We love cooking outdoors on campfires and it’s such a cosy way of spending time together.  I have previously written about the basics of making a campfire, and also how to solve some campfire problems, but in this post I want to run through some methods of how to cook on a campfire and a few handy rules.  I hope you can then head out and enjoy cooking food on the campfire as much as we do 🙂

Methods To Cook On A Campfire:

This list is by no means definitive, but it is what we mainly use to cook on a campfire:

1. Using a grill:  These come in all sizes, but if you use a smallish one with folding legs, they become a very handy piece of kit.  They can be set up over a fire, avoiding having to put the food directly onto the flames and they keep the food steady.  They are a very light piece of kit too making them easy to pack and carry.
2. Foil parcels: This is perhaps one of the most used ways we use to cook on a campfire.  It is so versatile and means you can prepare the food at home, package it up, and carry it all ready to cook at your destination.  You can cook all sorts this way, and there is a wealth of foil parcel recipes out there (including in our own outdoor cooking category).  You can place the food directly onto the fire this way, or use the grill option as well.
3. Pots:  Again these can be placed straight onto the fire (beware of food sticking to the bottom and be prepared for a tough pan scrub at home), or used on the grill.  We favour one pot recipes keeping things very simple.
4. Skewers:  These are perfect for bread based recipes, sausage, or of course good old marshmallows.  We also have a tasty fruit kebab recipe.

Handy Rules For Campfire Food:

1. Keep it simple:  The less ingredients the better.  You have enough going on around you, and you will need less equipment, making less clearing up!
2. One Pot Dishes:  Try and do recipes that just use one pot.
3. Prep before you head out:  You will need to take less equipment then to use to prepare the food, and it makes it easier at the fire pit, especially if the weather is inclement.
4. Get the children to help:  They love helping with both the food and the fire…plus they are more likely to eat the food if they have helped cook it.
5. Make it heart warming, filling, and popular:  Remember this is not a time to try out weird and wonderful recipes that may not be received with enthusiasm.  The meal may need to be used as a morale booster, for energy, and for warmth.
6. If you are unsure that you will find a fire pit or be able to make a fire, make it a meal that might be viable hot or cold.  Our pizza wraps are a good example of this.
7. Try and make food that only needs simple utensils (like a spork) or fingers.
8. Use metal, not plastic accessories such as tongs.
9. Use fireproof gloves to wear.
10. Cook safe:  I stick to foods that have a very low risk of breeding anything nasty that will make us sick, and use common sense with food hygiene.

Once you have finished, don’t forget to tidy the area up properly (looking after the area), package and put away left over food so the wild animals are not tempted, and put out your campfire properly (see the link at the start of the post).

I hope this has given you some helpful hints and tips to get you outdoors cooking on the campfires and enjoying it 🙂