How to Cook Over a Campfire

Cooking over an open campfire is easier than you might think. It may take a little preparation and planning, but yields flavorful food that you can take pride in. Additionally, it's not a true camping experience without firewood chopping and a little smoke in your face.

Things You'll Need

• Small shovel
• Rocks
• Kindling
• Matches or lighter
• Firewood
• Cooking utensils
• Cooking grill or grate
• Tripod or hanging pot rack
• Skewers and irons
• Fire-safe pots and pans
• Aluminum foil
• Buckets for water and dirt
• Food
• Dish soap
• Towels and paper towels
• Oven mitts and heat pads

Instructions

1. Create a fire pit well away from brush, trees and other flammable items. Dig the pit several inches deep and set the dirt aside to fill the pit in later. Create either a "keyhole" open pit or a form U-shaped pit by lining the perimeter with rocks.

2. Build a campfire and allow it to burn down until you have a deep bed of live coals with little flame.

3. Cook over the campfire using direct heat and aluminum foil. Wrap food such as meat and vegetables in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the foil package(s) on a scant bed of coals and place a few coals on top of the package(s). Allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Cook over the campfire using direct heat and long skewers and irons. Place food such as hot dogs on skewers or prongs and roast it over the fire. Cook food such as bread on flat irons in a similar fashion.

5. Cook over the campfire using a grill or grate. Place the grill over the campfire and cook as you would over a regular grill at home. Adjust the height of the grill or the coals as necessary.

6. Cook over the campfire using pots hanging from a tripod or rack constructed over the fire. You can also set pots directly on the fire by placing two logs on the bed of coals with a little space between them for air flow. Then set the pot on the logs.

7. Clean cookware by placing a grate over the fire. Fill two pots with water. When one is warm, remove it from the fire, add soap and wash dishes. When the other pot of water is boiling, place soapy dishes in a mesh bag and dip into the boiling water several times. Dry with towels, paper towels, or hang to air dry.

8. Extinguish the fire with water when you are through. Then fill the fire pit with the dirt you originally dug out.

Tips & Warnings

• If using cast iron, do not wash with soapy water. Instead, wipe down with a vegetable-based oil and place directly in the fire for a few minutes.

• Keep a bucket of water and a bucket of dirt on hand should you need to extinguish flames quickly.

• Not all areas allow for open campfires, particularly during the summer when risk of fire is high. Abide by local rules and regulations and bring a gas grill with you just in case.

• Use fire-safe cooking materials and utensils.

• Supervise your campfire and cooking food at all times.

Resources

• Find outdoor activity information at Outdooreyes.com.
• Find campfire recipes at Cooks.com.