need new camping meal ideas

[brewmandan]

Over the past year or so, my sister-in-law and her kids started camping with us and they really enjoy it. We would have gone more this year if it hadn't been so hot. For camp meals we've done the meals of brats, beef stew, walking tacos, sandwiches in the pie tin things, plus a few others. But the wife and her sister are wanting some new meal ideas so we don't have the same meal plans for every camp trip. Anybody have any favorites they'd like to share?

[05Kingquad700]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

Basically I go to allrecipes.com and find new recipes. I can make anything camping that I can make at home. Basically one meal that is always asked for is taco soup. It is better with scoops chips.

brown 1 pound of ground beef and 1/2 an onion (I omit this, due to wife). Season with taco seasoning.
Add 2 cans kidney beans (or 1 kidney bean 1 black bean, or 1 can kidney bean and 1 can corn)
add 1 can tomato sauce (small can)
add 16oz tomato juice.
add 1 can diced tomato's
simmer for 30-45 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese on top and scoop it up with chips. My family loves this recipe.

[TNONMYMIND]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

smoked sausage and home fries are always good
chicken cooked either on the grill or dutch oven or skillet with baked potatoes, corn on the cob(roasted)
any of the pre-packaged side dishes that you make at home can be cooked when camping with a propane stove...
fresh veggies like squash can be cooked on a grill or wrapped in foil and set near the coals to steam
pork chops/steaks/shish kabobs are good too

breakfast could be as simple as instant oatmeal, or a bit more time consuming as a skillet breakfast
of potatoes-diced, bacon-slivered, fresh veggies diced up all cooked, then scrambled eggs added to the mix,
and everything cooked together with shredded cheese sprinkled on top...serve with salsa

don't be afraid to experiment, the worst that can happen is it won't be a smash hit so you won't make it a second time...

[Mike]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

You know, the difference between cooking at home and cooking at camp is virtually NOTHIN'.

So, if you want to make camp cooking really fun and interesting, then get really WACKY.

Get some out of sight cookbooks for stuff you never normally make at home like "Persian Cooking" or Greek cooking, or something wild like that and treat your family and friends to something really different. It will make the trip all the more interesting and tasty.

[Timberline]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

Hey Brewmandan,

Mike is completely correct. I suck at cooking. Anything that involves heat, I ruin. However, my boyfriend is a wiz in the kitchen and he makes whatever he can think of up camping. All sorts of grilling from ribs to kabobs with steamed veggies and steak to delicious green chili, pizzas and caseroles. Make sure you have the right cooking equipment for whatever recipe you find. We never leave home without the basic set of cookware, but also bring along grates (just in case), frying pan with holes in it, dutch oven and a cast iron skillet. Sorry this is so general, but its up to your hearts desire. http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyd...he-go/camping/ here are some great ideas.

- Timberline

[Mike]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

Hey Brewmandan,

Mike is completely correct. I suck at cooking. Anything that involves heat, I ruin. However, my boyfriend is a wiz in the kitchen and he makes whatever he can think of up camping. All sorts of grilling from ribs to kabobs with steamed veggies and steak to delicious green chili, pizzas and caseroles. Make sure you have the right cooking equipment for whatever recipe you find. We never leave home without the basic set of cookware, but also bring along grates (just in case), frying pan with holes in it, dutch oven and a cast iron skillet. Sorry this is so general, but its up to your hearts desire. http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyd...he-go/camping/ here are some great ideas.

- Timberline

Well, I would like to be the first on your next camping invite list! I will bring the marshmallows.

[Timberline]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

Hahahaha. Thanksgiving dinner! Shall I leave room for a +1?

[Mike]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

yes, +1 for sure.

[rjkgr]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

simple and easy turn on the grill go out catch a fish and fry that bad boy and if you dont have that... basic chicken and beans will do the trick love camping for chicken and beans

[tplife]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

HogSnapper, that's a fine recipe and a genuine keeper. Or as some like to say, "It's GOOD EATS"!

Brewmandan, we typically take the wife's 2-day marinated chicken and steaks, the chicken being a SE Asian sugar/spices blend and the steak a basic Montreal spice rub with added "secret ingredients". Costco hamburger patties (80/20) and all-beef hot dogs fill in the lunch selections where the bag o' snacks add the side item. Grocery stores carry excellent camping dishes, like dehydrated noodle mixes, pancake mix, and mashed potatoes, selling for a dollar or two - just be sure to choose the "complete" pancake mixes, and the "just add water" mashed potato mix pouches. Break the pancake mix down into ZipLoc bags and MagicMarker the amount of water to add. Quality camping outlets carry "Sierra Cups" style metal cups with measuring marks inside, include a pair of these and you have multi-purpose implements. MSR sells lightweight high-temp spoon, spatula, and soup ladel utensils that are of high quality and extremely light weight. Nalgene makes a great line of containers for things like pancake syrup and camp sinks, and their stuff is darn' near indestructible (that's why chemists love them)! Eggs are easy to carry in those yellow storage containers (we prefer 2 X 6 to 1 X 12 for flexibility). Canned food like Bush's baked beans have a place in the pantry too, and high-quality dark breads stand up better to camping conditions than the soft stuff from home. They will suffice for hamburgers, hot dogs, and breakfast, and the occasional dog-on-a-wire that I love for a nightcap.

[MacGyver]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

Cholesterol watchers ignore this. My killer burger recipe:

The leanest ground beef you can get
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Fried Virginia baked ham
Hoffman's super sharp cheddar cheese (yeah - I gotta have the Hoffman's)
Horseradish sauce (I like it hot, but mild works too)
On a buttered and toasted potato roll
Condiments to taste

[CampingMama]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

We always make breakfast burrito's at some point. It's one pot stop, and easy. You can find small jars of salsa for 1$ too. It's cheap, quick, and easy to make either on the camp stove or over the fire.
We make biscuits and gravy too. We have an oven in the camper and bake the biscuits in there, but you could bake them at home and take them. Cook your bacon in the skillet over the fire and make your gravy with the grease.

I always make a batch of pasta salad either there or take it.

1 box garden rotini pasta, grape or cherry tomatoes,1 can small black olives, 1 pack fresh mozz cheese pearls, 1 bottle balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing. Cook your pasta per box directions, add the rest. And mix it up. Easy, feeds a crowd and great as a side or snack.

I take pimento cheese too. We tend to munch when camping, so I take a bag of apples and fruit snacks too.

[Mike]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

Hey camping mama give us so e more details about that one-pot burrito. I want to try it this weekend

[CampingMama]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

Breakfast Burrito's:
Cook 1 lb of sausage {it takes that much for my crew, but when it was just me and my dh, I cooked 1/2 lb}
6 eggs, scrambled
1 cup of shredded cheddar {we take the bagged kind}
fajita size flour tortilla's {or corn and whatever size you want}
Salsa to taste {I buy the small bottle of Taco Bell brand, and its the right amount for one meal}

Cook your sausage in an iron skillet. I use the camp stove,but you could easily do it over the fire too
When its brown, add your eggs, cook until just about set, add cheese and stir.
I heat up the tortillas over the cooking grate right on the flame.
Add salsa to taste and roll up.

If you have extra, store in the cooler and makes an easy snack later in the day. You could also shred some potato too when you're cooking your sausage to make it more hardy, I do it at home, but never have camping.

I make them the first day b/c and cook all the sausage at one time, so I'm not concerned about raw sausage in my cooler very long.

Its easy clean up, one skillet and clean up is a snap.
We make them at home all the time too.

[CampingMama]

Re: need new camping meal ideas

Cooked Squash over the fire

take enough fresh yellow squash for your family, cut into bite size pieces { or a bag of frozen squash, thawed}
3 pieces of bacon
1/2 a diced onion
2 tbsp butter
Water
garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste

In your dutch oven, over the fire {the grate over the round fire ring is my experience}
Cook your bacon and onion with butter, remove bacon and crumble
Add squash and a little water and seasoning. Cover
Stir every 5 minutes or so, adding more water as needed. If your fire is super hot the water cooks out faster than needed to cook the squash. You need a little more water to start, but want it to cook out as the squash cooks.
When the squash is almost done, remove the lid and add bacon crumbles, cook out most of the water .

It's an easy side to have and maybe something different than you're used to while camping. I'm Southern,so bacon and butter makes everything taste better. The smoke of the fire gives it a unique flavor too.

We also take a bag of salad mix with us and a sack of taters.

I wrap potatoes with a little oil and salt in foil and cook them right in the fire, turning every ten minutes or so. It takes a while to cook them, so do them first while cooking the rest of your meal.

We do sandwiches for lunch, quick and easy.

We will take pre seasoned turkey tenderloins and cook them straight on the camp site grill.
We take pre seasoned pork tenderloins and either cook them on the grill or wrap in foil and cook over the fire pit.

It's easy to take pre seasoned stuff so you're not hauling your spice cabinet camping with you. I only take Salt, pepper, garlic powder, season salt and sometimes onion powder. A pack of dry Italian dressing is a great seasoning mix to have too, you can sprinkle it on burgers for great flavor.