Campfire Blueberry French Toast Foil Packets with Maple
Whisk eggs, milk, maple, and cinnamon, soak bread cubes in it for 5 minutes, then divide with blueberries into 4 buttered foil packets. Cook on a grate over medium coals for 18 to 22 minutes, turning once, until the center reads 160°F. Total time is about 40 minutes, and you can eat right out of the foil.
French toast is a pain at camp. You need a hot pan, a lot of flipping, and a lot of room. This version skips all of that. Bread cubes soak up a simple custard, go into foil with blueberries, and cook into a soft, puffy, bread-pudding-style breakfast.
Each person gets their own packet, so there's no serving and almost no dishes. Because the custard has raw egg, the packets need to reach 160°F in the middle. A quick thermometer check takes the guesswork out.
Campfire Blueberry French Toast Foil Packets with Maple
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals
- Pack weight
- 4 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- No stove
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
Gear you'll need
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Fire grate
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk or fork
- Cutting board and knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Instant-read thermometer
- Long tongs
- Heat-resistant gloves
- Cooler with ice
Steps
-
Build a coal bed
Burn your fire down until the flames are low and the coals are glowing and covered in gray ash. Set a grill grate 4 to 6 inches above the coals. You want medium heat, where you can hold your hand over the grate for about 5 seconds.
-
Whisk the custard
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until no streaks of egg remain. Keep the bowl in the shade or the cooler until you're ready to use it.
-
Soak the bread
Add the bread cubes and gently fold until all are coated. Let them sit 5 minutes, folding once or twice, so the custard soaks in.
-
Build the packets
Tear off four 18-inch sheets of heavy-duty foil and rub the center of each with the butter. Divide the bread, any leftover custard, blueberries, and pecans among the sheets. Fold the foil over and crimp the edges tightly, leaving a little air space for steam.
-
Wash your hands
Wash your hands and the bowl with soap and water now that raw egg has touched them. Don't set cooked food on any surface the raw custard touched.
-
Cook the packets
Set the packets on the grate. Cook 18 to 22 minutes, rotating each packet and swapping hot and cool spots at about 10 minutes.
-
Check the temperature
Wearing gloves, lift one corner of a packet away from your face to let the steam out. Poke an instant-read thermometer into the center. It must read 160°F. If it's lower, reseal and cook 3 to 5 more minutes.
-
Serve from the foil
Let the packets rest 3 minutes, then open them fully. Drizzle with extra maple syrup and eat straight from the foil with a fork.
Trail Notes
At home, cube the bread and whisk the custard in a sealed jar. Keep the jar in the cooler at 40°F or below and use it within 2 days. Shake it well before pouring it over the bread.
Use sliced bananas, diced apples, or raspberries in place of the blueberries. Dairy-free milk works fine in the custard.
Keep the eggs and milk or custard on ice until the moment you mix. Don't let the soaked bread sit out for more than an hour before cooking.
Let the foil cool, then pack it out. Never bury it or leave it in the fire ring. Wash the bowl at least 200 feet from water and scatter strained wash water.
Campers ask
Can you make French toast in a foil packet over a campfire?
Yes. Cube the bread, soak it in an egg custard, and seal it in greased foil. It cooks over medium coals in about 20 minutes and comes out soft and set.
How do you know when egg foil packets are done?
The center should reach 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. The bread should look puffed and the custard should be set, not wet.
How do you keep foil packets from sticking?
Rub butter across the center of the foil before adding the food. Use heavy-duty foil, or double up regular foil, to stop tears and leaks.
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