How to Use Charcoal in a Wood Camp Stove
Charcoal and firewood are interchangeable sources of fire for cooking while at camp. Charcoal is quicker to light, produces even heat and is easy to pack. You can easily substitute charcoal in your wood-burning camp stove the next time you go camping. Another advantage to charcoal is that it is not banned from state parks as outside firewood---many campgrounds will not let you pack in your own firewood for fear of spreading the Emerald Ash Borer, a dangerous tree-destroying insect.
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Instructions
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Place charcoal in a pyramid formation inside your camp stove. The amount you need will depend upon the size of the camp stove. Find the right number of charcoal briquettes to use by covering the bottom of the stove with a single layer of briquettes. Rearrange the charcoal into a pyramid.
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Dampen the charcoal with lighter fluid and allow soak 30 minutes. Do not use so much lighter fluid that extra fluid pools up in the bottom of the stove--use just enough to wet the briquettes.
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Light with a match. Long fireplace matches are the safest to use and make it easier to reach inside the stove.
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Allow the charcoal to burn until covered with a gray ash. The fire is ready for cooking after the charcoal is uniformally gray.
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Tips & Warnings
Build your fire anywhere by protecting the ground with a double layer of heavy-duty foil. When you use foil to protect the ground a fire can be built on concrete or grass without leaving a scorch mark.
Estimate the heat of your fire by multiplying each briquette by 40 degrees. Example: 10 briquettes should produce the equivalent of a 400-degree oven.
Always keep a bucket of water and a shovel nearby in case the fire gets out of hand or needs to be extinguished quickly.
Never leave a fire burning unattended while at camp.
