Special Camping Potatoes

While we stood in the grocery store parking lot on Friday morning trying to whip together a shopping list for the weekend, Michael’s big brother David requested that we pick up the ingredients for his famous camping potatoes.  When he listed butter and cream cheese as the main attractions we couldn’t really say no now could we?!

When dinner time rolled around, David set up his assembly line on the picnic table and we watched him get things together while the rest of us prepped steaks, mushrooms and corn.  Nothing like a fully barbecue-able meal!

I think we used an entire roll of aluminum foil this weekend.  Um, and a pound of butter.  We saved dishes.  Not calories.

David says he makes these on pretty much every camping trip he goes on.  They started out being cooked in a campfire but now that he travels with a barbecue that works just fine too.

These would be super easy to prepare in advance (just wrap that foil good and tight) if you weren’t traveling with two fully equipped kitchens like we were.

Brother David’s Special Camping Potatoes

Yields 4 servings, 1 potato per person

(for the record, I could only eat half)

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sized baking potatoes
• 2 medium sized onions, peeled and cut into thick rings
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• seasoned salt (like Hy’s or Lawry’s)
• pepper
• optional: 1/2 cup sour cream
• lots of tin foil

Directions:

1. Preheat your barbecue or oven (400 degrees, give or take) or prepare your campfire.
2. Scrub and dry the potatoes.  Cut off the ends of the potatoes and discard (or repurpose).  Slice the potatoes into approximately 1 inch slices (probably 3 pieces per potato).
3. Lay out a sheet of tin foil for each potato, shiny side in, and work on top of these one potato at a time.  In between the slices, carefully layer equal parts butter and cream cheese.  Add a ring of onions between each section, using the butter and cream cheese as ‘glue’ to hold everything together.
4. If using sour cream, include with the butter and cream cheese layers.
5. Sprinkle liberally with seasoned salt and pepper.
6. Wrap each potato individually in foil, then add a second sheet of foil, wrapping to ensure no juices will escape.  Use three pieces if you are worried.
7. Cook for approximately 40 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes.  Don’t worry, they can’t really be overcooked.  When you can poke a fork through the foil and into the soft potato you are good to go.

Be careful when you unwrap as there will be all kinds of steam and juicy deliciousness going on.  Serve alongside grilled corn and steak, and don’t think about the amount of buttery goodness you are about to consume.

Happy camping!