Campfire Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts That Disappear First

When it comes to bacon-wrapped anything, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts were always among my favorites! They perfectly pair the bacon flavor with the crisp crunch and mild flavor of soy sauce-soaked water chestnuts. They’re also easy to make over a campfire if you’re going camping.

 

Why This Recipe for Campfire Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts?

My number one reason for making these: They’re surprisingly easy to make for how tasty they are! Bacon-wrapped appetizers like this one are ideal if you’re making them for a crowd or want something easy to make over a campfire. When I’m making them as part of an appetizer spread, they tend to disappear the fastest.

Equipment for Campfire Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Like many of my favorite appetizers, the equipment and ingredients for bacon-wrapped water chestnuts aren’t overly complicated! You’ll only need a few things.

• A campfire
• Meat Scissors
• Aluminum Foil
• Foil Baking Tray
• Toothpicks
• Tongs
• Oven Mitts
• Portable Campfire Grill

Note about campfires: If you’re building one, I suggest getting the wood locally and following the campground rules regarding campfires whenever possible. The last time I went camping, the campground had rules against bringing in your own wood. Its reasoning was that it could bring in invasive insects that might reside in the wood.

About These Ingredients

These ingredients look deceptively simple, don’t they? Let’s take a closer look!

Whole Water Chestnuts

1 can whole water chestnuts

You might be used to buying sliced water chestnuts for a stir-fry. However, for bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, you want a can of the whole ones. They’re easier to wrap in bacon. I often buy them in a multi-pack of whole water chestnuts or pick up extra cans because I usually end up doubling or tripling this recipe to make enough bacon-wrapped water chestnuts.

Soy Sauce

Enough soy sauce to cover the water chestnuts

Soy sauce adds a bit of salty flavor to the water chestnuts. If you’re watching your salt intake, a low-sodium version will work.

Bacon

8-10 slices bacon

Exactly how much bacon you’ll need will likely depend on how many water chestnuts are in the can, but I usually won’t need more than one pack of bacon per can. The slices don’t have to be super thick, since you’ll want them to be easy to wrap around the water chestnuts and crisp up over the fire.

Directions for Making Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Let’s jump right into making these. Just be sure you keep an eye on them, because they can get done fast!

Step One: Drain Water Chestnuts

Drain the water from the can of water chestnuts, being careful not to drop any water chestnuts on the ground. I like to do this over a small bowl and then discard the water.

Step Two: Soak Water Chestnuts in Soy Sauce

Pour enough soy sauce to cover the water chestnuts into the can. Soak them for one hour.

Step Three: Cut Bacon Slices in Half Widthwise

I’ll use the meat scissors for a neater cut while cutting the bacon slices in half widthwise.

Step Four: Wrap Water Chestnuts With Bacon

Wrap the water chestnuts with the bacon slice halves. Secure the bacon slice ends with a toothpick if they keep falling apart. Place them in the foil baking tray.

Step Five: Cover Foil Baking Tray

Cover the foil baking tray with aluminum foil, or the tray’s lid if it came with one.

Step Six: Cook Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Place the tray of bacon-wrapped water chestnuts on a grill over the fire. Allow them to cook for about 20 to 30 minutes until the bacon is crisp. Use the tongs to occasionally turn the water chestnuts to ensure even cooking.

Step Seven: Use Oven Mitts to Remove Water Chestnuts from Campfire

You’ll want to be careful here because the tray will be hot. Remove the tray from the campfire grill.

Step Eight: Serve Hot

Serve these appetizers while they’re still hot. They will disappear fast!

Substitutions and Variations for Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

With these simple ingredients, there aren’t many substitutions. But if you like some variety in your bacon-wrapped appetizers, I’ll use pineapple pieces, bite-sized pieces of hot dog, jalapeno peppers, scallops, tater tots, and dates. (I’ll be honest, though, I haven’t tried my recipe for bacon-wrapped buffalo chicken bites over the campfire yet.)

Alternative Ways to Cook Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

 Honestly? Sometimes I get a craving for these appetizers even when I don’t have easy access to a campfire. Here are a few alternate ways to cook bacon-wrapped water chestnuts.

Oven Method

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). Place the foil tray with bacon-wrapped water chestnuts in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until the bacon is crispy.

On the Grill

Making them on the grill is actually very similar to making them on the campfire. With some grills, you may have more control over the heat level. If you can find one that measures temperature in degrees, set it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then cook the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts for about 30 minutes until the bacon crisps up.

FAQ About These Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Sounds simple, right? We do sometimes get questions about them! Here, I tried to answer a few of the most frequently asked questions. If you think of one I haven’t answered yet, feel free to ask in the comments section, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Would any bacon work for these appetizers?

I like to use a thinner slice of bacon that’s longer than “center cut” bacon. This helps ensure that it crisps up nicely over the fire.

Can I make bacon-wrapped water chestnuts ahead of time?

You can assemble them a day ahead to take with you to the campground. Just keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to leave, then in the cooler until you’re ready to cook them over the fire. The USDA’s food safety guidelines say bacon should be kept at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

How do you keep the bacon from burning over a campfire?

Cook the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts over hot coals or medium campfire heat, not tall flames. A foil tray helps protect the bacon from direct heat, and occasionally turning the pieces helps them cook more evenly.

How do you store and reheat leftovers?

If I know I’m going to have a power hookup at the campground, I’ll sometimes bring a small portable fridge to store food in. I rarely have leftover bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, but if I do, I’ll store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat them over the fire later. (They can also be reheated in the oven or air fryer later.)