National Campfire Day is celebrated on the first Saturday in August. Cooler days and camping weather are right around the corner!
On our Ultimate Outsider journey, we went on a few camping trips and enjoyed many fires. The campfire is always a highlight of any camping trip. It can be fun, yet overwhelming, to feed the family utilizing the campfire as your heat source. I’m going to share some of our easy favorites!
What You Need:
- A hot campfire (the “log cabin” style setup works best in my experience)
- Grill tripod or attachment to hang a pot over the flame (most state parks have the attached grill)
- Cast iron skillet, Tin foil, Tin pan
- Heat protective glove
Other Tips:
- I like to cook certain meats ahead of time at home and freeze. This helps it last longer in the cooler and makes cooking at the campsite simpler.
- Keep a clean campsite. Clean right after you cook and eat. You don’t want to attract critters. Always follow Leave No Trace practices.
Easy Campfire Meals
1. Campfire Queso
This is great to please a crowd!
Ingredients:
- Velveeta cheese block
- Small pack of Mexican cheese
- Can of Rotel
- Already cooked taco meat
- Jalapeños (optional)
- Tortilla chips
Dump all ingredients into a tin pan and place on your campfire grill. Stir occasionally until melted. Enjoy with tortilla chips.
2. Chili Cheese Dogs
This is great for kids because they can cook the hotdogs over the fire!
Ingredients:
- Chili made at home (I like to freeze it so it thaws in the cooler)
- Hotdogs
- Buns
- Shredded cheese
In a tin pan or cast iron skillet, warm up the pre-made chili. With roasting sticks, roast the hotdogs over the open flame. Assemble the hotdog and top with chili and cheese or enjoy the chili on its own.
3. Sausage and Vegetables
You can do lots of variations of this meal. Think of a sheet pan or skillet meal you do at home, and it can likely be adapted to over the fire!
Ingredients:
- Kielbasa sausage
- Veggies of choice (ex: potatoes, bell peppers, onion)
- Olive oil
Slice sausage into rounds and chop the veggies. Place it all in a hot skillet, stirring occasionally until it’s done! This can also be cooked in a tin foil packet if you desire a quick and easy cleanup.
