Breaded Asparagus Spears on the Grate
Fresh asparagus, breadcrumbs, and a foil pan over coals. A car-camping vegetable that isn't sad.
- calories
- 210
- weight
- 6 oz
- cal / oz
- 35
- protein
- 9 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 12 min
- total time
- 22 min
- water
- 15 ml cold
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Snack
- Dinner
- Grill grate
- Campfire coals
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Nut free
- Foil packet
- Pre-mix at home
- Needs a cooler
- Basic
Ingredients
| Asparagus | 1 lb | about 32 medium spears, thick ones hold up better |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 | |
| Water | 1 tbsp | |
| Panko breadcrumbs | 1/2 cup | |
| Plain breadcrumbs | 1/2 cup | |
| Everything bagel seasoning | 1 tbsp | or garlic powder, onion powder, poppy seeds, salt, pepper |
| Oil spray | as needed |
Method
- Snap the woody bottom inch off each spear. Dry them on a bandana or paper towel; wet spears steam instead of crisping.
- Beat the egg with the water in a mug or the bottom of a mess kit until it loosens up and foams a little.
- Shake the two breadcrumbs and the seasoning together in a bag or a bowl.
- Roll a few spears at a time through the egg, then through the crumbs, and lay them in a foil pan or on a doubled sheet of foil with the edges turned up.
- Keep them in one layer with gaps. Piled up, they steam and the coating slides off.
- Spray the tops with oil. Set the pan on the grate over coals that have gone grey, not over flames.
- Turn the spears at about six minutes. Give them another five or six until the crumbs are browned and a spear bends without snapping.
This started as an air fryer recipe, which is fine at home and useless in camp. A foil pan on a grate does the same job if you respect two things: dry spears and space between them. Moisture is what turns breadcrumbs into paste, and a crowded pan traps every bit of it.
The two breadcrumbs are doing different work. Panko gives the crunch, the fine crumbs fill the gaps and actually stick to the egg. Use only panko and half the coating ends up in the pan. Coals matter too. Flames scorch the crumbs long before the stalks are cooked, so wait until the fire has burned down.
Packing
Mix both breadcrumbs and the seasoning at home into one zip bag. Asparagus rides upright in the cooler with the cut ends in a little water. Carry the egg in a hard case or use a shelf-stable carton.
Variations
- No egg: whisk 2 tbsp of powdered egg with 3 tbsp water, or use a slurry of 1 tbsp flour and 2 tbsp water.
- A cast iron skillet with a tablespoon of oil works instead of the foil pan and browns harder.
- Grated parmesan in the crumb mix adds salt and holds the coating together.
https://domesticsuperhero.com/air-fryer-asparagus-fries-easy-recipe