Foil Packet Cooking for Camping – A Beginner Guide and Easy Recipes

Camping foil cooking is one the easiest types of campfire cooking. Although some campfire cooking methods require equipment like tripods, racks, or dutch ovens to be successful, this type of cooking is simple and cheap. You only need to prepare food and aluminum foil.

What is Campfire Foil Cooking?

Aluminum foil is used for cooking campfire foil. It protects your food from the flames and allows it to steam in its own juices. This preserves the flavor and keeps the food tender and juicy. So, you can wrap food in foil packets and then let it cook over a fire. The food is not directly grilled on the fire, and the smoke does not get into the food. If you look for caramelization or grill marks on your food, it will not create them. It can be thought of more as stewing or steaming food. It's like one-pot cooking at your campfire. This is a great way to cook vegetables, but it can also be used for almost everything.

How do you do it?

• First, you will need to prepare food for foil camping.
• Use heavy-duty aluminum foil if possible. It is thicker and will not tear or burn so it is a better choice. To protect your food, double- or triple wrap it in regular foil if none is available.
• Place the food you wish to steam or stew on a large piece of foil. You can use any combination of meat, poultry, or vegetables. To enhance the flavor of your food, you can add any herbs or seasonings. Aromatic herbs such as bay and thyme and aromatic root vegetables such as onions work well. The juices heat inside and infuse the food with fragrant aromas.
• Adding some liquid is an excellent idea. I drizzle olive oil on my food, but you could also add a bit of stock or wine to the mix.
• Season with salt & pepper
• Wrap the foil with all the seasonings, herbs, and ingredients. Then, fold or pinch the foil at the top. This will prevent liquid from dripping out of the foil and allow the food to steam and retain its flavor.
• Once the fire is lit, place the foil packet close to the fire so that the liquid steams and bubbles within a few minutes. The foil can become brittle and even burn if it is directly placed in the fire. You could lose all your food. Keep it close enough for cooking, but not in direct heat.
• Cooking time for campfire foil cooking will vary depending upon the type of food and the size of the package. The cooking time is usually quick because the liquid inside the package steams the food. If the food needs to be cooked further, you can open the package and test it with a fork. Harder vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes, require a little more time to soften and cook.

Have fun and experiment with different combinations of foods that you can cook in foil packs. Have fun on your next camping trip!