Camping Recipes...

Graumagus

I do living history reenactments, so full disclosure: The amount of equipment we bring with is far beyond what most people would consider "camping"

That said, anything you can cook at home can also be cooked over a campfire if you invest in a few pieces of cast iron cookware (Lodge brand is nice, but a bit on the pricey side. I have had excellent results using TexSport if you can find it- it's about 1/2 to 2/3 the price of Lodge).

An eight quart cast iron dutch oven with legs and a rimmed lid is highly versatile. Way too heavy if you're hiking long distances to a campsite, but if you're traveling a short distance by foot or camping somewhere you can basically just drive up it's a great addition to your camp gear. A dutch oven lid tool, and a highly heat resistant glove are also very useful as cast iron stays hot for a long time (i use a leather welder's glove, available at any home improvement store).

Take a pie tin, flip it upside down inside the oven as a trivet (keeps the food lifted off the bottom of the oven), then use another rightside up on top of that one and you can bake anything you would at home by placing the oven on a bed of hot coals and scooping more coals on top on the lid (the lid is rimmed specifically for this purpose). Obviously you must observe all fire safety laws and general common sense when scooping hot coals around. And the leather glove mentioned above will NOT make your hand immune to the heat of the cast iron, but will protect your hand from momentary contact. So don't go grabbing hot iron, use a tool to lift the lid and move the oven by the bail handle!

Out fishing? Why cook your catch on a stick when you can make a baked dish that wouldn't shame your Sunday dinner table?

I've cooked roasts, made tortilla wraps, baked whole chickens, and even baked fresh bread with hot coals and a dutch oven.

tamheath

Great ideas - thanks for posting!

RoadDog

When I first started rafting almost 30 years ago, I would cook for myself and whoever rode with me. Later, it was me and the older girls. Then it was me and the older girls and their girlfriends.

Soon I was the one organizing the trip. One by one I would get the same request from the others, "Hey, since you are already cooking, can you add me to the list and I will chip in some money?" I was cooking Breakfast and Dinner for every one.

3 Years ago, when Holland started going, I started using a guide service. They provided lunch on the River; everyone started bringing breakfast bars and I was only doing dinner.

Last two years, I started staying at a resort and using a guide service. I don't bring anything but cigars, bourbon and my wallet.

I miss cooking for the group.

Anybody in the PNW need a camp cook?

kamk16

Some really good ideas here. I will have to keep this handy for our camping this summer probably every weekend we to are getting a "permanent" or "seasonal" sight for our camper.

LH2007

This is awesome! Thanks for all the great suggestions!!!! We camped all last year and we just ran out of ideas. This is great!