This summer, my husband and I developed a serious love for campfire paella. We have it every time we camp! There are tons of varieties of this recipe available, but I tend to stick to a few simple proteins. I always include some form of poultry, a healthy serving of chorizo, and 1-2 types of shellfish.
The wine you use in the recipe is also important! I’ve said it before: Never cook with wine you wouldn’t drink!
For this camping trip we were exploring the beaches in the Olympic Peninsula. Since we were in Washington State, I felt like it was important to use some local Washington white wine in the recipe.
After browsing around in one of the local stores, I decided to grab a great bottle of Chardonnay from Waterbrook Winery.
The Chorizo in this paella added a nice level of heat, but I also added additional cayenne pepper and paprika. We had spent so much time wandering in the fog around Washington’s ocean shorelines, so I wanted to make a dish that had a little more spice in it to warm us up. Feel free to scale back if you prefer a mild spice level.
Note:
Surprisingly, the little market we hit up for our ingredients did not have any mussels or clams available – so I asked for a handful of jumbo shrimp. Usually I make sure to include mussels, so if you have the option, definitely add them. Either way, work with what you have on hand. This paella tasted delicious, even if I had to improvise!
The first time we made campfire paella we got a little carried away. Filling a cast iron dutch oven to the brim with rice and mussels was way too much food for two people, so we have scaled way back. The recipe below will feed two people. Feel free to substitute to include your favourite proteins.
Paella is the perfect post hike camping meal!
Turkey & Chorizo Campfire Paella
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cup Rice
- 1/2 Cup White Wine
- 1 Box Chicken Broth Low Sodium
- 1/3 Lbs Chorizo Ground
- 1/2 Turkey Breast Cooked & Sliced
- 6-8 Jumbo Shrimp
- 1/2 Onion Diced
- 1 TSP Minced Garlic
- 1 1/2 TSP Cayenne Pepper
- 1 1/2 TSP Paprika
- Kosher Salt To Taste
- Fresh Cracked Peppercorn To Taste
- Mussels or Clams Optional
- Handful of Fresh Cherry Tomatoes Optional
- Parsley For Garnish
- Lemon Wedges For Garnish
Instructions
- Place your cast iron over the campfire, in the lowest heat possible. Add your chorizo to the pan, and cook throughout. Do not drain.
- Once your chorizo is cooked, add onions and garlic. Saute in the juice from the chorizo until translucent.
- Add in a large glug of white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add your rice, and your cooked turkey, and stir. Stir in 1/4 of your broth.
- Add your cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Stir often, until the liquid has almost dissolved, then add more. Keep adding broth, a little at a time, until your rice is almost cooked.
- Add your shrimp, and allow to cook throughout. Add the rest of the broth, and then don't touch your paella. Leave it heating over the fire until you hear crackling and smell your rice toasting. You want to achieve a perfect socarrat, which is the browned rice at the bottom of the pan that Paella is known for!
- Garnish with fresh lemon wedges and parsley. Squeeze lemon juice over your paella, and then dig in!
- Enjoy alongside the left over wine from your recipe.
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