Campfire Stew
“I'll start the fire. You get the coffee pot and the foil packs of stew. We'll be set up in a jiffy". Before they broke off to their jobs, she reached up, stroked his face, and pulled his mouth down to hers. This is my home, she thought.
Sitting around the glowing fire, a solitary wolf howled in the distance.
- The Piper & The Prophecy
Today we’re making campfire stew like Rhianna Jo and Levi had while camping! We’re all pretty familiar with this simple way of making a meal, so I gave the ingredients a little extra something to give extra flavor to mix with the scent of woodsmoke.
Also, I thought it was a great time to encourage you to forage wild ingredients to add to your stew. There are a few plants I love that pretty much grow all over and are easy to identity. They’ll add depth, whimsy, and flavor to your meal.
Look for dandelion leaves and petals for a little bittersweetness, plantain leaves for that green flavor, or my favorite, bee balm. It adds an oregano flavor and the petals are too pretty.
You could also be on the lookout for chickweed, lamb’s quarters, purslane, wood sorrel, wild onion, violet, and garlic mustard. And if that feels a little too intimidating, head out to the garden and grab some homegrown thyme, rosemary, and oregano flowers for a pop of freshness.
The recipe has tips for cooking these over a fire, as well as, instructions for making them in your oven at home if you’d rather stay indoors.
To make;
Campfire Stew
2 servings
2 precooked sausages (about 4 ounces per serving)
we love chicken apple sausage for this one
4 small potatoes like golden, new, or fingerling
1/2 cup green beans
1 cup corn kernels
1/4 cup sliced onions
2 tbsp room temp butter
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp maple syrup
lots of salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
I. Stack two layers of foil for each packet. Slice the sausage into rounds, chop the potatoes into small pieces, and cut the green beans to bite size. Add the meat and the vegetables to the middle of your packet and season.
II. Mix the butter, paprika, zest, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Dot the mixture over your stew. Add half your herbs, reserving the other half for garnish after cooking.
III. Seal each packet by pinching together the foil, leaving a little air space for steam to do some cooking. These can be made the day before.
IV. Cook for about 25-40 minutes, carefully checking the potatoes near the end, since they will take the longest.
V. If using an oven, cook at 400 degrees. If using a campfire, remember that the fire makes the coals and the coals cook the food. Wait until the fire burns down to a bed of red-orange coals with a light layer of gray ash. Spread the coals into an even layer and place the packets directly on them. Turn once halfway through. To test the heat for cooking, hold your hand about 5 inches over the coals until it becomes too hot. 4-6 seconds is the perfect temperature for foil packet cooking.
VI. Carefully open, avoiding the steam, and top with fresh herbs.
~ from the table of Summer crosby hennessy of acorn moon mercantile ~