Campfire cooking is one of the most popular forms of cooking today. Outdoor cooking is different significantly from kitchen-based cooking, probably due to the lack of a clearly defined kitchen area. Because of this, campers and backpackers alike have learned a considerable body of specialized techniques and tools for cooking over the fire in outdoor settings. There is even some controversy surrounding the method of cooking in this environment. Here are some things you need to know about campfire cooking to get started.
The actual fire is an important part of campfire cooking. You can start a fire using just any kind of fuel. Some people prefer to use green wood, some prefer dry types of woods like pine or cedar, while others prefer cedar because it burns cleaner. Different woods have different properties and burn in different ways. It is a good idea to read up on the specific type of fire you want to use before you start building the campfire.
Campfire Cooking Methods
Campfire cooking can be done in two different methods, one way and the other way that many people like to do it. In the traditional way of campfire cooking, you build a fire by spreading thickets of flat firewood around and building a chimney or flue. This makes the fire visible from almost anywhere and allows for quick cooking.
With modern campfire cooking, there is another way of doing things. Instead of building a fire from logs and putting out hot coals, you can build your fire from dry tinder and kindling or from newspaper. The open flame from this method produces a much cleaner smoke and leaves little soot behind.
Grilling is another popular method of campfire cooking. There are a variety of grills available that you can use to cook camping meals. You can build a small portable grill for easy cooking and many people prefer this method because it is very portable.
If you choose to go with oven cooking for your campfire cooking, you can use a large gas oven or a small propane stove. If you plan on grilling hot dogs and hamburgers, you may want to consider using a cast iron grill. The burners of these grills allow the food to be cooked fast and the sides stay crispy.
The last method for cooking that is popular is using a kindling or brush to cook over an open fire. You can make fire by splitting pieces of dry wood into twigs. Then, you pile the kindling up high and light the fire. As the fire smolder gets smold, you need to stack more brush on top of the open fire to keep the flames going.
Use Campfire Foil
Campfire foil has become a popular way of campfire cooking these days. Many people choose this method because it is a lot easier to handle than wood or charcoal. Campfire foil is very thin and waterproof, and it also keeps the smoke and ash out of your food. However, there are some problems with campfire foil. Some foods cannot be prepared with the foil, and it does not hold as much heat.
You can also use campfire wood as a main ingredient for your meals. This is done by splitting a big log into small pieces. When you chop them, be sure to keep them away from the flames. After they are chopped up, throw them in a pan with hot water. You may have to put them in the pan directly, or over medium heat in an aluminum foil. They will take on a nice amber color when they are overheated.
Ways To Start Campfires
There are many ways to start campfires. Some campfires are built right on the hot coals. Others have lighters that are placed on the hot coals or on flat stones placed all around the fire. Still others are built with open fires built into stone structures.
Some campfires are simply stacked up wood logs. These are used to start campfires as well. A campfire cookbook should list how to build these kinds of campfires. Another way to start a campfire is with an open pit. Then you simply stack up wood logs in the pit and light a fire, creating the flames that will cook those logs.
Conclusion
There is no one specific way to cook your food. You can choose the method that appeals to you. Some campers love the way that a star fire seems to cook their marshmallows, while others don’t seem to be able to get their marshmallows cooked in a star fire. Another campfire favorite is to build campfires with small logs, kindling as well as small logs. As long as the fire is kindled with wood and there are no other lighting methods, it is considered to be safe to cook your food this way.
