Using the right tools makes campfire cooking efficient and enjoyable.
If you are planning on cooking your food over an open fire, there are several things you need to do to prepare. Cooking over an open flame can be dangerous. Make sure your equipment and supplies are designed for flame cooking---this will help prevent burns and allow you to access your food quicker and easier. Having your cooking supplies set up before you start your fire will make the experience effortless. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Cooking Platforms
One thing to consider when cooking over an open fire is your cooking platform. This includes the base that you will be cooking on. A popular platform is a tripod grill. The tripod grill is versatile and allows you to easily control the temperature of your food by a convenient lever on the cool side of the stand. You can lower food for a true flame-broiled dinner or you can set it higher to allow your meat to absorb the smoke from the fire. A drawback would be that tripod grates are prone to flipping, so be careful you don't lose your dinner. A fire ring with attached iron grate allows a flat and sturdy surface for you to cook your food. One drawback is that they are not usually adjustable and food can burn easily because of how close the grate sits to the ground. If you are looking at roasting hot dogs or marshmallows, an aluminum extended fork will protect your hands.
Utensils
Having the right utensils is important when cooking over an open fire. Tongs are essential because they allow you to grab and turn food but they also allow you a cool hand to be able to adjust your cooking grate. Metal spatulas are good for turning burgers, fish and flat vegetables on a hot grill. Other important tools include slotted spoon, serving spoon, meat thermometers and metal skewers.
Dutch Oven
If you enjoy stews or chili when you are camping, you will definitely want to bring along your favorite Dutch oven. A Dutch oven is a large pot with a lid that circulates heat within to easily bring your favorite dish to a boil and hold the temperature. Cast iron is preferred, especially when cooking over an open flame. A Dutch oven is also a handy way to boil water for cleaning and dish washing.
Skillet
If you have a fire and a tri-pod grill, you will need something to cook your food on. A cast iron skillet is a good choice for an open fire. It is sturdy, circulates heat and cleans up easily. Skillets are great for cooking breakfast foods such as pancakes, eggs and bacon over a fire. You should also bring along a pie iron for making sandwiches and desserts as well as a grill basket that you can use to cook sausages and seafood.
Tags: over open, your food, open fire, cooking over, Dutch oven, over open fire