15 Things You Can Cook on a Stick, Right Over the Campfire

The kebab should be king of the summer, whether you’re prepping for a camping trip or hosting a backyard bonfire with family and friends. When you marinate your food and then thread it on skewers for cooking over an open fire, it’s like activating a magical power that turns everything special. (Speaking from experience: I have seen kids who supposedly don’t like meat or vegetables suddenly devour them when they are presented on sticks.) And it can really be almost mess-free — besides a plastic bag for marinating and a tray for holding your assembled kebabs, you barely need more equipment. Better yet, you can skewer fruit or bits of custard-soaked bread for a sweet campfire treat, too. So, start soaking those skewers, baby… when you’re wondering what to pack, the answer should always be kebabs.

It’s no wonder that kebabs work so well: The vegetables pick up flavors from the meat but also insulate the meat a bit, to avoid drying out. The meat and veg are cut just the right size to char over the flame and be eaten right off the stick, if desired. Choose a cut of meat that doesn’t need long-cooking for tenderness, like the tenderloin called for here.

You’ll want to buy directly from the fishmonger, here, to ensure the proper size of salmon is cut for Valerie Bertinelli’s kebabs: Those 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks taste so meaty, while retaining a nice moistness. Onions and lemon slices impart so much wonderful flavor to the fish. The bright green herb sauce will bring brightness to each bite.

What’s not to love about kofta? For the uninitiated, it’s essentially a super-seasoned meatball on a stick. Though this recipe features the meatballs one-per-skewer, you can also prep for a trip by filling long skewers with multiple meatballs for easier grilling. Definitely include the tzatziki, whose cooling-spiced flavors really complement the meat, but plan for making it a day ahead, so that you have time to properly strain the yogurt.

We’re not sure if these are giving a little saltimbocca, with the combination of salty prosciutto with juicy chicken beneath, or if the cheese pull puts it more in the direction of a chicken Kiev, but we do know that it’s a lot of fun to come off the grill. Grape tomatoes in between each function almost like pop-up timers; when they’re split and blistered, chances are everything is done (although you may want to take a peek at the center of a chicken cube just to be sure!). A little fresh rosemary and garlic is the only seasoning needed, because that prosciutto is so flavorful, and bastes the chicken a bit as it cooks.

These pork kebabs gain a little Southeast Asian flair, with a coconut milk, lime juice and sriracha marinade. You can round these out by serving over rice for a filling meal, but we also love it as pictured here, served over lettuce leaves with chopped peanuts, cucumber and scallion. Go ahead and slide the skewers out so you can eat them like lettuce wraps.

This is the perfect after dinner treat when both strawberries and camping are at their seasonal peak. This fun twist on a classic campfire dessert is a happy marriage of strawberry fondue and gooey s’mores that will keep everyone in sticky bliss.

Potatoes tend to get short shrift in the summer, with the exception of potato salad. But that needn’t be the case, because they grill up great! Here, they mingle with steak chunks that have soaked up all the goodness of a balsamic marinade, and chunks of asparagus, to really close the deal on that steakhouse feel on a stick.

We love a simple Middle Eastern-style yogurt marinade on chicken; it tenderizes the meat and keeps it moist, but also helps impart the flavor of the spices deeply. These could round out so many kinds of meals. Serve over rice, with some lemony angel hair on the side, or just pop that kebab into a pita or hero bread and slide the meat off the skewer.

If you’ve opted for some all-meat kebabs, it’s good to have a vegetable go-with to turn to. Here, you have a complete grilled salad situation with marinated mushrooms, zucchini, peppers and onions. And don’t just confine them to skewer day: These work great alongside grilling hot dogs or hamburgers, chicken, swordfish, tuna — the sky’s the limit.

This is truly a one-and-done meal, particularly if you also have a rice cooker (no need to turn on a single burner or oven!). The chicken and vegetables gain so much flavor from an amped-up store-bought hoisin, which goes to that ideal place of caramelized char and saltiness on the grill. Add the rice, some rice noodles, or just some bread, and voila.

This Chinese-inspired marinade might just become your new go-to. Chinese five-spice powder imparts that subtle licoricey note, while scallions, ginger, garlic and sesame oil combine in an irresistible way. We love this over rice, with a cloud of fresh cilantro over top.

No one will expect French toast for breakfast when you’re camping, which is what makes pulling this recipe off so much fun. The trick is in the plan-ahead: You’ll want to whisk together your custard mixture (and an ice pack) ahead of time, get your bread cubes on skewers, and be sure to pack plenty of foil and cooking spray to aid with getting everything prepped. And definitely do not forget the maple syrup.

Oh, how we love a tri-tip, which takes marinades like a dream and grills up to such flavorful perfection. If you’ve never cut one down into cubes or slices, be sure to note how it has two parts; you’ll want to cut them apart first, then cut each against the grain, for maximum tenderness. This marinade calls to mind that sticky sweet-and salty complexity of Korean barbecue, also with not one, but two forms of onion in between each chunk.

We’re going to toot our own horn here: This is a genius move. To enjoy your turkey clubs on the go, marinate, then prepare your skewers, complete with bacon wraps; assemble the dressing, and get your lettuce leaves and tomatoes into a resealable plastic bag lined with paper towels. At campsite, transfer the dressing, then veg, to the buns, grill the skewers, and then de-skewer them right on the buns.