When it comes to camping food, your experiences thus far may have been fairly underwhelming. It probably brings to mind uninspiring sandwiches, charred burgers and sausages, and trail bars. If you’re ready to discover some easy camping recipes that are as delicious as they are easy, you’re in the right place.
We’ve been through the entire Z Grills recipe archives and chose 15 of the best camping recipes to share with you below. We’ll also cover some of the other aspects of eating while on an outdoor adventure.
Table of Contents
The Basics of Camp Food & Cooking
Choosing Your Grill
The first thing you need to consider is what you’ll be cooking your food on. If you’re going to be out in the wilderness for a while, you may want a few different options, such as a pot on a fire and a portable camping grill, or the hob in your campervan plus a grill.
When it comes to the grill you choose, if you’re going to be heading outside to grill often, it’s well worth investing in a portable pellet grill like our Cruiser 200A. This grill brings all of the ease and precision of a pellet grill to all your outdoor pursuits and is about the size of a small suitcase, so it’s easy to pack up and take with you wherever you go. Like our other pellet grills, this model can do everything from low-and-slow smoking to searing and char-grilling.
Food
When you’re getting ready for your trip, think carefully about what food you’ll have access to on the road. If you’re going camping but will be heading into town each day, you can pick up anything extra you need, but if you’re going to be in the wilderness for days on end, think about what food storage options you have. Prepackaged foods are a good option for snacks but you’ll need a cooler or fridge to keep meat at a reasonable temperature. Don’t forget to pack condiments and any desired seasonings.
Easy Camping Meals
Now we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to get our mouths watering! Here are our 15 favorite camping recipes.
Camping Breakfast Recipes
Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Think you can’t have casserole on the road? Think again! This delicious sausage breakfast casserole can be made easily entirely on your camp grill with easy-to-transport ingredients.
Smoked Brats
Smoked bratwurst (AKA hot dogs) aren’t just for lunch and dinner; they make a delicious breakfast, too. Better still, you can go from hungry to full in less than half an hour.
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Hands up, who loves pizza for breakfast? I’m glad I’m not alone. You’ll need a fridge in your truck or camper to make this one, but believe me, it is so worth it.
Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites
On keto, or just want to keep things low carb while away? This is a great option if you want a filling breakfast but want to keep the carbs at bay. If you make more than you need, they make a great snack on the go, or you can keep them around to have with lunch or dinner later in the day.
Smoked Cornbread
This takes things the opposite way; this smoked cornbread recipe definitely isn’t kind on the waistline but if you’re going to be hiking or hunting all day, you’ll be well set up until well after lunchtime when you’ve had this for breakfast.
Camping Lunch Recipes
When you head back to the campsite for lunch, we recommend diving into any of these delicious recipes:
Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Thighs
Combine these smoked bacon-wrapped chicken thighs with any other foods you love; you could even stuff them in a burger bun if you’re lacking a good place to sit down with a plate.
Grilled Carrots with Honey Glaze
These glazed carrots are super simple to make and make the perfect side for anything else you want to put on your plate, such as the thighs above or any of the other recipes below!
Grilled Maple Butter Salmon
Okay, so this would be perfect if you were out salmon fishing, but it’s just as delicious with store-bought salmon. It’s ready to eat in as little as 25 minutes, so perfect if you’re in between activities.
Garlic Grilled Shrimp Skewers
These garlic shrimp skewers never go down badly if you love seafood, just make sure you store your shrimp properly before they make it to your grill for the best flavor.
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
If the adults are eating shrimp and you’ve got some picky kids, these chicken kabobs will be just as popular. Eat these as they are or cook up some rice or couscous to eat them with.
Camping Dinner Recipes
The day is done, you’re ready to put your feet up, chill out by the campfire and/or grill and cook up something delicious. Here are our favorite recipes:
Grilled Flat Iron Steaks
A steak makes the perfect end to an adventurous day and these flat iron steaks are satisfying and easy to make, so you can easily throw them together, even if you’re tired and ready to crash.
Pellet Smoked Pork Butt
Set up this pork butt recipe before you head out after lunch and allow it to cook low-and-slow for 4-6 hours, and then let it rest for up to 2 hours before pulling it apart. You can then eat it in sandwiches or with sides.
Smoked Rack of Lamb
This rack of lamb recipe makes a great change from steaks, burgers, and hotdogs. It sounds luxurious but requires very little work to get it to your plate.
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Reverse Seared Porterhouse Steak
This porterhouse steak will take about an hour to make but the result is the melt-in-your-mouth smoky steak you’ll be tempted to make again and again.
Grilled Tender Flank Steak
This flank steak can be easily cut up and shared with everyone on the trip, added to salads, sandwiches, and more.
Tips for Camping with a Pellet Grill
Here are some of the tips you need to know to ensure you get the best results while you’re camping:
- Make sure you store your pellets in a dry area
- Take enough pellets with you to fuel it for the duration of your trip
- Take a meat probe with you so you can monitor the internal temperature – this can be easy to forget when you’re packing
- Plan your meals ahead of time so you only take what you need, and don’t find yourself without something you need
- Take fresh meat for the first day and take frozen meat for the rest of the trip if you are just using a cooler
- Make sure you take a roll of aluminum foil so you can keep food warm, keep it covered for later, or use it for cooking
- If you’re camping in a tent, consider chopping your vegetables before you leave to reduce mess
- Only take the cookware you plan to use and clean it as soon after eating as you can, since you may be limited by how much clean water you have access to
Make sure you test-run your pellet grill and power source before you leave so you know exactly how it works!
Camping with a portable camping grill is a real pleasure, provided you have the right grill to do all the hard work for you. The Cruiser 200A will go with you wherever you go – from the parking lot where you tailgate to the RV park, or far out in the wilderness where there’s no one else around for miles. Whether you’re grilling, baking, char-grilling, roasting, searing, or just about anything else, the Crusier 200A has your back.
