Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone tried making campfire nachos in a Dutch oven?

Yes! The key is to put charcoal on top of the Dutch oven lid, not just underneath the pot. It helps to have a lid that is made for that .. flat lid with a rim, vs the domed type lid - but you can do it with any style if you’re careful not to tilt the lid when you’re taking it off or one, or charcoal will fall into the pot.

Pre-cook any meat so that you’re just warming everything up in the Dutch oven, not actually cooking anything.

Thanks! - PP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A ton of good ideas here. Would add instant coffee (like Starbucks Via packets) is on my must-have list for a camp kitchen.

Also, think about how you're going to clean up any pots/dishes - is there a washing station nearby? Same with trash (particularly how to keep it away from any curious/hungry critters). Depending on where you're going that can be a bigger logistics challenge than the food itself.

Ok I give up. I’m ordering a box of MREs

We do some car-camping but also some true backpacking and I spent years fussing over good ways to cook—finding things that can be made simply, that taste good and are nutritious, that arent' heavy, don't require a ton of garbage to be hauled out, can easily be stored in something bear proof, etc. Some things were okay, but it was always a hassle.

Then we went backpacking with a friend who is in the military and he brought MREs. Holy cow! It was such a success that I had him go to the PX and buy me a couple dozen—they'll keep in my basement for decades, they're practically magical because they require no fire or cooking, and because they aren't dehydrated, they actually taste pretty good. They also are relatively small for what you get—like 3,000 calories in each package—the waste is tiny. I don't love all the meal options, but they beat the hell out of just about any other option for backpacking food.

That said, I dont trust the ones you get from anywhere but the military—they're hugely marked up and who knows what they really are until you get them. But, especially in DC, it's not hard to find someone who has access to the PX who can buy a ton for you.

The one downside, my son, who loves gum, was delighted to find two pieces of gum in the MRE (in the packet alongside the instant coffee, sporks, napkins, toilet paper) and happily took off down the trail chomping them, unaware (as was I) that it was laxative gum, because MREs are high on protein and carbs and low on fiber, and if you're in the field eating them for weeks at a time, you need that gum. He did not need that gum, and he ran the last 2 miles of our hike to get to an outhouse at the end!

Anonymous wrote:They aren't cheap but the bags of dried meals they sell at REI are surprisingly good, although not cheap. We got a pad Thai one for our last trip and it was great.

They work if you're backpacking, but if you can have a camp stove in the trunk of your car, you can do better.

Lots of great suggestions -- having a camp stove and a Yeti cooler can basically transform it into cooking at home. Our kids like a fire in the mornings, but I just bring the camp stove and a non-stick pan and can cook pancakes, eggs, etc. just about what I would normally do.

One favorite the kids have is taking one of our big lodge cast irons (only works when car camping), some vegetable oil and some canisters of pillsbury biscuits, croissants, cinnamon rolls, or really any of the pillsbury tubes... put the griddle on a grate over the fire, get the oil hot, pop the canister, let people shape the dough, drop it in the hot oil... pull it out, throw it in some cinnamon sugar and it's donuts. I hate frying donuts at home, because of the old grease smell and the spatter, but this is relatively simple and doesn't make my kitchen a mess.

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone tried making campfire nachos in a Dutch oven?

Yes! The key is to put charcoal on top of the Dutch oven lid, not just underneath the pot. It helps to have a lid that is made for that .. flat lid with a rim, vs the domed type lid - but you can do it with any style if you’re careful not to tilt the lid when you’re taking it off or one, or charcoal will fall into the pot.

Pre-cook any meat so that you’re just warming everything up in the Dutch oven, not actually cooking anything.

Breakfast:
breakfast bars
cold cereal
instant oatmeal

Lunch:
Sandwiches and chips

Dinner:
Hot dogs
Canned stew/canned chili
Marshmallows, chocolate bars, graham crackers (S’mores)

Don’t forget granola bars, trail mix, jerky, etc. Fruit (canned and fresh) is also good.

Expect to work up hearty appetites.

We gave up on cooking in the campfire, we just reheat food
-Quesadillas, wrapped in foil and heated back up
-Pizza (only on the first night, so it doesn't have to go in the cooler). Or when fancy, homemade calzones.
-cooked sheet pan meal wrapped in foil, then thrown on grill or in coals to heat. Usually tofu, feta, veggies, served with good bread

Lunch is sandwiches.
-Tuna or mashed chickpea sandwiches, with the mixture prepped in advance

Breakfast is boiled eggs, fruit, yogurt, granola

Has anyone tried making campfire nachos in a Dutch oven?

They aren't cheap but the bags of dried meals they sell at REI are surprisingly good, although not cheap. We got a pad Thai one for our last trip and it was great.

When camping, it is the duty of the woman to forget to pack something

First night is always hot dogs and smores, maybe with chips and fruit, because hot dogs are just the best when you're 6 years old like my son. Second night, I cook a marinated porterhouse steak on the grill, foil packet of veggies, and baked potatoes in the coals. Breakfast is eggs and sausage/bacon one day and instant oatmeal the other day. Usually sandwiches or charcuterie for lunch.

Anonymous wrote:A ton of good ideas here. Would add instant coffee (like Starbucks Via packets) is on my must-have list for a camp kitchen.

Also, think about how you're going to clean up any pots/dishes - is there a washing station nearby? Same with trash (particularly how to keep it away from any curious/hungry critters). Depending on where you're going that can be a bigger logistics challenge than the food itself.

Ok I give up. I’m ordering a box of MREs

Anonymous wrote:A ton of good ideas here. Would add instant coffee (like Starbucks Via packets) is on my must-have list for a camp kitchen.

Also, think about how you're going to clean up any pots/dishes - is there a washing station nearby? Same with trash (particularly how to keep it away from any curious/hungry critters). Depending on where you're going that can be a bigger logistics challenge than the food itself.

This is a good point. We didn’t think of this on our first camping trip. We at least had water at the site, but cleaning stuff was tough. We have since purchased a collapsible camp sink that works well.

A ton of good ideas here. Would add instant coffee (like Starbucks Via packets) is on my must-have list for a camp kitchen.

Also, think about how you're going to clean up any pots/dishes - is there a washing station nearby? Same with trash (particularly how to keep it away from any curious/hungry critters). Depending on where you're going that can be a bigger logistics challenge than the food itself.