Cooking is not the big thrill for me while camping, not like the old days when I cooked big meals for my son. However, recently I developed a love for cooking over campfire coals in dutch ovens and other cast iron pans. Last year I bought a tripod that suspends a pot over a direct fire when cooking soups and stews. I recommend a cast iron Dutch oven with little feet for roasting and baking.

Starting the cooking fire–must burn then die down before using to “bake” in a Dutch oven. Or, use charcoal!

This year I decided to experiment with a pork roast. I found a” roast kit” at the Walmart in Bottineau, ND, which had the roast and all the veggies to go with it. This is how I cooked everything:

• Start small fire.
• Let it die down to coals.
• Pull some of the coals away from the main fire and make a little pile, not higher than the footed Dutch oven sits.
• Line the Dutch oven with foil.
• Put in meat and veggies and 1 cup water, move onto the pile of coals
• Cover, add approx 3 cups coals to the lid.

After one hour, I removed the veggies, then let roast cook 1 hour longer. No more coals added!

Below is a photo that shows the correct way to use a Dutch oven for many cooking needs. You never put it on a burning fire. Rather, use coals on the bottom and coals on the top to give a “baking”effect. I have even cooked biscuits perfectly.  However, if coals touch the bottom of the pan it could burn, so use a footed cast iron pot.

This picture shows you everything you need to know about Dutch Oven cooking: coals on the bottom, coals on top. You can also use charcoal. Some Dutch Oven cookbooks tell you exactly how many coals to use for any given temperature needed to cook/bake.

OMG–yummmy. Then, I had pork leftovers for lots of other meals.

Left over pork roast

Next night I stir fried pork, onion, fresh sweet peppers, using a cast iron skillet. I cook with cast iron at home also.

Other eating highlights: MELON. I bought a sweet honeydew/fancy melon and I wished I picked up one for each day. DELISH.

Shopping List for Camping Trip

• Honeydew melon
• Bananas
• Applesauce individual servings (don’t like to buy but plastic cups are recyclable)
• Onion
• Avocado
• Bag sweet bell peppers
• Canned tomatoes
• Bisquick
• Package whole grain buns
• Pillsbury refrigerator biscuits
• Butter (yogurt butter)
• Yogurt
• Pudding cups, individual servings (recyclable cup)
• Hamburger patties
• Pork Roast, veggie kit, packaged together
• Hummus
• Skinny cow cheese
• 2 cans salmon
• Protein shakes
• Oatmeal
• Rice/Whole Grain Medley
• Coffee
• Supplemented by: trip for ice cream

Please notice the proper representation of each food group in case my nutritionist friend is reading along! Some of the things I concocted from that list:

• oatmeal/yogurt
• pancake/applesauce
• salmon, whole grain medley
• hummus, biscuits
• stir fried pork and veggies
• cheeseburgers.

I came home with some extras for next time!