Garlic Butter Prawn Foil Parcels: The Campfire Dinner That Steams Itself

Garlic Butter Prawn Foil Parcels: The Campfire Dinner That Steams Itself Ten minutes in the coals, one parcel per person, and the sauce does all the work while you sit back and watch the fire. There is a special place in camp cooking for the foil parcel. No pan to scrub, no timing to stress over, no risk of a burnt dinner — just a sealed envelope of food that steams itself in the coals while you pour the first drink of the evening. Prawns are the best thing you can put in one, because they cook in the time it takes the butter to melt and the garlic to soften, and they pick up the smoky character of the fire like nothing else. This version is built around garlic butter, lemon and blistered cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes burst into the sauce, the prawns turn pink and sweet, and the juices that pool in the bottom of the parcel are the kind you mop up with crusty bread without apology. It is a dinner that tastes like it took effort, when it actually took about five minutes of wrapping. Ingredients Serves 4 - 800 g raw king prawns, peeled (tails left on — they hold the shape and look better on the plate) - 80 g butter, softened - 4 garlic cloves, crushed - 1 tsp smoked paprika - 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional) - 1 punnet (250 g) cherry tomatoes - 1 lemon — half juiced, half sliced - 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley - Salt and cracked black pepper - 4 sheets heavy-duty aluminium foil (or double-layered regular foil) Gear - Heavy-duty aluminium foil - Campfire with a good bed of coals (or a camp oven with coals on the lid) - Tongs for handling the parcels - A small bowl for the butter mix - Gloves or a cloth for opening the hot parcels How to make it Get the coals right. You want a bed of glowing coals, not flames — the parcels cook gently and evenly over coals, while flames will scorch the foil. If you're using a camp oven, arrange coals underneath and on the lid. Mix the butter. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, smoked paprika, chilli flakes if using, a good pinch of salt and plenty of cracked pepper. Build the parcels. Lay out the foil sheets. For each parcel, spread a quarter of the butter mix in the centre, pile on a quarter of the prawns, scatter over the cherry tomatoes and top with a slice or two of lemon and a sprinkle of parsley. Seal them properly. Bring the long edges of the foil together and fold them over twice, then fold in the ends to make a sealed parcel. You want it tight enough that no juice escapes, with a little air space inside for the steam to work. Into the coals. Sit the parcels directly on the coals or on the camp oven lid, seam side up. Cook for 8–10 minutes — the parcels will puff up as the steam builds. If the prawns are large, give them 12 minutes; the moment they're pink and firm, they're done. Rest for a minute. Pull the parcels out with tongs and let them sit for a minute before opening — the steam inside is fierce and the juice needs a moment to settle back into the prawns. Open and serve. Cut the foil open carefully (watch the steam), squeeze over the remaining lemon juice and a scatter of fresh parsley, and serve straight from the parcel. Crusty bread for mopping is non-negotiable. Camp tips - Prep at home: Make the butter mix at home and freeze it in a small container, or portion it into the parcels themselves and freeze the whole assembled parcel. Frozen parcels go straight into the coals and just need a couple of extra minutes. - Swap the protein: Whole fish fillets, chicken thigh strips or halved chorizo all work in the same parcel with the same butter. Keep the cooking time similar for fish, longer for chicken. - Don't overdo the prawns. They cook in minutes and go rubbery fast. When in doubt, pull the parcels early — residual heat finishes the job. - Bread is the side. A crusty loaf warmed at the edge of the fire is the only accompaniment this needs. Skip the pasta; the sauce is for mopping, not soaking. - Leftovers: Any leftover prawns make a great next-morning addition to a fry-up — chop them through scrambled eggs or toss through a cold salad for lunch. The closer Foil parcels are the ultimate low-effort camp dinner, but they rely on one thing: prawns that have stayed properly cold from the shop to the site. If you're running a 12V fridge or esky setup to keep your protein safe on the way out, the Outcamp 12V Accessories Collection has the power gear to keep everything cold and charged while you travel. What's your favourite thing to cook in a foil parcel? Share it in the comments below.