A Thanksgiving camp dinner for two should fit the boat, the stove, and the time you have. This small menu puts turkey and gravy over mashed potatoes, with green beans and cranberry sauce alongside. It uses cooked ingredients, so the job at camp is careful heating and serving.
Food is as important as the love of family gathered around the campfire. A shared bowl and an unhurried conversation can carry the spirit of the holiday quite comfortably.
The menu and equipment
Serves: 2 modest appetites.
Allow: About 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the stove and package instructions.
Equipment: One stable outdoor stove, a kettle or saucepan for water, a saucepan of about 1.5 liters for turkey and gravy, a spoon, a food thermometer, and two heatproof bowls. Use cookware within your stove’s limits.
Ingredients
About 250 grams, or 9 ounces, fully cooked turkey, in small pieces
1 cup prepared turkey or chicken gravy
Instant mashed potatoes sufficient for 2 portions, plus the water and other ingredients required on the package
About 1 cup cooked green beans, drained
¼ cup cranberry sauce, divided between the bowls
Black pepper to taste
Drinking quality water for the meal and cleanup
For a trip without reliable refrigeration, choose turkey, gravy, beans, and cranberry sauce in unopened commercial packages specifically labeled for storage without refrigeration. Read each label; cooked meat is not automatically shelf stable. Chicken can replace turkey. If using leftovers or chilled ingredients, keep them properly cold throughout transport.
Prepare at home
Read the potato instructions and measure the water they require. Pack ingredients in portions that avoid large opened leftovers. Check for wheat, milk, and other ingredients your companions need to avoid. Try this menu with your own stove and cookware before taking it on a trip; these cooking times are estimates.
Cook and serve
1. Set up outdoors where stove use is allowed, on a level surface away from shelters and combustible material. Wash your hands and prepare a clean serving area.
2. Heat the drinking water needed for the potatoes. Prepare the instant mash in the heatproof bowls according to the package instructions. Cover loosely while you heat the topping.
3. Put the gravy in the saucepan and bring it to a boil while stirring. Add the cooked turkey and green beans, then heat through, stirring so the bottom does not scorch. Add a little water if the gravy becomes too thick.
4. Check several places with the food thermometer. Bring the turkey mixture to 165°F throughout. Do not substitute the appearance of steam for a temperature check.
5. Spoon the hot mixture over the potatoes. Add cranberry sauce at the side and black pepper if wanted. Allow the food to cool enough to eat.
Keep leftovers genuinely cold
USDA advises keeping refrigerated leftovers at 40°F or below and reheating them to 165°F throughout. Refrigerate perishable food promptly, within two hours, or within one hour when the surrounding temperature exceeds 90°F. A cooler needs enough ice or cold packs and a thermometer to maintain its temperature. See USDA leftover storage guidance and reheating guidance.
Serve only what you can eat or keep safely chilled. Secure food from wildlife and pack out packaging and scraps. Autumn air in Florida is not a refrigerator.
Make room at the table
This is a practical camp menu, not a claim to a historical Thanksgiving recipe. Adjust the portions for your companions and bring a little extra food if the day calls for it. The important inheritance is taking care of one another while the kettle comes back to a boil.
Return to Thanksgiving Outdoors in Florida for holiday paddling, camp cooking, family time, and our American White Pelican sticker.
