Few things put a camping trip over the top quite like sitting around and fire and enjoying a meal. However, there are more things to enjoy than your standard s’more or roasted hot dog. Homemade bread is usually a treat reserved for around a table, but making campfire bread is a method for people to bring the comforts of home to their fire pit.
Campfire bread is surprisingly easy to make. For this technique, you will need:
- Two metal cans, one small (like a 28 oz soup can) and one large (like a coffee can). You want the small can to be able to fit inside the larger one without touching the sides
- One pound of your favorite bread dough
- Butter (for spreading and cooking)
- Cooking spray (if you don’t want to use butter)
After you have a nice big fire going, as with any type of homemade bread, a critical part of the process is letting the bread rise. With campfire bread, you’ll want to first grease the inside of your smaller can with the cooking spray or butter. Put the dough inside the can and cover it loosely with tin foil. The can is then placed on the far peripherals of your fire. Somewhere warm, but not anywhere red hot.
While the bread is rising, prep your large can. Put one to two inches of rocks in the bottom. This step is critical because it will prevent your bread from charring. Once your dough has doubled in size, it’s time to start cooking it. Remove the foil and set the small can inside the large can.
Grab another piece of tinfoil and cover the entire thing, poking a few holes in the top as well. Set the whole package deep into an area of dense, red coals. The cooking process can take anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes, so be sure to check it every so often. The top should ideally be a golden brown when ready.
Once you’ve got the tanned color you’re looking for, remove from the coals and remove the bread from the small inner can. Slather with butter or other favorite spread and dig in!
This method can be used for other types of breads as well, like banana, zucchini, carrot, or even fruitcake — use your imagination! Just fill 3/4 of the can with batter, and proceed with the rest of the directions here. You can even prepare your cans at home so they’re ready to cook as soon as you are at the campsite.
Featured Image from LUM3N/Unsplash
