Do you love to spend spring, summer, and fall nights by the campfire with family and friends? Are you looking for fun and easy ways to make your get-togethers even better? We may be able to help at Fox River Fire Rings with a quick list of the Best Things to Cook Over Your Backyard Fire Pit. No matter what you enjoy eating — steak and potatoes, s’mores, pudgie pies, or something new — it can all be enjoyed with family and friends around the campfire.
Top 10 Things to Cook Over a Fire Pit
You may be asking — can I cook over a backyard fire pit? The short answer is YES. We are all about backyard fire pits here at Fox River Fire Rings and we love to cook over the fire when we meet with family and friends. When you decide to cook over a fire pit, it is important to have the right tools and we recommend a cast-iron skillet, a dutch oven, a cooking tripod and grate, tinfoil, and heat-resistant gloves. There is no shortage of delicious campfire cooking recipes for you to choose from — but here are a few of our favorites, a few classics, and a few new options.
1. Tinfoil Potatoes
Tinfoil potatoes are a fan favorite around the fire and about as simple as can be. Slice up your potatoes and some onions, season them with your spice of choice, wrap in tinfoil with butter, and set it in the hot coals of the fire. You can include additional vegetables or proteins to make a complete meal.
2. Pudgie Pies
Pudgie pies are a staple meal around the campfire for many families. Equipped with a classic pudgie pie maker and some bread, you can make breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Put a couple slices of bread in the pudgie pie maker with your favorite ingredients and set it in the fire. Ham and cheese is a great option for regular meals or you can use fruit, pie filling, or s’mores ingredients for a sweet treat.
3. Campfire Cones
This is a fresh take on dessert that your kids are sure to love. Fill ice cream cones with your favorite candy or treats — like M&M’s, marshmallows, candy bars, chocolate chips, or whatever you love and wrap the cone in tinfoil. Put the cones over or around the campfire for a few minutes and enjoy.
4. Campfire Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Mac ‘n’ cheese in the dutch oven is a delicious meal whether you are camping or in your backyard. Put your macaroni, water, cheese, and seasonings in the dutch oven and put the dutch oven in the coals of your fire, covering it with some coals. This will create steam to cook the pasta and melt the cheese. Remember to use two cups of cheese for every cup of pasta.
5. Grilled Bananas
Are you looking for something new and fun for breakfast? Grilled bananas may be just what the doctor ordered. Leave the bananas unpeeled, slice the banana open lengthwise, wrap the outside in tinfoil, and put your bananas on the grille or coals. You can add cinnamon, brown sugar, chocolate, caramel, marshmallows, and more to create the perfect breakfast or dessert.
6. Campfire Beer-Can Chicken
We know you will love this classic campfire recipe. Beer-can chicken is a popular option at your backyard fire pit. Cut the top off a can and fill it with coals, then put the can inside your chicken. Coat your chicken in olive oil and your spices, and put it in a cast-iron skillet or on a cooking grate to cook over the fire.
7. Campfire Nachos
Do you love nachos? You will love campfire nachos around your backyard fire pit. Put your nachos in the layer of a skillet, tray, or pan and cover the nachos with your favorite toppings — tomatoes, ground beef. Cheese, onions, peppers, beans, and cheese. Cover your nachos and put it on the grate above the fire until the cheese has melted and everything is cooked.
8. Campfire Hash Browns
Are you looking for a campfire breakfast option? You may want to try these campfire hash browns. Mix cubed or shredded potatoes with cheese and bacon in a tinfoil packet with your favorite spices and put the packet over the fire or in the coals to cook. Cook your packets until the potatoes are tender, then open up the foil and add more cheese for a delicious campfire breakfast.
9. Campfire Brownies
Tired of the same old s’mores around the campfire? Try something new and cook up some campfire brownies. All you need is a box of brownie mix, a few eggs, water, oil, and a cast-iron skillet. Mix the brownie mix, eggs, oil, and water in the cast-iron skillet and put it over your fire pit to cook a delicious treat.
10. Grilled Steak, Chicken, Pork, or Fish
Don’t forget about the staples when you plan your campfire meal. No matter what you prefer — steak, chicken, pork chops, or fish — it can be cooked over the fire. Chicken and pork chops can be seasoned with a BBQ rub or cooked with BBQ sauce. Salmon and fish can be marinated and grilled over the fire. Steak can be grilled to perfection over an open flame and is quite the treat. Want to mix it up? You can cook kabobs over the fire with fruit and vegetables or cook them in tinfoil packets.
READ MORE: How To Create the Perfect Outdoor Fire Pit Area
Kick your backyard get-togethers up a notch with a list of the Best Things to Cook Over Your Backyard Fire Pit. Here are a few of our favorites that we know you will love when you have your next backyard campfire. Contact Fox River Fire Rings today for more information on our custom steel fire rings!
