Campfire Charred Lemon Honey Tea with Rosemary
Char lemon halves cut-side down on a grate over medium coals for 4 to 5 minutes, then bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a pot on the fire. Steep black tea and rosemary in the hot water for 4 minutes, then stir in honey and squeeze in the charred lemon juice. It takes about 25 minutes and serves 6.
Charring a lemon over the fire turns the juice sweet, a little smoky and less sharp. Pair it with strong black tea, honey and a sprig of rosemary, and you get a warm mug that suits a cold morning or a late night by the coals.
It uses one pot and a few pantry items, and the lemons don't need a cooler. Add a splash of bourbon for the adults if you like, but it tastes good without it.
Campfire Charred Lemon Honey Tea with Rosemary
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals
- Pack weight
- 2 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- No cooler needed
- No stove
- Some water
- One-pan cleanup
- Shelf-stable
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- Fire grate
- 3 to 4 qt pot with lid
- Long tongs
- Heat-proof gloves
- Ladle
- 6 heat-safe mugs
- Knife and small cutting board
Steps
-
Make a coal bed
Burn the fire down until you have glowing coals with only small flames. Set a grate over the coals and let it heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
-
Char the lemons
Place the lemon halves cut-side down on the grate. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, until the cut faces are deeply browned with a few black spots.
-
Boil the water
Pour the water into your pot, cover it and set it on the grate beside the lemons. Bring it to a full boil, about 10 to 12 minutes. If your water came from a stream or lake, boil it for at least 1 minute (3 minutes above 6,500 feet).
-
Steep the tea
Move the pot off the heat with gloves on. Add the tea bags and rosemary, cover, and steep for 4 minutes. Longer steeping turns the tea bitter.
-
Squeeze and sweeten
Remove the tea bags and rosemary. Squeeze the juice from the charred lemons into the pot, using tongs to hold them and keeping the seeds out. Stir in the honey until it dissolves, then taste and add more if you want.
-
Add the spirit
If you're using bourbon, stir it in now, after the pot is off the heat. Skip this step for kids or anyone who doesn't drink.
-
Ladle and serve
Ladle the tea into mugs while it's hot. Float a charred lemon half in the pot to keep the flavor strong for refills.
Trail Notes
Whole lemons keep for days without a cooler. You can halve them at camp, so there's no cutting or packing of juice beforehand. Keep the honey in a squeeze bottle so it doesn't leak.
Use decaf or an herbal tea like ginger or rooibos for an evening mug. Maple syrup works in place of honey. Don't give honey to children under 1 year old.
This recipe never needs one. Everything on the list stays fine in a dry bin or bag, so it works on longer trips too.
Pack out the tea bags, rosemary and lemon rinds. Don't leave them in the fire ring. Strain any leftover tea and scatter it at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails.
Campers ask
Can you char lemons without a grate?
Yes. Set them cut-side down in a dry cast-iron skillet on the coals, or put them directly on a flat bed of hot ash for 2 to 3 minutes, then brush off the ash.
How long do you char lemons over a campfire?
About 4 to 5 minutes over medium coals. You want deep brown cut faces. If they turn fully black, the juice gets bitter.
Can I make this tea ahead of time at camp?
You can brew it up to an hour ahead and keep it in a covered pot near the fire so it stays hot. Remove the tea bags and rosemary first so it doesn't turn bitter.
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