10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (2024)

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (1)Most people in the south have a few good cast iron skillet recipes that they pull out when camping season rolls around. If you’ve never used a cast iron skillet, or you just want a new list of recipes to take along on your next camping trip, I’ve got a great selection of 10 recipes that range from breakfast to dinner to dessert.
These recipes use cast iron skillets and you can either put them on a grill or on the coals from your campfire. Whether you want a great s’mores dip or you prefer brownies, or even a hearty breakfast, you’re sure to find a camping recipe that will make your trip delicious.
Let’s grab those iron skillets and get that campfire stoked. We’re going to be cooking up a storm in the great outdoors, and making some tasty treats for the whole family. While you’re at it, be sure to check out these great camping hacks.

1. Camping Breakfast

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (2)A hearty breakfast is a must when you’re camping, and this iron skillet breakfast with eggs, sausage, and other tasty ingredients is sure to be a hit with everyone on your camping trip. You can put the iron skillet on a grill or directly on the coals from your fire. Be sure that you don’t get the fire too hot, or you might burn your eggs.

Recipe and directions:campingwithgus

2. Cast Iron Skillet Brownies

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (3)Brownies are a must anytime, especially when you’re camping. These brownies are made in an iron skillet, and you can cook them right there on your campfire coals. Just mix up your ingredients, pour into your skillet, and “bake” until done. Add nuts, chocolate chips, or whatever else you want to make them extra-special. They’re a skillet full of ooey, gooey goodness.

Recipe and directions:simplyfoodlove

3. Baked Beans

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (4)This is definitely not your typical baked bean recipe. Complete with delicious bacon, and cooked to perfection over an open fire in your cast iron skillet, these baked beans are certain to become a family favorite. You can even add your own take with your favorite barbecue sauce, or some brown sugar or molasses. However you like them, make them even better when you cook them over a campfire.

Recipe and directions:foodandwine

4. S’Mores Dip

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (5)You’ve probably seen this s’mores dip recipe before, but it definitely deserves a second look. Baked in a cast iron skillet over your open campfire, this is sure to become the favorite dessert of all your future camping trips. You mix up your ingredients, layer in the iron skillet, and then “bake” over the campfire. Then use vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or even Oreos to dip into your concoction.

Recipe and directions:hungrybrownie

5. Pizza Nachos

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (6)What could possibly be better than pizza and nachos? Pizza nachos cooked in an iron skillet, and over an open flame. These are so delicious, and so easy to make. You can customize them by adding whatever you want to make them taste the way you want. The best part is, the cheese gets all melty over the open fire, and the iron skillet really gives it a wonderfully tex-mex flavor that you just can’t get making them at home.

Recipe and directions:tastykitchen

6. Campfire Cornbread

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (7)Cornbread is great with so many different foods, and making it in an iron skillet is my favorite way. Even if you don’t typically bake your cornbread in a skillet at home, you can definitely get onboard with this iron skillet cornbread cooked over an open flame, or in this case, over hot coals. Be sure that you keep an eye on this one so that you don’t burn your bread, and it’s best to use coals as opposed to a live fire.

Recipe and directions:freshoffthegrid

7. Triple Berry Cobbler

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (8)You know you want to try this cobbler! It’s filled with luscious berries and so flavorful when it’s cooked in an iron skillet. Just a note, if you aren’t really a fan of berries, you can also do this with peaches. Peach cobbler cooked over a campfire is one of my favorite dishes, and will be yours, too! Remember to use the coals instead of an actual flame, and keep an eye to make sure that you aren’t cooking it too long, as the cobbler part can burn.

Recipe and directions:devour-blog

8. French Toast – Campfire Style

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (9)Imagine waking up to the smell of french toast when you’re camping. Now, grab the ingredients and your iron skillet and stop imagining. You can make this easily, and the iron skillet gives it such a wonderful flavor. Don’t forget to pack your syrup when you’re heading out on your camping trip and you can enjoy this delicious french toast every morning. Plus, cleanup is actually a lot easier than you might think.

Recipe and directions:thekitchenmagpie

9. Easy Skillet Dinner

When I say easy, I mean it. This is one of the fastest and tastiest dinner recipes for camping, and you make it all in your iron skillet. You brown ground beef and then add spices, beans, and even potatoes if you want. This is a great recipe for those of you who like to experiment with different flavors, and it’s cooked over the open fire so you know it’s going to be delicious.

Recipe and directions:koa

10. Skillet Biscuits

What could be better than biscuits when you’re camping? Really. This is such a neat way to make breakfast biscuits, or dinner biscuits for that matter, and they taste so great cooked in an iron skillet. You can make your biscuits from scratch or even use canned ones if that’s your preference. The way you cook them is what really makes them great.

Recipe and directions:countryliving

10 Delicious Cast Iron Skillet Recipes To Make Your Camping Trip Wonderful (2024)

FAQs

What is the best meat to cook in a cast iron skillet? ›

I've taught so many people the Ten Ten Ten method of steak cooking. Cast iron pans not only make the absolute best steak, but they are perfect for searing and braising chicken, pork chops, fish or tofu.

What is your favorite food to cook while camping? ›

Whether it's barbecue hot dogs, homemade chili, or corn on the cob, this list has all the camping recipes you need. You can cook them on a portable grill or build a fire, but just be sure to pack some make-ahead camping snacks to keep you energized for hiking, fishing, or exploring in nature.

Why can't you cook eggs in cast iron? ›

Eggs fall into the category of sticky foods that are not ideal for cast iron skillets that haven't built up their seasoning yet. While cast iron can become non-stick with sufficient use over time, a newer skillet will almost certainly cause your eggs to stick to its porous surface.

What is the best oil to season cast iron with? ›

What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.

What is the first thing you should cook in cast iron? ›

Start with Vegetables

Any seared, sautéed, or pan-roasted vegetable recipe is a great place to start breaking in your skillet. Vegetables won't stick to your cooking surface like fatty proteins, and are easy to spread out over the entire cooking surface, helping to build even seasoning.

What is the first thing you should cook in a cast-iron skillet? ›

We recommend starting with vegetables as they are more forgiving than most proteins - they taste delicious and won't stick to your pan! Keep in mind that using a little bit of oil is necessary to help to keep food from sticking.

Can you use butter on cast iron? ›

Yes, you can season the pans for frying, sautéing, or baking in cast iron cookware like pans, pots, or skillets with butter, but it's not the right choice to season it for the first time. Butter immediately starts to smoke when added to a heated pan because cast iron can withstand a lot of heat.

Why is my meat sticking to my cast iron skillet? ›

The Cause:

Occasionally food may stick to your cast iron cookware. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as not using enough fat or oil when cooking, using cookware that isn't well seasoned, or when breaking in new cookware that hasn't built up additional layers of seasoning.

What is the secret to cast iron skillet? ›

For the best results, make sure to keep your cast iron pan seasoned, and preheat the skillet for a few minutes before you add any food to it. This allows the pan to heat evenly and prevents most food from sticking. Add fat as needed.

What is it called when you cook a steak in a cast iron skillet? ›

We sear steaks to develop a crispy brown crust on their surface. That crust is full of flavor and one of the most enjoyable aspects of cooking and eating a steak. I pride myself in my sear and call upon my cast iron skillet whenever I'm cooking a steak.

What's a good camping menu? ›

Best Camping Dinner Ideas
  • Sausage and Tortellini Soup. ...
  • Dutch Oven Red Beans and Rice. ...
  • Chipotle Grilled Chicken Tacos. ...
  • Chicken Pineapple Kabobs. ...
  • One Pot Chili Mac. ...
  • Cilantro & Lime Grilled Chicken Tacos. ...
  • Tzatziki Chicken Skewers. ...
  • Shrimp Boil Foil Packets.
May 28, 2022

Is there anything I shouldn't make in a cast iron skillet? ›

Is There Anything You Shouldn't Cook in Your Cast-Iron Skillet? Experts Weigh In. While there's nothing that's technically off limits, the pros say you should be careful with acidic foods, like tomato or wine sauce, which can corrode the seasoning if left in the pan for too long.

Is cooking in cast iron unhealthy? ›

Cast iron pans are popular, especially for searing, and are generally safe to use. But they can leach iron, which is a strong pro-oxidant. Those genetically at risk for iron overload should learn more about cast iron safety. For well over a thousand years, cast iron has been used as a reliable cooking surface.

Can you cook everything in a cast iron? ›

Caveat: A really, really well-seasoned pan has a film of fat (oil, lard) that protects the metal from whatever food or kitchen tools that come in contact with it. If you've religiously cared for your pan, feel free to simmer that tomato sauce. The rest of us mortals should avoid overly acidic foods in our cast irons.

What foods react with cast iron? ›

Acidic foods like tomatoes can damage the seasoning, or the nonstick coating, of your skillet. What's worse, the end result will taste metallic, especially if it's something—like a slow-simmered pasta sauce—that requires a long cooking time. Skip the cast iron for your bolognese and use stainless steel instead.

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