Baked potato in tinfoil, wieners on a stick, and s’mores will always be campfire mainstays. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a little fancy for your next camp dinner.
Long days at the lake or on the trail make for big appetites. And while we love the simplicity of cooking over an open flame, it’s nice to spice up our camp meals now and again.
Linda Ly’s appropriately titled new book, The New Camp Cookbook, has tips for building a campfire, stocking a camp-friendly pantry, using a dutch oven, and more. We look forward to cooking these five selections from Ly’s new book.
The New Camp Cookbook: Gourmet Grub for Campers, Road Trippers, and Adventurers, by Linda Ly comes out in July.
Jump To: *Grilled Ratatouille Skewers, *Grilled Guacamole, *Lettuce Cups with Sesame-Soy Chicken, *Grilled Watermelon with Gorgonzola and Pistachio Crumbles
Korean Flank Steak with Sriracha-Pickled Cucumbers
The smell of a good steak searing in the open air is one of my favorite things about cooking in camp. Coupled with a robust sauce, like this Korean bulgogi-style marinade, it’s guaranteed to be a hit with your hungry campmates.
Pickled Cucumber
- 2⁄3 cup (160 ml) white vinegar
- 2⁄3 cup (160 ml) water
- 1⁄3 cup (67 g) sugar
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 medium English cucumber, thinly sliced diagonally (about 1/2-pound/226 g)
Steak
- ½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce
- ¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (1½ pound/680 g) flank steak, cut in half
Presentation Ingredients
- 2¼ (535 ml) cups water
- 1½ cups (300 g) uncooked long-grain white rice
- Lettuce leaves
Note: Depending on the variety of rice, cooking time may be more or less than stated in the recipe. When in doubt, follow the instructions on the package as to how much liquid to use and how long to cook.
Prepare At Home
To make the pickles, stir together the vinegar, water, sugar, and sriracha in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Pack the cucumbers into a lidded container and pour in the brine. Chill overnight or up to 2 weeks.
To make the steak, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, sriracha, sesame oil, sugar, scallions, and garlic in a small bowl until well mixed. Reserve half of the sauce in a lidded container and chill. Add the remaining sauce and the steak to a resealable plastic bag and shake to coat thoroughly. Squeeze out the excess air, then chill overnight and up to 24 hours.
Prepare In Camp
To serve, bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the rice. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare a grill over medium-high heat.
Place the steak on the hottest part of the grill and cook for 2 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the steak against the grain.
Drizzle the steak with the reserved sauce brought from home. Serve with the lettuce leaves, rice, and pickles.
(Next page: Grilled Ratatouille Skewers)
