s’more brings back sweet campfire memories. This fancy take on the classic treat is perfect for a fall meal and will be adored by young and old alike. —Rose Denning, Overland Park, KansasS'more Cheesecake
S'more Pops
Oatmeal S'more Cookies
S'mores Stuffed French Toast
Ginger S'mores
S'mores Milk Shake
S'mores Crescent Rolls
Sugar Cookie S'mores
Mini S'mores
S'Moreos
S'mores Crispy Bars
S'mores No-Bake Cookies
Cookout Caramel S'mores
Rainbow S'moreo Cookies
Chocolate S'mores Tart
Fudgy S'mores Brownies
Pot of S'mores
S'mores Monkey Bread Muffins
S'more Sandwich Cookies
S'more Pudgy Pie
S'mores Cheesecake
Chocolaty S'mores Bars
S'mores on a Stick
4. Try a Pie Iron
Pie irons are versatile and fun to use. These hinged, double-sided cast-iron cookers with long handles are set on coals to produce handheld treats known as “hobo pies” or “pudgy pies.” Kids need adult supervision when using pie irons—and everyone should be careful to let the hot fillings cool a bit before eating the “pie.” These reader versions are sure to please:
- Pudgy Pie Meal. “My family used to camp well into the fall. When chilly weather set in, we’d make hot sandwich pudgy pies. Between two slices of buttered bread (buttered side against the pie iron), we’d layer ham, turkey or corned beef strips, cheese, and sliced veggies such as onions, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes.” —Mikaela Vogelzang, Fitchburg, Wisconsin
- Let’s Toast. “For great-tasting French toast, we dip bread in egg batter and cinnamon and then cook it in a sprayed pie iron. Coating the inside of the iron with nonstick cooking spray makes the food release easily.” —Heather Barnette, Lapeer, Michigan
- Wake-Up Call. “We make breakfast sandwiches in our hobo pan by placing precooked sausage and scrambled eggs between two pieces of bread. The iron is also great for cooking a side of hash browns.” —Jeanne Williams, Mays Landing, New Jersey
- Tasty Tacos. “Round pie irons cook up perfect taco pudgy pies. Fill small tortillas with 2 tablespoons each of prepared taco meat, refried beans and shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese. Add jalapeno peppers if desired. Trim off any excess tortilla with a knife after closing the iron.” —Lisa Heffington, Greenville, Wisconsin
Milky Way Pudgy Pie
Ham & Jack Pudgy Pie
S'more Pudgy Pie
Pizza Mountain Pies
Cherry-Chocolate Pudgy Pie
Reuben Pudgy Pie
Apple-Cinnamon Pudgy Pie
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The post 4 Tips for Easy Campfire Cooking appeared first on Taste of Home.
Jason Nowak