Best 5 Recipes for Cooking in the Wild

The skies are turning grey. You hear thunder rumbling in the distance, announcing its arrival in T-30 minutes. Soon enough, inky clouds join the revelry. You hurriedly check if you have the all-important camera with you, ready to capture the helter-skelter that is about to ensue in your non-human companions in the thickly forested slopes of the mountain.

After you are finally able to capture the deluge for the better part of an hour, your focus turns to the sky again. The inky cloud cover doesn’t seem to be draining fast enough and the downpour doesn’t want to stop. You, being the super prepped nature junkie, have supplies that will get you through another few hours, at the very least, of bear photography! But what you didn’t count on is having to be away from the scrumptious food cooked on the campfire you set up several miles away, at this point!

So, what would you do differently? What could you carry with you without being weighed down by it? What does cooking in the wild look like?  These are some questions we hope to help you with in this article!

Always be Prepared!

Whether it be backpacking across some remote mountains or making a long drive, hunger and thirst are probably two things that you will not be able to vacuum out of the journey. And while in the latter, you do have the option of making pit stops at little holes in the wall along your route, a number of factors like inclement weather or an out-of-nowhere-pandemic (remember covid19?) may make it an unviable option. So it is not a bad idea to have a little stockpile of non-perishables on hand. Here are some non-perishable high-energy food items you could keep with you:

1. Granola/protein bars
2. Peanut or any other kind of nut butter
3. Dried fruit
4. Any kind of nuts or seeds
5. Energy drinks
6. Canned veggies like corn or beans
7. Candy bars (or any other sugar equivalent)

Now, I know that some of these may be too heavy for a day of hiking. But the good thing is they can be sampled out easily and you could double wrap them in waterproof bags and carry them on your adventure! Although a word of caution, you might want to avoid an opened container of peanut butter if you are hiking in bear country!

Yes, but what about ‘the cooking’?

Hold your horses, I can see the frowns on some of you! You came here for the ‘cooking in the wild’ bit and here it is. I’m a minimalist and personally do not think a camping trip should be marred by extravagant food prep. Not to mention that after a long day of huffing and puffing on a hike, the last thing I want to do is to dish out a Michelin star worthy five-course meal. So here are some of my favorite camping trip recipes:

Campers Breakfast Hash

Who doesn’t like waking up in the mountains to a cup of coffee and a hearty breakfast to fill up your belly before a long, adventurous day? I think this hash recipe hits the spot. Simple, easy to refrigerate ingredients make this a pick for me:

For an explosion of breakfast in your mouth, try this recipe: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/camper-s-breakfast-hash/

Campfire nachos

Thinking of making that easy-to-please, yet easy-to-make appetizer? Nachos are the perfect answer! It all comes together in one skillet and can be easily shared around the party!

Take a look at how to make campfire nachos here: https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/campfire-nachos/

Campfire quesadillas

An easy to throw together entrée idea that I like even aside from camping are quesadillas! And this recipe has been thoughtfully modified to make on a campfire!

Here’s the best recipe I know of: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/campfire-quesadillas-3162372

Campfire pizza

One thing that I am always craving on vacation is pizza! I mean, let’s face it, can you think of anything that beats that delectable smell of campfire pizza? When it comes to campfire pizza, I think this recipe breaks it down well:

Here’s my favorite recipe: https://champagne-tastes.com/campfire-pizza/

Dutch oven peach cobbler

To sweeten the deal, the one dessert that completes a camping experience, in my opinion, is a peach cobbler! This recipe not only tells you how to make a scrumptious cobbler but also highlights alternative options of cooking it!

To wow your fellow renegades here are the details: https://www.wellplated.com/dutch-oven-peach-cobbler/

Gear for the Cook

You will notice that most of the recipes above use either a Dutch oven or a cast iron skillet. My advice would be to invest in a good cast iron skillet before going on your next camping adventure. It is so convenient to throw together one-skillet meals in and you will find it soon becoming your best friend in the kitchen even when you are not camping! Here are some of my top picks for a cast iron skillet:

Pre-seasoned cast iron skillet

Pros: Conveniently priced and comes pre-seasoned (read the instructions for maintenance)

Cons: Comes only in one size

Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sdL6sG

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Iron Handle Skillet

Pros: You’ll probably get a lot of compliments for having something so cool in your kitchen! To add to it, this is dishwasher safe!

Cons: On the pricier side of the meadows

Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CLToNl

Here’s hoping that the next time you go camping/hiking, you are not left without the comforting company of some delicious food! Now all you need to find out is how to keep the bears away!

Feel free to drop your favorite campfire recipes in the comment section below, we’ll try to fire up one of your recipes in our next weekend in the wild!