Somehow, food tastes so much better outdoors. Maybe it’s the cool, crisp air. Maybe my appetite is bigger. Maybe it’s being able to eat without being interrupted by the phone!
The only drawback to cooking for camping is prepping and cleanup. I don’t like cooking multi-step recipes or scrubbing smoke-stained dishes in less-than-adequate basins after a meal when I can be watching the sunset.
This is why my favorite ‘pot’ to cook with is aluminum foil.
Foil cooking allows you to prepare delicious meals in the embers of your campfire and have nothing to wash when dinner is over! Below are 7 of my favorite foil wrap recipes. But first let’s go over the basics of cooking with aluminum foil:
- Use heavy-duty aluminum foil so as not to burn the food and so that the package does not tear.
- Use the assembly line technique, not one foil pack at a time. my
- Put some butter on the package so that your food does not stick to the package.
- Sprinkle seasonings generously. It makes others think that you are a professional at this.
- Seal twice by folding twice to keep moisture in.
- When you fold, leave room for air to circulate inside.
- Do not cook foil packets over a roaring fire. A small fire or white coals is best.
Tip: For the first night, prepare the foil packets at home. When you get to the camp, throw them on the coals.
Here are 7 Foil Packet Recipes: Note: Depending on how hot the coals are, it usually takes 20-30 minutes, less for fish or convenience foods. Flip every 5 minutes.
Recipe 1. Ham and Sweet Potato
– 1 slice of precooked ham (can be fresh or canned)
– 1 portion of canned yams (about 3 pieces)
– 1 or 2 canned pineapple rings
– 1 to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
– 1/2 tablespoon of butter
Recipe 2. Potato and Chicken Packets
– 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
– 4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
– 2 cups of frozen green peas
– 1 jar (12 oz.) chicken sauce
– 1 teaspoon salt
– ½ teaspoon dried thyme
– 1/8 teaspoon of pepper
Recipe 3. Baby back pork ribs
– 3 pounds of pork ribs
– 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
– 1 tablespoon paprika
– 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
– 1 ½ teaspoons of pepper
– ½ cup of water
– 1 ½ cups of barbecue sauce
Or just pick up a pack of ready-to-heat Lloyds BBQ Ribs.
Recipe 4. Tuscan Swordfish
– 1 can (15 oz.) Great Northern or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
– 1 medium tomato chopped
– 2 tablespoons prepared pesto, divided
– 2 swordfish fillets (4 to 6 oz each)
– 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
– 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
– 2 lemon slices
Recipe 5. Jambalaya Shrimp Packets
– 1 pound of peeled and deveined medium raw shrimp
– 4 cups of cooked rice
– ½ pound smoked sausage, sliced
– 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
– 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
– 3 to 4 teaspoons dry Cajun seasoning
– 1 teaspoon of hot sauce
Recipe 6 Mexican Pork Packages
– 4 boneless pork chops, about 1/2-inch thick
– 1 teaspoon chili powder
– 1 cup of medium thick sauce
– 1 can (15 1/4 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained OR 1 package (10 oz.) frozen whole kernel corn
– ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
Recipe 7 Apple and Blueberry Sweet Potatoes
– 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
– 2 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, cored, thinly sliced into rings
– ½ cup dried cranberries
– 3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
– ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Have fun cooking aluminum foil. Open the foil carefully to avoid a burst of hot steam.
For foil dessert recipes, Watch a video on how to assemble a Banana Campfire Boat and other Foil Wrapped Dessert Recipes [http://www.joyofcamping.com/camping-tips/campfire-smores-banana-split].