Campfire food doesn’t have to be eaten on a camping trip in the woods or at a state park. You can enjoy these foods in your own back yard around the fire or even on the grill. If you can’t go camping or like the comforts of your home, then eat outside with your family or have a campfire party. Come to my back yard to learn about my favorite campfire recipes.
When most people think of camping, they think hotdogs over the fire or burgers on a grill. I enjoy Pizza, Hobos, Pies and Banana Boats that are made over the fire.
We have made some of these foods on camping trips, or in our back yard with our family or better yet we have invited others over for a meal around the fire. No messing up the kitchen in the summer.
Pie Iron Recipes over the Campfire
Pie irons are made of cast iron or dark metal and are shaped like a hockey puck but larger and on a long metal/wood handle. When you open them up there are two sides that come together. It holds bread smashed in between to make pies. The basis for the pie is mostly bread. You can make an egg in the iron without a problem. That is something I need to try.
Pizza Pie Recipe
- 2 tsp soft butter, spread on each slice of bread
- 2 slices wheat or white bread ( I tried to make with 100% whole wheat bread and it didn’t taste good.)
- 1 large spoonful or 2-3 TBSP pizza sauce
- 3-5 pieces of meat (Canadian bacon, pancetta, or pepperoni)
- 1 teaspoon of pineapple tidbits or mushrooms- optional
- 2-3 TBSP shredded mozzarella cheese.
Butter slices of bread like you would use for a grill cheese sandwich. Butter the sides facing the iron. Place on the middle of one slice of bread some pizza sauce, then meat slices. Add pineapple, peppers or mushrooms. Add mozzarella cheese and place the other slice of bread on top and close the iron. If bread is sticking out of the round iron, tear it off.
Cook for 3-5 minutes. Place in coals and cook 1-3 minutes on each side. If the iron was used before or the coals are hot it will be done quicker. You will have to use hot pads so you don’t burn yourself when holding the iron handles or opening up the hinge. When the sides are brown like a grilled cheese the pizza pie is done. Keep checking it.
Kids love these! One is all I need, but teens and men may want to eat 2 or 3. Serve other foods such as watermelon or raw veggies with this.
I have had parties where we tell everyone to bring something to make pizza such as toppings listed. I supply irons, bread, and butter. And each family makes their own supper around the fire. Patience is required if you are sharing irons. The more irons the quicker it goes. Everyone ends up eating at a different time.
Dessert Fruit Pie Recipe
- 2 tsp butter spread on bread
- 2 slices of bread
- 2 large spoons of pie filling such as cherry, apple or blueberry.
- Cinnamon, sugar, chocolate or marshmallows- optional
For dessert. I usually don’t like to make Pizzas and Pies at the same meal because of all the bread. Get the bread ready like above and add pie filling. Add 2 spoonfuls of cherry, blueberry or apple and place bread on top and cook.
I have added a piece of chocolate to the cherry and sprinkle the butter with cinnamon and sugar. The irons can get a little sticky. We have even added chocolate pudding to the bread to make hot pudding pies. These are not my favorites but my husband and kids like.
Rueben Pie Recipe
These are yummy. Make like the pizzas accept use corned beef, sour crout, and swiss cheese. When they are done we dip them in 1000 island as we eat them. Yummy, filling and I only eat once a year.
Recipe for Hobos on the Campfire or the Grill
One Hobo packet serves one adult or two kids.
- 2 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil
- 1 potato peeled and cut into small bite size pieces
- 6 baby carrots cut up
- ¼ of an onion cut into pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ pound of raw ground beef crumbled into Hobo
- 3-4 TBSP catsup, tomato sauce or salsa
- 1 slice of cheddar cheese to melt on top after done.
Cut vegetables up and place on top of foil overlapping each piece of foil. Add the ground beef and salt/pepper and catsup, tomato sauce or salsa. Mix together. Fold each Hobo foil with center together and roll up ends as pictured.
Cook for 10 minutes on each side when grilling. Cook 6-10 minutes on each side on hot coals of a fire. Time will depend on how hot the grill and fire get. Test by opening and if the meat is done and potatoes are tender, it’s done! Add one slice of cheddar cheese to the top and shut foil so it melts. Delish. This is like a
My kids like the taste of catsup and when it is cooked, it doesn’t taste like catsup. I just made it with catsup this week and it was good. The tomato sauce is healthier but more neutral in flavor. My sister likes to add salsa and jazz up her Hobos.
One year we had company over and my husband and his three guy friends were to cook the Hobos on the Fire. The gals and I each made two Hobos. One for our husband and one for ourselves. Our job was done. As we were talking and the guys were talking we started to wonder what was taking so long.
Unfortunately, the guys had so much catching up to do, they forget about the Hobos on the fire. They told us they would be a little crispy. One of the guys said, “that’s okay a little burnt is good.” We all sat down to eat them, opened them up and the smoke rose above the table.
The Hobos were literally charred and disgusting and we ended up throwing them out and ordering pizza. That was the last time I let my husband and his guy friends cook them on the fire for company. It is just easier when we are at home to throw them on the grill.
If you would like more grilled vegetable recipes,
Banana Boats instead of Smores.
I prefer Banana Boats over a SMORE. When we took another family camping the family said they always disliked the graham cracker in smores. They were happy I introduced them to Banana Boats.
- 1 Banana
- 4 chocolate squares or 12 chocolate chips
- 6-8 mini marshmallows
- Heavy duty aluminum foil
Cut a Banana down the middle with its peel on. A slit banana halfway. Squeeze open and stuff with mini marshmallows, chocolate squares or chocolate chips. Wrap in heavy aluminum foil and set upright in coals.
Cook 10-12 minutes depending on how hot the coals are. When they are done the banana will be hot and soft and the marshmallows and chocolate melted. Eat with a spoon out of the peel. The banana peel will be dark brown.
In the winter I slice a banana in a cereal bowl and add chips and nuts or marshmallows and microwave for 30 seconds. Feels like its summer. Plus, I get rid of the chocolate craving with mostly fruit and nuts.
When I invite my friends over for a campfire night the menu
We make Hobos on the grill at least 2-3 times a month in the summer. Enjoy the outdoors and the campfire or grilled recipes you can eat with friends and neighbors sitting in your back yard this summer and fall.
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