There are many ways in which open-fire cooking might be misconstrued. Some people only associate campfire cooking with the tasty but simple s'mores, while others associate it with burnt corn on the cob.
Is it exclusive to Boy Scouts or just adventurous people? No, cooking over an open flame is a fun way to make food—it gets you out of the kitchen, fosters greater social interaction, and yields flavours that a stove could never match!
Additionally, grilling, boiling, or roasting food over an open flame is a time-honoured cooking technique humans have loved for millennia worldwide. There is no denying that cooking meals over an open flame has a pleasant and primordial quality.
So continue reading for advice on campfire cooking, including the dos and don'ts.
Tips To Remember While Open Fire Cooking
Construct Your Fire Properly
To properly prepare meals, you need the ideal campfire. For a campfire, wood needs to burn evenly and slowly. Hickory and oak are common choices. On the other hand, Ash is a fantastic substitute for wood if you don't intend to bring any with you.
Start by choosing a secure area to start your campfire, ideally in a dug fire pit. You should leave ten feet of space clear on all sides of the fire. To stop the fire from spreading, surround it with pebbles or green wood. Start by placing fuel—such as a crumpled newspaper or dry grass—and then stack dry branches or thin twigs vertically and set the fire. This could take an hour or forty-five minutes.
Proper Equipment
When cooking for a campfire, the options are virtually limitless; nevertheless, you must have the appropriate equipment to produce mouthwatering dishes. A great option for a cooking surface is a grill grate. The grill grate can be used to grill meat and vegetables directly, or it can be used as a stand to support pots and pans as they boil, fry, or cook slowly. Cast iron cookware is ideal for cooking over a campfire because of its thick composition, which improves heat retention and uniform distribution.
Read More: Try These 6 Campfire Mushroom Recipes
Aluminium Foil
This multifunctional tool can construct parcels for gently cooking protein, line cookware, and wrap fruits and vegetables for cooking directly in coals. You may even shape it into a simple pot or serving bowl in a pinch.
Prep Meals
Try to prep as much food at home as possible for easier preparation. Slicing and dicing meat and veggies at home is easier when all your equipment is conveniently located. Transfer your ingredients into storage receptacles and carry them with you. Store items like meat and dairy in a cooler filled with ice bricks to keep cold produce fresh. As an alternative, vacuum-seal your food at home to prolong its freshness.
Never Directly Cook Over Bare Flames
Cooking food directly over a flame will only result in charred food. The extreme heat scorches the outside of your meat or unevenly cooks food, which is dangerous and unappealing. Use a cooking surface or stand to hold your cookware over the highest heat and wait until your coals are white hot.
Appropriate Cooking Technique
Cooking over a campfire can be done in various ways, but the technique you choose and the equipment you need to carry will depend on the dish you want to prepare. Bring your cast iron cookware if you intend to cook wild game while hunting, especially for stews or braises that require low, slow cooking. Certain recipes for campfire cooking, like stuffed roasted apples or baked potatoes, need the ingredients to be submerged directly in the coals too.
Spray Bottle
Cooking oil and grease splatters can easily set off sparks that result in flare-ups. Additionally, flare-ups might change how your cookfire distributes heat, leading to inconsistent food cooking. To keep your campfire contained, give any stray flames or embers a few quick bursts of water from a spray bottle.
Water And Sand
If you leave a campfire unattended or the wind comes up, it can easily go out of control. If the flames appear to be spreading, have some water and sand for them to rapidly douse and dampen. Before you leave, use a long metal skewer to stir the embers in the campfire and add a little water or sand to put it out properly. This procedure should be repeated until the coals and fire are doused and cool.