Who said you couldn’t cook yummy food at the campsite? Say goodbye to boring camping meals with my delicious dutch oven recipes. Dutch oven meals are my favorite, and a campfire isn’t even necessary. These camping dutch oven recipes are so simple I could have called this post easy dutch oven dinner recipes!
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Dutch Oven Cooking Tips
Dutch oven cooking is pretty easy. One pot meals usually are, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Getting your dutch oven at the proper temperature can be a little tricky. The good thing about dutch oven cooking – the temperatures don’t have to be exact to prepare a successful meal.
Sure, you can cook over a fire or just place the dutch oven over some coals and add several on top of the lid. But someone (I have no clue who or how this was actually tested!) came up with the amount of coals and their placement to achieve various cooking methods and temperatures. Check out this handy dutch oven cooking magnetic cheat sheet!
Do you need a dutch oven to try these recipes on your next camping trip? Find one in The Best Dutch Ovens for Camping or just grab my top pick. Check out the post regardless – it has several accessories that make dutch oven cooking even easier!
1. Lemon Pepper Chicken
This lemon pepper chicken and veggie recipe is super quick and easy. It is pretty healthy and tastes great – moist and tangy. Several years ago, my son won his scout troop’s Golden Spoon cook off with this recipe.
INGREDIENTS
4 Boneless chicken breasts
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 – 4 red, new potatoes, sliced
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 cup of lemon juice OR
Omit lemon pepper seasoning and lemon juice and use 1/2 cup lemon pepper marinade like Lawry’s.
To make this recipe extra easy, you can use canned carrots and potatoes – just be sure to drain the liquid from the cans before adding veggies.
DIRECTIONS
Place chicken breasts in dutch oven. Add carrots, onions, and potatoes. Mix lemon pepper seasoning and lemon juice – pour over meat and veggies.(Or use lemon pepper marinade) Cover and bake at 350 with approximately 17 coals on top and 8 coals on the bottom of the dutch oven for about 1 hour or until veggies are tender and meat is done.
2. Santa Fe Roast
I took a family favorite, crock pot recipe and tried it in the dutch oven. A yummy alternative to a traditional roast.
INGREDIENTS
3 pound roast
1 tsp taco seasoning or approximately half envelope/package
1 – 4.5 oz can chopped green chilies
1 – 6 oz can tomato sauce
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 – 2 bell peppers, sliced
DIRECTIONS
Mix tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Put roast in dutch oven, pour tomato sauce mix over roast, add green chilies, onion, and bell pepper. Cover and roast at 300 degrees for approximately 3 hours. Divide approximately 23 coals between the top and bottom of the dutch oven evenly.
Can be served with corn on the cob – roast corn on a grill or wrap in foil and cook in hot coals. Sante Fe Roast is great in tortillas.
3. BBQ Pork
This is great on sandwiches and served with chips for another easy meal at the campsite. Pick up some deli slaw and potato salad if you want more fixins.
INGREDIENTS
3 -4 pound pork shoulder roast
1 3/4 cup apple juice
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
BBQ seasoning/rub
BBQ sauce
You can make your own BBQ rub and sauce or buy them. I usually buy a rub and sauce when I am going camping. My family loves Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, but if I want a sauce that has no high fructose corn syrup, I get Stubb’s.
DIRECTIONS
Sprinkle BBQ rub of your choice over the pork roast and rub/press it in the meat. Pour the apple juice and apple cider vinegar in the dutch oven. Place the roast in the dutch oven and cover. Cook at 325 degrees evenly dividing approximately 23 coals between the top and bottom of the dutch oven for about 4 hours until meat is done and tender. Check the roast periodically and spoon liquid over the meat. Shred meat and top with BBQ sauce.
4. Hawaiian Ham
With just three ingredients, this Hawaiian Ham dutch oven recipe is so easy. Go “tropical” on your next beach camping trip!
INGREDIENTS
3 pound boneless Ham
1 – 15 oz. can crushed pineapple
2 cups brown sugar
DIRECTIONS
Place ham in the dutch oven. (This deep dutch oven is perfect for hams and roasts). Sprinkle half the brown sugar over the ham. Add the can of crushed pineapple, then sprinkle the brown sugar over the ham and pineapple. Bake at 325 degrees with 16 coals on top and 7 coals on the bottom of the dutch oven for approximately 1 – 1/2 hours.
5. Dutch Oven Chili
Chili in the dutch oven is a campers’ favorite, especially in the fall. Serve with crackers or Fritos, or my family’s go to side – peanut butter sandwiches. You can also use it to top hot dogs cooked over the fire.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
2 cans chili beans
1 – 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 – 6 oz can tomato sauce
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Note: Add more chili powder to taste. If you like spicy chili, add cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
DIRECTIONS
Pre heat dutch oven to 325 degrees by placing coals on the bottom. Brown ground beef. Drain excess fat with a spoon. Add all ingredients and stir. Add water if needed to make the consistency you prefer. Cover and cook approximately 1 hour with approximately 16 coals on the bottom and 7 coals on top of the dutch oven.
6. Dutch Oven Jambalaya
I love the spicy flavor of jambalaya. Although it has more ingredients than some of the other recipes, it is still an easy camping dutch oven meal.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon oil – I use coconut oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth (about 1 can)
1 – 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 cup long grain rice
2 teaspoons creole/cajun seasoning
Optional: Shrimp, peeled and deveined.
I don’t like shrimp, so I don’t put it in my jambalaya. I know some people think jambalaya isn’t jambalaya without shrimp!
DIRECTIONS
Heat dutch oven over about 19 hot coals. Add oil and let it heat. Saute onions and peppers. Add chicken and cook several minutes until it starts to lightly brown. Stir in sausage, oregano, garlic powder, and tomato paste.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, rice, and creole seasoning. Stir and cover with dutch oven lid and add about 8 – 10 coals to top. Cook about 20 – 30 minutes, until rice is done and liquid is absorbed.
7. Venison Stew
My son loves to hunt so we often have venison in the freezer. It is a healthy, delicious alternative to beef. This hearty stew hits the spot after a day of exploring. Beef can be used in this recipe if you prefer.
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds venison, cubed
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and sliced or can use a bag of baby carrots
4 – 5 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper – I don’t measure
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 can beef broth
1 – 28 oz can tomatoes
1/4 cup flour
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients and gently stir. Cover and cook at 325 degrees for approximately 3 to 4 hours with about 16 coals on the bottom and 7 coals on the top of the dutch oven. Stir occasionally – may need to add water if stew is thicker than you prefer.
8. Teriyaki Chicken and Rice
INGREDIENTS
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1 1/2 cup Instant/minute rice
1 – 8 oz can pineapple chucks (don’t discard the juice)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Teriyaki sauce/glaze (choose a thick brand like Panda Express)
Optional: Diced red bell pepper and crushed red pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS
Add rice, pineapple and juice, chicken broth, and optional red pepper. Stir. Place chicken breasts on top of rice mixture. Spoon teriyaki sauce/glaze over each piece of chicken. Cover with dutch oven lid and cook at 350 degrees with about 17 coals on the top and 8 coals on the bottom of the dutch oven for about 30 – 40 minutes.
9. Cheatin’ Chicken and Dumplings
I love the ease of this recipe with the canned biscuits and cream of chicken soup. My mother-in-law shared this recipe with me years ago, and I knew it would be great for the dutch oven when camping.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon of butter or oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
1 can biscuits
DIRECTIONS
Cook chicken pieces in hot oil or butter over 17 coals for several minutes until golden. Add cream of chicken soup and chicken broth, stir. Heat this mixture to simmering.
Pinch off pieces of canned biscuits and drop in liquid. Gently stir to lightly cover the biscuit pieces. Put lid on dutch oven, add 8 hot coals to lid, and cook for about 20 minutes. Gently stir once or twice to be sure it isn’t sticking to bottom of dutch oven.
10. Cheesy Italian Chicken
Did you know you can cook pasta in your dutch oven? Yep! It’s so easy you may want to cook this at home too!
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
16 oz pasta like elbows or rigatoni
1 – 24 oz jar of marinara/spaghetti sauce OR alfredo sauce
3 cups of water
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
Pour oil in hot dutch oven. Add chicken and cook about 5 – 7 minutes over 17 coals. Add marinara sauce and water – stir. Heat to a slow boil, add pasta, and cover. Add 7 coals to the top of the dutch oven and cook about 15 minutes until pasta is done. Stir in half of the mozzarella cheese and all the parmesan cheese. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top, cover, and cook a few minutes until cheese is melted. Optional: garnish with Italian seasoning.
Camping Dutch Oven Dinner Recipes
You’ll be the camping chef on your next trip with these dutch oven recipes for camping. Be sure to let me know if you like them and about any changes or variations you made!
The recipes look delicious. Although I am not a camper, I am pinning to use at home. Always on the lookout for new dishes!
I’m so glad you are going to try them at home. Some of these were my family’s favorites, so I decided to cook them at the campsite.
These sound delicious. My big question is, do you have a hard time hauling everything in/out/forgetting something? When I am camping I like to keep meals simple because I always, always forget an ingredient or two. I do seem to be able to remember chocolate and marshmallows though. Ya know, the important stuff.
It is SO easy to forget something! I plan my camping meals, grocery shop, then put the non-perishable items for our camping meals in a basket or tote the minute I get home from the grocery store. I make a list of the refrigerated items so I can check it off when I pack as we are getting ready to leave. It does seem easier to remember the important stuff we love!!
Wow, everything looks so good! I will definitely try it tonight. thanks for good post.
I hope you like them! I love dutch oven cooking!
Thank you for sharing these, they all look amazing! I’ll definitely be sharing these with my husband. They sound way better than the hotdogs he usually makes.
Dutch oven cooking is a game changer for camping meals. Theses recipes are better than hot dogs, but hey, sometimes a hot dog cooked over a campfire is pretty good!LOL