Thanksgiving in a Camp Kitchen: Every Classic Dish, Cooked on a Camp Stove and Over Coals

By Matt LeCheminant

You do not need a big kitchen to cook Thanksgiving dinner. With two or three Dutch ovens and a two-burner camp stove, you can make every dish on the table. This menu serves about 8 people. It works at a campsite, at a river camp or in a backyard.

Start about five hours before you want to eat, and give each dish its own burner or oven. The order below is the order we would cook them.

Turkey breast in a Dutch oven

You need: one 3 to 4 pound bone-in turkey breast, 3 tablespoons soft butter, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon dried sage or thyme, 1 onion in quarters, 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks in chunks, 1 cup chicken broth

1. Light about 24 briquettes. A deep 12 inch oven or a 14 inch oven fits a breast best.
2. Rub the butter, salt, pepper and herbs all over the turkey. Put the vegetables and broth in the oven and set the breast on top.
3. Put the lid on with one third of the coals under the oven and two thirds on top. Add fresh coals after about 45 minutes.
4. Roast about 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours. It is done when a thermometer in the thickest part reads 165 degrees. Rest it 15 minutes before carving. Save the drippings for gravy.

Gravy

You need: 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 2 cups broth, turkey drippings, salt and pepper

1. Melt the butter in a pot. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute.
2. Slowly whisk in the broth and drippings. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes until it coats a spoon. Season to taste.

Mashed potatoes

You need: 3 pounds potatoes, 4 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup warm milk, salt

1. Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks. Boil in salted water 15 to 20 minutes until soft.
2. Drain, add the butter and milk, and mash. Keep the pot covered and warm.

Stuffing in a Dutch oven

You need: about 10 cups dry bread cubes, 1/2 cup butter, 1 onion and 2 celery stalks diced, 2 teaspoons sage, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 1/2 to 2 cups broth, 1 egg

1. Light about 20 briquettes for a 10 inch oven.
2. Cook the onion and celery in the butter until soft. Stir in the herbs.
3. Toss with the bread cubes. Mix in the egg and enough broth to make it moist, not soggy.
4. Bake covered, with one third of the coals under and two thirds on top, about 30 minutes. Take the lid off for the last 5 minutes to crisp the top.

Green bean casserole

You need: 2 cans (14.5 oz) green beans drained, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, pepper, 1 1/3 cups crispy fried onions

1. Stir the beans, soup, milk, soy sauce and pepper together in a skillet or a 10 inch oven.
2. Heat until bubbling, about 15 minutes on a stove or 20 to 25 minutes in an oven with coals.
3. Top with the fried onions for the last 5 minutes.

Sweet potatoes

You need: 3 pounds sweet potatoes, 4 tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, a handful of mini marshmallows

1. Peel and cube the potatoes. Boil 12 to 15 minutes until tender, then drain.
2. Stir in the butter, sugar and cinnamon. Top with marshmallows and toast them under a lid with a few coals on it, or with a lighter.

Cranberry sauce

You need: 12 ounces fresh cranberries, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup orange juice or water, a strip of orange zest

1. Bring everything to a simmer in a pot.
2. Cook about 10 minutes, until the berries pop and it thickens. It firms up as it cools. Make it the day before if you can.

Dinner rolls

You need: 1 tube refrigerated dinner rolls or biscuit dough, butter

1. Light about 20 briquettes. Grease a 10 inch oven and set the dough in it.
2. Bake with coals under and on top about 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Brush with butter.

Pumpkin cobbler

You need: 1 can (29 oz) pumpkin puree, 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk, 3 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 box yellow cake mix (dry), 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted, whipped cream

1. Light about 24 briquettes and line a 12 inch oven with foil.
2. Whisk the pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and spice and pour into the oven.
3. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly on top and drizzle the melted butter over it.
4. Bake about 45 to 55 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden. Serve warm with whipped cream. We also make a pineapple upside-down cake the same way.

Coals: A common rule is twice the oven diameter in briquettes, so 24 for a 12 inch oven and 20 for a 10 inch, with about one third under the oven and two thirds on the lid. Briquettes burn out in about 45 minutes to an hour, so light a fresh batch for any dish that cooks longer. Our Dutch oven guide covers sizes and care.

Food safety: Keep cold food below 40 degrees until you cook it. Cook turkey to 165 degrees, and throw out leftovers that sit out more than two hours.

Gear:

• Deep 12 inch or 14 inch Dutch oven for the turkey
• 10 inch Dutch oven for stuffing and rolls
• Two-burner camp stove, a large pot and a skillet
• Meat thermometer
• Charcoal chimney, fire pan, lid lifter and welding gloves

Full recipes

• Dutch Oven Turkey Breast
• Turkey Gravy
• Mashed Potatoes
• Dutch Oven Stuffing
• Green Bean Casserole
• Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
• Cranberry Sauce
• Dutch Oven Dinner Rolls
• Pumpkin Cobbler

Our overnight and multi-day trips include meals cooked by our guides.

Matt LeCheminant owns Wild River Adventures in Riggins, Idaho with his dad Alan. He grew up in boats and has a water engineering degree.