Campfire sloppy joes are the perfect hearty, comforting camping food. They are so easy to make and are sure to please a crowd! In fact, this recipe only requires one skillet, a few ingredients, and 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time. I always prep and chop the ingredients at home before camping and store them in ziplock bags in the cooler to make dinner preparation at the campsite a breeze. The sloppy joes can be prepared in a skillet or dutch oven over a campfire, on the grill, or on a propane camp stove. They can also easily be made allergy-friendly with gluten and dairy-free sloppy joe sauce and gluten-free buns.
Equipment
- 10 or 12-inch skillet (cast iron is best for use over the campfire)
- Cooking spoon
- Can opener
- Heat-Resistant Gloves
- Campfire cooking grate (if your fire pit is not equipped with one already)
Ingredients
- 1 pound Lean ground beef (96/4 or leaner to avoid having to drain the meat after cooking)
- 1 15oz can Sloppy joe sauce (Check label for gluten-free)
- 1 cup Diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup Diced onion
- 6 slices Bacon (Cooked and chopped into small pieces)
- 4 regular or gluten-free hamburger buns (These are my favorite gluten-free buns!)
Cooking Instructions
1. Prepare your cooking heat source. If using a campfire, make sure the flame has burned down to a workable height and get the cooking grate set up over the fire.
2. Carefully place a cast iron skillet on the cooking grate to pre-heat for 2-3 minutes.
3. While wearing heat-resistant grilling gloves, put the ground beef in the skillet and break it apart with the spoon.
4. When the meat is about halfway cooked, add the diced onions and green peppers. Continue cooking the meat until no longer pink, stirring frequently.
5. Add the chopped bacon and the can of sloppy joe sauce to the skillet. Mix well to combine.
6. Let the sloppy joe mixture simmer in the skillet for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Carefully remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside to cool for a few minutes. Serve campfire sloppy joes on regular or gluten-free buns and enjoy!
Do you know you to clean your cast iron skillet while camping? For more info and detailed instructions, check out this helpful post, How To Clean And Sanitize Cast Iron Cookware While Camping.
Recipe Card
Campfire Sloppy Joes
Equipment
- 10 or 12-inch skillet (cast iron is best for use over the campfire)
- Cooking spoon
- Can opener
- Heat-Resistant Gloves
- Campfire cooking grate (if your fire pit is not equipped with one already)
Ingredients
- 1 pound Lean ground beef (96/4 or leaner to avoid having to drain the meat after cooking)
- 1 15oz can Sloppy joe sauce (Check label for gluten-free)
- 1 cup Diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup Diced onion
- 6 slices Bacon (Cooked and chopped into small pieces)
- 4 Regular or gluten-free hamgurger buns
Instructions
- Prepare your cooking heat source. If using a campfire, make sure the flame has burned down to a workable height and get the cooking grate set up over the fire.
- Carefully place a cast iron skillet on the cooking grate to pre-heat for 2-3 minutes.
- While wearing heat-resistant grilling gloves, put the ground beef in the skillet and break it apart with the spoon.
- When the meat is about halfway cooked, add the diced onions and green peppers. Continue cooking the meat until no longer pink, stirring frequently.
- Add the chopped bacon and the can of sloppy joe sauce to the skillet. Mix well to combine.
- Let the sloppy joe mixture simmer in the skillet for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Carefully remove skillet from heat and set it aside to cool for a few minutes. Serve campfire sloppy joes on buns and enjoy!
Want more camp cooking inspiration? Be sure to check out the Recipes section of the blog for more delicious and easy camping recipes!
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