If you’re a regular reader of this column, or if you’ve seen the size of my belly, you’ll know that eating is a favorite activity of mine. And there’s nothing better than eating a delicious meal cooked over a campfire.
Naturally, you’ll need the right equipment.
Obviously, you need grilling utensils, like a long-handled spatula, fork and tongs. Invest in a quality set of long skewers for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs. Likewise, you need to have a quality set of pie irons. A decent set of grill gloves isn’t a bad idea, either. Don’t forget a proper fire poker, too.
But the three most essential things you’ll need for cooking over a campfire are:
a proper grill
a cast iron Dutch oven
a well-seasoned cast iron skillet
One of the best investments we ever made was a product called The Perfect Campfire Grill. It’s a sturdy stainless steel grill that simply slides onto a steel pole so it can both be raised or lowered to any height and can be swung over the fire or out of the way. All four sides of the grill have a stainless steel “fence” to keep food from falling into the fire. Plus, it’s made in Michigan. It elevated our campfire cooking very nicely, if I do say so myself.
The thing about cast iron Dutch ovens and skillets is that you simply can’t skimp on quality. The best ones are good enough to be handed down for generations. They’re all but indestructible. Invest in a good one and enjoy the delicious benefits.
With these utensils, the list of food and meals you can prepare over a campfire is virtually endless. The list of good food you can prepare over a campfire is not nearly as long. And the list of the Most Delicious, Mouth-Watering Campfire Meals of All Time, for the purposes of this text, shall be no more than a dozen.
BREAKFAST
#1: Scrambled eggs with ham, tomatoes and onions, served with hash browns, bacon strips, coffee and/or V-8 vegetable juice.
#2: Pancakes served with sausage, English muffins, coffee and/or orange juice.
#3: Biscuits and sausage gravy served with fruit, coffee and/or grapefruit juice.
LUNCH
#1: Sliced roast beef, Swiss cheese and horseradish-infused mayonnaise on panini bread and then grilled. Served with cole slaw and/or potato salad and ice-cold lemonade.
#2: Cheese-stuffed hamburgers served on an onion roll with lettuce, Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise, bread and butter chip pickles and a thick slice of tomato. Served with sour cream and onion-flavored chips and peach-flavored iced tea.
#3: Sausage, potatoes, onions, string beans (or other vegetable) grilled in an aluminum foil bag with a chunk of butter. Served with a tossed salad and ice cold Kool-Aid.
DINNER
#1: Hobo Pizza Pie (buttered bread, shredded mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, and tiny pepperonis). Served with cold beverages.
#2: Hot Dog roasted over the fire, slapped in a bun and completed with a dash of mustard, diced onions, shredded cheese and Tony Packo’s Hot Dog Sauce. Served with potato chips and cold beverages.
#3: Steak that’s been soaking in my super secret marinade (heavily influenced with A-1 steak sauce and honey), along with corn on the cob cooked in butter. Loaded baked potatoes are optional. Served with cold beverages.
DESSERT
#1: S’mores. Feel free to try the many variations making the rounds on the Internet; I’ll stick with the classic recipe of toasted marshmallows, Hershey’s chocolate and graham crackers.
#2: Hobo Apple Pie (or blueberry, rhubarb, cherry, peach…)
#3: Campfire banana splits (leave the skin on, split it from one end to the other and sprinkle in chocolate chips and mini marshmallows; then grill).
Gotta go. I’m suddenly hungry.
See you next week when we talk about “How to Winterize your RV.”
Rick Kessler
(Gr8LakesCamper)
Gr8LakesCamper celebrates the world of RV Camping in the Great Lakes region. Gather around the campfire and share tips, ideas and stories on RVing, camping and travel destinations. Follow Gr8LakesCamper on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and the Gr8LakesCamper blog.