Camp Cooking & Campfire Recipes

By Pat Brearton

Have you ever noticed that when you are out camping, everything tastes extra good? I love eating where the air is crisp and fresh. Nothing, except maybe the smell of the campfire, distorts the flavor ... no smog ... no smell of car exhaust or the dairy down the street ... no cold food because of interuptions by the ever-present telephone!

The only drawback to eating in the wilds, is preparing and cleaning up the feasts for the crew. That is not my idea of fun and recreation. I don't like spending all my time at camp cooking when I could be catching that elusive brown. I don't like washing smoke-stained dishes in less than adequate dishpans and I certainly don't enjoy cooking things that require too many ingredients, too much watching, or that are so complicated I can't turn the job over to someone else. My theory is that you should delegate all the chores so that everyone gets a chance to help. That means that meal preparation has to be pretty simple.

When cooking anything outdoors, look for recipies that have few ingredients, are simple to prepare, require few or no pots and pans, and that are hearty enough to quench those ravishing appetites everyone seems to develop. My favorite cooking 'pot' is aluminum foil.

You can cook marvelous meals in the coals of your campfire and have nothing to wash when dinner's over! I have three favorite recipes for use with this method. The great thing is that only the meat needs refrigeration. Try freezing your meat before taking it on your campout. That way it thaws slowly in your cooler, will help to keep everything else in the cooler cold, and will not spoil as quickly.

"I don't like spending all my time at camp cooking ... I don't like washing smoke-stained dishes"

Put seasonings in a self-sealing plastic bag and you won't have to tote bottles that may break or large quantities that take up precious room.

Use heavy-duty foil to keep from burning the food. The cooking times are approximate as the temperature of the fire will vary. Just check a packet every 15 minutes for the first half hour and then every 5 to 10 minutes until they are done.

For each serving, place the ingredients listed on a large square of aluminum foil and wrap carefully. Then place in the coals of the fire.

1 slice of pre-cooked ham (this can be fresh or canned)
1 serving canned yams (about 3 pieces)
1 or 2 canned pineapple rings
1 to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon butter
Place in the coals of your campfire for approximately 15 minutes or until all the ingredients are hot.

1 or 2 pieces of cut up chicken
1 or 2 sliced carrots
1/2 onion, cut into chunks
1 or 2 raw potatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 tablespoon butter (optional)
Season salt to taste. Wrap in aluminum foil and place in the coals of. your campfire for approximately 45 minutes or until the chicken is done.

1 seasoned hamburger patty (season with worchestershire, season salt onion salt and/or seasoned pepper)
1 or 2 sliced carrots
1/2 onion, cut into chunks
1 or 2 potatoes, cut into chunks season to taste
Wrap in aluminum foil and place in the coals of your campfire for approximately 30 minutes or until the hamburger is done and the vegetables are tender. Also, try adding one grated potato to the hamburger (about one small potato to a pound of hamburger) before you cook it. It will make the meat tender and tasty.

Serve these recipes with a salad made of canned fruit cocktail and mandarin oranges sprinkled with coconut, and oatmeal muffins or bread.