Campfire Chili Mac Burritos in Foil with Cheddar, Salsa and Sour Cream
Brown ground beef in a Dutch oven over medium coals, then simmer elbow macaroni right in the chili sauce for about 12 minutes until thick. Stir in cheddar, cool the filling for a few minutes, roll it in warm tortillas and wrap each one in foil. Heat the packets on a grate 5 to 6 minutes per side. The whole dinner takes about 55 minutes.
Chili mac is great in a bowl, but it's messy when you're eating by the fire. Rolled into a burrito, it's a hand-held dinner. The macaroni cooks in the chili sauce, so you only need one pot. The filling thickens up enough to stay put in a tortilla.
The foil packets keep everything hot while you finish cooking, and the cheese melts into the filling. Pass the salsa and sour cream and let people build their own. Leftover filling is good over chips the next morning.
Campfire Chili Mac Burritos in Foil with Cheddar, Salsa and Sour Cream
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals
- Pack weight
- 5 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- No stove
- Some water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 5 to 6 qt Dutch oven with lid
- Grill grate or campfire grate
- Heavy-duty foil
- Long-handled spoon
- Tongs
- Heat-proof gloves
- Cutting board and knife
- Can opener
- Empty can for grease
- Cast-iron skillet (optional, for crisping)
Steps
-
Brown the beef
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven set on a grate over medium coals. Add the beef and break it up with a spoon. Cook 6 to 8 minutes until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Spoon off extra grease into an empty can.
-
Cook the vegetables
Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and paprika. Cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
-
Simmer the macaroni
Add the tomato sauce, beans, water and dry macaroni. Stir well, cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes. Stir every 2 to 3 minutes so the pasta doesn't stick. Add a splash of water if it gets dry.
-
Stir in cheese
When the macaroni is tender and the sauce is thick, take the pot off the heat. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar. Season with salt and pepper. Let the filling cool 5 to 10 minutes so it doesn't tear the tortillas.
-
Warm the tortillas
Wrap the tortillas in a foil sheet and set them at the edge of the coals for 2 minutes. Warm tortillas bend without cracking.
-
Roll the burritos
Spoon about 3/4 cup filling onto each tortilla and top with a sprinkle of the remaining cheddar. Fold in the sides, roll tight and wrap each burrito in a sheet of heavy-duty foil with the seam down.
-
Heat the packets
Set the packets on a grate over medium coals. Heat 5 to 6 minutes per side, turning with tongs, until hot all the way through. Filling that was made ahead should reach 165°F.
-
Crisp and serve
Unwrap the burritos. For crispy edges, brown them 1 to 2 minutes per side in an oiled skillet. Top with salsa, sour cream and scallions.
Trail Notes
Cook the filling at home up to 2 days ahead and cool it fast. Pack it in the cooler at 40°F or below. At camp, reheat it in the Dutch oven until steaming, then roll and wrap. You can also roll and foil the burritos at home, freeze them, and use them as ice packs for the first day.
Keep raw beef in the coldest part of the cooler, below 40°F, and cook it within a day or two of packing. Wash your hands and the spoon before you touch tortillas or cheese. Don't leave leftover filling out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in hot weather.
Skip the beef and use a second can of beans plus 1 cup of frozen corn for a vegetarian version. Add a little more oil in step 1. Ground turkey works too, cooked to 165°F.
Cool the leftover grease in a can and pack it out. Don't pour it on the ground or in the fire ring. Strain dishwater through a bandana and scatter it well away from camp and water.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
BreakfastDutch Oven Sausage, Potato and Egg Breakfast Bake
LunchCampfire Greek Chicken Foil Packets with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Feta
Snack or treatDutch Oven Maple Rosemary Roasted Mixed NutsMore one-burner camping meals →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
Can you cook the macaroni right in the chili for burritos?
Yes. Simmer the dry pasta in the tomato sauce and water, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes and stir often. The starch thickens the sauce so the filling holds together in a tortilla.
How do you keep campfire burritos from tearing?
Cool the filling for 5 to 10 minutes and warm the tortillas first. Don't overfill: about 3/4 cup per 10-inch tortilla is plenty. Fold in the sides before you roll.
Can you make chili mac burritos ahead and freeze them?
Yes. Roll them, wrap each in foil and freeze. Thaw them in the cooler for about 24 hours, then heat on the grate 6 to 8 minutes per side until they reach 165°F.
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