Vegetarian Campfire Cooking

sxc.hu / Jeff Prieb

The versatility of vegetables and meat-substitutes makes vegetarian cooking a healthy match for the fire pit. Campfires impart a rich, smoky flavor to vegetarian dishes, producing a hardier-tasting meal. Practically any vegetarian dish that you cook at home can be cooked over a campfire.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Firewood or coals Olive oil cooking spray Aluminum foil Long metal utensil Long metal fork Cast-iron pan with lid
Firewood or coals
Olive oil cooking spray
Aluminum foil
Long metal utensil
Long metal fork
Cast-iron pan with lid

Step 1

Build your campfire using either firewood or coals, then wait for the flames to die down so that the fire is smoldering before cooking your vegetarian food. Vegetarian Times magazine suggests leaving an empty space at the front of the fire pit, without firewood or coals, to emulate the cooking style of an indoor hearth fireplace. Place food items on a grill directly over the firewood or coals to cook at a high temperature. Place food items in the front of the fire pit where there is no firewood or coals to cook at a low temperature.

Step 2

Spray both sides of veggie burgers, veggie hot dogs and tofu lightly with an olive oil cooking spray before placing them on the grill to prevent the food from sticking.

Step 3

Cook meat-substitute items directly over the firewood or coals and keep a close eye on them. Meat-substitutes cook very quickly--about five minutes to 10 minutes on a campfire grill.

Step 4

Roast vegetables over the campfire. Spray the vegetables with an olive oil cooking spray, season them with fresh herbs of your choice, wrap the vegetables in aluminum foil and place them on the grill.

Step 5

Bake whole potatoes and other root vegetables by wrapping them in aluminum foil and burying them in hot coals in the fire pit. Use a long metal utensil to arrange the coals. Check the root vegetables in 30 minutes by piercing them with a long metal fork. The vegetables are done when the fork can easily pierce through them. If the vegetables are not tender, cover them again with the hot coals and check them every 15 minutes.

Step 6

Place a cast-iron frying pan or saucepan on top of the grill to cook any item that you would normally fry or simmer in a pan: eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, sauces, rice or soup. Use a cast-iron lid on the pan if needed. For a high cooking temperature, place the cast-iron pan directly over the firewood or coals. For a low cooking temperature, place the cast-iron pan in the front area of the fire pit.

Resources

Article Written By Rose Kivi

Rose Kivi has been a writer for more than 10 years. She has a background in the nursing field, wildlife rehabilitation and habitat conservation. Kivi has authored educational textbooks, patient health care pamphlets, animal husbandry guides, outdoor survival manuals and was a contributing writer for two books in the Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Series.

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