Camping is my favorite time to cook outdoors over an open fire. The majority of overlanders consume sandwiches, instant ramen, and dehydrated meals while camping, while I prefer to cook outdoors over an open fire. Over an open flame, you can cook your ingredients in an almost alchemical way by using a dutch oven, cast iron pan, pot or grill. There is something relaxing about eating outdoors.
It goes without saying that cooking over an open fire is nothing new. A two-million-year-old human grilled meat on an open flame; however, the technique remains the same, whether it’s barbecuing, grilling, braai, yakitori, barbecue, tandoor, barbacoa, or char siu. Searing meat over direct flame produces the Maillard Reaction. The flavor is produced when amino acids react with reducing sugars.
Fire up your Log Cabin
Do you prefer a teepee or a log cabin when setting up logs for a fire? It has both advantages and disadvantages. Due to the fact that teepees produce a lot of heat at one point (their top), they are ideal for boiling water. As a result, this kind of fire produces broad-range heat, which is ideal for warming skillets or grills.
To build a fire pit, we recommend lighting a fire starter, adding two logs parallel to it, and pouring water over it. After laying the first two logs down, add two more perpendicular to them, forming a square around the fire starter. This process should be repeated until your desired height is reached.
In general, four stories are written at the same time. Logs will slowly burn down as they are stacked on top of each other, so you can stack more logs on top of each other. You should be able to keep the fire going for hours with this method.
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Wait for Coals
The advice is generally not to put food on a fire right away after it’s been lit. Initially, you will burn your meal because the flame will not be consistent. It is necessary to start a fire and let it burn all the way down to coals. Fires can burn down and reach the desired temperature in 30 to 45 minutes, depending on their size.
Preparing meals while the fire grows is a good use of the time. To cook meat, remove it from the refrigerator or relax and let it come to room temperature before cooking. By doing this, you’ll make sure it cooks evenly.
How much heat you need
Depending on the type of fire, direct or indirect cooking is possible. Cooking directly over heat means placing your food directly above the source of heat. Skewers, coals, or grill grates are all good options for doing this. The heat exposure makes it ideal for searing food and cooking foods that don’t need a long cooking time.
A indirect method involves cooking food near or around the fire using radiant heat. Generally, grilling is done in this manner. Flare-ups are avoided (ghee and fat don’t leak into the flames), fatty meats are broken down, and delicate proteins (e.g. chicken) are cooked. Moreover, it results in a beautiful crust on food’s exterior.
Maintain Consistent Fire
Keeping your fire temperature constant is the key to cooking your food perfectly. Nevertheless, it is not always easy to accomplish. You can manage your fire by performing the hand test. By holding your hand next to a fire for as long as you can, you can determine its temperature.
Following these steps is what you need to do. The flames should not be within six to eight inches of your hand when you start the fire. Approximately a minute is enough to hold it close if it is burning hot. The heat is too great for it to burn if you hold it too close for less than three seconds. You need 4 to 5 seconds to cook at medium-high heat, 6 to 8 seconds at medium, 8 to 10 seconds at medium-low, and 10 to 12 seconds at low.
Temperature Check your Food
A steak that is overcooked or a chicken that is undercooked could lead to food poisoning. By using a meat thermometer, you can avoid those scenarios. Keep the tip of the thermometer away from bones on your cut of meat by placing it at the deepest point. To cook chicken to 165°F, fish and pork to 145°F, and ground meat to 160°F, for example, cook them at 165°F.
Avoid carrying over cooked food
The majority of people tend to overcook their meat until it reaches an ideal internal temperature. It is problematic for food to continue cooking even after a fire has been put out. In this case, we are talking about carryover cooking. As a result, the food ends up being overcooked.
To prevent this, remove the meat from the oven a few degrees before it reaches the temperature you desire. If you remove the steak from the fire as soon as it reaches 120 degrees and let it rest for 5-10 minutes, it will naturally reach medium-rare (125 degrees). Resting meat for half the time it takes to cook it is a good idea.
Trade Tools
Wood, flames, and food make up campfire cooking – there’s nothing fancy about it. The most enjoyable part about it is that it’s so unique. In terms of gear items, there are a few that will ease the work.
Outdoor cooking is easier with Bree Outpost grills, and a fire pit from the X Series is perfect for any outdoor gathering. By using natural fire starters, matches, and welding gloves, he ensures your food will taste smoky and not like lighter fluid. Along with a meat thermometer, you also need a sharp knife, a cutting board, and a cutting board for preparing food.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do fire pits allow you to cook over them?
That’s a definite yes! The first fire pits were used more than a million years ago by humans. Fire makes you feel like you’re eating and cooking in the middle of nature, which makes it very natural. You can read on if you have never cooked on fire or if you would like some tips on how to do it.
For tips and tricks on successfully cooking over a fire, check out this guide. Take our camping cooking tips with you and you’ll be prepared to prepare a tasty meal next time you’re out in nature.
What are the benefits of campfire cooking?
In addition to being fun, campfire cooking also saves you fuel on your camping stove. Additionally, you will not need to bring nearly as much fuel because your load will be lighter.
I am interested in knowing how to cook over a campfire in case I run out of fuel while out in the wilderness. Only a few times have I experienced this, but it saved my life, such as when my fuel ran out before my morning coffee. The possibility of not being able to make coffee over the fire would have ruined my mood!
