Open Fire Camp Cooking

D

Diamond Dog

Joined
Jun 25, 2007
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695
I usually use a coleman's 2 burner propane stove when camping. I like it and it gets hot in a hurry. But I recently bought a medium size fire grate for cooking on the open fire along with a large cast iron skillet. I have never used the grate or cast iron pan on the open fire and I have a few questions on some approaches to doing this.

Is there any special or different way in arranging the fire, sticks etc to efficiently cook? Or is just a regular fire sufficient?

When I camp with the family I usually bring 2-3 bundles of the store bought firewood to use for the campfire for an overnighter, but if I were to use the bundled wood for cooking and for a cozy campfire how much of these store bought bundles do you think I will need for a 2day 1night campout? I have small children and I always bring xtra wood for ease and preparededness etc. I scavenge wood and stuff when I camp but I like having the piece of mind of having dried/ready wood just in case.

Lastly if you guys can give me any advice on camp fire cooking, the skillet or any advice at all it would sure be greatly appreciated. By the way the skillet is already preseasoned. Thanks guys!
 
In my experience the fire only needs to be about half as big as you think it does to cook the food and you have to move it around a bit but otherwies it's a lot of fun.

I have a big grate I got from Sportsmans Guide and I have it set up in my backyard and I cook on it a lot of times because we have a lot of trees that drop limbs.
 
I tend to use more coal than flame in my campfire cooking, rearranging the fire to suit. While cooking, I keep the flame portion going off to the side and then rearrange it after I finish. Using coals helps me control the amount of heat on the skillet or pot by adjusting the height of the grate (if used) or rocks/logs I rest my cookware on. Flames, to me, are harder to regulate and sometimes will set cooking oil on fire, or scorch contents, besides putting more soot on my cookware. I've never noticed much difference in wood use except in hot summer when a fire isn't needed for heat and thus can be let die or nearly so during the day and night between cooked meals. Midday meals then are usually served cold, not cooked.
 
Diamond Dog said:
How long does it take for the cast iron to get hot to fry etc?
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It depends on the size of the cookware and fire, and amount of grease being heated. Different woods burn at different BTU output as well. I generally test the skillet/grease with a couple of drops of water. If the drops sizzle and skitter, the skillet is hot enough. You don't want a skillet that hot for frying eggs and some other things. In that case, I set my skillet aside on a cold rock (heat sink) after removing the bacon or ham. Then I reheat it to cook the eggs. Things fried in grease like chicken or fish need to be hotter.
 
Thanks Codger and hd! I was considering mixing charcoal with the wood but did not know if this would work. The grate I have is from bass pro and it has folding type legs if you could call it that and is about maybe 18 or so inches from the ground when opened. I am a total newb at this type of cooking. I have grilled and barbequed before so I'm guessing the technique may be a little similiar.
 
Diamond,
No set recipes or cook times with campfire, that is half to the fun! LOL!

I grew up on roasting meat/veggies or making hobo dinners. Hobo dinners:
Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil
Drop a teaspoon of oil in center
slice a potato kinda thin
add slice carrots, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes
add hamburger patty or diced steak, venison, or chicken
season and wrap aluminum foil ends
I use a second layer of aluminum foil

rake fresh burning log off to the side and 1/2 coals
place hobos on coals and rake the other half on top of of them
about 15-20 minutes should be plenty. Meat and veggies steam very nicely.

2Door
 
have you considered a dutch oven?

we use one to cook veggies, biscuits, even brownies. we set up a separate area and put a pile of hot coals there, then set the oven directly on the coals. works like a champ!

re: the grill, ive found that if the flames are too high, it just burns the outside and doesnt cook the inside.
 
You can also "smoke" your food, it takes a little longer but is very good for foul and pork.
Hang it up higher above the fire, and add fresh split wood pieces every so often to keep some smoke rising. Try not to use pine/evergreen as it will give an acrid taste.

A teepee style fire to start with will heat up faster, then once burning nicely, smooth it out flat, and that forms your cooking area.

You can "side cook" by setting a pot on a rock next to the fire, just rotate it once in a while. This is a good way to heat things like beans, that you don't want to burn directly over the fire.
 
You can also adjust the height of those grills by folding the legs and setting it on lower logs, rocks, or on coals themselves. The grill still provides a nice flat surface so that your pot/pan doesn't tip and some air still gets to the coals.

I also foil wrap vegetables (try a whole yellow squash!) and potatos and cook them directly in the coals. Biscuits I either pan-fry or make a fireside "reflector oven" from foil. Or if you are using canned, roast 'em like a marshmallow!
 
i make a keyhole shaped fire and use a shovel to move coals to the cooking part of the fire from the flame part of the fire, this lety you keep the fire burning while supplying you with coals for coking use.

alex
 
As said by Codger, Alco, etc., build your fire and let it burn to hot coals. Then use a shovel to put the hot coals under your grill which is to the side of your main fire. You'll have far more control over your cooking than if you just shove a pan over the flames. If you need more heat, you add more coals from the fire. Need less heat, just drag some of the coals away with your shovel.

Second the motion, too, on a good Lodge cast iron Dutch oven. I wouldn't be without mine in camp. Extremely versatile. If you buy one, buy a Lodge. Stay away from the China and Mexico dutch ovens. They quite often have hot spots, uneven lids, and uneven cooking.

Have fun.

L.W.
 
dont use flames to cook your food! Hardwood embers are hotter and more consistant. And you can manage the heat by moving the coals around. Just like charcoal.

Let your fire burn down (hardwood works the best) then push all the coals into a pile. push a small amount of coals onto a flat part of the pit, then set your dutch oven/skillet on top. a thick material like cast iron or steel works better here. If you run out of coals before you are done cooking, just replace them from the pile.

you will have to contend with a little heat and ash. But stay away from flames! you can also use rocks or a small amount of wood to set your skillet/dutch oven on.
 
Ottoshot said:
dont use flames to cook your food! Hardwood embers are hotter and more consistant. And you can manage the heat by moving the coals around. Just like charcoal.

Let your fire burn down (hardwood works the best) then push all the coals into a pile. push a small amount of coals onto a flat part of the pit, then set your dutch oven/skillet on top. a thick material like cast iron or steel works better here. If you run out of coals before you are done cooking, just replace them from the pile.

you will have to contend with a little heat and ash. But stay away from flames! you can also use rocks or a small amount of wood to set your skillet/dutch oven on.
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I second this approach. Burn your fire to hardwood coals, then cook off to the side. This allows you to add/subtract coals from under your grate while keeping it off the flames. Nice flat bed of coals heats the pan and cooks in a controlled manner. Sticking your food out over flames is only fit for marshmellows in my opinion. :D

Cooking over a campfire is great, just take your time. Once you burn it you can't make it taste good again, but you can always put it back out to continue the cooking a little longer.
 
SkunkWerX said:
A teepee style fire to start with will heat up faster, then once burning nicely, smooth it out flat, and that forms your cooking area.

You can "side cook" by setting a pot on a rock next to the fire, just rotate it once in a while. This is a good way to heat things like beans, that you don't want to burn directly over the fire.
Click to expand...

Really good description of the technique with the grate IMO!!! :thumbup:

My grate is tall so I usually never build up a bed of coals capable of getting my stuff cooking hot quickly. I usually do basically what you describe there.
 
Hollowdweller, do you use a homemade or blacksmithed grate, or is it storebought? I'm interested cause usually the ones that are pretty high are handmade. My friend has a couple that were made at a mountain man reinactment event, and they range from small and can dissassemble, to one piece grate that is about 2' X 3'. They are both pretty high and need to be adjusted lower to get close to a small fire. I'm just curious, i love campfire cooking.

:D:D:D
 
If you're taking store bought wood as a backup anyway, why not try old pallets ? The wood is dry, coals quickly, and sometimes there's hardwood in the stringers. Best of all, they're free
 
DeadeyeLefty, that's funny you mention that, I did a thread about pallet wood for fire a few months back. I think the consensus was that for general fire it would do but for cooking may not be so good. If I remember the reasoning was that chemicals could have absorbed into the wood grain and may have ill effects when burned. I always come into pallets and find good, clean ones from time to time to use.

Great advice and info all, I really appreciated it! I considered getting a dutch oven but I had a gift card and was able to get the grate and cast iron skillet that covered the cost on the card just perfect. I can forsee getting one in the future though.

I'm really interested in making/cooking bisquits on the campfire with the cast iron skillet. If I remember correctly RunningBoar had some pics of his hog trip where he did this using foil. If your out there RB give a shout on how you did this! Thanks!
 
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