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5 Easy Meals To Make While Overlanding
5 Easy Meals To Make While Overlanding
5 easy meals you will actually want to cook while overlanding...
Whether you’ve got the ultimate best or the most basic overland kitchen, cooking on the road will continue to be a headache if your planning isn’t up to par. We know – most of us just want to turn the key of our Cruiser and get exploring. That’s why we’ve compiled 5 of our favourite recipes that ensure you’ll eat well out there, have the minimum washing up to do, and not have to spend too much of your precious travel time on cooking.
These recipes double as a meal plan, so with our shopping list at the bottom of the article, you’ll be able to shop ingredients to use up throughout the recipes in this article, meaning that you’re not hauling around half-full bags of food that were only partially used for one dinner. If all goes well, by the end of your trip, your camp fridge should be near empty!
To be able to recreate all of the recipes in this article, the only kitchen equipment needed will be a large cast iron pot, gas stove or campfire, a braai grid, and a jaffle pan. Of course, having an array of kitchen gear will make your overland journey significantly easier, but these recipes were tried and tested to make the beginner and the expert’s mouth water, so let’s get cooking!
1. Deconstructed Pepper Steak Pie
You will need:
- 1kg beef, cubed
- 2 onions, chopped
- 200g/half a pack mushrooms, chopped
- 250g/one quarter of a bag baby potatoes, chopped
- 750ml water
- 1 beef stock cube
- (optional) 4 tablespoons/60ml flour
- Black pepper
- Salt
- 400g puff pastry
- 1 egg
Instructions:
For the filling:
- Heat some oil in a large pot.
- Fry the beef cubes in the oil until lightly browned and place them in a separate bowl.
- In additional oil, fry the onions and mushrooms until cooked.
- Add the beef back into the onions and mushrooms with potatoes, water, stock cube and seasonings.
- Gently stir until the stock cube is dissolved.
- Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until all ingredients are cooked and tender.
- Add the flour to thicken the sauce and let simmer for another two minutes.
For the crust:
- Allow your puff pastry to defrost throughout the day.
- While the filling is cooking, mix an egg with some water to dilute.
- Give the pastry a light egg wash and roll out onto the braai grid.
- Braai for 2 minutes or until brown on each side.
- Cut into finger pieces.
Serve the filling hot in a bowl with the crust to the side or on top. To save on washing up, skip the utensils and dip crust directly into the filling.
2. Boerewors Braai Buns
You will need:
- 1kg boerewors
- 1 tin tomato relish
- 1 pack of diced bacon
- Worcestershire sauce (measure with the heart)
- 8 large bread rolls (we suggest paninis)
- Butter spread
- 500g/half a bag baby potatoes
For the buns:
- Twist the boerewors into meatball-sized sections. Alternatively, braai the wors and cut into pieces.
- Heat some oil in a pot, fry the diced bacon, and brown the wors on high heat.
- Once the wors is browned, add a whole tin of tomato relish and season with Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Simmer until the wors is cooked through.
- Cut a relatively thin section off the top of each bread bun and save the “lid” for later.
- Scoop some bread out of the buns to hollow them out, and spread butter on the inside.
- Toast the buns butter side down on the braai until crispy.
For the potatoes:
- On a sheet of foil, generously spread butter and heavily salt the spread. Leave about a 5cm border on each side to fold later.
- Cut potatoes in half and place skin-up on the buttered foil.
- Fold the foil inward to create a border – this will keep the butter from spilling once it melts.
- Place the sheet directly on the braai grid and braai until tender.
Serve the wors and relish in the hollowed-out buns and top with the crust “lid”. Serve potatoes on the side.
Bonus recipe idea: in the rare case of leftovers, add a fried egg and some tomato boeries onto a roosterkoek for an easy overland breakfast.
3. Fire-Baked Nachos
You will need:
- 2 bags of nacho chips (any corn chips work)
- 500g mince
- 250g cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 3-4 fresh jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced
- 100g frozen sweetcorn
- 200g cream cheese
- 100g grated cheddar cheese (or any other hard cheese)
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chili flakes
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
Instructions:
- In a large pot, heat some oil and cook the mince with some Worcestershire sauce and half a teaspoon of each seasoning.
- Once the mince is ready, remove from the pot and place the nacho chips in the bottom of the pot.
- Start layering the cooked mince, cherry tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, corn, and cheese onto the chips.
- Place the lid on the pot and nestle between the embers. Pack some embers on the lid as well to establish even heating.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Serve hot with some fresh avocado or sour cream and coriander leaves as garnish.
4. Potato and Egg Breakfast Bake
You will need:
- 250g/one quarter of a bag baby potatoes, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 200g/half a pack mushrooms, chopped
- 150g frozen sweetcorn
- 5 eggs
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions:
- Heavily salt the chopped potatoes in a bowl and leave overnight to draw out some moisture.
- In a pot or deep-dish pan, fry the onion, mushrooms, and sweetcorn over high heat in a little oil.
- Once cooked, add in the potatoes and mix through.
- Create 5 “seats” in the veggie mixture for the eggs using a spoon.
- Crack each of the eggs into a seat and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the dish on medium heat for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Serve as a side dish or hearty breakfast.
5. Marshmallow & Nutella Dessert Jaffles
You will need:
- 1 bag of marshmallows
- 1 jar of Nutella
- 1 loaf of white bread
- Butter spread
Instructions:
- Start heating your jaffle pan over the gas or fire.
- Cut the marshmallows in half, length wise.
- Between 2 slices of bread, generously spread Nutella and add marshmallow slices on top of that.
- Spread some butter on the outside of the bread for a crispy, golden jaffle.
- Use the jaffle pan as a press to seal the edges of the sandwich.
- Allow for at least 2 minutes of medium heat on each side to ensure even melting.
Serve hot.
What to shop (excluding seasonings):
- 1kg cubed beef
- 1kg boerewors
- 500g mince
- 1 pack/200g diced bacon
- 6 eggs
- 1kg baby potatoes
- 3 white onions
- 250g cherry tomatoes
- 1 tin tomato relish
- 1 large/400g pack of mushrooms
- 1 pack fresh jalapeno peppers
- 100g frozen sweetcorn
- 200g cream cheese
- 100g cheddar cheese
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 roll/400g puff pastry
- 8 large bread rolls
- 1 loaf white bread
- 1 jar Nutella
- 1 bag marshmallows
- *each recipe serves 4
In conclusion
Overlanding can be made easier and more enjoyable with the right food planning and preparation. The 5 easy meals provided in this article are a great start for anyone looking to have delicious, fulfilling meals while on the road. With ingredients that can easily be found and simple cooking methods using basic kitchen equipment, you’ll be able to save time, reduce waste, and enjoy the journey.
