Caprese Brie around the Campfire

It’s time to glamp up your camping menu and enjoy some Caprese Brie around the campfire!

What is caprese brie around the campfire? It’s a wheel of brie that is placed in a cast iron skillet, surrounded by tomatoes, and heated over coals until the brie is melted, and the tomatoes are blistered. Then, you sprinkle some fresh basil, maybe picked from your own garden, and drizzle some balsamic glaze over the goodness. Serve with some fresh baguette and enjoy!

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Does it have to be “around the campfire?” Definitely not! So many of our “camping” recipes can easily be made over a fire, on the grill, or even in the oven if your plans must change. This means that even if you are camping somewhere in which you can’t have fire, or if it is pouring down rain, as long as you have another heat source, we encourage you to try any of our many tasty camping recipes.

What we love about Caprese Brie:

• Simple list of ingredients
• Fresh flavors
• Heat it over various sources

The Ingredients for Caprese Brie:

• Olive Oil
• Brie
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Kosher Salt
• Fresh Basil
• Balsamic Glaze
• Baguette

The Process for making Caprese Brie:

1. Start your campfire or heat up your grill so that your heat source is ready. If using wood or charcoal, let the flames die out prior to cooking your food.
2. (Optional) Preheat your cast iron skillet over the fire while getting your supplies ready.
3. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half.
4. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of your cast iron skillet.
5. Place wheel of brie in the middle of the skillet and top it with the halved tomatoes, allowing them to spill around the sides as well.
6. Add a good sprinkling of kosher salt.
7. Set the cast iron skillet on a grate over the fire and allow it to cook until the brie has puffed up and the tomatoes have blistered (roughly 20 minutes).
8. Pull the skillet off the fire and sprinkle it with some fresh chiffonaded basil. Then drizzle it with some balsamic glaze.
9. Serve with baguette slices, assorted crackers, and/or fresh veggies.

FAQ:

Q: What is brie?

A: Brie is a soft cow’s milk cheese from the French region of Brie. It has a pale color with an edible rind of white mold. The taste can be described as being a “fruity hazelnut” and for straight eating it pairs well with Champagne, red Bordeaux, or Burgundy wines.

Q: Are there substitutes for brie?

A: Yes, camembert is probably the easiest choice if you are looking for a substitute. It is also a soft cheese from France, albeit a bit spicier. Another cheese is reblochon although I don’t see it very often. It too comes from France and is made from cow’s milk. Last suggestion, although we have not personally tasted it, would be coulommiers. Some say it is brie’s ancestor.

Q: How should I store brie before using it?

A: Because brie is a soft cheese bacteria can spread rapidly if left out for too long. Refrigerate it immediately after purchase and keep at a temperature of 39 degrees F. or lower. You will also want to keep it tightly sealed. And, if there are any leftovers, make sure to store them properly or toss them if you aren’t sure. No one wants food poisoning on a camping trip!

Q: Why do you call it Caprese Brie? Shouldn’t it be Bruschetta Brie?

A: You say bruschetta, we say caprese, someone else might call it margherita. It doesn’t matter what you call it to us. As long as there is tomato and basil, preferably with some good balsamic, it will be tasty goodness to our bellies!

Q: We tried the tomato, basil, and balsamic and now we want to try other things. What other savory toppings would be good?

A: Oh, the possibilities are endless! You could try sun dried tomatoes and garlic. Caramelized onions would be divine. Wine-soaked mushrooms are something to consider. Bacon is never a bad idea. And if you would be interested in some sweet-hot flavors, go for some pepper jelly. We love them all!

General Tips for Type of Cooking in Cast Iron:

• Start your fire early! You want to be cooking on coals as they are a more reliable heat source for controlling your temperatures.
• Use indirect heat when possible. Again, we are looking for even heat, not one which fluctuates wildly.
• Preheat if feasible. Just like preheating an oven, preheating your cast iron will help your food cook evenly.
• Elevate your cookware. Doing this allows for airflow around your dish, just like your oven at home. If your campsite doesn’t have an existing metal grate to use, you can always try rocks that are heat safe. We always carry a grate with us for exactly this purpose.
• Don’t forget to keep it clean! There is nothing worse than pulling out your cast iron cookware at the campsite to find it was put away dirty.

Equipment Needed:

• Cast Iron Skillet: Ours is an 8 inch from Lodge and we love it. It is perfectly sized for a small wheel of brie and assorted toppings.
• Cutting board and knife: We use this to cut up any toppings we want to surround the brie. Then, after a quick clean, it is ready to use as a surface for holding the cooked brie while indulging.
• Heat resistant gloves: If you are going to be working around a fire, at some point you will probably get burned. These gloves can help prevent that.

More Brie Recipes to Enjoy:

• Baked Brie with Cranberry Compote
• Boozy Campfire Brie
• Sweet Peach Brie

We can make an entire meal out of a wheel of Caprese Brie.

It can be so easy after a long day of hiking, swimming, fishing, etc. while camping to just throw some brie in a skillet and cook it over the campfire until it melts and use it as the base for dinner. This might not be the healthiest meal, but it is tasty and doesn’t take a lot of effort when one is tired. Those can be our favorite meals when it comes to making memories. What is your favorite camping meal? Tag us on Instagram @campinganswer or send us an email at campinganswer at gmail dot com and let us know. Go on, make us drool…