No fire? No problem. Recipes for camp-dinner magic from a single burner.

We should all just get used to it: No matter where you camp in the mountain west, chances are at least even that you won’t be able to burn firewood. Sorry not sorry, s’mores.

And that’s a good thing in some ways: the smell of wood smoke may fire up your camping memories, but it’s not good for your lungs and as our climate changes, it’s becoming more and more dangerous when it comes to the possibility of catastrophic wildfires.

So, let’s look at fire bans as a culinary challenge.

Here are a few tips, along with five dinner recipes that can be pre-cooked or made at your campsite using a propane stove or one of the swank new backpacker-size gizmos.

They’re all easier with two burners, but can be done with a single burner — as long as it will get hot enough to boil water. And you won’t need more than five cooking utensils. If you maximize the use of already-cooked protein and staples, throw in a few canned or jarred essentials and remember to pack some cold and salty pickles and olives, you’ll be ready to fuel some fireless fun.

TIPS

Think sustainability

With the availability of reusable zip-top bags, including the silicone variety that can be dropped in boiling water to reheat them, pre-cooking doesn’t have to be wasteful. The beautiful thing about dinner in a bag is that you can freeze it and it will keep any perishable items cold. This saves on cooler space, water, and fuel: Heat your meal, then use the boiling water to cook your carbs and/or wash your dishes and utensils.

Put a lid on it

When you’re packing, don’t forget a lid that fits both your main saucepan and your skillet. If you don’t do much (or any) cooking or camp cooking, you’ll be astonished at how much faster a closed cooking vessel heats up.

Secret sauce

Do the words “scullery maid” sound like fun to you? Then don’t get guilt over taking the shortcuts. After all, camping is supposed to be a vacation. Repeat that word: VAY. CAY. SHUN. Take an all-purpose bottle of dressing for bagged cole slaw (good on tacos, good with barbecue and hell, good with breakfast). We like Brianna’s Creamy Cilantro and Lime), or a bottle of your own homemade vinaigrette that can double as a marinade.

Pillage the pantry

There’s no shame in using instant brown gravy or instant mashed potatoes — and they don’t weigh much, either. We created these recipes from things like pre-made rice in shelf-stable pouches, pasta that cooks in a flash (thin spaghetti, ramen or glass noodles) and dried fruits (apricots, cherries).

Tidy tips

Best camping inventions ever: The collapsible square silicone sink, for dishwashing. Anything made by GSI — kitchen kits, pots, nesting eating gear. Compostable paper plates and bowls. Instant espresso powder. And olive oil in a little squeeze bottle — we got by on less than 3 ounces of olive oil for four days and we ate like royalty (granted, we had baked some chocolate-walnut brownies in advance, smeared them with sour cherry jam, and ate them with canned mojitos and daiquiris).

RECIPES

Camp stove Shepherd’s Pie

This can be completely made in advance and reheated. While it’s easier to do it on two burners, it can be done on one. And if instant mashed potatoes offend your foodie sensibility, boil up some small ones and pack into a zip-top bag. Then smash them with your hands and re-warm on top of the stew. Serves 4

Ingredients

For the stew:

• 1 pound or more beef stew chunks or trimmed, cubed chuck roast
• 3 ounces dry red wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper or seasoned pepper blend
• 2 packets brown gravy mix, any variety (gluten-free brands are available)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups frozen vegetables: carrots, peas and green beans are ideal

For the potatoes:

• 1 pound small red or multicolored potatoes, skin-on, pre-boiled
  OR:
• Pre-packaged Instant mashed potatoes plus the ingredients to make 4 generous servings (most brands call for milk, butter and water, but we skipped the butter and were just fine)

Directions

Any or all of the following steps can be done in advance.

Cut any large chunks of the stew meat or chuck into bite-size pieces. Combine beef, red wine, salt and pepper in a resealable bag or container and chill for 2 hours.