I love eating stews with cornbread. However, I have found that cornbread is pretty finicky when it comes to cooking over the campfire. Sure it can be done. Is it delicious? Absolutely. However, I have found that it takes a watchful eye. That is where these campfire corn fritters come to play though. I get the taste of delicious cornbread with the ease of a fried fritter. This is also a very versatile dish because it can be used in so many ways. So let’s see, easy to prepare, tasty, and versatile. Check, check, and check. For me having all three in a camping meal means that I can please more people more often!
So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive into these corn fritters and fill our tummies with warm fried goodness!
Contemplate these 20 Dollar Store Camping Hacks as you nosh on your campfire corn fritters!
Campfire Corn Fritter Versatility
I mentioned that the campfire corn fritters were versatile. I don’t want to leave you in suspense for too long so let’s start there. My favorite part about making these fritters is that I can make them at any time of the day. They are wonderful accompanying scrambled eggs in the morning. I have even added a bit more sugar so that they are more doughnut-like. At lunchtime, I like to make them, split them in half and eat them with deli meat and cheese. At dinner, they make a great side dish. However, if I make extra they are a hearty meal all on their own. Being great for three different meals means I can use it whenever.
Another way that the campfire corn fritters are versatile is because of what they pair with. For dinner-time meals, I like to pair my fritters with Thai, Indian, Mexican, and classic American dishes. They have a relatively neutral flavor which loves to soak up sauces. This makes them great for dipping!
Finally, I have served these with naan bread in the past. My family loves to make little naan and campfire corn fritter tacos. We simply add a sauce of our choice, a few greens, and the fritters. Then we dig in! Simple and filling.
Substitutions
Ok, here I go again! I already talked about versatility but here are a few ideas for you to use if you want to change things up. I broke these lists down by meals. As I mentioned above these are great on their own but these options take them to the next level!
Breakfast
- Coat in Cinnamon and Sugar
- Fill with jelly of your choice
- Serve with Scrambled eggs
- Make a breakfast sandwich
- Drizzle with maple syrup
- Dip in Yogurt
Lunch
- Ham and swiss
- Mix jalapenos into batter
- Fried/Rotisserie Chicken
- Roast Beef
- Ranch Dip
- French Onion Dip
Dinner
- Serve with Chicken Tikka Masala
- Serve with Curry
- Mix jalapenos into batter
- Fried/Rotisserie Chicken
- Naan Tacos
- Mixed Greens
- Your favorite sauce
- Add thinly sliced onions
- Add Cabbage
The Tools
You have two primary tools with this recipe. The first is the Dutch Oven. It is important to have a Dutch oven that has deep sides. Since we are cooking over a fire and splattering oil could cause you to have a bad day. You need to take great care when cooking these so that you do not get oil into the fire. Cook over indirect heat or move to a camp stove if you are more comfortable. You can use some of these Dutch oven accessories to help keep you safe as you cook. The deep-sided Dutch oven should help to control splatters.
Need more info on frying safety while out at a campground? Check these tips out.
The other tool that you will need is called a spider ladle. Now you don’t specifically need this tool if you have other means of turning and retrieving the campfire corn fritters. However, this tool makes it very easy to do so. It provides a wide base to scoop and turn the fritters. It also gives you ample space to allow for draining before moving the fritters over the fire. This again will help to prevent drips and flare-ups. I will be honest, that this is pretty bourgeois on a camping trip so if you have a pair of tongs or slotted spoon then you will still be able to cook these effectively.
Campfire Corn Fritters
Equipment
- 1 Campfire
- 1 Dutch Oven
- 1 Spider Ladle or other way to flip and remove fritters in oil
- Paper Towels
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
- 1-1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup canned corn kernels
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Prepare your campfire for intense indirect heat
- While coals are being prepared combine all dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly1-1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal mix, 1-1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/4 tsp turmeric
- Once combined, mix in the milk and eggs into the dry ingredients1 cup milk, 2 large eggs
- When you have a thick batter mix in the melted butter and the corn kernels.1/4 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup canned corn kernels
- Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into your Dutch Oven and allow the temperature of the oil to come to about 325 degrees.1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
- Drop a generous tablespoon of batter into the hot oil and cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Flip fritters once about halfway through.
- Once the exterior is golden brown remove the fritters and drain them on paper towels.
Notes
- You can remove the corn kernels from this recipe if you do not want a chunky fritter.
- Hot oil around a campfire is extremely dangerous. Make sure that you do not cook directly over a flame! Also ensure your dutch oven has deep enough sides to prevent splattering into the campfire.
