Campsite cooking can be both challenging and a lot of fun, especially for home cooks that have never cooked al fresco. For starters, unless you are using a fancy cook stove there are no knobs to adjust the temperature of the flame. You also need to get creative on what tools to bring, figuring out how much food you’ll need and how to get the job done if the weather turns bad. Over the years, I have picked up a few campfire cooking techniques that address some of those issues. Here they are:
1. Controlling Temperature
Cooking over a campfire can be tricky when it comes to controlling temperatures. One way to make that task a bit easier is to create a double burner of sorts. When setting up your campfire area make it extra wide. Build your fire on one side of the fire pit and then rake the burning embers over to the opposite of the fire pit. Put your grill grates over the embers as opposed to the fire. This way you can add as much embers as you need without running the risk of burning up your dinner as well as the bottoms of your cook pans.
2. Storing Utensils
Looking for a convenient way to organize your cooking utensils near the fire? Bring a waist apron along with you and tie it to a tree near your campfire. You can use the waist apron’s pockets to temporarily store your spatula, tongs, spices and other miscellaneous kitchen items. Just be sure to remove it when you are done so as not to attract bears or other hungry wildlife into your campsite area.
3. Double Duty Grease
Making bacon for breakfast? Save the bacon grease and use it later to catch fish. You can use the bacon as dip bait or slather it onto your artificial lures. You can also bacon grease to season your Dutch oven, add it into your campfire corn bread mix or season your vegetables. I got those tips from my grandparents. My grandmother saved all her bacon grease in coffee cans. She would use it later to make sauces, breads and all sorts of things. Grandpa would sneak a bit now again as well for his fishing expeditions.
4. Potato Grill Prep
Did you forget to bring oil to season your grill grates? A chunk of raw potato will do in a pinch. Simply start your campfire and then rub the cut side of the potato onto the grill grates. The starch from the potato will act as a barrier between your food and the grates. It won’t be as effective as using vegetable oil, but it will help somewhat. You can also cook and eat the potato pieces when you are done prepping the grill.
5. Waterproof Matches and Fire Starters
Because there is always a chance that the weather might turn bad, you’ll want to pack some waterproof matches or a stormproof lighter. You can purchase a stormproof lighter and waterproof matches at most outdoor outfitters. You might even want to make your own. All you need to do is coat the tops of regular matches with either wax or clear nail polish. Both substances will waterproof matches if applied properly. Fire starters also come in handy. You may buy them or make your own as well.
Killeen Gonzalez enjoys the great outdoors with her family and has traveled extensively.
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