Campfire Skillet Bacon-Wrapped Almond-Stuffed Dates
Tuck an almond into each date, wrap it in half a slice of bacon and pin it with a toothpick. Cook in a cast-iron skillet over medium coals or a medium-low camp stove flame, turning every 3 to 4 minutes, until the bacon is deep brown and crisp on all sides. Total time is about 30 minutes.
Sweet, salty, smoky and crunchy, in three ingredients. The bacon renders its own fat, so you don't need oil. The dates turn soft and sticky inside.
They're easy to pass around the fire and easy to make for a crowd. Keep the bacon cold until you cook, and give the dates a few minutes to cool. The caramelized filling stays very hot.
Campfire Skillet Bacon-Wrapped Almond-Stuffed Dates
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals or medium-low flame
- Pack weight
- 1 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Low water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
Gear you'll need
- 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- campfire grate or camp stove
- tongs
- wooden toothpicks
- cutting board and knife
- heat-safe plate
- sealable container for bacon grease
Steps
-
Set up a clean station
Keep the bacon in the cooler until you're ready to wrap. Use a dedicated cutting board or plate for raw bacon, and keep it away from the dates and almonds until they're wrapped.
-
Stuff the dates
If a date isn't already split, slit it lengthwise and open it like a pocket. Tuck one almond inside and press the sides closed.
-
Wrap with bacon
Wrap each stuffed date in half a slice of bacon, stretching it slightly. Pin the overlap with a toothpick pushed all the way through. Wash your hands after handling the raw bacon.
-
Heat the skillet
Set a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium coals on a grate, or on a stove burner at medium-low. Let it warm for 2 minutes. Add no oil.
-
Start seam side down
Place the wrapped dates in the skillet with the bacon seam facing down. Leave a little space between them. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the seam is set and browning.
-
Turn and crisp
Turn each date a quarter turn with tongs every 3 to 4 minutes, until all sides are deep brown and crisp. Expect 12 to 16 minutes total. If the bacon browns too fast or the fat flares up, slide the skillet to a cooler spot.
-
Cool and serve
Move the dates to a plate and let them cool 3 to 5 minutes. The filling is very hot. Eat with the toothpicks in, and watch for the points.
-
Handle the grease
Let the skillet and the grease cool. Pour the grease into a sealable container to pack out, and wipe the skillet with a paper towel.
Trail Notes
Stuff and wrap the dates at home, then pack them in a sealed container in the cooler at 40°F or below. Cook within 24 hours. Raw bacon should never sit out at camp.
Cook the bacon until it's browned and crisp all over. That's well past the 145°F safe temperature for pork. Don't judge by color alone if the bacon looks pale in spots. Keep turning.
Dates have a lot of sugar and will scorch over high heat. If you smell burning sugar, pull the skillet off the heat for a minute and lower the flame or move it to the edge of the coals.
Never pour bacon grease on the ground or into the fire pit. It draws animals and leaves a mess. Let it cool, seal it in a container and pack it out. Burn or pack out the toothpicks too.
Campers ask
Can I cook bacon-wrapped dates over a campfire without a skillet?
Yes, but the grease drips and flares up. A skillet catches the fat and gives even browning. If you use a grate, keep the dates over medium-low coals and watch for flare-ups.
Why do my bacon-wrapped dates burn before the bacon crisps?
The heat is too high. Dates are full of sugar and scorch fast, so use medium-low heat, turn often and use thin-cut bacon.
How do I keep bacon from unwrapping on the fire?
Start with the seam side down and pin it with a toothpick pushed through the overlap. Stretch the bacon slightly as you wrap so it grips the date.
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