Camping Classics: Homemade Hamburgers

According to my family, hamburgers are an absolute must for dinner at least once and usually twice on our regular summer (and winter!) camping trips. While I’ve been known to run out of time before heading out on our camping adventures and opt for throwing a box of store-bought hamburgers into the cooler, this homemade hamburger recipe takes less time to prepare than going to store and is super delicious even though the recipe is very basic.

 

My advice, is to pre-make these hamburgers at home (without cooking) and freeze inside a Ziploc bag with a square of cut parchment or wax paper in between each burger. Put the Ziploc bag of frozen burgers into a plastic reusable container, then into your cooler which allows them to defrost slowly during your trip keeping them cool longer.

 

 

1lb lean ground beef

1/3 cup quick cooking oatmeal

1 egg, lightly whisked

1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1-2 tsp Italian seasoning OR Montreal Steak Spice (whatever suits you that day) 

Salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

  Put all ingredients into a bowl and use your hands to combine.

 

  Shape into hamburger patties. I like to make mine not too thick and often make a few “slider” sized ones for the kids (just remember, this usually means needing to bring a smaller sized bun).

 

  Freeze and pack in your cooler as described above.

 

  When ready to cook, place on pre-heated camping BBQ and cook until beef is cooked through, flipping at the half-way mark. Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your burgers and the temperature of your BBQ. Just be sure to test your burgers for doneness before serving.

 

Yes – it’s that easy!