Foil Pouch Campfire Popcorn
Two tablespoons of kernels, a square of foil, and a fire you already built.
- calories
- 230
- weight
- 1.2 oz
- cal / oz
- 192
- protein
- 3 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 3 min
- cook
- 5 min
- total time
- 8 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Snack
- Campfire coals
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Backpacking
- Canoe / raft
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- Foil packet
- Grab and go
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Popcorn kernels | 2 tbsp | |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable oil | 1 tbsp | a single-serve packet saves carrying a bottle |
| Heavy-duty foil | 15-inch square | heavy-duty only, standard foil tears |
| Wire or string | about 2 feet | |
| Salt | to taste |
Method
- Get a fire down to steady flame and coals. You want heat, not a bonfire.
- Press the center of the foil square over your fist to form a deep pocket. Put the oil and kernels in the bottom.
- Gather the foil into a loose bag and twist the neck shut. Leave real headroom inside; the corn needs somewhere to expand.
- Tie the wire around the neck and the other end to a green stick or a branch.
- Hold the bag over the fire and keep it moving. It starts popping in a couple of minutes.
- Pull it off when the pops slow to a few seconds apart. Open the neck away from your face, salt it, and eat out of the bag.
Popcorn is the cheapest volume-per-ounce snack you can carry. Two tablespoons of kernels weigh almost nothing and come back as a couple of quarts of food, which is the whole reason it earns space in a pack.
The foil bag does two jobs: it holds the oil against the kernels and it traps steam so the corn pops instead of just toasting. The failure modes are both about geometry. Too little headroom and the popped corn crushes itself against the foil, so the rest never gets hot enough. Too still over the fire and the bottom kernels scorch before the top ones go. Keep it swinging, and pull it off early rather than late.
Packing
Kernels in a small bag, oil packet tucked in with them, foil folded flat against the inside of your pack. Wire lives with the foil so you do not go looking for it in the dark.
Variations
- Swap salt for a pinch of the seasoning you already carry: chili powder, curry, nutritional yeast.
- A little sugar in with the oil turns it into kettle corn, but it scorches fast, so keep the bag higher.
- No wire? Set the bag directly on the coals and shake it with a stick, checking often.
https://trailcooking.com/snacks/campfire-popcorn