Best group camping dinner recipe

Maybe a little more info would help. Backpack camping, truck camping, gas grill, fire only and maybe a preferred method would help.
 
My favorite group meal is refridgerater aged ribeye steak, cooked on a large grill, over a bed of hot coals from a scrub oak fire. Cooked medium rare in less than 15 minutes.

If you want extra add:

Foil wrapped Idaho russet potatoes, cooked in the hot coals or a Dutch Oven.

Boil a large pot of corn on the cob.

Large container of butter, sour cream, onion greens, bacon bits, Redmond Salt and pepper.

Never had a single complaint.
 
My favorite group meal is refridgerater aged ribeye steak, cooked on a large grill, over a bed of hot coals from a scrub oak fire. Cooked medium rare in less than 15 minutes.

If you want extra add:

Foil wrapped Idaho russet potatoes, cooked in the hot coals or a Dutch Oven.

Boil a large pot of corn on the cob.

Large container of butter, sour cream, onion greens, bacon bits, Redmond Salt and pepper.

Never had a single complaint.
I'll take my steak medium rare, and the large container of butter as my side. I'll save the rest for you Lump.
 
I agree, little more info please. Type of camping, how are you hauling supplies, type of fire to cook, number of people, etc.

I just did baby-back ribs and poppers, plus corn on the cob for 30. It was a big hit!! And we had a brisket too!

The easiest is pre-cooked and sliced brisket from Sam's or Costco. All you have to do is heat it up and provide buns. Everything else (chips, potato salad, Cole slaw, watermelon) can be cold.

Next might just be frozen 1/4# burgers and sausages or brats
 
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This a sample menu for the 2000 version of a javelina camp I hosted for about a decade. Usual mouth count was 10-12 or so. Most of the food was prepared &/or precooked beforehand and finished in the camp kitchen (above).

Menu for Y2K SPH

Feb. 15 - Tues.
Veggie and shrimp appetizers, grilled NY steaks, baked potatoes, salad, veggies, wine, etc. (my house)

Weds.
Breakfast - on the road in Globe
Lunch - Sandwiches &.....
Dinner - BBQ Spectacular- sliced beef, pulled pork and baby back ribs, corn-on-the-cob, potato salad, cole slaw, bisquits, dessert.

Thurs.
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs with green chiles/cheese, breakfast steaks, hash browns, BB muffins
Lunch - Beef Barley Soup/sandwiches
Dinner - Salad, Ravioli, sauage and meatballs with eggplant parmigiana, Ital. bread, dessert.

Fri.
Breakfast - Pancakes & Canadian bacon, muffins
Lunch - Chicken w/rice soup, hotdogs
Dinner - Stuffed potato skins, salad, roast beef/gravy, wide egg noodles, string beans/asparagus, bisquits, dessert.

Sat.
Breakfast - French toast, sliced sauage/bacon
Lunch - Turkey noodle soup, sandwiches
Dinner - Turkey breast/gravy, mashed sweet potatoes baked with marshmallows, reg. mashed potatoes, corn, craneberry sauce, bisquits

Sun.
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs w/ham & cheese, sliced ham, home fries, muffins
Lunch - Ham, Bean & Potato soup, sandwiches
Dinner at the house- Mexican Fiesta -- Fish Vera Cruz, encliladas, tamales, burritos, refried beans, rice chips & salsa and flan.
***
All evening dinners will include the usual array of appetizers, such as my home-grown smoked salmon; pickled Mazatlan shrimp; deep-fried, breaded elk; hot chicken wings;chips/salsa; black/green olives; cheese/crackers; celery, carrots, summer sauage, chicken fingers, pepper poppers (breaded, whole green chilies stuffed with cheese), etc. etc.

Orange, grapefruit, apple and V8 juice for breakfasts, and an assortment of beer, red wine and the usual jug of Country Time lemonade in addition to the pop.

Desserts will include cakes, pies and pudding.
 
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Did you qualify for the Olympics with that kitchen and that menu ODW?
Doing that hunt was what really got me into cooking. I had already killed a slew of javelina so I didn't hunt at all; basically just cooked, washed dishes and did other camp chores all day. I had guys flying in from all over the country. Over the years, I hosted guys from Fl, CT, NY, GA, MN, WI, OH, MT, UT, CO, MD, NM, TX & of course, AZ. A few attended a couple hunts. One year we hosted a TV crew from Northwest Hunter out of Oregon. They did two 1/2 hr. shows.
 
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We usually do chicken fajitas cooked on a cowboy wok at least one night of our group camping trips. Two woks are needed. One to cook all the meat, peppers, and onions and one to heat corn tortillas as well as some flour tortillas. If possible we like to grill the chicken before we head out. That way it is basically a heat and eat scenario.
 
We were all candidates for heart attack: Fried potatoes and onions, scrambled eggs, tamales with sour cream or pork and beans. I was really good with a can opener ! I use to dutch oven a roast with vegetables and make a brown gravy. My brothers and brother-in law could not even boil water so I did all the cooking. Managed a few rib-eyes in my days. None of them died of a heart attack...cancer. Their self appointed job was to gather fire wood. Ah...good memories !
 
The good life ODW. You’re a credit to the outdoor community.
I had some good help. George & Corky Richardson & the late Norm Pike did the guiding chores for me. Below is one year's result for the day, circa early 1990s. The young lad at the far right was 15 & from Wisconsin. He always hung around our Outdoors Forum to learn and chat. He had never camped out or been away from home. So I told him if he could get his parents' permission and pay his own airfare, I would take care of his license & all the rest. It goes without saying, he had the time of his life.

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ODW you bring back some really old memories: NorthWest Hunter was one of the first TV outdoor programs for me. I use to get a kick out of their efforts..pretty amateur but better than some. I remember a deer hunt down in Bluehair's country. They had matching dude outfits and cowboy hats..was hilarious ! Do you guys remember Trail of the Sportsman or Majestics Outdoors ? Wayne Carlton did some really good work back in those days.
 
ODW you bring back some really old memories: NorthWest Hunter was one of the first TV outdoor programs for me. I use to get a kick out of their efforts..pretty amateur but better than some. I remember a deer hunt down in Bluehair's country. They had matching dude outfits and cowboy hats..was hilarious ! Do you guys remember Trail of the Sportsman or Majestics Outdoors ? Wayne Carlton did some really good work back in those days.
Oh man, no kidding. You might have seen me on either of the two shows they did.

I first met that crew on an elk/deer hunt in the Selway-Bitterroot with my friend & outfitter, the late Art Griffith. Art came along when they were on my hunt, too.

The one guy wanted to kill a hog with a handgum but couldn't get it done. So he used a rifle and faked it.

Art is far left standing. NWH guys are far right standing and far left kneeling. The guy in the plaid shirt next to Art is their cameraman. The other three are from CO, GA & CT.

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Rick from NWH
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Art cooking up a bunch of quail we nailed. I had my German shorthair on this hunt, and the guy from Georgia brought his wirehaired pointer.

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I’m glad it wasn’t anymore crowded than it was back in the 1960’s when we were young and full of energy and some mischief but I wish that more folks could have had those great outdoor hunting and fishing experiences. So much of who we are today was formed and developed during those days in the woodlands. Course there are some here abouts that consider us boomers screwed up and out of touch with reality. I wouldn’t trade their futures for a single day out of my past.
 
I’m glad it wasn’t anymore crowded than it was back in the 1960’s when we were young and full of energy and some mischief but I wish that more folks could have had those great outdoor hunting and fishing experiences. So much of who we are today was formed and developed during those days in the woodlands. Course there are some here abouts that consider us boomers screwed up and out of touch with reality. I wouldn’t trade their futures for a single day out of my past.
Amen to that ! We lived in the Golden age of western outdoors for sure .
 
I normally make elk or Buffalo Philly cheesesteaks. Before you go camping slice your meat super thin, slice up your onions and bell peppers, and put them in ziplocs. Just throw it on a flat top when you want to cook it. Season your meat and veggies well, mix together when they’re almost cooked, add cheese on top to melt and throw some sliced hoagie rolls on the other side of the griddle. Put meat and veggie mixture on rolls when ready and you’re done. No dishes other than the griddle, done in 15 minutes, and everyone I’ve made them for always likes them.
 
My television hunting hero was Ted Peck “Tides and Trails”

Watched him on an old 19” black and white television. The reception was so poor, it was it was like watching a hockey game in a raging snow storm.

Anyone else remember the old Canadian Ted Peck?
 
Navajo tacos made with homemade chili is always a hit and It goes a long way. It’s relatively easy for a large group. I pre-load a baggie of spices at home, then just brown the burger in a Dutch oven and add canned beans, sauce, diced tomatoes etc.
Rhoades rolls makes the dough for the scones.
 
I think I will make the Navajo Tacos. I make it easy with Rhodes Rolls.
I prefer using frozen bread dough over the Rhodes Rolls because I like a large fry bread platform. The Rhodes Rolls make about a 6-7” fry bread. I like one about 10”. Big Boy Navajo Tacos.
 
Oh man, no kidding. You might have seen me on either of the two shows they did.

I first met that crew on an elk/deer hunt in the Selway-Bitterroot with my friend & outfitter, the late Art Griffith. Art came along when they were on my hunt, too.

The one guy wanted to kill a hog with a handgum but couldn't get it done. So he used a rifle and faked it.

Art is far left standing. NWH guys are far right standing and far left kneeling. The guy in the plaid shirt next to Art is their cameraman. The other three are from CO, GA & CT.

View attachment 46198

Rick from NWH
View attachment 46199

Art cooking up a bunch of quail we nailed. I had my German shorthair on this hunt, and the guy from Georgia brought his wirehaired pointer.

View attachment 46200
It is a small world!
I had the pleasure of meeting Art Griffith back in the late 70's or early 80's. A good friend of mine had gone on a guided hunt with Art in the Selway & they became good buddies. He used to go up in the summer & help Art pack in supplies for the fall hunts. Art & his wife would then come down to Phx & stay with my friend in the winter. They had some great stories about the bear encounters in the Selway. As I recall, Art didn't much like the bears cause they were always breaking into his food caches up there.
Sorry, didn't mean to get off topic!
Thanks for bringing back some Great Memories and for this great thread. I think I gained 5 lbs. just reading the recipes!

Elkchaser
 
Done a crab boil on the Uncompahgre over the 4th weekend for 15 people and it was great!
Easy and simple
You guys are sure bringing back the memories!
When I lived in Grand Junction, a bunch of us from work (Sundstrand Aerospace) planned a big trip for elk up on the Unc for the 1st rifle season. Turns out, they had also invited a bunch of folks from back east, , , , I think they were from Michigan. Anyway, we ended up with around 15-18 tags in camp that year.
Those boys didn't know a whole lot about hunting elk but they sure knew a lot about how to cook & enjoy their trip.
I had planned on doing my own cooking and had brought my own supplies. One evening, I came rolling back into camp bone tired & I was just going to make a sandwich & go to bed. When I opened the truck door, my buddy asked if I was hungry and said to go check out the spread they had set up in the cook tent.
We had fresh spaghetti, salad, fresh baked bread (never did figure out how they baked that bread!), and just about any "adult beverage" you could ask for! And that was just that night!
I never ate as much, or as good, as I did on that trip!
As I recall, I think they even managed to fill 2 of those elk tags.
 
I like to take two chickens and potatoes carrots and some chicken broth in a Dutch oven stick in the fire for about two hours and then have some fresh sourdough bread and a salad and I can tell you no one is talking.
The best part of it is you don't have to sit over the stove while everyone else is having fun.....
Dutch Ovens are the bomb and are always in my camping gear...
If it's cold enough you can prepare this in advance and when you get back to camp just stick it in the fire....
 
It is a small world!
I had the pleasure of meeting Art Griffith back in the late 70's or early 80's. A good friend of mine had gone on a guided hunt with Art in the Selway & they became good buddies. He used to go up in the summer & help Art pack in supplies for the fall hunts. Art & his wife would then come down to Phx & stay with my friend in the winter. They had some great stories about the bear encounters in the Selway. As I recall, Art didn't much like the bears cause they were always breaking into his food caches up there.
Sorry, didn't mean to get off topic!
Thanks for bringing back some Great Memories and for this great thread. I think I gained 5 lbs. just reading the recipes!

Elkchaser
Yup, Art was a stand-up guy. He died in 2015 of kidney cancer.

His wife Joanne was a fine lady and gave me the idea to pre-cook & freeze dinner meals. She would cook stuff and put it all together into a oblong foil container with a sealable top (see below). For example, one container might have a lg. porkchop, roasted potatoes & a veggie in it. In camp, Art put a two big & deep rectangular pans filled with a couple inches of water on the stove top, and then he set the once frozen meals into the hot water. I did similar but mostly used zip-loc bags or waxed 1/2 gal. empty milk containers for soups & the already mixed batches of scrambled eggs.

As for bears in the Selway, one year a friend, a wrangler & I had a spike camp aways from Art's main camp in a forest of huge cedar trees. We were out hunting one day, & the wrangler had gone to pick up some supplies. A bear grabbed the ice chest and carted it off about 200 yds. before chewing it up. Fortunately we didn't lose much other than our ice. So when the wrangler got back, we put all the perishable food stuffs into a garbage bag & submersed it in the nearby creek.


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Yup, Art was a stand-up guy. He died in 2015 of kidney cancer.

His wife Joanne was a fine lady and gave me the idea to pre-cook & freeze dinner meals. She would cook stuff and put it all together into a oblong foil container with a sealable top (see below). For example, one container might have a lg. porkchop, roasted potatoes & a veggie in it. In camp, Art put a two big & deep rectangular pans filled with a couple inches of water on the stove top, and then he set the once frozen meals into the hot water. I did similar but mostly used zip-loc bags or waxed 1/2 gal. empty milk containers for soups & the already mixed batches of scrambled eggs.

As for bears in the Selway, one year a friend, a wrangler & I had a spike camp aways from Art's main camp in a forest of huge cedar trees. We were out hunting one day, & the wrangler had gone to pick up some supplies. A bear grabbed the ice chest and carted it off about 200 yds. before chewing it up. Fortunately we didn't lose much other than our ice. So when the wrangler got back, we put all the perishable food stuffs into a garbage bag & submersed it in the nearby creek.


Can you put those pans in the oven with the lid on? Or would they burn up? They look like paper?
 
Can you put those pans in the oven with the lid on? Or would they burn up? They look like paper?
It says they're oven safe but not sure if they mean with lid. If you want to put them in the oven, just remove the lid, no?

They also come in several sizes.

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It says they're oven safe but not sure if they mean with lid. If you want to put them in the oven, just remove the lid, no?

They also come in several sizes.

View attachment 46311
I've been making up dinners ahead of time (casseroles mostly) and covering them with foil and freezing them. I take them out of the freezer the night before eating. The directions usually say to cook covered. That's why I was wondering. They seem really convenient and a lot neater than the foil which never really fits right or doesn't fit at all.

A 72 year old man should never be asking cooking questions. I know that..... ?
 
Is there a secret to making precooked meals tasty?

Whenever we have left over food, whether it’s steaks, spaghetti or vegetables etc., we save it to eat later but it never tastes like fresh cooked. How do these pre-cooked camp meals work out?
 
I've been making up dinners ahead of time (casseroles mostly) and covering them with foil and freezing them. I take them out of the freezer the night before eating. The directions usually say to cook covered. That's why I was wondering. They seem really convenient and a lot neater than the foil which never really fits right or doesn't fit at all.

A 72 year old man should never be asking cooking questions. I know that..... ?
If they are already cooked, just heating them without a lid shouldn't be a problem. Or take off the cardboard & cover with foil.

Or maybe I'm not getting what you're asking? :ROFLMAO:

What are you using to freeze them now -- glass dishes covered with foil?
 
Is there a secret to making precooked meals tasty?

Whenever we have left over food, whether it’s steaks, spaghetti or vegetables etc., we save it to eat later but it never tastes like fresh cooked. How do these pre-cooked camp meals work out?
I guess it all depends on the food, how it was cooked and how it gets recooked or heated.

If you over reprocess already done food, it generally means it's ruined. Thus, I have different ways to redo meals, BUT the one I NEVER use is the microwave. Although my wife uses it for some of her instant meals & baked taters, I only use it to melt butter, heat liquids or make popcorn.

Also, if you already know that you are going to freeze what you're cooking ala the camp meals, undercook it somewhat to allow for the reheat round.

For example, when I made the roast beef for the peeg camp, I left it quite rare. I then sliced it, put it in a ziploc bags and froze them. In camp, I take them out in the morning to defrost. To heat, I boil a pot of water and immerse the ziploc to just under the seal. I also have the gravy premade in a separate waxed 1/2 gal milk container.

You mentioned steak. The nuker will screw it royally into an ol' boot. Since mine are always rare to start, I just get a grill pan super hot with a splash of olive oil. When it starts to smoke, I put the steak on for about 1 min. per side -- just enough to heat it through.

For prime rib, I get some au jus really hot in a pot and them submerse the hunk of meat in it for about 2 mins. It stays moist yet gets hot.
 
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For the record, my wife is a fantastic cook! Me, , , , , not so much (Steaks, burgers, chicken, porkchops, etc. on the grill is about the extent of my skills!). I have said countless times at the dinner table, "I wish I could have this up in hunting camp". And she always makes the same suggestion.
Wife: " I could make up a big batch & then just freeze it. Then you could just heat it up up in camp".
Me: "Great idea (I never miss a chance to compliment the chef!), but how do I keep it frozen for "X" amount of days until I cook it?"
Wife: "We have a freezer in the trailer!" (It will hold maybe 2 loaves of bread!)
Me: "Let me give that some thought".
End of discussion.

Question.
How do you guys keep anything frozen for more than a couple days? Remember, this is AZ in September where the temps run as high as the mid 80's during the day.
Dry ice?
Giant ice chest?
I always freeze all the meat before heading up the hill, and then cook it in the order it thaws out! On the long trips, we always head into town for a re-stock after about 4-5 days.

The boys from Michigan brought a generator and & a chest freezer! Ran that damn generator all day long & shut it off at night. But that was Colorado at about 9000' ft. in October. Not near as warm as AZ in September.

Seriously, how do you keep stuff frozen for more than a few days?
Thanks!

Elkchaser
 
I guess it all depends on the food, how it was cooked and how it gets recooked or heated.

If you over reprocess already done food, it generally means it's ruined. Thus, I have different ways to redo meals, BUT the one I NEVER use is the microwave. Although my wife uses it for some of her instant meals & baked taters, I only use it to melt butter, heat liquids or make popcorn.

Also, if you already know that you are going to freeze what you're cooking ala the camp meals, undercook it somewhat to allow for the reheat round.

For example, when I made the roast beef for the peeg camp, I left it quite rare. I then sliced it, put it in a ziploc bags and froze them. In camp, I take them out in the morning to defrost. To heat, I boil a pot of water and immerse the ziploc to just under the seal. I also have the gravy premade in a separate waxed 1/2 gal milk container.

You mentioned steak. The nuker will screw it royally into an ol' boot. Since mine are always rare to start, I just get a grill pan super hot with a splash of olive oil. When it starts to smoke, I put the steak on for about 1 min. per side -- just enough to heat it through.

For prime rib, I get some au jus really hot in a pot and them submerse the hunk of meat in it for about 2 mins. It stays moist yet gets hot.
Excellent suggestions. Maybe there is hope for me and pre-prepped meals yet. It sure would make things easier at camp.
 
Seriously, how do you keep stuff frozen for more than a few days?
Thanks!

Elkchaser
It's not necessary to keep everything frozen for the duration. Just need to keep it cold. For our 5-day hunt, I put all of the frozen stuff in one big 100 qt. ice chest with NO ice. Usually there are at least 4-6 1/2 gal. containers of soup included, which are basically big hunks of ice. Even on the last day, the stuff is still semi-frozen. For other stuff that needs to be cold in other ice chests, I use empty liter bottles to make ice at home, i.e. no water to drain.

You can see what I use in this photo -- two 100 qt. & two smaller for food. Two others with drinks regular ice are outside on the always shady side of the tent.

SPHCAMP7.JPG
 
If they are already cooked, just heating them without a lid shouldn't be a problem. Or take off the cardboard & cover with foil.

Or maybe I'm not getting what you're asking? :ROFLMAO:

What are you using to freeze them now -- glass dishes covered with foil?
I use glass and foil pans both. I see Amazon has foil pans with lids, real reasonably priced. No information there either about if the lids are oven safe.

Quite often there is cheese on top and the cheese will burn if uncovered.
 
I use glass and foil pans both. I see Amazon has foil pans with lids, real reasonably priced. No information there either about if the lids are oven safe.

Quite often there is cheese on top and the cheese will burn if uncovered.
The link I used was some restaurant supply place. You can also get the foil ones with clear plastic lids, but I doubt they're oven proof. With the ones with the cardboard lids, I guess you go just remove it and sub a small piece of foil. ?‍♂️

But..but.. why just not do what I mentioned way earlier; put it in a pan of water instead of the oven???
 
The link I used was some restaurant supply place. You can also get the foil ones with clear plastic lids, but I doubt they're oven proof. With the ones with the cardboard lids, I guess you go just remove it and sub a small piece of foil. ?‍♂️

But..but.. why just not do what I mentioned way earlier; put it in a pan of water instead of the oven???
Well, they have raw chicken or pork so the directions say 350 for 1 hour.

I just thought it would be convenient to buy foil pans with lids, but if the lids won't go in the oven then the lids are worthless to me.
 
Well, they have raw chicken or pork so the directions say 350 for 1 hour.

I just thought it would be convenient to buy foil pans with lids, but if the lids won't go in the oven then the lids are worthless to me.
Okay, I guess I didn't understand what you're doing. I thought you had already cooked the food in the glass dish, then covered with foil & froze the leftovers. Thus, you wanted something other then the glass/foil to freeze & reheat, which isn't the case.

I'm just guessing, but I would say putting the cardboard lid in the oven at 350 for an hour wouldn't be a good idea. These containers are designed more for take-out food and/or short-time freezer storage. That said, I bet you could find the same containers in a grocery or dollar store to do a test. Just put some water in it for that.
 
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My favorite group meal is refridgerater aged ribeye steak, cooked on a large grill, over a bed of hot coals from a scrub oak fire. Cooked medium rare in less than 15 minutes.

If you want extra add:

Foil wrapped Idaho russet potatoes, cooked in the hot coals or a Dutch Oven.

Boil a large pot of corn on the cob.

Large container of butter, sour cream, onion greens, bacon bits, Redmond Salt and pepper.

Never had a single complaint.
I would add some fresh caught brookies, bathed in whipped butter and lemon pepper.
 
My girls favorite is camp fire spaghetti. Make the sauce in a big skillet on the fire usually with bear or elk sausage. I’m not a spaghetti fan but when I make this on the fire it’s amazing. Always a big hit
 
Are there tent rules associated with that......... when you add the beans to the chili?
Yes beans in the mountains is not right. I have banned my son from beans in the mountains for reasons I am sure you can relate to. It's just plain hell when you are stuck in a camper with someone who ate too many beans at supper..........
 
Yes beans in the mountains is not right. I have banned my son from beans in the mountains for reasons I am sure you can relate to. It's just plain hell when you are stuck in a camper with someone who ate too many beans at supper..........
Just remember the adage that I'm about to coin -- one man's fart is another man's rose. :cool:
 

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