Jump to Recipe
Growing up, there were two kinds of camp meals. The first was the easy meal, hot dogs or dehydrated backpacking pouches. Breakfast burritos to avoid dishes, anything that could be done to save time and get us back to whatever we had come camping to actually do. The other kind was the even easier meal. A sandwich thrown in a bag that we'd eat at some point on the side of the road while my parents figured out where we were going next. Needless to say, neither of these were exactly culinary achievements.
In my early 20s, as I started camping alone or with friends, I continued these traditions. It was all I knew, and budgets were tight, so it made sense to keep things cheap and easy. After all, that also meant more money for beer.
But then there was a shift. Camping in a more comfortable way also meant more time. This meant more time to cook, more flavors to experiment with, and more budget to try different ingredients.
Yet, the ease of whipping something up got a little lost. And that's why I find myself drawn to a recipe like this. The grill was already going, it took little prep work, and since most of the cooking is done ahead of time it could be enjoyed at nearly any part of the day. Plus, there’s something about eating sweet corn, charred over coals, that just feels right at camp. This is a simple take on Elotes — Mexican street corn — adapted for a campsite setup, using a few of our favorite tools.
This recipe was adapted from TastesBetterFromScratch.com
Food You'll Need
- 4 Ears of Corn
- 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Mexican Crema (sour cream can work as a substitute)
- 1/2 cup Cotija cheese or queso fesco
- Chili Powder
- 1 Lime, quartered
- Cilantro for garnish (optional)
Gear We Used
- Snow Peak 4 Unit IGT
- Snow Peak Camping Bucket Jumbo
- Adjustable Legs Short (set to 400 height)
- Thaan Grill
- Thaan Original Thai Style Charcoal
- Thaan Fatwood Fire Starter
- Camping Moon Charcoal Starter
- Camping Moon Stainless Steel Wood Grip Tongs
- Snow Peak Takibi
- Snow Peak Jikaro
How We Cooked It
We start by soaking the corn — husks and all — in a cooler filled with water. We used the Snow Peak Camping Bucket, a favorite for a number of purposes, but in this case it acted as a great way to soak in the cold water. Ten minutes submerged is plenty.
While the corn was soaking, we placed as many pieces of Thaan Original Thai Style Charcoal into our Camping Moon Charcoal Starter. While there are many ways to start charcoal, placing this combo over the campfire is my favorite. It allows you to continue working on other things while the charcoal ashes over.
From there, the corn hits the grill — still wet and in its husk — over now hot charcoal using our Thaan Grill. The large cooking surface allowed plenty of ears to get going at one time. We set ours inside a Snow Peak IGT frame, using a custom joint kit we built for stability. It keeps the grill at a comfortable working height and integrates right into our camp kitchen setup.
After about fifteen minutes on the grill, you have a few options. If you want to wait a while, set the corn in husk aside until shortly before you're ready to eat. Or, continue cooking right away. Either way, peel the husks back and return the corn directly to the grate. Give it another five to ten minutes, turning often, until the kernels get a bit of color or it is cooked to your likeness.
While the corn’s cooking, mix the mayonnaise and crema together — about half and half — until smooth. Once the corn is off the grill, coat each cob with a generous layer of the mayo-crema sauce, then sprinkle with cotija, chili powder, and a little salt.
Eat immediately, preferably sitting around the grill.
Why We Like It
Elotes is the kind of recipe that doesn’t get in the way of camp — simple ingredients, easy process, big payoff. It’s perfect with grilled meats, on its own, or as the thing you hand someone when they ask if you need help.
More than anything, it’s a reminder that good camp meals don’t have to be complicated. They just need heat, good ingredients, and a little time.
Recipe
-
Soak the Corn: Submerge corn (husks intact) in water for about 10 minutes using your Snow Peak Cooler.
-
Grill with Husks: Grill corn over Thaan Charcoal on a Thaan Grill (set in Snow Peak IGT frame) for 15 minutes.
-
Prepare Sauce: Mix equal parts mayonnaise and Mexican crema until smooth.
-
Finish Grilling: Remove husks, grill corn for another 5-10 minutes until lightly charred.
-
Apply Sauce: Coat hot corn with mayo-crema mixture.
-
Season & Serve: Sprinkle generously with cotija cheese, chili powder, and a pinch of salt, then serve immediately.
