Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (2024)

One of the best things about a camping trip is the time and tastes that come from campfire cooking.

Nothing seems to taste as good as those recipes cooked on a big campfire.

Even though the summer is ending, there is still time to get out there and enjoy the good old outdoors with some camping fun.

Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (1)

It’s not too late to shake out the tent, get out the camping gear, and lace up your hiking shoes! Fall is a great time for camping, when the leaves are changing and everything is so gorgeous outside.

Tips for getting the most out of campfire cooking

Food cooked over an open campfire has something about it that just can’t be duplicated in other ways of cooking. To get the most out of your attempts at cooking on an open fire, follow these tips.Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (2)

Use a cast iron skillet

There are all kinds of cooking utensils that are made for camping, but for the best tasting meals, you can’t beat a cast iron skillet. If you season them well, they will last indefinitely and the flavor of food cooked in them is amazing.

Cast iron skillets can be used to prepare everything from eggs for breakfast to dessert in a frying pan.

To make cast iron S’mores, just add some chocolate chip morsels to a cast iron skillet, top it with some campfire toasted marshmallows and dig in with graham crackers. So easy and fun!Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (3)

See my tips for seasoning cast iron here.

Be careful of the heat when cooking

Many people think that placing the food right in the open flame is the best way to cook on a campfire, but this is not the case. If you do, it will burn the outside and the middle of the food won’t be cooked.Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (4)

Instead, go for an even heat by letting the fire burn down to coals. This will give you an even heat that will cook perfectly.

Make foil packets

Aluminum foil packets are a must when you are trying to go for easy campfire cooking. What could be easier than tossing veggies and meat with some seasoning on a piece of foil, wrapping it up and sticking it in the campfire to cook while you take part in other fun camping activities?Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (5)

There are so many things that can be cooked this way. One idea is to wrap heads of garlic and roast them in the campfire and then using it in dips on some toasted bread.

From baked potatoes, to corn on the cob and whole meals, foil packets are the answer.

Use Vegetables as Egg Boats for Breakfast

Items like peppers and potatoes are great vessels for cooking breakfasts. Just hollow them out and fill with cheese, bacon and eggs and wrap in foil and then cook in the coals of a campfire for about 20 minutes.Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (6)

This makes an easy and complete breakfast without any clean up!

Do your food prep at home

Be sure to spend the time BEFORE you leave for the camping trip doing as much of the food preparation ahead of time as you can.Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (7)

Once you hit the great outdoors, chopping vegetables is the LAST thing you will want to be doing.

Don’t build your fire too quickly

A common mistake that many beginning campers make is to try and add all your wood at once. When this burns down, the the coals are too hot in the beginning and then will go out mid cooking time.

Instead, build your fire slowly. Start with kindling and smaller pieces of wood to get it going and then add some pieces of wood as you need them when the coals burn down.Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (8)

This gives you a nice base of coals with some direct heat for cooking those hot dogs.

Use a campfire grate

Cooking right on top of the coals of a fire is great for somethings but if you want to really get the most out of your food, invest in a campfire grate.Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (9)

Using one raises the cooking utensils higher over the fire and allows you to cook all sorts of recipes that can’t be cooked right on the coals without burning them. Think stews, casseroles and beans!

Stay safe with meats

Be careful about how you store your meat that will get cooked. Make sure that the food is well packed with ice before you start cooking.

Bacteria easily grows on food which can make the whole camping party sick if you are not careful. Make sure you have a good quality cooler and don’t let any food sit out for more than an hour if your temperatures are high.

Turn the meat often

Campfires are very hot and the food is often close to the heat source. Be sure to turn your food often so that it won’t burn.Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (10)

The temperatures can fluctuate quickly so food can’t be cooked the way you might cook it in a gas BBQ. Stay nearby and turn often.

Use long handled tools

The meat isn’t the only thing that can easily burn on a campfire. So can you! Invest in some good quality, long handled tools to keep both the food and your hands farther from the heat.Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (11)

Get creative with fire starters

There are all sorts of creative ways to get a fire going quickly if you can’t come up with some kindling in your surroundings. Pine cones are just one idea in this fun post.

Snuggle in near the campfire with these delicious recipes.

Some of my best childhood memories are of eating around the campfire. Food is somehow extra special and extra tasty when it’s cooked outside after a long day of running around in the woods.

Foods for camping have to be considered carefully, depending on the type of camping that you do. Some need to be light, and others make use of normal kitchen utensils.

Is it too rainy for a camping trip? Check out my post for steps to have an indoor camping party. The kids will love it!Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (12)

Here are some of camping foods that will make your next camping trip a huge success.

Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (13)

It’s time for dessert with these pineapple upside down packets. Made on the campfire in just minutes.

Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (14)

This campfire ham and cheese bread is a pull apart recipe that can be cooked on the barbecue or a campfire. Get the recipe here.

Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (15)

What would camping be without some S’mores? This fun recipe forCampfire Crack Smorselgives the flavor of S’mores in a candy like treat.Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (16)

Grab a orange and fill it with a sweet fudge like combination made from a brownie mix. Get the recipe for theFudgy Campfire Cakes here.

Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (17)TheseCorned Beef and Cheesy Hash brownsare made in a cast iron skillet over an open fire. What a great breakfast idea for your camping trip.

Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (18)

Grab some sausages and your favorite veggies and grill up these packets of food for a complete meal in one tidy parcel. Get the recipe here.

Admin note: This post first appeared on the blog in October of 2014. I have updated it with new campfire cooking recipes, more tips and a video for you to enjoy.

If you love to grill foods but don’t have time for camping, you can still get some great results at home. See my 25 top grilling tips for an amazing BBQ experience.

The links below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you if you purchase through an affiliate link.

Campfire Cooking Recipes and Tips for Cooking on an Open Fire (2024)

FAQs

What is good cooked over an open fire? ›

You can cook satisfying stews, belly-warming soups, classic baked beans, boil water for pasta and even bake bread over your campfire with a Dutch oven. Serve your Dutch oven masterpiece with cornbread and everyone will be happy.

How to cook directly on a campfire? ›

You can grill meat and vegetables directly on the grate or use it as a stand to hold pots and pans for boiling water, frying, or slow cooking. Cast iron cookware is recommended for campfire cooking as the dense metal retains heat better and distributes it more evenly.

What is the best meat for campfires? ›

When campfire or fire pit cooking, choose a thick cut of beef with a generous amount of fat, such as a marbled rib eye – on or off the bone is up to you. A well marbled steak will also provide some insurance against overcooking.

What is the method of cooking food over and open fire? ›

There is a multitude of ways to cook over an open fire but the three that seem to be the easiest are cooking in a vessel like a black iron pot or a clay pot, a grill right over the flames and cooking right in the ashes, with the food wrapped in foil packets.

What can I cook over a campfire besides hot dogs? ›

16 Surprising Recipes You Can Cook Over a Campfire
  • Campfire Pizza Cone. Who doesn't love pizza? ...
  • Bread on a Stick. Can you imagine how amazing this warm, freshly made bread would be on a campout? ...
  • Campfire Stew. ...
  • Chorizo Zucchini Chili. ...
  • Campfire Nachos. ...
  • Campfire Sliders. ...
  • Foil Packet Chicken Dinner. ...
  • Grilled Shrimp.

What material is best for cooking over campfire? ›

What Materials Should You Use When Cooking On A Fire? Fire pits or fire pit grills come in three main materials: cast iron, stainless steel and aluminium. These three materials are made to withstand really hot temperatures, which means they're ideal for campfire cooking.

Can you cook with aluminum foil on a campfire? ›

Solid pieces of metal don't burn easily.

Aluminum foil doesn't catch on fire in an oven, on the grill or even in a campfire.

Can you use any pan on a campfire? ›

The trick is to look for durable, fire-ready materials (stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron) and check that there aren't any rubber, silicone, or plastic pieces on your cookware that could potentially melt off when exposed to the extreme heat of a campfire.

What is the most popular campfire food? ›

Looking for the Perfect Camping Menu? Start with These Classic Camping Recipes
  1. Roasted Hot Dogs. So simple, but so classic. ...
  2. S'mores. No one really knows who invented S'mores or why. ...
  3. Catch-of-the-day. ...
  4. Hamburgers on the Grill. ...
  5. Walking tacos. ...
  6. Chili. ...
  7. Campfire popcorn. ...
  8. Foil packets.
Sep 5, 2023

What is the best campfire shape for cooking? ›

Platform or Upside-Down Pyramid

Because you start a fire at the top of the wood, the fire burns down the logs instead of up. This creates a solid, flat platform of hot coals, perfect for cooking — you can set pots or pans directly on the coals, and the fire will sustain itself as it burns.

Why does campfire food taste better? ›

The smokey aroma and caramelized texture achieved through cooking chicken wings over an open fire is beyond compare. The high heat and direct flames of the fire help to create a crispy exterior while keeping the inside juicy and tender.

How to cook on open fire camping? ›

DON'T cook directly over the flame

Instead, try to build a fire on one side of your fire pit or bowl, and use the other side primarily to move hot coals. Then you can place a camp grill directly over the fire, which you use to boil water, roast meats and grill vegetables.

What is cooking over open fire called? ›

I would say that cooking over an open fire is called roasting; cooking over a fire on a metal grate is called grilling (or barbecuing, although barbecuing may imply the use of some kind of marinade or barbecue sauce).

Is cooking over open flame healthy? ›

Open fires and primitive cookstoves are fueled by solid materials, including coal and biomass (wood, dung and crop residue). These fuels release harmful particles into the air as they burn. When inhaled on a regular basis, these particles can cause diseases such as asthma, lung disease and pneumonia.

What do you grill on an open fire? ›

Grilled Beef
  1. The Best Taco Recipes.
  2. Meat Skewers Recipe.
  3. Steak Elote Nachos.
  4. How to Get a Crust on Steak.
  5. Steak and Egg Tacos.
  6. Cowboy Butter Burgers.

What can you cook over a fireplace? ›

Almost anything you can cook on a grill or over an outdoor fireplace you can replicate indoors. Avoid cooking really fatty meats, like steak and bacon, in your fireplace if you don't want your house to get too smokey. Their excess fat and grease can create a lot of smoke.

What is cooking over an open flame called? ›

At its most basic, barbecue is the cooking of food over an open flame.

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