Campfire Cooking Recipes - Fish

Cooking over a fire is rewarding, fun, and probably isn't as hard as you think. If you are looking for something different than the traditional grilled chicken or steak items you might want to consider fish. Whether you buy it ahead of time or catch your own fresh for dinner while on your trip there are several ways to prepare it. Here are some good campfire cooking recipes to get you started. Remember, as with many campfire cooking recipes, cooking times may need to be adjusted depending on how hot the coals are.

FOIL FISH
Pairs perfectly with foil grilled corn on the cob.

4 fish fillets (white fish works well)
2 tablespoons butter
2 celery stalks, quartered
2 carrots, quartered
1 whole lemon, cut in half
Salt and Pepper

On two separate pieces of aluminum foil, place two each of the fish fillets in the center. Put half a tablespoon of butter on each fillet. Squeeze half of the lemon over one pair and the other half over another. Salt and pepper to taste and add half of the celery and carrots to each, then loosely wrap the foil around the fish. Place on hot coals or, depending on how hot the coals are, use a grill grate. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the fish is flaky.

GRILLED CEDAR SALMON
Adding the cedar plank not only gives it some extra smokey flavor.

1 cedar plank long enough to fit your salmon fillet
1 large salmon fillet, scaled but with skin on
¾ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
Juice from ½ lemon
Salt and Pepper

Bring up a fire to medium heat and while the fire gets cooking, soak the cedar plank in water for 30 minutes. Brush the salmon with the olive oil and then gently rub in the rosemary and thyme. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place the plank on a grill grate that is almost touching the coals. Turn the plank over after 2 minutes to get both sides smoking. Place the salmon fillet skin-side down on the plank and cover loosely with a foil tent to allow the fish to steam cook for 20 minutes. Remove the salmon from the plank or serve it from the cedar. Squeeze the lemon over it just prior to serving.

SNAPPER SOUP
Break out the Dutch oven! Cast iron cooking is a staple of campfire cooking recipes.

1 pound of red snapper, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups of chicken broth
¾ cup coarsely chopped carrots
½ cup coarsely chopped celery
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
¼ teaspoon of pepper
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of frozen peas

Place the Dutch oven over the hot coals. Bring the chicken broth, celery and carrots, garlic and onions, paprika, salt and pepper, and peas to a boil for 5 minutes. Add the snapper and simmer for another 10 minutes.