Our 5 Most Delicious Campfire Meals

There are a lot of different things to consider when planning your menu for a multi-day trekking trip. Firstly, you want food that doesn’t weigh too much and is versatile. Secondly, it needs to be easy to cook and doesn’t use multiple items of equipment to cook. Thirdly, and most importantly to those gourmet trekkers out there, it has to taste super delicious.

1. Damper

An Australian staple and an essential camping meal that makes us feel a little bit warm and fuzzy.

What do I need: 1kg plain flour, 250 grams of sultanas, 1 stubby full-strength beer, ½ stubby of water.

How do I cook this:

1. Mix everything well together and place into the camp oven until golden brown and knife goes in and out clean. 
2. Break apart and serve with your favourite spread.

2. Chris' Campfire Crumble

Dessert is everyone’s favourite part of the meal in normal conditions, but on a camping trek, dessert is doubly important. No Roads very own, Chris came up with this ripper dessert.

What do I need: 1 x tin of fruit (peaches, pears, two fruits etc), sugar (brown ideally), oats/muesli/granola (trekkers choice), butter/margarine/oil.

How do I cook this:

1. Rub a small amount of butter (or an even smaller amount of oil) with a good handful of oats and a sprinkling of sugar.

2. Heat in a pan on campfire until toasted and set aside

3. In another pot or pan (if limited for equipment, put toasted crumble mixture onto a plate or bowl and re-use) heat fruit with a small amount of liquid from tin and another sprinkle of sugar.

4. Cook until fruit softens further and is heated through (add more liquid from tin if necessary).

5. When fruit is cooked to your liking, sprinkle crumble mixture over the top to re-heat.

6. Serve hot (and with long life cream if you travel with it)

Note: If you travel with any spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg, they’re a great addition to either the fruit or the crumble mixture.

3. S'mores

We grew up on American movies and camping doesn't feel right without s’mores, with an Aussie twist.

What do I need: Digestive biscuits, cadbury block chocolate, 100g mini marshmallows 

How do I cook this:

1. Cut eight 15cm foil squares. Sit a digestive biscuit on each square, top with some marshmallows, then some chocolate and another digestive biscuit.

2. Wrap in foil and place in the embers of a fire. Bake for 5-6 minutes or until heated through. Serve with mugs of hot chocolate.

4. Paper Bag Eggs

There is no better way to start your day than with eggs and if you can find a way to trek without breaking the eggs your morning is going to be awesome. Fun fact, one of our NRE guides paid his personal guide 5 kina for every unbroken egg that he got to have for breakfast and you guessed it, not a single egg was broken.

What do I need: 2 strips of fatty bacon, 1 egg, salt & pepper, 1 paper bag, 1 pointy stick

How do I cook this:

1.  You begin by lining the bottom of the paper lunch bag with the bacon.

2.  Crack the egg into the paper bag, on top of the bacon.

3.  Fold the top of the paper bag down carefully 2 times and poke a hole through the bag with the stick. (Use a knife or scissors to make the hole first.)

4.  This is the tricky part as you can risk the bag catching fire, so be very careful. Hold the bag over the fire so the bacon cooks slowly and the fat melts.  This makes an oily paper and bacon “skillet” for the egg. Hold the bag over the fire until the egg is cooked. Use salt and pepper to taste.

5. Put the bag down on a plate (it will be very oily), and eat the egg straight out of the paper bag. 

5. Pesto and Smoked Salmon Pasta

For those who like to fancy up their pasta, this is a great alternative to the usual tinned tuna option.

What do I need: Dried pasta, a jar of pesto, vacuum-packed smoked salmon (non-refrigerated)

How do I cook this:

1. Cook pasta in boiling water until as desired (al dente, unless you're a heathen) & drain

2. Stir through jar of pesto and flake salmon over the top

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Note: A lemon squeezed over the finished dish also does wonders and can be added to your G & T