The outdoor campfire has had an important function since time immemorial. It warms the body, dries clothing, drives away animals, serves as an emergency signal and allows warm meals to be prepared in a relaxed manner.
Wild cuisine recipes at the campfire
But before you start, dry firewood is stacked into a kind of pyramid and lit. Once the fire is blazing, more wood can be added as needed.
Now is the perfect time to start cooking romantically in the great outdoors. There are cooking methods and great recipe ideas that are surprisingly simple. If you like, you can put together a very personal campfire menu for any occasion.
Cooking methods, recipe ideas and preparation
Our ancestors cooked in hollowed-out stone pots or grilled their prey on an open fire. Today, however, people use cauldrons, pots, pans, grills or skewers. In addition to very simple survival methods, there are of course very modern techniques and the appropriate cooking utensils. Here are some recipes to try out and taste.
Stick bread variations
Ingredients for 6 persons
1 kg of flour
2 cubes fresh yeast
500 ml water
80 g butter at room temperature
3 tbsp sea salt
1. Put the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the middle and crumble the yeast into it. Add a little lukewarm water so that some of the flour and the yeast combine to form a pre-dough. Cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes.
2. Add the remaining water, butter and salt and knead everything well. Cover again until the dough has doubled in size.
If you want more flavor, you can add herbs, spices, grains, cheese cubes, olives, dried tomatoes or bacon cubes to the dough - there are no limits to your creativity!
3. Divide the dough into portions, form into rolls and wrap them around the tip of a thin stick. Hold the wrapped end of the dough close to the embers at a distance. Turn it occasionally until the bread is golden brown all over. Eat straight from the stick.
Tip: Remove the tree bark from the sticks and water them. This way they won't burn. You can use sticks to roast delicious sausages, whole fish, shashlik or vegetable skewers.
Hearty cauldron stew
Ingredients 6 people
two onions
two gloves of garlic
2 fresh peppers
1 chili
4 EL oil
1 kg ground beef
2 cans peeled tomatoes
6 peeled, diced potatoes
1 can of corn
1 can of red beans
1 can of white beans
salt & pepper
1 bunch of fresh marjoram
- Dice the peeled onions and garlic. Remove the seeds from the peppers and chop them up with the chili. Hang or place the kettle or pot over the campfire. Wait until it has enough heat.
- Add oil, let onions, peppers and chili become translucent. Add minced meat and fry well.
- Add the canned tomatoes and potatoes to the minced meat and season generously with salt and pepper. Allow to simmer slowly for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little more water if necessary to prevent anything from burning.
- Now drain the corn and beans and add them to the pot. Season again, chop the fresh marjoram, add it to the stew just before serving, stir and let it simmer for a while.
Instead of ground beef, goulash, venison, smoked pork or poultry can be used.
Tip: Stick bread or baked potatoes are suitable as side dishes. Wrap the latter tightly in foil and cook covered in the hot ashes for 30 minutes.
Without pot etc.
In the past, nomads did not use cooking utensils to prepare food, but cooked in traditional clay dishes. Clay is needed for this special preparation. It is available in craft, art or hardware stores. Turkey de luxe in clay coat
Ingredients for 6 persons
2 to 3 kg clay (depending on poultry size)
1 fresh gutted turkey
two gloves of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
2 EL honey
2 EL tomato paste
1 Lime
6 tbsp freshly chopped herb mix (thyme, mint, rosemary)
Sea salt, pepper
Vegetable leaves
1. Crush the garlic and add oil, honey, tomato paste, lime juice and herb mix. Mix all ingredients to a creamy paste and season with salt and pepper. Wash the turkey and pat dry. Rub the delicious seasoning mixture inside and out. If you like, you can prepare and marinate the turkey a day in advance! Tie the turkey legs together tightly and cover the entire bird with vegetable leaves (banana, savoy cabbage and wild garlic).
2. Knead the fresh clay vigorously to avoid any air bubbles. Roll out the "clay dough" with a wooden mangle. Now completely enclose the turkey with the mixture.
Tip: Simply fill any holes with some clay and water.
3. Place the turkey in a layer of embers about 10 to 20 cm high. When the clay is dry, the deluxe clay turkey is completely covered with the hot embers. Depending on the weight, cooking takes 2 to 3 hours. Then remove the fired lump of clay from the embers. Open carefully with a hammer as extremely hot steam will escape. Serve with fresh salad, baked potatoes or bread on a stick.
Chocolate banana mishap
Ingredients for 6 persons
6 ripe bananas
1 bar of chocolate
1. Simply cut the banana peel (including the flesh) with a knife to a depth of 1,5 to 2 cm. Place chocolate pieces in the flesh in the prepared opening.
2. Place the bananas in the flameless fire. Be careful, the open side must be on top. Wait until the banana peel turns dark brown. The chocolate should start to melt slightly. Carefully remove and enjoy the dessert.