Trail Chef: Cook Bacon & Eggs ... in a bag!

Check out our video tutorial on this unique campfire cooking technique.

This week on Trail Chef, it wasn't enough to simply tell you about a whiz-bang, impress-your-friends camp recipe. Nope, this time, we'll show you in our first Trail Chef video. Check it out here, and come away with a skill that'll make you the talk of the campfire: cooking bacon and eggs in a paper bag.

It sounds crazy, but it's completely possible to whip up a hearty breakfast for carnivores with just a fire, a bag, and a stick. And the bag won't even flirt with burning (thanks, bacon grease!). True, you'll get your hands dirty. True, you might be left unsatisfied if you like your bacon extra-crispy. But you just haven't lived until you've experienced the sensation that comes from opening a toasty bag of breakfast goodness and digging in.

Try it this weekend—all you need is a lunch bag, some eggs, and thick-cut bacon. Here's how to do it:

—Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan

PRINT THIS PAGE EMAIL THIS PAGE RSS FEED

Digg Delicious Yahoo Facebook Reddit StumbleUpon Google Newsvine Facebook Twitter

READERS COMMENTS

I've done the eggs in a "baggie" trick too -- use freezer bags otherwise it will melt in the boiling water. If you're concerned about chemicals leaching out of the plastic, Packit Gourmet has food safe boil-in bags.
Posted: Oct 20, 2011 Keith

For you plastic bag users be aware that according to the manufacturer these are NOT intended for use in this manner and boiling the bag will cause the plastic to leach into your food and this is NOT good. If you don't boil in the bag then it's safe to use for storage.

Apparently there are bags made for this but I haven't look for them, nor run into them. I'm sure they will be more expensive, but I would like to pass on that this could be unsafe especially for youngsters trying to find an easy way to a meal.

I've never done this for this reason.
Posted: Oct 15, 2011 artmart

Another fun thing: Try cooking an egg in an orange peel. Use the peel as a cup for the egg & place it in your cooking fire.
One of the OLD Boy Scout Fieldbooks is a good place to look for all kinds of ideas - including campfire cooking -
Posted: Oct 15, 2011 Bob M

We use this when we camp, 2 eggs and whatever extras into a sealable sandwich baggie (carryout). Insure that all of the air is out of the bag, after squeezing the bag to mix it all up you boil it for 6 min. and you have a good size omelet that will fall out of the bag onto a plate easily, its can be frozen to have on the next days hike before you leave.
Posted: Jan 31, 2010 5dpman

Richard, we took an egg and put in that paper dixie cup and boiled it. The Cub Scouts thought that was way cool.
Posted: Oct 15, 2009 Mitchel

I really like the idea of cooking in paper.
The NY Times actually wrote an article in 1911 extolling the virtues of cooking in paper.
Even King George V of England (1910-1936) was served a mealed cooked entirely in paper.
The only suggestion I would make is to use parchment paper as certain brown paper bags may contain glues and ink that you don't want to ingest.
By the way a good way to wet your feet in this style of cooking is to take a paper dixie cup and put it on an outdoor grill and watch the water boil and the paper not burn.
Richard Wiese
Author "born to Explore"
Posted: May 15, 2009 Richard Wiese

Good Idea, I'll have to try that! If you get a chance, check out my blog. http://campingtrail.net
Posted: May 09, 2009 Everett

Nice touch with the video. Looks tasty.
Posted: May 08, 2009 Dasaan