Campfire-Friendly Recipes

A happy camper is a well fed camper

Like sushi, beer, Bovril or Marmite, camping is an acquired taste. Either you love it or you loathe it.

In high school, I was forced into the wilderness for a 21 day cycle, hike and canoe trip along the Fish River in South Africa. I hated it. If I wasn't complaining about the leeches I'd collected bathing in the river that flanked our campsite for the night, I was whining about having to dig a whole to relieve myself.

No one despised the great outdoors quite like I did.

But, over a decade later, I'll happily pack my duffel bag at a moment's notice to get lost in the middle of nowhere. Being within nature recharges my metaphysical battery. There's something about the organic calm that settles my own spirit. Even as birds chase each other from one branch to the next, there is a palpable ease to it that is infectious. As often as I can, I'll book a getaway that challenges me to return to my center.

But I'll never venture anywhere without my comforts.

Some people eat to live while others live to eat. I am such a passionate gourmand that I went as far as to make eating my profession, so when it comes time to cramming camping essentials into the car, my skillet, a roll of tinfoil, tongs, some firelighters and a box of matches go in first. These five tools will be all you need to fashion yourself a makeshift kitchen.

If you plan on ducking out of the city this weekend, this is to save you from thinking your only catering options are coffee and scones for breakfast, followed with a braai at the end of the day. If you prepare sufficiently, you can enjoy a few decent meals off the beaten track.

Breakfast:

Braaibroodjies

A toasted sarmie after a sunrise hike, or in preparation for a day out on the water (fishing), is a great way to wake up your metabolism and keep you going until lunch.

You don't want to burn your bread so using what's left of the fire after you've made your morning cuppa is perfect. Wrap your toasted cheese and tomato in some tinfoil, with a lathering of butter on the outer sides of your bread, and you're good to go. Smoke some bacon over the fire and add it to the braaibroodjie if you are so inclined.

Eggs

When you have a skillet, you can fry your eggs, scramble them or even go so far as to make a Shakshuka.

Baked eggs are packed with flavour, and so easy to make. A few tins of chopped onions and tomatoes, a tube of tomato puree, a medley of herbs and spices, and you'll have a hearty meal prepared in 30 minutes. Campfires tend to be a great deal hotter than the stoves we use at home, so use your discretion.

Lunch & Dinner:

Sticky chicken

Get stuck into this succulent, sweet and spicy dish that will have you licking your fingers. If you've already tried the recipe that I shared a couple months ago, you know how delicious it is. Rather than stuffing a whole chicken with a pineapple, cut it up so it's easier to baste and cook.

As someone who's made this on a camping trip, the smell permeating from the campfire is mouthwatering - the finished product is pretty rewarding too.

Pan seared fish

I tend to liken my wanderlust to J. R. R. Tolkien's fire drake, Smaug. It lies dormant for what feels like millennia, then suddenly awakens and lays waste to everything in its path until it is indulged. Two years ago, I packed up my car on a whim and drove until I found a campsite. Reckless, because I traveled alone, but fortune favoured my impulse and placed Zahi, Diego and Herai on my path.

The three Dominican backpackers adopted me for a few days and insisted on feeding me. One of the recipes they've allowed me to share is the pan-seared trout Herai prepared over an open fire.

You might consider snoek as it is easier to come by, and big enough to go around.

Loaded jacket potatoes

Starch is a camping staple. Aside from the cardio you're doing during the day, the temperature drops in the dead of night and you need all the help you can get to fuel your internal heater.

Jacket potatoes are fun because they're an edible plate for any conceivable filling you want to load them with. As your fire begins to calm, you can slide your stuffed and wrapped potatoes into the coal pit and leave them to cook while you get on with something else. Remember: if you're topping your potato with cheese, do it only after the spud has softened. Cheese melts in a flash when placed within smoldering heat.

Dessert:

S'mores

A classic. Gooey marshmallows, dripping in milk chocolate, sandwiched between two crunchy biscuits will have you smiling as you slip into your sleeping bag for the night.

After my generous Dominican friends fed me their trout, we enjoyed a few S'mores with a unique twist. If you haven't tried the recipe for yourself, this weekend is begging for a camping trip.

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What are some of your favourite camping recipes? A hot cup of cooco always gets me up in the morning, and a few mugs of mulled wine warm me when the temperature nosedives at night.