Campfire Cooking Ideas

Campfire cooking is fun and exciting for everybody. It never fails to appeal either to the young or old. There are many recipes and techniques to try in your next Outdoor Cooking adventure. Of course, not all of us know the basics of starting a campfire or even know the true essence of campfire cooking. I thought I would perhaps show you some of the different ways to have fun with Campfire cooking.

Remember to keep it simple – basic ingredients, as few pieces of equipment as possible, innovation and creativity will work wonders! It's not a chore its some of the best eating you'll ever have.

Different Types of Campfire Cooking

a)      Cook directly on Charcoals

Yes. You read it right. Cook directly on charcoals. You may apply this method when you intend not to use any pots or other cooking equipments. They say that it is best to use hardwood coals because it holds its heat better and add a nicer flavour than softwoods which are full of smelly sap. Always remember that placing food directly to coals cook very rapidly.

b)      Use Large Coffee Cans for Cooking

Another innovative idea is using your old 44oz. Coffee cans instead of pans or pots. Using this way of Campfire cooking is very easy and economical. All you need to do is to layer the food (e.g. vegetables, some meat, seasonings) inside the can. Seal the top of the can with a heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place some hot coals on top of the foil then place the can on top of the coals. Since cooking time varies, the minimum cooking time using this method is about 30-45 minutes.

c)       Cook using Paper

This sounds quite odd when you say that you can cook food in paper. Almost everybody would think that as soon as paper touches fire or hot coals, it will definitely burn. In order to use this type of cooking method, you must not use waxed paper and that the paper is wet. The wax will melt and will go in to your food. Fish works very well in this type of method. You can even boil water using a paper cup or even heat milk from its carton. Just make sure that the carton is not waxed or else it will not work.

d)      Use Leaves

Large cabbage and lettuce leaves can be used in cooking meats. As soon as you place the leaf on top of the coals, you should expect that the leaf might look wilted and parched. This is a normal reaction and but underneath the leaf, it is still moist and cold. When you notice that that the meat is almost cooked, take out the leaf then turn the meat over. Place it back on the coal until it is completely cooked.

Endless possibilities can be done when you are Cooking Outdoors. It is nice to know that camping gives families and friends a chance to catch up and be bonded once again.

Next time we will talk a little about Foil Cooking Outdoors.