Cooking without a stove while camping can be a challenge, but it is by no means impossible. Using just your campfire and a few natural resources, here are three delicious camping meals that can be prepared without one!
Chili
Homemade chili can provide a hearty meal. To warm, simply wait until the flames of the fire have died out, leaving only the bright red embers. Find 6 to 8 sticks that still have greenery attached and are approximately 1-inch in diameter. Set 3 to 4 sticks parallel across the burning embers. Stack the remaining 3 to 4 sticks on top running the opposite direction. This provides a makeshift platform to set the chili pot on, helping to prevent the chili from burning. Cook over embers, stirring frequently. Chili is ready once it is bubbling hot.
Fish Fillet
Living off the land is always an excellent source for camping meals. Nothing beats a dinner of fresh-caught fish cooked over a campfire. This is not for the faint of heart as it requires the fish to be filleted. Once the fish has had its entrails removed, it needs to be thoroughly rinsed with water. Skewer the fish lengthwise on a long stick, then use a shorter stick running width-wise through the rib cage to splay the fish open. Season with a little salt and pepper. Hold the fish belly-side down over the campfire for 5 minutes, then turn and hold skin-side down for an additional 3 minutes. Eat right off the skewer.
Baked Potato
Building a makeshift earthen dutch oven can easily make a camping meal of baked potatoes. Wrap potatoes in foil to protect them from dirt and ashes. When campfire flames have died down, push away the coals to expose the hot dirt beneath. Set potatoes in the dirt, covering up with more dirt until they are submerged. Replace hot coals on top of potatoes, cooking for about an hour. Bring a cooler filled with toppings for the baked potatoes and eat out of the foil.
Anyone can heat up a can of soup on a camp stove. But with these three camping meals, enjoying the great outdoors can now include delicious meals cooked over the fire pit.
