Mac and Cheese Stuffed Peppers | Campfire Recipe GirlCarnivore (2024)

Stuffed pepper recipes get a makeover in this fun mac and cheese version with brats all cooked over the campfire!

A few weeks ago I hitched up a 32″ Minnie Winnie and set out on an adventure through the mountains of western Virginia, one of my favorite places on earth. Having hiked and camped the mountains a hundred times, living life in an RV was pure luxury, but I still made it a point to cook over livefire every night.

These stuffed peppers are one of my easy go-to ‘you made that over a campfire?’ recipes that I love to recreate with whatever I have on hand on the last day of camping.

Can you use cast iron over a campfire?

For starters, yes. Cast iron is the only thing I use in my kitchen and on the road. It’s heavy-duty and holds heat while evenly distributing it. Cast iron can take the beating in my rugged kitchen and doesn’t take a whole lot of time to clean up.

It’s also perfect for cooking over campfires. You can place your cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens directly over the coals, on a grate, or (in the case of the Dutch oven) hang over the fire for optimal temperature control.

A good cast iron skillet is a multi-use tool. It can fry the bacon and eggs in the morning and bake a cobbler at night. You can deep fry in one (with tall sides) and finish the best steaks. If I had one tool to keep in my kitchen at all times, next to a quality knife, my cast iron skillet is a must. A good 10″ one is the perfect piece for every collection.

How to boil water over a campfire

The first thing you’re going to want to prep for this dish is the pasta. You could pop inside your cozy RV and get that all prepped and ready on the range. BUT, if you’re feeling brave, and patient, boiling water over a campfire is actually kind of easy.

A heavy-duty big pot works great for this, as long as it’s oven safe and you have a few heat resistant gloves nearby. For safety, give yourself some room too. Make sure you have a safe space around the fire. The last thing anyone needs is to spill boiling water.

These instructions are for a campfire with a level grate secured atop the already established fire.

For cooking, fill the pot 1/2 full with water and add salt. Bring to a boil, with the lid on, directly over the flame of a hot fire. If you’re just boiling the water for coffee, ignore that mention of salt.

I put a heavy-duty lid on because I am terribly impatient and watching the bubbles drives me nuts. I make sure that I keep a pair of heat resistant gloves nearby to remind me not to forget and reach in with my hand to touch the lid.

How to cook brats over a campfire

Brats are one of my go-to camping ingredients. They are easy, and after a long day, way more satisfying than a hot dog. Plus, I can slice them up and add them to anything.

Arrange the brats on a level stable cooking grate over an established fire. Make sure that it’s not raging, or you will sear the outsides, leaving the insides raw. And no one likes a charred brat on one end while the other is cold. I rotate my brats while cooking, working back to forward, making sure each gets a turn over the center of the heat source.

Allow the brats to cook over the fire, often rotating for even cooking until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. (Yes, an instant-read thermometer is part of my travel cooking kit).

Another option for brats is to toss them right into that cast iron skillet mentioned above for more even heat control. This campfire stuffed peppers can be made with the brats over the fire or right in the skillet.

Want more camping recipe inspiration? Try some of my favorites:

• Campfire Grilled Chicken Panini
• Campfire Moroccan Pizza
• Leftover Smoked Turkey Sandwich

If you’ve tried my Campfire Mac and Cheese Stuffed Peppers Recipe or any other recipe onGirlCarnivore.complease don’t forget torate the recipeand let me know where you found it in the comments below. I get inspired by your feedback and comments! You can alsoFOLLOW MEonInstagram@girlcarnivoreas well as onTwitterandFacebook.