If you plan to entertain around the warmth of your fire pit this winter, why not let it do double duty and provide food as well?
If you’re tired of the same old hot-dog-and-s’mores routine, try one of these other tasty treats that you can roast over an open flame:
Campfire meals
If you have a wood fire pit, take this page from the camping handbook and make a tin foil meal.
Toss veggies, cubed potatoes, and a protein with spices/herbs, olive oil or butter, wrap it all up in foil (carefully folding and sealing the “seam” at the top), and let it roast in the hot coals of the fire. You’ll end up with a steamy hot meal that’s perfect for a chilly night.
A tropical variation of this is to pile sweet potato, ham, and even marshmallows into half of a pineapple, wrap the whole thing in foil, and let it get sweet and bubbly inside.
We’d recommend including only pre-cooked meats, such as ham and kielbasa. That way if one corner of the packet doesn’t quite get the full effect of the coals, you won’t have to worry about safety. (Leave cooking raw meat to your grill or smoker!)
Upgraded s’mores
Toasted marshmallow, chocolate, and graham cracker—what could beat this classic recipe? Well, quite a few things, actually. While we don’t want to knock the campfire original, try varying it up a little.
Trade the cracker out for:
- chocolate sandwich cookies
- oatmeal cookies
- fudge stripe cookies
- shortbread
- pretzels
Switch out the chocolate bar for:
- a peanut butter cup
- a brownie
- peanut butter
- Nutella
- A chocolate kiss
- A chocolate-covered mint patty
Finally, you can add one of these extras:
- caramel drizzle
- chocolate drizzle
- banana slices
- strawberries and whipped cream
- cayenne pepper (for a bit of a kick)
- your favorite fruit jam
- bacon (because, bacon!)
You can even upgrade the marshmallow. As Easter approaches, you should be able to find those sugar-covered marshmallow chicks. These caramelize quite nicely over a fire. Just be aware that they can get very hot very quickly, so let them cool down before eating.
Personal pies
Want a dessert that’s a step above smores? Invest in a campfire pie iron. This wonderful cooking tool looks something like a mini wafflemaker with a long handle.
Make a pastry dough, or use pre-made crescent roll dough. Unhook the iron plates so you now have two surfaces to work with. Push the dough onto each of the plates of the pie iron. Then scoop a little filling onto one side and close the two plates together to seal the mini pastry inside. Grasp the handle and hold the iron in the fire for a few minutes, checking periodically for doneness. (Be careful—the iron will be hot!)
When it’s done, carefully pop the pastry out of the iron mold and enjoy your own personal pie.
Filling options can include:
- chopped apples with sugar and flour
- chocolate
- lemon curd
- any pre-made, canned pie filling (cherry is especially good!)
By the way, a pie iron is a great way to make a toasted sandwich, pizza, or quesadilla, too!
We hope these ideas can help you spice up your next backyard get-together. And if you have any questions about how to upgrade your fire pit or other aspect of your outdoor living area, give Unlimited Outdoor Kitchen a call—we’d love to help!
