Dutch Oven Sausage, Potato and Egg Breakfast Bake
Brown breakfast sausage and diced potatoes in a 12-inch Dutch oven over medium coals, about 20 minutes. Pour in whisked eggs, add cheese, put the lid on and bake with coals on top and underneath for 20 to 25 minutes, until the eggs are set and the sausage reads 160°F. Total time is about 55 minutes.
This is a big, filling breakfast for a group. Everything cooks in one pot, so you wash one thing. The Dutch oven gives you the even heat that a skillet over a fire never quite does.
The key is coal control. Start with the potatoes and sausage on bottom heat, then add coals to the lid so the eggs set evenly instead of scorching on the bottom. Keep the raw sausage and eggs cold until you cook.
Dutch Oven Sausage, Potato and Egg Breakfast Bake
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Heat
- Medium coals, bottom and top
- Pack weight
- 6 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- No stove
- Low water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
Gear you'll need
- 12-inch Dutch oven with lid
- Lid lifter
- Heat-resistant gloves
- Charcoal briquettes or a fire with coals
- Long-handled spoon
- Cutting board and knife
- Large bowl or pot for whisking
- Whisk or fork
- Instant-read thermometer
Steps
-
Prep the coals
Light 25 to 30 charcoal briquettes or burn a fire down to a bed of coals. You want steady medium heat, not flames.
-
Brown the sausage
Set a 12-inch Dutch oven on a ring of about 10 coals or a grate over the coals. Add the oil and sausage, break it up, and cook 8 minutes until no pink remains. Scoop out half the grease if there is a lot.
-
Cook the potatoes
Add the potatoes, onion, bell pepper, paprika, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until a potato cube is tender when poked with a fork.
-
Whisk the eggs
In a pot or large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt. Wash your hands after handling the raw eggs.
-
Add eggs and cheese
Level the potato mixture in the oven. Pour the eggs evenly over it and sprinkle on the cheese.
-
Bake with top heat
Put the lid on. Pull the pot off direct heat if it is too hot, then place about 8 coals underneath and 14 to 16 on the lid. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
-
Check for doneness
Lift the lid with a lid lifter. The eggs should be set in the center with no liquid, and the bake should read 160°F in the center. Give it 5 more minutes if needed.
-
Rest and serve
Let it sit covered for 5 minutes off the heat. Top with green onion and scoop out wedges with a spoon.
Trail Notes
Dice the potatoes, onion and pepper at home and pack them in a zip bag. Crack the eggs into a leak-proof bottle with the milk so you can pour them in at camp.
Keep the sausage and eggs at 40°F or below until you cook. Store raw sausage in a sealed bag on the bottom of the cooler, away from ready-to-eat food. Eat leftovers within 2 hours or toss them.
Use diced ham, already cooked, in place of sausage and skip the browning step. Add it with the potatoes. Pepper jack works well in place of cheddar.
Use an existing fire ring and pack out cooled briquettes or ash if rules require it. Wipe the pot clean and carry out food scraps and grease. Do not dump grease on the ground.
Campers ask
How many coals do I need for a 12-inch Dutch oven?
For about 350°F, use roughly 8 coals under and 16 on top. Use fewer on the bottom when the eggs go in so they do not scorch.
Can I make this over a campfire with no briquettes?
Yes. Burn hardwood down to glowing coals, shovel some under the pot and pile some on the lid. Check the eggs a few minutes early since wood coals vary.
How do I keep eggs from sticking in a Dutch oven?
Use a well-seasoned pot and enough oil to coat the bottom. The sausage fat and potatoes also form a layer between the eggs and the metal.
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