Wilderness survival camping is a skill that is useful to know and is even fun to practice. Here are 10 tips to provide you with information on cooking when in a wilderness survival setting.
Obviously the most important wilderness survival skill is to be able to make a fire. A small magnesium sparker can be carried on a keychain or placed into a pocket. Practice with it in comfort before relying on it in a wilderness survival situation.
Both fairly stiff, thick wire and thinner, more flexible wire is always a good thing to have in your survival kit. The stiffer wire can be used to impale an object to be placed over the fire, such as a fish. The stiff wire can also be used for kabobs. The more flexible wire can be used to wrap and dangle less secure items over the fire, such as a piece of deer meat. Both types of wire can be utilized for other wilderness survival skills other than cooking.
In a wilderness survival setting, always be certain to properly cook any meat that you are going to eat. Minor illness such as diarrhea can quickly dehydrate you in a wilderness setting, while more serious illnesses can be deadly. Overcooking meat is much better than undercooking.
If you have ingredients to make bread, pancakes, or anything like them here is a wilderness survival tip. With bread dough, roll it into a strip and wrap it around a stick to cook. Pancakes can be made in the same way with a little less efficiency. Try to thicken the batter as much as possible. Dip in a stick and place it over the fire while rolling it fairly quickly to keep as much as possible from dripping off. A heated rock could also be used to make pancakes or bread. Scavenging a piece of metal to cook on is best if possible.
Use you fire to clean your wilderness survival cooking utensils. Clean water may be at a premium but fire will kill germs well.
Learn about edible plants that exist in your area. Just eating what other animals eat will not work as their digestive system is different than ours. This is knowledge that you must gain in the field (with a proper guide!).
Canned food can be warmed up (though not necessary) simply by ripping off the label and placing it beside the fire. Stir the contents often to avoid scorching.
While it is best to cook them in aluminum foil, potatoes and other vegetables can be cooked by placing them directly on or near hot coals. Honestly, I think that the potatoes cooked in its skin and not foil tastes better. The skin is not fit to eat if cooked bare (unless you are starving!).
If you are lucky enough to find corn to eat, do not remove the husk. Throw the entire ear, husk and all, and place as close as possible to the coals. You can also suspend it above the coals. Try to avoid catching the husk on fire. Field corn (raised for livestock) is edible as well.
An important skill in cooking in the wild is being able to dry meat. Dried meat can be carried in pockets for a quick and easy meal.
Remember, practice these skills now and hope to never have to use them. But if you ever find yourself in a wilderness survival situation you will be ready.
