Camp Griddle Smash Tacos with Lime Slaw and Quick Pickled Onions
Press a thin layer of seasoned ground beef onto each flour tortilla, then cook beef-side down on a medium-high propane griddle until crisp and cooked to 160°F. Top with melted cheese, crunchy lime slaw and quick pickled onions. Plan on about 20 minutes of prep and 15 minutes on the griddle.
Smash tacos give you crisp, browned beef in every bite, and a flat-top griddle is made for them. The beef cooks thin and fast, so there is no separate skillet of crumbles to stir. Each tortilla toasts on the other side while the cheese melts.
The toppings are cold and sharp to cut the richness. The onions pickle in lime juice while you season the beef. The slaw uses bagged cabbage, so you only need one knife and a couple of bowls.
Camp Griddle Smash Tacos with Lime Slaw and Quick Pickled Onions
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium-high griddle
- Pack weight
- 4 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Low water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
Gear you'll need
- Flat-top propane griddle
- Propane fuel
- Sturdy metal spatula (for pressing)
- Thin metal spatula (for flipping)
- Instant-read thermometer
- Cutting board and knife
- 3 mixing bowls
- Tongs
- Cooler with ice
Steps
-
Pickle the onions
Put the sliced onion in a small bowl with the juice of 1 lime and a pinch of salt. Stir and let it sit while you cook. It turns pink and tangy in about 10 minutes.
-
Make slaw and crema
Toss the cabbage with the juice of the second lime, the cilantro and a pinch of salt. In a separate small bowl, stir the sour cream with the hot sauce and a squeeze from a lime wedge.
-
Season and portion beef
Mix the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, 1 tsp salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the beef, mix gently, and divide into 8 balls of about 2 oz each. Return the balls to the cooler until the griddle is hot, then wash your hands with soap and water.
-
Heat the griddle
Set the griddle to medium-high and heat for 5 minutes. Wipe on the oil with a folded paper towel and tongs. A drop of water should sizzle and vanish at once.
-
Press beef on tortillas
Set a tortilla on a plate or cutting board and put one beef ball in the center. Press it flat with a sturdy spatula, spreading the beef all the way to the edges. Make 4 and carry them to the griddle.
-
Cook beef-side down
Lay the tortillas beef-side down on the griddle. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges are dark and crisp. Do not move them while they sear.
-
Cheese and flip
Sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the beef. Flip with a thin metal spatula and cook 30 to 60 seconds, until the tortilla is toasted and the cheese is melting. Check one with an instant-read thermometer: the beef must read 160°F.
-
Repeat and build
Move the first batch to a plate and cook the other 4 the same way. Fold each taco and top with slaw, pickled onions and crema. Serve with lime wedges.
Trail Notes
At home, season the beef and roll it into 2 oz balls. Freeze them flat in a zip bag and let them thaw in the cooler. Bagged cabbage and mixed spices save camp prep time too.
Keep raw beef at 40°F or below and use thawed beef within 1 to 2 days. Use a separate plate for raw and cooked tacos. Wash the spatula that touched raw beef before it touches finished tacos.
Ground turkey works, but cook it to 165°F. For a vegetarian version, press a smashed black bean and corn mixture onto the tortillas instead.
Scrape grease from the griddle into a sealable can or bag and pack it out. Strain wash water through a bandana, pack out the food bits, and scatter the water well away from camp and water sources.
Campers ask
How do you keep smash tacos from sticking to a griddle?
Get the griddle fully hot and oil it lightly. Let the beef sear without moving it for 2 to 3 minutes, and it will release on its own.
What temperature should the beef reach on a griddle?
Ground beef is safe at 160°F. Slide an instant-read thermometer sideways into the thickest part of a taco to check.
Can I make smash tacos on a camp stove without a griddle?
Yes. Use a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook one or two tacos at a time. It takes longer, so keep finished tacos warm under foil.
Cooked it? Rate & review it.
Your rating helps the next camper pick dinner. Got an idea to make it better? Tell us below — good ones get added to the recipe with credit to you.