Campfire Popcorn

Campfire popcorn is a fun and delicious snack to cook over an open fire.

Camping is a past time enjoyed by many people and one of the best things about camping is the food.  

There's nothing better than food cooked over a campfire....it just tastes better!

The unique flavoring added by the smoky wood can't be recreated in a microwave or on a stovetop.

Incorporate the relaxing atmosphere of a campsite with homemade popcorn and you have the perfect camping snack.

In fact, archeologists believe humans have been enjoying popcorn since 4700 BC.  

That's a long track record of a tasty treat!

You can buy popcorn cookers specifically designed for cooking popcorn over the open fire but it really isn't necessary.  

Some heavy duty aluminum foil, oil, salt and popcorn are all you need.

It's important to use heavy duty aluminum foil.  

If you try to use the standard type of foil it will just burn through when it's exposed to the heat.

If you don't have access to heavy duty foil, you'll can double or triple regular aluminum foil when cooking over a campfire, but the heavy duty grade works a lot better.

Do you want to add a little twist to the "original" popcorn recipe?  

Try adding some additional flavoring and see what you think.

Making Individual Popcorn Packets

We've been cooking popcorn at the campsite for a long time.  

Over the years I've found it's easier to pre-make the packets at home before you go camping.  

That way, when it's late at night and you're ready for popcorn, you can just toss the pre-made packets over the fire and you're done.  

It saves a lot of time and it's easier to create the packets in your clean kitchen as opposed to a dirty picnic table.

For individual packets of popcorn you will need the following supplies and ingredients:

1.  About 18 inches of heavy duty aluminum foil

2.  About 2 tablespoons of popcorn

3.  About 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of oil

4.  Salt to taste

5.  Traditional roasting stick

Lay out the aluminum foil and add the popcorn, oil and salt.  

Next, fold the corners of the foil together, folding them over a couple times to get a good seal.  

Make sure you don't wrap the foil too tight.  

You must leave room for the popcorn to expand when it's popped.  

Now, stick the end of a roasting stick into the folds of the aluminum foil at the top of your pouch.

Next, set the foil in the hot coals until you hear the oil sizzling and popcorn starting to pop.  

When you hear the oil sizzling, lift the pouch off the direct heat and start to gently shake it to prevent the corn from burning.

When cooking any campfire meal (including popcorn) you should always cook over coals and not over an open flame.  

The coals create an even cooking temperature and open flames can get too hot and burn the popcorn.

A campfire grill also works really well to elevate the tinfoil off the coals a few inches, helping to reduce the chances of burning the kernels.

It should only take a few seconds for the corn to finish popping.  

When you hear the popping slow or stop......your popcorn is done.  

Just be careful when opening the pouch because the steam will be very hot and it could burn you.

That's it.....your campfire popcorn is done and ready to eat.

Campfire Popcorn - Overall

Making campfire popcorn is really easy, especially if you pre-make the packets at home before you head out to the campsite.

Just remember to use heavy duty aluminum foil to prevent the foil from burning through and you'll have a delicious snack that only takes a few minutes to make.

About the Author

Nick Greenway

Obsessed with firewood, Nick is behind over 350+ of Firewood For Life's articles, as well as countless reviews, guides and YouTube videos to help readers like you reduce heating costs and create the perfect fire.