Campfire Cooking Guide:How To, Equipment, Cookware, And Recipes

The scenery is very attractive and splendid, but without a meal made by ourselves, you can’t call it campfire at all. This time I will make a fully instruction of the building of campfire including how to find a proper place and the choice of fuel. Some recipes fit for campfire will also be introduced, and the cookware to make cook’s job easier are on the list. The tool and equipment are very important for it’s encouragement for further improvement of campfire cook skills. After this campfire cooking lesson, I think you will become the chef among your friends.

How to build a campfire for cooking

Cooking in outside could be took for granted day by day, but most of people always cook on open fire without right knowledge of building a campfire. Here are some important elements that can decide the quality of cooking.

1. Wood

The fuel of campfire must be clean-burning and strong heat, another requirement is that it shouldn’t produce poisonous gas when it burning. The dry seasoned branch is the best choice. The green tree is fruitless no matter how hard you try. You can pack up some no smoke coal in your bag when dry wood is not available.

2. Fire location

The location of fire is also should be paid attention to because it will burn over night. If the surrounding is very dry and golden leaves lay on ground everywhere, then the place is not a good choice. How about set the fire on a tough rock? That could be a better choice, and it will prevent the fire from spreading of spark. When making a campfire, on should make sure the fire is built on dry soil and the fire will turn all organic layers on the soil to ashes to keep temperature. At that time one bucket of water can not kill the fire and that promises the stability of warming and heating.

3. Avoiding strong wind

The wind is dangerous for your camping plan. The spark will be carried to some combustibles and rise a forest fire. If you don’t want to be surrounded by flame when you wake up from hangover, make sure that the fire is on a safe position. And the wind will make coal burning faster which means less cooking time. If you can’t find a wind shelter, the opened fire is out of the questions.

Camp stoves types: which is best for you?

Here I want to recommend you some good staff for campfire cooking. If you process all of them you can make any type of recipes about campfire cooking. Those stoves are my best friends when I go to the wild, what the help me to cook support me survive from lethal loneliness in night.

1. Camping gas stove

Actually the stove you choose is based on the plan you make. If you just need to take a look at the scenery and make yourself a fast food. The camping gas stove will be the best choice due to it’s convenience. All you need to do is open the fire and put the boiler on it with patience. It has been popularized for many year, all families were use it for cooking at that time. The structure of it is very simple and all problem occur to it is easy to be fixed. It can survive in garage for five years without any touch. But if you want to go hiking, the camping gas stove is not very fitful because it is very heavy and bulky. The best place for it is your trunk.

2. Camp chef stove

The camp chef stove is designed to offer convenience and ease of use for hungry campers and hikers. The powerful stainless steel hobs and fully adjustable flames for full control, the camp chef stove, features a ceramic radiant grill underneath the stove which is ideal for grilling some toast or any other food. The stove’s outer casing and extendable sides protect the flames from bad weather while push-and-turn knobs are designed to be child-safe. The gas cooker comes packs into a compact, briefcase-sized plastic case, making it easy to carry around and the perfect companion for any camping trip.

3. Electric camp stoves.

The electric camp stove is the smallest equipment among these products, the electricity act as the energy of the product. If you have a stable UPS to plug in, the electric camp will be the best choice. Advantages? There is no pollution to be produced when you use it and the system is so easy to be handled that even a child can make it. But everything is based on the UPS, if you can’t carry one with you the stove will be garbage.

4. Camping wood stove

Although the camping wood stove is not so convenient, it still win the hearts of some people. This is the only way to satisfy the eager to feel the real nature and ancient life style. From collecting the branch to ignite the wood, every procedure must be done by person. If you are a person without enough patience, the process to set a fire will torture with killing hungry. Choose it to experience or abandoning it for convenience is all depend on you.

Clean water for campfire cooking

Water is an important ingredients for almost all the recipes, and when you placed in wild and can not get clean water, what should you do? Here I will introduce some water cleaner to help you turn the stream to enormous bottle fulfilled with drinking water. These two kinds of camping water filters are portable water filters as far as I know.

1. The ultralight water cleaner

The product is working in a high-efficiency way. To purify 30 gallons of water, all you need to do it add several drops of this product. And it can eliminate the most of the virus hide in the water. But the taste of water will be wired because the working process is chemical affiliated. And it may have some potential harm to human body for allergic groups. Another disadvantage is that it can not make obviously effect to the molds and fungus. But it is very cheap for all people.

2. Platypus gravity water filter

Compared with other filter, this kind of product is incredibly to be used. It is very similar to some of the other products we tested, but we really like the “clean water bag” that is included for lots of water storage and having clean water on hand when you want it versus waiting for it to filter. The ability to treat small or large amounts of water quickly, as well as store and transport it, is the gravity works advantages. It can store almost 8 L water, but the price is not cheap.

The best camping cookware

A set of high-quality camping cookware is necessary for anyone who wants to make a campfire cook. How can we choose the most fitful cookware for opened fire cook？ What characters should they hold? I know you will be puzzled by these problems, so I pick up a series of cookware provide you as backup choice.

1. Winterial camping cookware and pot set

During the experiment, the set of pot impressing we in many ways, the heat conduction of this product is very balanced, so there won’t happen something like the center of steak is burnt but the blood is still red at the edge of the steak. The handle of the pot is stable makes cooking safer.

And the full kinds of pot consist this product give it the capability to all of cooking mission like boiling, decocting and even steeping the tea. But one disadvantage of it is when we pack them in bag they will knock each other to make annoying noise while we were walking.

2. G4free outdoor camping set

The handle of the camping set were all covered by silicone, that’s means soft and comfortable. But you must pay attention to the distance between the handle and the flame because the silicone will melt when heated by flame. The biggest advantage is it’s feather felt weight. You can pack up all the system of cooking in your bag. But the conduct heats unevenly because the material of it.

Recipes for campfire cooking

I have already introduced all the preparation of the campfire cooking, the ways to set a fire, the cookware, what stoves to be used…and now I can do what I love most.

The secret of the campfire cooking recipes is keeping simple and easy, you can never carry the whole kitchen with you to the wild. So our goal is make the delicious food by easiest way.

1. Bannock

Simple to make, four basic ingredients, one bowl to wash. This kids’ favorite is tasty, nutritious and fun to cook on a stick over the campfire. It can also be cooked in a skillet. Bannock can be a meal in itself. Ingredients:

2 – 3 cups flour

1 – 2 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt (optional)

2 – 3 Tbsp oil, butter or lard

2/3 cup warm water

Directions: Put everything but the water in a bowl and mix with your fingers until crumbly. Slowly add water and mix until dough feels soft. It may seem that you don’t have enough water, but keep working the dough till it holds together. Don’t add more water!

Take a small handful and wrap around the end of a green stick, like a marshmallow roast. Knead it so it stays together. Cook over coals for about 10 – 12 minutes, rotating to cook evenly. Eat as is, or add a bit of jam or honey.

2. Beer Batter Fish Fillets

If you’ve had luck fishing, do the catch justice with this simple, mouth watering recipe. Be sure to dry the fillets on the outside so the batter will stick while cooking. Cook over medium heat. Ingredients: Allow 1/2 pound fish fillets or two small, cleaned pan fish per person.

1 cup buttermilk pancake mix

3/4 cup beer

1/4 cup cooking oil

parsley, dill, lemon

Directions: Using a small bowl, blend the buttermilk pancake mix with the beer, using a fork. Whip the batter until smooth and the consistency of heavy cream. Blot the fillets dry using a napkin or paper towel, and dip in the batter. Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the fillets until golden brown on the outside. The meat should be moist and shiny on the inside. Be careful not to overcook – fillet should flake easily when tested with a fork. Serve with a sprinkle of dill and garnish with parsley and lemon slice.

3. Corn Fritters

Pan-fried fritters are great for breakfast, and the leftovers keep well for lunch or snacks. You can make your own variations on this simple theme, but remember the secret to successful fritters – the oil must be very hot before setting in the batter. Ingredients:

2 cups corn bread mix

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup canned corn, drained

1/4 cup cooking oil

Directions: Put the corn bread mix in a bowl and, using a fork to blend, gradually add the water. Be careful not to over-blend. The dough should be quite stiff. Add the corn, which should be well drained. Put about one-fourth of the oil in a skillet and heat. Ladle the batter into the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes, turning once. Serve with syrup, honey or butter. This recipe makes about 12 fritters.

4. Pocket One-ders

Here’s a wonderful method for campfire cooking which is simple, versatile and doesn’t even require cookware or a grill. All you need is some heavy-duty tin foil.

Tear off a 12″ sheet of foil and fold it back over your fist, making a “pocket”. Roll the sides in a few turns so the pocket is only open at the top, and roll a turn or two up from the bottom for extra strength. The pocket needs to be leak-proof, and formed well enough to withstand cooking directly in the coals. If your foil is thin, you may need two layers.

Start by lining the bottom of the pocket with thin slices of lemon. This helps keep the food contents from burning, and imparts flavor to the meal. Chop potatoes and carrots (cut small enough to cook all the way without overcooking everything else), tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, onions, green beans, etc. and stuff the pockets. Add garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil, and a dash of cayenne. Add 1/4 cup of beer or water, fold the top edges of the pocket closed and set directly into the hot coals….it takes anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on how everything’s cut. All the veggies slow roast in their own juices!

5. Campfire Beans

I think my most favorite campfire food is really true “Campfire Beans”. I make them with whatever is in the cooler starting with the bacon drippings from breakfast, then add onions and other veggies …toss in the DRY beans (if they have been soaked great, but it does not matter). This is done in a cast iron pot, nestled in the coals…I put in whatever meat is available…we often have frozen venison, but beef and pork do fine too. Add garlic and any other seasoniong you like…do not be afraid of a pinch of cinnamon…. keep adding liquid…beer, wine, water …a few bullion cubes help…chopped celery, diced tomatoes (this is a great way to use the veggies that get soft in the cooler). Lee

6. Heavenly Fish

Here’s a recipe for the entire family to enjoy! Start with heavy duty foil and tear off a square, double them up if you use thin oil. Place a fish fillet in the foil, trout’s the best to use for this recipe, but any fish will do. Place halved cherry tomato, halved small lemon, and a pinch of garlic and lemon salt in the foil. Pure about 1/3 cup of Sprite or 7up in the foil. Seal the foil tightly and place the pocket on the coals for approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove from coals and watch the reaction from the entire family!

7. Simple Meal-in-one

In the center of a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil place a hamburger patty (venison or chicken breasts would also work). On top of the burger, place a thin slice of onion. Wash potatoes with skins on, slice thinly and add a layer of potatoes on top of the onions. Add salt, pepper, garlic and a large spoon of canned baked beans (Bushes hickory bacon are my favorite). Bring edges of foil together and fold down to seal then roll ends to finish sealing. Place in hot coals for 30 to 45 min until done. NO muss! NO fuss! GREAT eating!

Writing at last

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