English Muffulettas—A Campfire Foodie Recipe

Julia Rutland, author of The Campfire Foodie Cookbook: Simple Camping Recipes with Gourmet Appeal, shares with us her recipe for English Muffulettas.

These New Orleans specialties are typically prepared as an extra-large, whole sandwich; however, when camping or picnicking, individual ones are easier to pack and eat. Toasting the muffins keeps the bread from getting soggy. Wrap the muffulettas in aluminum foil and reheat on a grill or over a campfire.

Ingredients:

4 English muffins, toasted
Creole or Dijon mustard
Mayonnaise
4 slices smoked provolone or Muenster cheese
4 slices Canadian bacon
12 slices smoked turkey
4 slices large salami
1⁄2 to 3⁄4 cup Olive Salad (recipe below)

Prep at Home:
Prepare Olive Salad; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Toast English muffins until light golden brown. Spread bottom halves with mustard and mayonnaise. Layer cheese and meats evenly on each bottom half, and top each with 2 to 3 tablespoons Olive Salad. Add top halves of muffins, and wrap each sandwich in aluminum foil to make a packet. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Olive Salad
Combine 1⁄2 cup green olives with pimientos, 1⁄2 cup black olives, 1⁄2 cup pickled mixed vegetables (giardiniera), 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1⁄2 teaspoon freeze-dried Italian seasoning in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Makes 1 1⁄2 cups.

At Campsite:
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium heat, or prepare a campfire. Place prepared packets (English muffins spread with mustard and mayonnaise, then layered with cheese, meats, and Olive Salad) on grill and cook 3 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, or until heated. Enjoy your muffulettas!

About the author: Julia Rutland is a Northern Virginia-area food writer and recipe developer whose work appears regularly in publications and websites such as Weight Watchers books, Myfitnesspal.com, Southern Living magazine, Coastal Living magazine, and many others. She is the co-author of the Discover Dinnertime cookbook and contributes to many other cookbooks and websites. Julia serves on the local board of the Washington, D.C., chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier and is a Certified Culinary Professional (CCP) with the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Julia has visited all 50 states and camped with her family in most of them, sleeping in tents, campers, or occasionally just under the stars. Her kitchen gear takes up more space than the tent or other supplies because she feels that cooking outside is more fun than hiking. Julia lives in Purcellville, Virginia, with her husband, two daughters, a cat, a couple of dogs, too many chickens, and whatever animals decide to adopt her family.

If you liked this recipe you may also like her Mini Grilled Blackberry Cobbler and Vegetarian Campfire Chili recipes.