Not snacky bacon/sausage sarnies type of things, I've got that covered, but what's your favourite dinner sized camping meal?
Ideally something that'll last for a couple of days without refrigeration, is tasty, easy to cook and properly sorts the hunger after a big day out.
One of the best and probably because the previous 36 hours had been beer based festival frolics was a bolognese pasta sauce that was out of a packet then some decent pasta wed taken , with some chunky bread and real butter!
A couple of days without refrigeration? In the summer, very little would fit that requirement. and I do consider bagging food and weighing it down in a running stream to be 'refrigerated'
But fave camp foods is chilli con carne or gumbo, BBQ (local meat, game or fish - even better if caught by self) or foraged food (ie hedgerow salads, shellfish etc)
Noodles, small tin tuna, small tin of assorted beans, small tin of mushrooms in one pot.
I would never eat it normally but during my undergrad mapping I was one pot cooking after a strenuous day in the field and discovered tinned chicken in white wine sauce with fresh new potatoes. It was delicious. Of a similar ilk tinned curry with new potatoes.
These are now camping staples.
Rib-eye steaks, well seasoned & cooked on an open fire with a nice fresh salad 🙂
Do this when down in Cornwall, buy fresh every day on way back to site so no need to refrigerate stuff.
Washed down with maguerita's and a nice bottle of Rioja - lovely!
I've got around the refrigeration problem before by using tinned meat and veg, which is fine for car camping. M&S used to (and still might) do a reasonably tasty beef casserole in a tin that at the time seemed like the best meal ever.
Ideally I'm looking for a bit of variety, some nights will be near the car and a couple of nights will be a bit more remote and could do with something a bit more portable. Dried pasta's a good shout though.
Cowboy dinner. Tinned stewed steak, tinned mixed veg, tinned potatoes, all whacked in a pan and heated to within an inch of it's life. If it ever had one. Bread and butter.
Or, corned beef, onion, sweetcorn, tinned potatoes, and maybe some red sauce and pepper.
Although I'd rather have the steak above....
tinned chicken in white wine sauce with fresh new potatoes
Just the sort of thing. Where's it sold?
Dried Pasta. Any numbers of sauces available in pouches. Add sausage (chorizo etc) or tuna for extra protein/fat.
Lentil dhal.
Half a pack of spaghetti, olive oil, black pepper and two egg yolks. Parmesan on top if you've remembered.
Beanfeast. Yeah, I know.
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Sainsburys and tesco sell reasonably tinned curry. Several sorts (Sainsburys have the bigger selection)
Can reheat 'microwave rice' with a splash of water in a pan to go with it. Obviously flat breads of whatever sort if you like too.
We often cook a stew/chilli/curry type thing. Stick it in a sealy box and freeze it. Take it wrapped in a towel (or a cool box if you have one!) It'll last a day or two and still be edible.
Sainsburys and tesco sell reasonably tinned curry. Several sorts (Sainsburys have the bigger selection)
I've been looking at the online selection at sainsbury's after the chicken in white wine sauce suggestion above. Looks like you could get a few nights covered and still have a little variety.
Nearest pub
Corned beef hash - An onion, chopped & fried, tinned new potatoes, sliced & fried & a tin of corned beef mixed in. Looks like dog food, and I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole normally, but it somehow tastes fantastic when you're camping.
Or: Tuna & pasta with sweetcorn (tinned) & mayonaise.
Desert has to be steamed treacle pudding with Ambrosia custard (carton). Use the hot water for washing up.
Just the sort of thing. Where's it sold?
it was either Morrisons or Tesco. That meal always brings a smile because some of the days in the field sucked big time. Good times.
Pub.
+1 for hash of some sort.
Personally would go for a bit more effort of using 'fresh' potatoes rather than tinned and par boiling them first.
Couple of fried eggs on top and you're good to go...
Second corned beef hash, my version is tin of beans, tin of potatoes, warm them up then mix in the corned beef. Again, looks like dog food but unless you're a pretentious nob you know that all proper camping food looks like this. Either that or an AW ration pack.
For fresh, take some spuds, onion, and bacon, chop and fry then drop an egg or two on to finish.
Risotto is good. Only one pot needed.
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New Favourite, just need to keep the pork belly cold
As I only ever wildcamp, and carry everything (so must be light as poss), usually it's plain couscous prepacked in a pour n store bag, so I can just add boiling water, seal, leave fit a few minutes, then mix in a sauce sachet and tabasco or chilli powder, plus jerky. Pot is then still clean for a brew/more water boiling, and litter is minimal. One day I plan to catch a fish and cook over the fire though, Mears-style 🙂
Carrying with you or car camping?
I have some belter meals...but I also bake on camp. 8)
to add that one of mine was a race (great race food) we also had 4 kinds of smoked ribs, 2 lots of smoked chicken wings, various kebabs and cider on tap....
Carrying with you or car camping?
Both.
The next trip will be 3-4 nights near the car with 1-2 nights away from it. In this instance the nights away from the car are not intended to be consecutive, so I should have the chance to 'restock' in between.
Tinned stuff is always nice & easy as you don't have to worry about storage. No messing around either, just heat it up & go.
Stagg Chilli & Rice
Chicken in white sauce with new potatoes & peas.
Anything like that....
Beanfeast. Yeah, I know.
Wouldn't be my first choice if I'd to share a tent with someone afterwards. Plus, will take 15+ mins of fuel.
There's an argument for going veggie for the time you're away though, anything you make is less likely to kill you / give you the al fresco explosives. Last trip I took I had a freeze-dried hot-pot thing, weighed nothing and was really tasty and filling.
+ another 1 for corned beef hash.
Or if you can find them, instead of corned beef use duck rillettes. Easy to find in France, might be on the Waitrose essentials range 😉
usually it's plain couscous prepacked in a pour n store bag, so I can just add boiling water, seal, leave fit a few minutes
I find seal too fatty myself. Maybe you could try dolphin fillets as an alternative?
Pulled pork or cottage pie.
Spagetti carbonara but with chorizo rather than bacon.
Any recommendations for a camping stove (or BBQ type thing) for camping for a family (drive not carry there).
Just been to Sainsbury's and a had a look at the hitherto unexplored tinned meat section, loads of choice. Decided against trialling any at home as I reckon they'll taste a lot better in a field with limited options.
Tinned stuff is always nice & easy as you don't have to worry about storage. No messing around either, just heat it up & go.Stagg Chilli & Rice
Seriously?
Rather shit in a pan.
There is so much real food you can cook without resorting to anything near that.
our car camping favourite is a tasty homemade curry or Bolognese, frozen. Will easily last in the cool box till the second night with the added benefit of replacing need for icepacks 🙂
Any recommendations for a camping stove (or BBQ type thing) for camping for a family (drive not carry there).
Any of the CampingGaz stoves are fine. I have a single burner one and it was very cheap. Even the fancier double burner ones are cheap. No doubt the purists will scoff and there's a tweed lined, hand crafted, artisan and organic alternative at 5 times the price that is 0.79643% better than a cheap CampingGaz one, but it's worked fine for me.
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/campingaz-portable-gas-stove-p321994
Stagg Chilli & RiceSeriously?
Rather shit in a pan.
You've obviously not tried 'Dynamite Hot' Stagg Chilli... Food of the gods I tell thee...
Chorizo fried then added to Ainsley Thai couscous. With sh*tloads of crisps and Sports Mix because couscous isn't very filling. Usually washed down with a bottle of port.
Pub.
x1000 I never camp unless there's a good pub nearby.
[url= http://www.badgerbushcraft.com/kit-tried-a-tested/using-the-frontier-stove-by-liz-wakelin.htm ]fresh bread and home made soup[/url]
hora - I have the frontier stove mentioned in the link. relatively light, chimney bits fit into the stove so it's portable'ish, and fitting available to install to bell tents and/or shed. And that wraparound kettle thing looks pretty dinky. Not as cheap as a camping gaz stove, but it warms the tent up nicely.
fresh bread and home made soup
Probably fun if you want to make a real focus on mealtimes but for me that all looks a massive faff.
