Hook
Some camp mornings need a cooked breakfast, and some need a cooked breakfast that does not demand a single pan. These foil parcels are the second kind. Bacon, egg, potato and cheese sealed in heavy-duty foil, dropped into the coal bed, and forgotten about while you pack the swag, roll the awning and fill the water tanks.
By the time the camp is half packed, you have a steaming parcel of golden egg, crispy bacon and soft potato in each hand. No frying pan to scrape, no hotplate to wipe, no dishes at all — just foil that folds into the bin bag. It is the perfect winter camp breakfast for a travel day or a big day on the tracks.
What you need
Ingredients (makes 4 parcels, serves 4)
- 8 rashers middle bacon, roughly chopped
- 6 eggs, lightly whisked
- 2 large potatoes (desiree or brushed), scrubbed and diced into 1.5 cm cubes
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 cup grated tasty cheese
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into small cubes
- Salt, cracked pepper and a pinch of dried chilli (optional)
- Heavy-duty foil — 4 large sheets, about 40 cm long each
Gear
- A fire with a good bed of even coals (or a gas stove and a hotplate as backup)
- Tongs and a heatproof glove or two
- Sharp knife and chopping board
- Small bowl or drink bottle for the whisked egg
How to make it
- Par-cook the potato: simmer the diced cubes in salted water for 5–6 minutes, then drain well. This step is what guarantees soft, cooked potatoes inside the parcel instead of crunchy ones. (Do it the night before at home and keep the cubes in the Engel.)
- Lay out the four large foil sheets, shiny side up. Divide the potato, onion and bacon between the centres of each sheet.
- Pour the whisked egg over each pile — about one and a half eggs per parcel — then top with the grated cheese and a couple of butter cubes.
- Season with salt and pepper, plus chilli if you like a bit of heat. Fold the foil into a tight parcel: bring the two long edges together, fold them over twice, then roll the ends in. Leave a little air inside so the parcel puffs up.
- Nestle the parcels into the coal bed, seam side up. Cook for 12–15 minutes, rotating each parcel once halfway. You will hear them sizzle as the egg sets.
- Check one parcel by opening a corner: the egg should be just set and the potato soft. If it is still runny, move the parcel to the edge of the coal bed for 3–4 more minutes.
- Rest for 2 minutes, then open the parcel carefully — the steam is fierce. Eat straight from the foil with a fork.
Camp tips
- Prep at home: dice the potato and onion the night before and keep them in a snap-lock bag in the Engel. Whisk the eggs into a small drink bottle and pour straight from the bottle at camp — one less bowl to carry.
- Swaps: leftover snags or sliced ham work instead of bacon. Add chopped capsicum or mushrooms if they are kicking around in the esky.
- No coals? Cook the parcels on a hotplate over the gas stove on medium heat, turning every few minutes. They take about the same time and come out just as good.
- Leftovers: if a parcel survives, it reheats well on the grate for a quick second breakfast — or chop it into a wrap for lunch on the road.
- Pairing: serve with thick toast or a wedge of damper and a big pot of tea.
The closer
This is the breakfast that pays you back in packing time — you assemble it in five minutes, the coals cook it while you break camp, and you eat it with nothing to wash afterwards. It is the sort of simple, forgiving camp cooking that belongs on every winter trip, whether you are heading out for a long weekend or a month on the tracks. And while the parcels bubble away, the rest of your touring setup looks after itself — Outcamp's 4WD and camping range carries the gear to keep camp sorted from departure to pack-down.
Happy camp cooking — see you out there.
