Dutch Oven Barbecue Ribs back to top

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Rack of spare rib
• Salt and Pepper ribs according to taste
• Your favorite barbecue sauce

Instructions:

The trick here is to start your campfire early and have an abundance of coals hot and ready. Lightly Sear Ribs on a hot camp grill then separate them and place in a Dutch oven. Liberally add your barbecue sauce. Dig a hole in the coals big enough to set the Dutch oven in while leaving several inches of coals on the bottom. Surround the pot with coals and cover the lid completely with coals. Occasionally check for browning, turn or stir if necessary. Bake for approx. 2 hours. It's important to keep the rest of the campfire away from the cooking coals, the trick is to start with a very hot coal bed and let them slowly simmer until the ribs are done. This is the same principal the same effect as roasting a pig in the ground.

Dutch Oven Biscuits   back to top

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup lard or shortening
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup dry milk powder
• 2 Tb sugar
• 1 Tb plus 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
Build a campfire and keep it burning until there are lots of hot coals. Place a Dutch oven onto the coals. Add the shortening to the Dutch oven and heat until melted. Using pot holders, tilt the Dutch oven to lightly coat the interior with the melted shortening. Pour the melted shortening into the warm water, and combine with the dry ingredients, which have been mixed together well. Stir just to make a soft dough. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough into the Dutch oven. Place the lid on top and use a spade to place the some coals on the lid. Cook the biscuits until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with wild honey.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. bacon, diced
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 green peppers, diced
• 12 med potatoes, red pontiac, peeled and sliced dollar size
• 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 lb. swiss cheese
• salt and pepper
• mushrooms, optional

Fry bacon in Dutch Oven. Add onions, peppers (and mushrooms) and saute. Pour part of the bacon grease off and add potatoes. Add salt, pepper and seasoning to taste. Mix together, but don't stir while cooking. Put a layer of campfire coals under the oven and some on the lid. This will allow all the potatoes to cook uniformly without stirring. Cook approx. 45 minutes. Check with fork - when done, grate the cheese together and sprinkle evenly over the top of the potatoes and replace the hot lid. The cheese will melt down through the potatoes and they are ready to eat.

Cowboy Beans   back to top

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried red beans
• 2 cups dried pinto beans
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons garlic, chopped
• 3 green Chile peppers, grilled and diced
• 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, grilled, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 7 quarts water or vegetable stock
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 1 teaspoon toasted coriander seed
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 whole dried red chile peppers
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Soak beans overnight in water to cover, changing water once; drain.

Instructions:

Establish a good coal bed in your campfire . When the beans are ready, saute onion, garlic, green chilies and tomatoes with oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add water or stock and ham hock; bring to a boil. Add beans, coriander seed, bay leaf and dried chilies. Continue to boil for 30 minutes, then lower heat, cover and simmer for three to four hours, until beans are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 16 servings.

Dutch Oven Pot Roast   back to top

• 1/2 lb. roast beef per person
• 3 teaspoons bacon grease or vegetable oil
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1 cup boiling water
• 4 teaspoons catsup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 small can mushrooms
• 4 teaspoons flour
• 1 cup sour cream

Instructions:
Heat bacon grease or vegetable oil in Dutch oven (don't let the fire get too hot) Add roast and brown on all sides Dissolve the bouillon cube in boiling water Add catsup, Worcestershire sauce, chopped onion, salt, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper. Stir and pour over roast. Put the lid on and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours over low heat until the meat is tender. Remove Dutch oven from heat and take out roast Blend flour into cooled liquid to make gravy Return to heat and add mushrooms and sour cream (stir until gravy is smooth and hot) Slice beef and serve with gravy.

Fire control is important for this recipe. It's easiest if you have a substantial coal bed in the campfire and use your campfire grill to boil the base and brown the roast. To slow cook place the Dutch oven on a four inch coal bed, put the lid on and shovel some coals on top of the lid.

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds baking apples
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 sticks margarine
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. nutmeg

Instructions:
Peel apples and cut in slices. Mix apples, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 tbsp. flour
in Dutch oven. Combine margarine, flour and brown sugar mashing until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over the apple mixture. Bake 35-45 minutes in a campfire coal bed with about four inches of coals underneath; also shovel some coals on top for even heat.

Ingredients:

• 6-10 refrigerated pie crusts
• 1 gallon of sliced peaches, drained - save syrup
• dried prunes, raisons or apricots (optional)
• brown sugar
• cinnamon
• butter or margarine

Instructions:
Grease your Dutch oven and add a pie crust or two. Put in a layer of sliced peaches then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and add plenty of butter. Add another pie crust and repeat until you are out of peaches and pie crusts. You can add the dried fruit to the peaches if you like. Add the last pie crust.  It takes about 3 hours with a coal bed under the oven. Be careful with the fire, two inches of coals underneath and some covering the lid and let it simmer from there.

Hashbrown Scramble   back to top

• 8 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 cups frozen hash browns
• 2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Colby cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Use your campfire grill and low heat fire control.
Cook bacon in heavy skillet until crisp. Remove skillet from heat and crumble bacon.
Reserve 2 tablespoons fat, drain the rest.
Slice the onions as this as you can, and add to the pan with the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Return to heat and fry until potatoes are lightly browned.
Beat together eggs, milk, 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper.
Pour over browned potatoes in skillet. Cook without stirring until mixture begins to set.
Using a spatula lift and fold partially cooked eggs so uncooked egg flows underneath. Continue cooking until cooked but not dry.
Arrange crumbled bacon on top, sprinkle with cheese.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 medium potatoes
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Boil the potatoes for 10 minutes, drain and let cool.
Once cool, peel the potatoes and cut into ½ inch cubes.
On a medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a nonstick skillet, add potatoes and sauté until they start to turn golden, about 10 minutes
Add onions, salt and pepper and sauté until the onions and potatoes are golden brown.
Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl, and add to the skillet. Reduce heat, and add the grated cheese.
Cover and sauté at low heat until bottom layer browns. Once the base is crisp, turn  it onto a plate.
Melt the remaining butter, flip and cook the other side until done.
Serve immediately

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 8 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, shredded
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 6 leaves fresh basil, shredded
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, shredded
• 1/4 cup shredded Colby or cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
In large bowl, combine milk and lemon peel.
Add eggs and seasonings mix well and stir in cheeses.
In large skillet, melt butter, pour in egg mixture.
Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until eggs are set
Garnish with parsley and serve hot

Pancakes   back to top

Ingredients:

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (hefty) pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons corn oil (the secret ingredient)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup buttermilk

Instructions:

Ingredients:

• Eggs (keep in a cooler with plenty of ice)
• Wax-covered paper cups
• Water
• Campfire grill
• Fire Glove

Instructions:

You can actually boil an egg in a paper cup! For this most amazing cooking trick, you will need fresh eggs. You will also need waxed-covered paper cups just a bit bigger in size than the eggs, and water.
This trick only works with paper cups, so do not try to substitute with anything else! Campers place their egg in a cup and add enough water so the cup is nearly full. (Larger cups will take much longer to boil.) Place the cups very near the fire.
At this point, the tops of the cups may very well catch fire. Although the effect is quite spectacular, the cups are actually perfectly fine. The water keeps the rest of the cup from burning. The paper heats quickly and in turn heats the water very quickly. Within a few minutes, you'll have a boiled egg!
Removing the eggs from the fire is the trick to this adventure. We tried to push the cups from the fire with our roasting sticks, but instead ended up with eggs rolling through the coals of our campfire. Have a Campfire glove on hand to grab the cups off the fire.

Ingredients:

• Milk powder to make 1.5 C
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 3 Tbsp Butter, Ghee or fat
• 12 Oz. high quality frozen sausage roll ( I used Jimmy Dean's)
• 1.5 C water
• 3 English Muffins

Instructions:

Mix the milk powder and water in a water jug. Fry the sausage in a pan till brown. Push the sausage off to the side, tip the pan and add butter (Ghee, etc.) to the fat. Add the flour to the fat; a little salt and pepper too, let bubble for about 30 sec or so. Add the milk and stir back into the sausage, simmer 'til thickened. Split the muffins and grill, arrange three per plate and divide the sausage over the two plates.

Ingredients:

• 2 lg eggs
• pre- cooked sausage, bacon, or ham
• any of your favorite omelet veggies
• shredded cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Crack eggs in a Ziploc bag. Add shredded cheese. Add meat and veggies salt and pepper to taste. Put baggy in a pot of boiling water for about 5 to 10 min. Then just cut bag off and enjoy!

Variations/Hints:
You can make a western omelet with sausage, cheese and bell peppers, just add salsa. Or veggie omelets or ham and cheese... Just have fun!!

Ingredients:

• 6 trout fillets (3 trout)
• 9 strips of bacon (if the number of fillets changes, change the number of bacon strips accordingly, one per fillet) (# of fillets plus 3 = bacon strips)
• 1/2 white onion
• Your favorite seasoning- I like lemon pepper
  

Instructions:

• Lay 3 strips of bacon at bottom of foil pouch
  
• On top of bacon, lay a fillet.
• Cover fillets cross-wise with 3 more bacon strips and repeat step 2.
• Cover top fillets with bacon.
• Top with sliced onions.
• Fold the foil like a Christmas present and place in the campfire coals and slow cook. Cook for 30-40 minutes

Lemon Pepper Mountain Trout   back to top

Ingredients:

• 1 Trout
• 1 lemon
• 1 onion
• Bacon
• Lemon pepper spice

Instructions:

Gut and remove the head of the fresh caught Trout. Place as many onion and lemon halves as the cavity will hold. Add a strip of bacon, and don't be shy with the lemon pepper. Wrap in foil with a tight seal. Cook over right in the fire coals, which may take 20-30 minutes. When the bottom side of the foil turns golden flip it over. Be careful when you flip it over not to tear the foil or you will feed a grease fire for awhile and have a drier fish to eat. When both sides of the foil are golden pull it out and slowly open the foil. The skin should stick to the foil. Remove the top half of fish from the ribs and backbone, followed by the entire backbone and ribs, with the other half of the boneless fish waiting for you when you want 2nd helpings.

Foil Hamburgers   back to top

Ingredients:

• hamburger patties
• your choice of vegetables
• barbecue sauce

Instructions:

Place one hamburger in a foil; place your favorite vegetables on top of the hamburger. Then wrap it all up and have it cook on top of hot coals on the fire. Look for the foil to turn golden in color then flip. When both sides of the foil are golden take it out of the fire. Add cheese lettuce or tomato as you wish.

Boy Scout Dinners   back to top

Ingredients:

• Hamburger patty
• Potato (sliced)
• Baby carrots
• Onions
• Spices
• Tinfoil

Instructions:

Wrap 1 hamburger patty, 1 sliced potato, lots of baby carrots, part of a sliced onion and salt/pepper in heavy duty tinfoil. Place in the red hot coals of your camp fire for about 30 minutes.

Campfire Meatloaf   back to top

Ingredients:

Just use your favorite traditional meatloaf recipe.

Cooking instructions:

The difference is in the cooking. Cut several large onions in half. Hollow them out, cutting up the insides to add to your meat mixture. Keep the shells for later. When your meat is all prepared, place a handful of meat into each half of onion shell, cover with the remaining half. Wrap entire ball in foil. Keep in a cooler until ready to throw it into the fire to cook.

Variations/Hints:

You could also store hamburger mix in a zip-lock and when you have the fire ready, grab a handful of meat and wrap it around a green stick (like a hot dog). Cover with foil and seal well around the stick. Cook over the fire (as you would with marshmallows).

Stir-fried Chicken & Veggies   back to top

Ingredients:

• Chicken
• Veggies
• Soy Sauce
• Cornstarch (a little)
• Rice
• Crunchy Noodles
• Fortune Cookies

Instructions:

Precut your chicken into stir-fry sized strips and freeze in a zip-loc bag. Do the same with your veggies. (snow peas, water chestnuts, broccoli, carrots, onions, mushrooms, asparagus, baby corn, and whatever else you like in stir-fry)
Start the rice cooking. Cook the chicken and set aside, then cook the veggies. Thicken the veggie sauce with the cornstarch and flavor with soy sauce. Put the cooked chicken back in the pan with the veggies to re-heat.
Serve over the rice, topped with crunchy noodles.

Variations/Hints:

If you packed them right, your fortune cookies will be the treat after dinner

Hobo Stew   back to top

Ingredients:

• 1 lb stew meat
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast
• 3 lb potatoes
• 2 pkg brown gravy mix

Instructions:
Brown stew meat in skillet add all ingredients in stew pot add 7-8 cups of water cook on low simmer for 3-5 hrs stirring occasionally add spices to taste

Variations/Hints:

Cook on camp stove may add carrots and hot dogs

Farmer Sausage Foil Lunch   back to top

Ingredients:

• 1 - 4" long section of farmer's sausage
• 1/4 onion
• small piece of mozzarella cheese
• small potato
• foil

Instructions:
Slice lengthwise down the sausage and stuff with sliced onion and chunk of mozzarella cheese. Layer shredded potato on foil (big enough to envelope sausage and potato). Place sausage in middle and wrap together. Wrap this foil package with another foil, but have the seam on opposite side. This prevents any leakage. Place in hot coals of a "dying down" fire for 1/2 hour.

Walking Tacos   back to top

Ingredients:

• Small bags of tortilla chips (crushed)
• taco meat (pre-cooked)
• Shredded cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Avocado

Instructions:
Mix everything in tortilla bag and enjoy.

Variations/Hints:
Add or delete ingredients to personal taste.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C. softened margarine (1 stick)
• 1/4 C. honey
• 1/2 C. brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 C. peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 5 C. Granola
• 1/2 C. mini chocolate chips

Instructions:
Mix together all ingredients except granola and chocolate chips, then stir in granola and chocolate chips. Press mixture into a greased 9X14 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Partially cool and cut into 16 bars.

Variations/Hints:
Use mini M&Ms or raisins instead of chocolate chips.

Ingredients:

• Salted dry roasted nuts
• Raisins
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Mix equal amounts of each ingredient in re-closeable plastic bag (chocoholics like me add more chips).

Make enough to share and be sure to drink plenty of water whenever you rest and recharge for the next leg of your trip.

Variations/Hints:
Try substituting beer nuts or cashews, and use m&m's only if very warm weather is promised.