If you're loading up a pack and planning a trek up a mountain or into the depths of the woods, you probably won't be lugging a heavy Dutch oven with you. But if you're doing the sort of camping where you're carrying an ice chest with you, too (you're driving to a campsite, let's say), there's a whole world of things, like biscuits and stews and braises and cobblers, that you can plan on cooking and eating in the great outdoors.
Pre-measuring and combining as many ingredients as you can (all of the dry ingredients in a bread recipe, for example) will streamline the process and cut down on the number of individual components you need to pack. You'll have to prioritize, too: Any meats or seafood should be used quickly, regardless of how much ice you have in your cooler. When it comes time to cook, here's a handy guide for getting your Dutch oven to the right temperature over the fire.
Here are 15 of our favorite Dutch oven-cooked (and relatively camping-friendly, i.e. without too many ingredients) recipes:
What's your favorite thing to cook while camping? (What's the most ambitious thing you've ever made at your campsite?) Tell us in the comments!
See what other Food52 readers are saying.