Top Tips and Recipes for Hosting a Thanksgiving Camping Trip

Tell Black Friday to take a hike, and get outside this Thanksgiving.Depending on where you’re located, camping for Thanksgiving could sound crazy—or crazy awesome. Without walls to put boundaries on your gathering, perhaps you’ll be inspired to go for a post-turkey (or, veggie turkey) adventure instead of passing out on the living room floor only to miss quality bonding time with the fam. If so, we want to make sure you’re prepared with the right recipes and supplies.

Fresh Off the Grid is with us to share their top tips for hosting a Campsgiving gathering.

1. Check the weather

2. Keep your ambitions in check

3. Prep what you can at home

4. Don’t get caught up with “hosting”

Side dishes

• Campfire roasted pumpkin rice
• Red wine poached pears
• Ultimate cornbread
• Brussels, bacon, and sherry “salad”
• Root veggie campfire hash
• Cold brew brine

Drinks and desserts

• Nutella hot chocolate
• No-bake apple bourbon cobbler
• Pumpkin power balls

Side dishes

Campfire roasted pumpkin rice by Dirty Gourmet

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes at home, plus another hour at camp | Total time: 90 minutes

Serving size: 8

How about an instant wow that comes in an edible bowl? This is a departure from typical potato side dishes, but it maintains the comfort and warmth you want in a holiday meal, as savory, sweet, tart, and nutty flavors come together in subtle way. This recipe has been campified from a traditional Armenian dish called ‘ghapama,’ featured in Issue 14 of Lucky Peach magazine.

Ingredients

• 9-inch sugar pumpkin (with a nice big stem)
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 4 ½ cups broth
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1⁄2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup dried barberries (Barberries have a unique tart­ flavor and are commonly found at Middle Eastern grocers.)

Instructions (Prepped at home)

1. Make sure the pumpkin fits in your dutch oven! It should sit comfortably inside.
2. Soak barberries in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain.
3. Melt butter in a skillet set over medium heat. Add dried apricots, walnuts, and barberries. Cook until the fruit is softened, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a pot, bring 4 cups of broth to a boil, and add the arborio rice with 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt. Simmer with lid slightly ajar until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes. Check rice after about 10 minutes to make sure there is still some liquid. Add 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup of water or broth if necessary.
5. Add nut and fruit mixture to rice, and mix well. Add salt to taste if mixture needs seasoning.
6. Pack in a water-tight container or gallon-sized, zip-top bag and store in cooler.

Instructions (Prepped at camp)

1. Get a nice campfire going to build a bed of hot coals.
2. Wash and dry pumpkin. Cut a lid around the stem and set aside. Scrape out insides of pumpkin, leaving only the firm flesh.
3. Set the pumpkin in the dutch oven and scoop the rice filling into it. Don’t overfill the pumpkin;­ the stem lid should still close tightly.
4. To cover the pumpkin and create an oven­like condition, use a 10-inch cast iron skillet as an improvised lid by turning it upside down and placing it over the dutch oven. If the pumpkin is too tall, get creative and build a foil cover that will be easy to open/remove and put back on. (You’ll need to check in on the pumpkin periodically.)
5. Set the dutch oven directly in the fire pit using your lid lifter. Place hot coals on top of the cast iron lid. Rotate 1⁄4 turn every 15 minutes until pumpkin outside is slightly soft to the touch and the inside flesh is soft.
6. Remove from campfire, and set on heat­proof surface. Using a big spoon, scoop up rice, scraping up bits of pumpkin at the same time. Serve immediately.

Red wine poached pears by Dirty Gourmet

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Serving size: 4

Ingredients 

• 4 firm pears
• 1 bottle red wine
• 3 cups water
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup sugar

Instructions

1. Peel the pears, but leave them whole and keep the stems on. Slice a small amount of the base off if you’d like them to sit straight up when served.
2. Pour wine, water, sugar, and spices into a large stockpot over medium-low heat to create poaching liquid. Gently add pears. Slowly simmer for about 30 minutes, or until until pears are deep red in color.
3. Remove pears from the poaching liquid.
4. Serve the pears immediately alongside a glass of the poaching liquid, which is, in essence, a mulled wine. Alternatively, boil the liquid until it is thick and syrupy, then drizzle over the poached pears.

Ultimate cornbread from the Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Serving size: 2

Instructions

1. Place 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in a 6 ½-inch Lodge cast iron skillet; place skillet in the oven while it preheats to 425°F.
2. Whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk the egg, buttermilk, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of. bacon drippings together in a medium-sized bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture, then stir until combined. The mixture should pour like pancake batter; if not, add a little more buttermilk.
3. Pour the batter into the hot skillet. Bake until the crust is dark golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot, no chaser.

 

Brussels sprouts, bacon, and sherry “salad” from the Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook

Ingredients

• 2 pounds brussels sprouts (Kelly gets his from Woodson Ridge Farms in Oxford, Mississippi)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1/4 pound sliced bacon (Kelly likes to use Benton’s hickory-smoked country bacon from Madisonville, Tennessee), cut across into strips
• 2 shallots, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of very salty water to a boil.
2. Trim the stems of the brussels sprouts, then cut them in half through the stem. Blanch the sprouts in the boiling water until tender but not mushy, about 2 minutes. Drain, then shock the sprouts in ice water to stop the cooking and drain again.
3. In a small bowl, make a vinaigrette by whisking the oil and vinegar together until it thickens (emulsifies).
4. In a Lodge 15-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon. When it begins to crisp and the fat is released, add the sprouts. Cook, stirring a few times, until the sprouts start to take on good color, about 1 minute. Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme, toss to combine, and cook, stirring, until the shallots become translucent.
5. Pour over the vinaigrette to coat the salad (still in the skillet) and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Root veggie campfire hash by Taylor Zisfain

Ingredients

• 1 cup heirloom baby carrots
• 1 cup brussel sprouts
• 2 medium purple yams
• 2 cups chopped butternut squash
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 2–4 cloves of garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Chop the sweet potatoes into disks, then quarter.
2. Cut the brussel sprouts in half.
3. Heat up oil in the cast iron.
4. Once hot, add all veggies to the skillet.
5. Stir occasionally for 20 to 30 minutes until veggies soften.
6. Mix in the cranberries and enjoy!

Hip tip: This is pretty delicious as-is, but if there aren’t any vegans in the group, top with a nice, salty cheese like parmesan or manchego. Extend the deliciousness: Crack a few eggs on top for a tasty breakfast of leftovers.

Drinks and desserts

Nutella hot chocolate by Fresh off the Grid

Prep time: 2 minutes | Cook time: 5 minutes | Total time: 7 minutes

Serving size: 1

• 1 cup milk (you can also use 1 tablespoon coconut milk powder + 1 cup water)
• 1 tablespoon Nutella
• 1 toasted marshmallow, optional but highly recommended

Instructions

1. Heat the milk in a small pot until just barely simmering, being careful not to scorch it if using dairy milk.
2. Stir in the Nutella until completely blended.
3. Serve in a mug with a just-toasted marshmallow.

No-bake apple bourbon cobbler by Fresh Off the Grid

Prep time: 2 minutes | Cook time: 18 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Serving size: 2

Ingredients

• 2 or 3 apples (we prefer Fuji), sliced ¼” thin
• ½ tablespoon oil or butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1.5 ounces bourbon
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granola 

Instructions

 

Pumpkin power balls by Taylor Zisfain

• 1 cup pitted dates
• ½ can pumpkin
• 1 ½ cups almond meal
• ½ cup plant-based chocolate protein powder
• 1/3 cup superseed blend (chia, hemp hearts, coconut, cranberries, etc)
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

1. Pulse dates, pumpkin, almond meal, protein powder, and spices in a high-powered blender or food processor until a sticky consistency forms.
2. Mix in superseed blend.
3. Roll into balls with hand.
4. Roll balls in additional superseed blend (optional).
5. Refrigerate and keep cool as long as possible.