a CHART of foil packet campfire meals!
you don't have to sleep outside to enjoy these!
Happy Thursday all!
I hope the week is treating everyone really well. Grace and I are having a blast hosting our 9 year-old niece Remy for a few days.
Last night I took Remy camping for her very first time. It was so much fun!!!
Being the type of aunt that I am, I spent a lot of last week thinking about what we might eat on our overnight camping trip. Which led me down a rabbit hole of YouTube videos (like this and this) and day-dreaming about foil packet campfire meals.
MORE ABOUT FOIL PACKET CAMPFIRE MEALS
Foil packet campfire meals involve wrapping a bunch of ingredients in heavy-duty tin foil and sticking the packet either in the coals of a campfire or on a grate on top of a campfire, and letting it all cook (or warm up if you’re using items that are already cooked). When you open it up, you’ll have a complete meal that you can just eat out of the packet and you don’t have to dirty a dish or a pan. Easy! Fun! Outside!
It also means you can prep everything at home and just bring the packets with you in a cooler. This saves a lot of time and energy, including the mental load of remembering to pack things like a cutting board or olive oil.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO CAMPING TO ENJOY THESE! If you have some kind-of fire pit in your backyard or at a nearby park (or an indoor fireplace), you’re set. You can also cook these on the grates of gas or charcoal grill or in the coals of a charcoal grill. You could also just throw the foil packets on a sheet pan and cook them in a 400ºF oven. The whole idea is to have an easy, self-contained meal that just needs to be heated up — it doesn’t really matter what your exact cooking method is.
Because I love to brainstorm, I started writing down ideas and ended up making…wait for it…I bet you can guess…a chart!!
So without further ado, here are a bunch of ideas for foil packet campfire meals and more detailed notes below.
…and this is the part where I remind you if you like this chart, you’ll love WHAT GOES WITH WHAT, which includes 20 charts just like this and 100 accompanying recipes!
MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS RE: FOIL PACKET CAMPFIRE MEALS:
If you’d like, you can line your packet with a piece of parchment to (a) keep any aluminum from getting into your food and (b) to keep more moisture in the packet.
Your foil packet is basically a small enclosed skillet and like anything cooked in a skillet, you need a little fat! This will help prevent food from sticking, plus give it great flavor. For all of the packet ideas in the chart above ^ a little fat will go a long way. I recommend drizzling the contents of the packet with a generous amount of olive oil before sealing it up!
If you’re using meat, consider already cooked items like smoked sausage so that you don’t have to worry too much about handling raw meat when you’re not near a sink, nor do you have to worry about it getting cooked through properly.
Pre-cooked carby things like boiled potatoes and cooked rice also make foil packets especially easy and worry-free.
You don’t want your foil packets to leak so it’s good to double wrap them!
In terms of timing, it depends on what’s inside! And how hot your coals are. If you’re just heating something (already cooked rice and beans, for example), about 5 minutes per side should do it. If you’re cooking something through (sausages, for example), more like 10 minutes per side should do it. Don’t be afraid to open a packet, check in on things, and put it back on the heat if needed. If your food isn’t cooked perfectly, don’t worry — it’ll still be good and you’ll be having fun outside!
Be sure to either turn your packet once during cooking or put some hot coals on top of it so that it your meal cooks on both sides.
Fire gloves and/or tongs are helpful for flipping and retrieving the hot packets.
Speaking of hot packets, careful when opening these — a lot of steam can accumulate!
After you open up your packet, finish your meal with something fresh and bright like a squeeze of lemon or lime (cut it in half before you leave home or bring a small pocket knife!), fresh herbs, grated Parmesan, a spoonful of prepared pesto, even just a few splashes of hot sauce…just like when cooking a regular meal, finishing with something fresh and punchy makes a big difference!
Here’s a great post from ‘Amanda Outside’ with lots of specific details about foil packet meals
Got any foil packet campfire meals or tips? Or any camping meals you really love? Let us know in the comments (open to everyone today!).
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Talk to you next week! xoxoxoox julia
Can I tell you about Girl Scout Pies for your next foil packet meal? I was a Brownie in the mid-80s, my mom was the troop leader, and this is my best memory from Girl Scouts. Start with a package of Archway Oatmeal cookies (does this brand even still exist?). Place one cookie, top side down, on a square of foil. Top the flat side (the cookie’s bottom) with either a big spoonful of canned pie filling (cherry!) or a few marshmallows. Cover with another cookie and wrap into a snug package. Throw the package into the fire to heat for several minutes. Carefully remove from the fire, carefully remove the charred foil, and enjoy this campfire delicacy 😋
I do. not. camp. I grew up camping, hated it (the woods are too dark to read and this was in the 70s before book lights) and at 18 gleefully refused to participate anymore. But I *will* be making some of these in the oven! Also, I just want to say I love What Goes With What, it’s the only cookbook I’ve ever pre-ordered, and this feels like a bonus chapter. Yum!