THE CAMPFIRE CONNOISSEUR’S COOKING GUIDE You’re a Campfire Connoisseur. For you, camp is an opportunity to put your cooking skills to the test and keep your palate on its proverbial toes. The chance to experiment with different equipment, ingredients and techniques is a treat. You may even be such a whiz with the cookware that one of your very favorite meals, bar none, is prepared at the campground. No matter who cooks, there simply isn’t much better than sitting back and savoring the spoils with your favorite people, a breeze in the air and the fire crackling nearby. 5 Campground Cooking Tips

Dishes worthy of a Connoisseur can call for quite the array of 1. spices. Combine your savvy chef skills with some packing prowess and use Tic Tac® containers for your spice collection. At about a quarter the size of a traditional spice jar, the more spices you travel with, the more space you’ll save.

Ghee, or clarified butter, can be a Campfire Connoisseur’s best 2. friend. Its high smoke point makes it ideal for pan the catch of the day. Its concentrated flavor helps add to the basics like scrambled eggs or oatmeal. And its long shelf life makes it great for the road. Plus, it’s healthier than regular butter and simple to make on your own if you so choose with a quick web search.

When cooking with charcoal, you can place herbs like sage or 3. rosemary directly on the coals to add a jolt of flavor. Simply soak the herbs for a few minutes, allow the coals to burn down to an even gray and place the bundles on top. Once the initial smoke settles, add meat or veggies to the grill. The more you can contain the smoke, the more flavor food will absorb.

Like to rough it, but just can’t get by without your morning joe? Fill a 4. coffee filter with a large scoop of your favorite gourmet ground coffee, tie it tightly with dental floss anduse it just like a teabag in a cup of hot water.

Cast iron is an invaluable campground cooking tool for whipping 5. up everything from the elaborate meal to the simple snack. To help preserve this cookware for years to come, store it somewhere it is sure to stay dry (in other words, not under the sink). Low humidity and free airflow make hanging cast iron equipment a good option for preservation and rust prevention.

Bonus Tip: Check out a Jayco RV. While you’ll find all the basic kitchen equipment you need in (or even outside) almost any model, many units feature kitchen equipment and storage that rival most homes. We’ve got the Campfire Connoisseur covered. Campsite Menu Ideas Philly Ingredients Directions 3 ribeye or 1 ½ to 2 pounds The foundation of a great Philly of flank cheesesteak is the meat. Ribeye is 1 sweet onion the best; can serve as an adequate substitute. 1 red pepper Place the fresh or thawed meat in the 1/2 stick of butter freezer for about 20 minutes to make 2 teaspoons of garlic salt it easier to slice. While the meat is 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the freezer, slice the sweet onion and red pepper and set aside. It is 1/2 teaspoon oregano best to first start vegetables and add 1 teaspoon steak seasoning the meat, but you can cook them 6 slices of provolone cheese separately if not everyone wants the whole combination. Remove the 6 buns steak from the freezer and thinly slice. Heat a skillet to medium, preferably cast iron if cooking outdoors, and add the peppers and onions. Season with garlic salt, pepper, oregano, and add half the butter. Cook for three to five minutes and add the sliced steak. Add steak seasoning and most of the remaining butter and continue to toss over medium to high heat until the onions are translucent and meat is browned well. Separate each sandwich portion in the pan and top with provolone cheese over low heat. Lightly butter the buns and place face down in separate pan until the toasted to your preference. Place each portion in a bun and serve immediately. Serves: 6 Stew Ingredients Directions 3 pounds trimmed and cubed A staple of comfort food—warm, chuck roast inviting, tasty and filling. A good beef stew can take a few hours to complete, 1 medium diced sweet onion but it also can be started the day before 1 16 oz package baby carrots with the finishing steps an hour before 2 pounds small Yukon gold or meal time. Dutch yellow potatoes The beef selection makes the stew. 1 teaspoon salt Choose a nice chuck roast in lieu of 2 teaspoons seasoned salt stew beef or sirloin. There are many 1 teaspoon pepper recipes using sirloin or “stew beef”, 1 teaspoon of your favorite but it varies greatly as to the ability steak seasoning to achieve a tender beef for the stew 1 teaspoon garlic salt regardless of cook time. A nicely marbled chuck roast trimmed and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour cubed works perfectly every time. 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup red wine Start with a five- to seven-quart pot. If 2 cups beef broth you are cooking outdoors a cast iron Dutch oven works the best. 2 cups water Over medium to high heat add two tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the cubed chuck roast turning frequently until browned with a slight crust. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and garlic salt, reduce to medium heat and cook for about three minutes. Add the wine and cook for two to three minutes. Add back the beef along with one can of beef broth. Add in the salt, seasoned salt, pepper, steak seasoning, and stir for three to five minutes. Mix the flour with one cup cold water and then add to the pot and stir. Add the remaining beef broth and water, stir and simmer on low heat for two hours. If you are making the dish ahead of time you may stop here and refrigerate. Warm the dish back to a simmer for the next step. Add the potatoes and carrots, cook for 1 hour and then serve. Total Prep Time: 30 to 45 minutes Cook Time: 3 hours Serves: 5 Paella Ingredients Directions 1 sweet onion chopped The perfect food for a crowd and 1 red pepper chopped so many variations! You can choose 1 poblano pepper chopped between chicken, sausage and 2 tablespoons olive oil seafood, in any combination, to fit the 2 teaspoons garlic salt palate or the occasion. You can also 2 teaspoons black pepper prep ahead to save time. 1 teaspoon seasoned salt The key to success with this dish is 1 tablespoon paprika the pan. A carbon steel 15-inch skillet 2 teaspoons oregano creates a perfect cooking surface 1 can chicken broth to brown or sear the meat of your 2 cups cooked saffron rice (parboil to 90% ) choice. Here’s a take on the seafood variation. 4 cups cooked jasmine rice (parboil to 90% doneness)

Add the olive oil to the pan and heat over medium high for 30 to 60 seconds. Reduce to medium heat. Add the vegetables, garlic salt and pepper. Toss for two to three minutes then add the shrimp and scallops.

Next, add the paprika, seasoned salt, and oregano. Toss and then add one can of chicken broth. Add the parboiled rice and stir. Simmer and stir occasionally until all of the liquid is absorbed.

Serves: 5

These recipes were written by Paul Elmore of The Family Man Cook. You can follow his adventures on his blog, Facebook and Instagram. Visit the Jayco Journal Blog for more meal ideas, tips and all kinds of other fun and practical RVing articles or subscribe to our YouTube channel for recipe videos. To learn more about Jayco and our Campfire Connoisseur-friendly RVs, visitJayco.com .