Campfire Cooking
Welcome to Our Campfire Cooking Series
We are so excited to share with you all, our tried and tested Campfire Recipes that our family have enjoyed from our very own campfire setup at Dido’s Place. But before we dive into recipes, let’s talk fire.
The Heart of Campfire Cooking: The Fire Itself
A well-managed fire is essential when cooking over the campfire. It takes time and patience, but it sure is a lot of fun. Here are a few essentials for successful campfire cooking:
Start Early: We recommend starting at least 90 minutes before sunset at Dido’s Place. You’ll need to give yourself 45 minutes to an hour to properly build and maintain a fire before you start cooking. You’re not cooking over flames, you’re cooking over hot, glowing coals. These offer even, consistent heat which is what you’re after.
Feed the Fire: Once you’ve built your coal base, maintain a steady burn by adding small pieces of wood as needed. This ensures a consistent supply of coals while avoiding sudden flare-ups.
Know Your Heat Zones: A great campfire has heat zones, areas where coals are hottest and areas where the heat is gentler. Learn to move your pans or foil packets around to regulate cooking temperatures.
Campfire Safety First: There is a sand bucket nearby to extinguish the fire after cooking. Never leave a fire unattended. Do not operate any outdoor fires on a total fire ban day or during the Bush Fire Danger Period 1st October - 31st March in any given year. We ask Guests to please check: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fdr-and-tobans and our inhouse campfire rules before lighting.
Cooking Times & Experience
Cooking over a campfire is not an exact science. Cooking times will vary based on the heat of your coals, the type of wood, the wind, and even the moisture in your ingredients. For this reason, we’ve added a Campfire Difficulty Level to each recipe in the series. Think of it as a guide to help you decide where to begin, especially if you’re just getting started. Now let’s get started!
Prosciutto Wrapped Camembert with Rosemary & Honey
Campfire Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
6 Slices of Prosciutto
1 Camembert or Brie
Honey (we used local honey from the roadside stall: The Honey Hound Apiary)
1-2 Rosemary Springs (from the veggie patch at Dido’s Place)
Sourdough (we used local sourdough from 50Three Cafe & Patisserie)
Method
Wrap the prosciutto around the Camembert until completely covered. Place on the campfire non-stick frypan with rosemary sprigs. Cook on one side and turn when prosciutto has browned. Cook the other side until also brown. Meanwhile, toast slices of the sourdough on the campfire grill. The cheese should start to feel gooey inside when gently pressed. Remove from the heat and serve immediately on sourdough with a drizzle of honey.
Campfire Queso Cheese Dip
Campfire Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
2 Packets of Mexican Cheese (Coles Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend 250g)
3 Roma Tomatoes diced
Half a Red Onion diced
Half a block of Philadelphia Cream Cheese cut into chunks
Half a bunch Coriander sliced (optional)
Jalapenos (from the veggie patch) or Pickled Jalapenos (optional)
1 Cup of Milk
Method
Place the cheese, tomato, onion, coriander and Philly into a disposable foil tray on the campfire grill. Allow to melt and then slowly add in the milk until you reach your desired consistency. Once completely melted and combined, sprinkle over chillies (optional). Serve immediately with corn chips and/or bread.
Campfire Corn
Campfire Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
Corn in husks
Butter
Method
Very simply place the corn remaining in their husks on the campfire grill. Timing will depend on the heat. As a good indication, when the husk begins to char, turn the corn. Repeat until evenly cooked. Remove from grill. They will be very hot, so please use tongs and gloves. Remove husk and smother with butter. Our kids love this recipe!
Want to jazz it up for the adults? Nagi from Recipe Tin Eats, does an amazing Grilled Mexican Corn with Abodo Sauce here. It’s delish!
Campfire Nachos
Campfire Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
500g Beef Mince
Packet of Taco Seasoning (we use Old El Paso)
1/2 Cup of Water
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Large pack of Corn Chips
Method
In a frypan, brown the beef mince before adding the taco seasoning and water. In the cast iron frypan, lay out the corn chips before placing the mince on top. Then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and cook directly on the coals until the cheese has melted.
Serving Suggestions
The beauty of this dish is that everyone can make their own nachos. Some of our favourite toppings include sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, pickled jalapenos, black beans, diced red onion, coriander and salsa.
TKC Bangkok Nights Chicken Wings
Campfire Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1Kg Chicken Wings (sourced from Munro’s Quality Meats)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Toad’s Kitchen Cupboard (TKC) Bangkok Nights Seasoning (sourced from the Richmond Good Food Markets)
Method
Place all ingredients into a large bowl and mix through the seasoning, evenly coating the chicken wings. Spread out the chicken wings on the pre-heated campfire grill. There should be a bed of hot coals underneath the grill. Cook for around 45 minutes, rotating the wings every 5 minutes until done. Wings should be golden brown and crispy when ready.
Garlic Confit Smashed Potatoes with Thyme
Campfire Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
2 Kgs Baby Potatoes, parboiled whole
3 Heaped Tbsp Confit Garlic from Theory Produce (also often found at the Richmond Good Food Markets)
4 Sprigs of Thyme (from the veggie patch at Dido’s Place)
Salt
Method
Space the parboiled whole potatoes on the cast iron frypan. Squash each potato. Spread the garlic and drizzle the garlic oil from the confit jar all over the potatoes. Sprinkle thyme over the potatoes and season with salt. Place on the campfire grill. Do not stir or turn the potatoes. Turn the frypan for even distribution of heat. Once cooked through and golden, it is ready to serve. This dish makes the perfect side to a campfire beef or lamb main.
T-Bone with Chimichurri Sauce
Campfire difficulty: Medium
Ingredients
3 Inch thick T-Bone Steak off the “big side” (Porterhouse Cut, from Munro’s Quality Meats)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cracked Pepper
For the Chimichurri Sauce:
100mL Canola Oil
25mL Olive Oil
50mL White Wine Vinegar
30g Fresh Parsley from the veggie patch at Dido’s Place
2 Garlic Cloves Crushed
2 Tbsp Dried Oregano
1/2 Tsp Chilli Flakes
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Method
Pull the T-Bone out of the fridge about an hour before cooking, or as you start preparing the campfire. Season the T-Bone with salt and pepper, ensuring all sides are covered. Place the T-Bone on a hot, pre-heated campfire grill, over a bed of hot coals. Cook for 90 minutes, turning the steak every 15 minutes. Rest the meat for 30 minutes before serving.
For the Chimichurri Sauce, put all of the ingredients into a food processor. Blend on a medium speed for 30-60 seconds. Perfect to serve with a T-Bone or Tri-Tip.
Tri-tip Beef
Campfire Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients
1-1.5Kgs Tri-tip Beef (we recommend from local butcher Munro’s Quality Meats)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cracked Pepper
Method
Pull the Tri-tip out of the fridge about an hour before cooking, or as you start preparing the campfire. Season the Tri-tip with salt and pepper. Place the Tri-tip on a pre-heated campfire grill, over a bed of hot coals. Cook for an hour, turning the Tri-tip every 15 minutes. Remove Tri-tip from the grill and let it rest for 20 minutes before serving.
