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We turn to these camping recipes year after year because they’re tried-and-true and so delicious! Try our family-favorite camping meals that satisfy everyone: Woof-em Sticks (campfire tacos), Mountain Pies (campfire hot sandwiches), and these Breakfast potatoes, which we usually serve with bacon and fried eggs.
Campfire Baked Potatoes
Our favorite season to camp is fall time, there’s something cozy about getting the fire going on a cooler day and cooking out with the family.
I like to keep our camping meals simple, so I can enjoy my time outdoors, and without a doubt, baked potatoes are one of them.
When we were hit by hurricane Helen and were without power, baked potatoes were one of the meals that really helped us out. We’ve even made baked potatoes in our fireplace as a fun weeknight dinner.
Baked potatoes cook faster over the fire than in an oven, making mealtime super easy.
You can load up a baked potato any way you want, and they’re so hearty. My favorite toppings include salted butter (pure Irish butter), sour cream, shredded cheese, and bacon bits. You can always sprinkle them with salt and pepper for more flavor, but I find that bacon and the Irish butter are plenty salty.
Mise en Place
Equipment:
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Heavy duty paper plates
- Sharp knife
- Long Grilling Tongs (or sticks found at the campground to remove baked potatoes)
Ingredients:
- Russet Potatoes are best for making baked potatoes as they are starchy. More waxy varieties like Yukon Gold potatoes give an unappetizing flavor that tastes like they are full of water after cooking over the fire. We know because we’ve done that too many times to realize they just taste off.
- Toppings- salted butter, sour cream, bacon bits (or cooked and crumbled bacon slices cooked over a cast-iron pan or griddle), shredded cheese such as cheddar cheese or a Colby Jack blend.
How To Bake a Potato in a Campfire:
To bake potatoes in a campfire, it is key to get the fire going first, so that it makes hot coals. Don’t cook potatoes over a high flame, as they can burn. When you see glowing embers from the wood, you can wrap the potatoes up and place them over the embers to cook.
- Wash the potatoes and pat dry if you plan on eating the skins; otherwise, prick the russet potatoes with a fork and double wrap them with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
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Shovel the coals together, use a long-handled shovel designed for hot fires or a big stick (from the campground) to gather the coals in a pile. This helps increase the heat for cooking and keeps the fire going more efficiently.
- Place the wrapped potatoes over the coals (no need to bury them) and cook them for 45 minutes. My russet potatoes were medium-sized. For large or jumbo-sized russet potatoes, cook an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the baked potatoes from the fire using grill tongs or long sticks (from the campground) and place them on a wooden picnic table. Let the potatoes rest for 10 minutes before serving to cool down (this makes them easier to serve).
- Arrange all of the toppings to make a potato bar and have everyone load up their own potato. Enjoy!
Note: These baked potatoes are served as a main course meal, as we find them very filling from the hearty toppings. If serving as a side dish, pair with an extra protein source like bratwursts, shish kabobs, or grilled chicken thighs.
Pro-Tip: Aluminum foil is thicker and more sturdy than regular foil. You want to double wrap the potatoes with foil so that the potatoes don’t burn when cooking in embers.
How Long Do You Cook Baked Potatoes in a Campfire?
Plan on 30 minutes before starting the baked potatoes, as that is the time it takes to start a fire from scratch. We like to make a tee-pee out of straw, shaved bark (that my husband will trim off of firewood with his ax), or old pine needles (paper or thin sticks work well too). Then place 3-4 thinner firewood pieces outside of the tee-pee (standing up) and light the inside. The fire will burn nicely. My husband often uses a blower to get it going really fast. Once the wood is burning nicely, add big firewood two at a time and wait until they turn into embers before adding the potatoes. It takes 45 minutes for baked potatoes to cook from the time you place them on the ember.
Q&A
Can I Use a Gas Grill?
Yes, to make baked potatoes in a gas grill, turn on only one side of the grill to make a hot zone. The potatoes should be wrapped in foil and placed on the opposite side (indirect heat) to cook evenly without burning.
How Do I Make Baked Potatoes in a Charcoal Grill?
A charcoal grill works in the same way as a gas grill when making baked potatoes. You’ll need to make a two-zone fire, which is basically shoveling the hot coals on one side of the grill, leaving the other side empty. Place the wrapped-up baked potatoes on the empty side of the charcoal grill away from direct heat (the hot coals) and cover the grill to cook for up to an hour and a half (check at 50 minutes). If you’re short on time, you could also place the potatoes directly over the hot coals to cook for 40 minutes. Be sure to double wrap the potatoes in foil.
Have you made these campfire baked potatoes? Or did you find this post helpful? It would mean a lot if you could rate and comment below for readers like you to find this recipe!
Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions:
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Campfire Baked Potatoes
Equipment
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Set of heavy-duty disposable plates
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 8 Russet potatoes
- 8 oz sour cream
- 8 oz cheddar cheese
- 2 oz salted butter
Instructions
Directions:
- If you prefer to eat the skins of the potatoes then wash the potatoes otherwise you can prick them all over with a fork and double wrap them in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Place potatoes over hot embers (glowing hot coals) and cook for 45 minutes.
- Remove the baked potatoes from the campfire using sticks or long tongs and place them on a wooden picnic table. Arrange the paper plates and all of the toppings (salted butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits if using).
- Let everyone unwrap and load their own potatoes with desired toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Top baked potatoes with bacon bits if desired.
- Let baked potatoes rest for 10 minutes in foil before serving. This way they cool down a bit and are easy to load up with toppings.
- These Campfire baked potatoes are a main course meal as they are loaded with hearty toppings and are very filling (being starchy).
- If you are using unsalted butter add salt and pepper shakers to the picnic table when arranging the meal.
- Serve baked potatoes as a potato bar, assemble the paper plates, baked potatoes, and toppings all in a line on the edge of the table to make a self-serving bar.
- Baked Potatoes can be served with leftover taco meat to make loaded potato haystacks. Mennonites serve baked potatoes with homemade cheese sauce too. If you make my campfire Woof'em Sticks (Campfire tacos) you can use the leftover taco meat for baked potatoes the following day. Yum!
Nutrition (per serving)
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