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How to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner on a Campfire

Check out a few of our favorite, simple recipes that the whole family will love.
Cooking on the fire for a camping trip. Pot over a fire outdoors. The romance of the wild tourism and food in camp. Backpacking on the nature at sunset.
Are you spending Thanksgiving on the road this year? If you’re feeling cramped in your RV’s kitchen (or if your unit doesn’t have one with the necessary requirements), connect with nature this November and try cooking your Thanksgiving meal over a campfire. Check out a few of our favorite, simple recipes that the whole family will love:

Turkey 

What You’ll Need:

  • A heavy-duty grill grate that will cover your fire 
  • A kitchen thermometer 
  • Cast iron dutch oven (standard size)
  • 6-8 lb. turkey 
  • Diced onions, celery, & carrots
  • Fresh herbs (we recommend rosemary & sage) & preferred spices
  • 1 cup of chicken broth
  • Butter 


Instructions:

  • Thaw the turkey, remove any giblets, and pat dry with paper towels
  • Apply butter and spices to the turkey, including under the skin
  • Chop the onions, celery, and carrots into large chunks, and place them in the bottom of the dutch oven along with the cup of broth
  • Place the turkey in the dutch oven and top with sage and rosemary 
  • Cover the dutch oven and cook over your fire for roughly 2-3 hours depending on size (the general rule for cooking a turkey is usually 20 minutes per pound)
  • Use your thermometer – the turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees
  • Let your turkey rest for around 30 minutes so the meat juices can redistribute
  • Carve and enjoy!


Time-saving tip:
Cook your other side dishes while the turkey is resting.

Campfire Sweet Potatoes  

What You’ll Need:

  • Sweet potatoes (one for each person)
  • Olive oil
  • Butter
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Marshmallows
  • Heavy-duty aluminum foil 


Instructions:

  • Thoroughly clean the outer sweet potato skin and pat dry
  • Pierce the outside of each sweet potato multiple times with a fork and lightly coat with olive oil
  • Wrap each sweet potato individually with aluminum foil
  • Place sweet potatoes on hot coals for 20-30 minutes or until tender
  • Once the sweet potatoes are tender, slice open vertically and add butter, salt, and cinnamon as desired
  • If you prefer marshmallows on your sweet potatoes, roast as many as you’d like and place them on top

Green Bean Casserole

What You’ll Need:

  • Cast iron skillet
  • 1 can of green beans
  • 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
  • ½ can of milk
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 pack of fried onions
  • 1 pack of bacon bits (optional)

 

Instructions:

  • Combine the green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and milk in your skillet
  • Season with salt and pepper as needed
  • Simmer over the fire until thick and hot
  • Sprinkle with bacon bits and fried onions before serving
  • Enjoy! (it doesn’t get easier than that, folks!) 

Rolls on a Stick

What You’ll Need:

  • Roasting skewers or a clean stick (remove bark)
  • 1 pack of crescent rolls
  • Butter
  • Optional: Whipped cream or jam 


Instructions:

  • Grab your roasting stick and butter the clean end 
  • Wrap the crescent roll around buttered part of the stick
  • Sit back, relax, and place your roll on a stick over the fire, turning occasionally 
  • In 10-15 minutes you’ll have a perfectly cooked roll
  • Top with butter or, if you’re craving a sweet, top with whipped cream or jam

Apple Pie Packets

What You’ll Need:

  • Apples (one for each person)
  • Butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Chopped nuts 
  • Vanilla ice cream 
  • Heavy-duty aluminum foil 
  • Non-stick spray


Instructions:

  • Cover a square of aluminum foil with non-stick spray
  • Slice and place thinly cut apples on the square of aluminum foil
  • Top the apples with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped nuts
  • Wrap the foil packet securely 
  • Place the wrapped packets on the grate over your fire and cook for 20 minutes
  • Top with ice cream and enjoy!


Time-saving tip:
For your stuffing and cranberry sauce, we suggest keeping it simple and grabbing boxed stuffing and canned cranberry sauce. Let’s be honest, we all love those as much as the homemade options. Heat the cranberry sauce over the fire in a saucepan & easily cook the boxed stuffing in a cast iron dutch oven.

It’s not only possible to cook Thanksgiving dinner on a campfire, it’s also pretty easy! If you’re ready to put on your chef’s hat, but still need a new RV to get you to the campsite, be sure to check out all the new and used RVs for sale and for rent at RVTrader.com.

*Disclaimer: Please follow all state and local laws and regulations regarding fire restrictions and safety. Be aware of drought and brush conditions, always monitor your campfire, and be prepared with a bucket of water to extinguish it fully at the end of enjoyment.

 

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Emily Sullivan
Emily Sullivan
Emily Sullivan is a Content Curator for Trader Interactive, serving the recreational brands RV Trader and Cycle Trader. Her mission is to provide thoughtful, practical content to those who are always on the hunt for their next adventure.

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