Cooking on a campfire: Difference between revisions

[[Image:CampCooking.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[Cooking]] in the [[outdoors]] using heated stone]]

Possibly the simplest method of cooking over a campfire and one of the most common is to roast food on long [[skewer]]s that can be held above the flames. This is a popular technique for cooking [[hot dog]]s or toasting [[marshmallow]]s for making [[s'more]]s. Another technique is to use [[pie iron]]s — small iron molds with long handles, into which can be placed slices of bread with some form of filling — which are placed over hot coals to cook.

[[Grill (cooking)|Grill]]s are also simpler to use and they tend to make the food pick up flavors from the [[smoke]]. Grills over a campfire are used in the same way as ordinary charcoal [[barbecue]]s. If the food is simply placed on the grill, it may catch fire so it requires constant attention. Handleheld grills that clamp over the food may be used for various tasks like warming food, grilling burgers or sausages or making [[toast]].

A pot hanging over the fire, although picturesque, may spill, and the rigging may be difficult to construct from found wood. Generally this is done with metal rigging, much of it identical to that historically used in home fireplaces before the invention of stoves. Two vertical iron bars with an iron cross-piece allow pots to be hung at various heights or over different temperatures of fire. Griddles, grills and skewers can also be hung over the fire. When working with wood, one may use two tripods, lashed with [[tripod lashing]]s, but the [[rope]] will be liable to melt or burn. [[Dovetail joint]]s are more secure, but difficult to carve.  

A good alternative to cooking with a tripod is to cook directly upon the fire itself. To do this properly the fire needs to have a reasonable bed of coals and to have burned down to the point where it is not a roaring fire. While the pot may be set directly upon the coals, this is not preferable since that will tend to extinguish the coals. To lift the pot up off the fire, often two small logs of similar size may be used on either side of the pot. This allows continued airflow through the fire while providing optimal heat. The one down side to this form of cooking is that the pots will become blackened with soot and ash, which can be difficult to scrub off. The ash and soot build up can be easily avoided by applying a thin layer of dish soap (preferably biodegradable) to the outside of the pot before cooking. The ash and soot will stick to the soap which is then easily rinsed off later.

[[Dutch oven]]s are specially designed for camping. The oven is placed in a bed of hot coals, often from a [[Campfire#Building the fire|keyhole fire]] with additional coals placed on top of the lid, which usually has a raised rim to keep the coals from falling off. Dutch ovens are made of [[cast iron]] or [[aluminum]], and are not suitable for [[backpacking (wilderness)|backpacking]]. Dutch ovens are convenient for cooking dishes that take a long time such as stews, joints of meat and baked goods. They are the not the only option for [[baking]] on a campout as devices for baking on portable stoves exist and clay ovens can be constructed at longer encampments.  

[[Reflector oven]]s are placed on the ground next to the fire, and gather [[thermal radiation]] from it.

Special precautions are required for camping in [[bear]] country because cooking activities and food storage attract these potentially dangerous animals. Food preparation and storage must be located a safe distance from sleeping areas, so a fire near camp cannot be used for cooking.<ref>[http://www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/visit/brochures/bears/index.html Bear country precautions].</ref> Food needs to be stored in [[bear can]]s or [[bear bag]]s hung from a tree or post. Other animals may be attracted to food too; most notably [[raccoon]]s, [[squirrel]]s and [[Mouse|mice]].

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