Campfire Food - Surf & Turf

Just because you're sleeping outside in the woods doesn't mean you're relegated to eating Cup o' Noodles or hot dogs.  With a teeny bit of effort and some foil you can make your campfire a culinary platform that will rival a home kitchen.  We spent a long weekend in the Sequoias with friends and on our first night we had a little surf and turf under the stars. 

The menu:

Bacon wrapped filet

Garlic butter shrimp

Baked potato 

Salad 

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• Potatoes: Get a good fire going, wrap your potatoes in foil and throw them right in there.  These will take about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the potato and the heat of the fire.  Get in there with some long tongs and rotate them around so they cook evenly.
• Steak:  You can put your filet on foil, or buy one of these handy wire screens (they're cheap!) and set those bad boys on the grill.  They'll take 4-8 minutes each side depending on well done you like your meat. 
• Shrimp: Put your shrimp in foil packets with a little butter, salt & pepper, and minced garlic (or use garlic powder).  Set them on top of your fire, away from any direct flame.  These will take about 10 minutes, just check to make sure all the shrimp are pink. 
• Salad:  Throw some greens in a bowl with a little olive oil and you're to go! 

We use melamine plates and silverware and just do dishes since you can produce a lot of trash in a weekend if you use only disposable stuff.  Light a candle, pour some wine and chat with your friends.  Not a bad way to end the day after hiking to this view.