Campfire Recipes with your Cast Iron Skillet
Cast iron pans were designed for cooking over an open fire, so it only makes sense that we should have one stored in the RV that we can throw on the grill. It is versatile and safe for any cooking heat source; open fire, bbq, outside grill, outside kitchen in your RV, fire pit, etc. Many cookwares can get warped with high heat. Cast iron is thick and can handle high heat.
Whether you want to fry bacon and eggs, sear a steak, bake a cake, stir-fry vegetables, make fajitas a one cast iron frying pan is all you need. Once you see how easy and versatile it is to use, you will wonder what you did before.
It doesn’t matter if you are in a new RV or used RV something about waking up to smell of bacon cooking over an open fire in the outdoors is amazing.
Reasons people love a cast iron skillet or cast iron dutch oven.
- It can be used for almost anything.
- It is super durable and can be used with any utensil, which makes it the perfect camping accessory for your RV.
- No harmful chemicals.
- Non-stick when seasoned properly – great for searing.
- Great heat retention. Keeps food hot, keeps fajitas sizzling, can serve in cast iron to keep foods hot while your eating.
- Long lasting, even if it is abused and neglected, it can be restored to like new condition.
Campfire Cast Iron Recipes
Cast Iron Cornbread
(Grandpa’s favorite, he used to say just like the cowboys liked it)
- 1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix (8 ½ ounce)
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
Combine cornbread mix, egg and milk right in the cast iron skillet. Its best to use a 10 inch skillet making the dough about an inch thick. Cover with foil, cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, then move off the grill and let the bread rest (still covered) for an additional 5 minutes. Cut into slices and enjoy! Great with a big bowl of chili.
Cast Iron Jalapeno Cheesy Cornbread
- 1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix (8 ½ ounce)
- 1 egg
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and diced (2 if you want more jalapeno)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup milk
Directions: Combine cornbread mix, egg and milk right in the cast iron skillet. Its best to use a 10 inch skillet making the dough about an inch thick. Cover with foil, cook over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes, then move off the grill and let the bread rest (still covered) for an additional 5 minutes. Cut into slices and enjoy!
Cast Iron Campfire Chili and Cornbread
- 3 pounds of ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 8 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 6-oz tomato paste
- 1 16-oz can of kidney beans or black beans
- 5 tablespoons of chili powder
- 2 tablespoons of ground chipotle powder
- 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
- 1 can of beer (or water)
- 2 8.5-oz boxes of Jiffy cornbread (or any other corn bread mix you like)
- (eggs and milk for the Jiffy cornbread mix)
Directions:
- Make a layer of hot coals on the ground.
- Place the dutch oven over the coals and allow the dutch oven to get hot.
- Cook the ground beef until it starts to brown, breaking up the meat with a spatula.
- Add the onions, garlic, and bell pepper and continue to cook until the vegetables are softened
- Add the chili powder, chipotle powder, cumin, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.
- Add the can of beer and beans and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Make the cornbread mix in a bowl and pour over the top of the chili.
- Place the lid on top of the dutch oven and place about 20 hot coals over the top of the lid.
- Cook for about 10 minutes and check to see if the cornbread is done cooking by lifting the lid and poking a skewer through the cornbread. If it comes out clean the chili is done.
Cast Iron Enchilada Casserole
- 3 teaspoons of olive oil
- 8 corn tortillas cut or torn into one inch pieces
- ½ yellow or white onion, diced small (optional)
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced small (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¾ cup fresh / frozen corn
- 1 can black beans (15 ounce) rinsed and drained or
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ cup grated cheese
- 1 ½ cup enchilada sauce
Add toppings if desired: Cilantro, Avocado and/or Sour Cream.
Directions:
- If using meat, cook meat and drain fat.
- Cook, saute onion and red bell pepper.
- Add corn, beans and seasonings. Let cook together for 5 minutes.
- Add enchilada sauce and mix well.
- Mix in cut tortillas and top with cheese
- Cover and let simmer (or remove from heat) for about 5 minutes, until tortillas are soft and cheese is melted.
- Serve and add your favorite toppings.
Cast Iron Breakfast Scramble Hash
- ½ lb. bacon ( 6 – 8 strips)
- ½ lb. sausage
- 2 cups hash browns – fresh or frozen
- 1 ½ cup Sharp Cheddar cheese – shredded
- 6 large eggs
- 1 large onion diced – Spanish yellow is best, but Sweet works too
- Optional – 1 small green or red pepper – diced
- ½ stick butter (4 tbsp)
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
- Optional – 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper flakes if you like heat
Directions:
- Cook sausage and bacon until crisp and well done, set aside
- Drain away meat’s cooking grease, except for just enough to cover bottom of skillet
- Cook hash browns until almost crispy, stirring frequently
- Stir in onion chunks, and green or red pepper and sausage
- Cook until onions are soft – about 5 minutes
- Stir in eggs, cook & stir entire mixture until eggs are done (looks like scrambled eggs)
- Stir in 1 cup cheese
- Crumble bacon strips, then sprinkle bacon crumbles and remaining cheese over top of skillet contents – do not stir or mix!
- Cover and simmer just until sprinkled cheese is melted.