Sweet Love: Camp Chef

One of the best parts of camping is eating different meals. You’re not in your great big kitchen at home, you’re out in the wild and you’re working with a fire or a propane grill (or if you’re cheaters and brought your travel trailer, like we did, you actually have an oven, stove, and possibly microwave as well). The point is, you’re eating different because you’re cooking different because even in a travel trailer the kitchen is radically different than at home.

There are so many fabulous one-pot camping recipes out there! You can check out our Pinterest for a bunch and my mom told me they’re also flying around on Facebook. Here’s one we made up on our last adventure (oh, and when I say “we,” I mean “the Sweet Love.” I’m a terrible cook, but the Sweet Love is amazing!).

The Sweet Love’s Nom-Nom-Nom

Requirements:

2 Cups Rice (uncooked)

6-12 Sausages (any brand, any flavor; depending on the size you may want more or less)

6 Chicken Pieces (the Sweet Love likes breasts, I like thighs: we did 3 of each)

1 Bottle Marinade (any flavor you want as long as it goes with the sausages you picked)

4 Cups Water (you can use bone broth if you’d prefer)

1 TBSP Olive Oil

Charcoal

Cast Iron Cook Pot with Lid (minimum 4 quarts; a dutch oven is perfect)

1 Gallon Ziplock bag (or equivalent)

Fire pit

Shovel

Margaritas (or equivalent)

Steps:
Pour your marinade into a gallon Ziplock and add your chicken. Set it in the fridge for a minimum of five minutes (the longer this marinates the better so if you’re a forward thinker you can marinate the chicken overnight). Start your charcoal in your fire pit. Pour the Olive Oil in the cast iron pot and smear it around to coat the bottom. Pour in your rice so it’s evenly distributed around the bottom of the pan. Pour in the water. Add your marinated chicken. Add your sausages. It’ll look something like this:

Put the lid on. Take a shovel-full of charcoal and set aside. Put your cook pot on the remaining charcoal (if you have a way to elevate your cook pot so it’s roughly 6 inches off the charcoal that’s even better). Put the shovel-full of charcoal on the lid. You’ll be stoked and may look something like this:

Tell your Sunshine to let you know when it’s been 45 minutes (or get a timer). Have a margarita and relax with your Sunshine and your Little Love. When the 45 minutes is up, go look at everything. It should be done. If you want to flip your sausages over and let it all simmer for another five minutes, go for it but it’s not necessary. Plate it. Be amazed by it’s unbelievable flavor. When your camp neighbors ask you what you’re eating because it smells so wonderful just moan a little and wave them over and hand them a plate. Depending on how much you made and how many of you there are you’ll likely have leftovers. You’re welcome.

Oh, and if you’re the kind of person who never uses cast iron cause it’s such a *bleep* to clean, I’ve got news for you: chain mail. Have your Ren-Faire friend buy you a small piece of chain mail at their next Faire. Use that to clean your cast iron. You’re welcome again.

Like this and want to hear more about our travels? Read on.