Whether you are out camping or on a backpacking trip, one of the best ways to cook your meals is over an open fire. Knowing how to cook properly over a backpacking fire can make all the difference between a delicious meal and burnt, inedible muck. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your meals when cooking over a campfire.
Gather the Necessary Supplies
The first step in cooking over an open fire is making sure you have the necessary supplies. You’ll need fuel, such as wood or charcoal, and something to light it with such as matches or a lighter.
You should also bring along some kind of grate or rack to place over the fire so that your food doesn’t fall into it. Finally, bring along some long-handled utensils so you don’t burn yourself.
Choose Your Fire Type
Depending on what type of food you plan on cooking and how hot your fire needs to be will determine which type of fire you should build. A small cooking fire is great for boiling water for coffee or tea.
A larger campfire can be used for grilling burgers and hot dogs. If you plan on doing a lot of baking or roasting in aluminum foil packets then you’ll want to build an “upside-down” fire with larger logs at the bottom and smaller pieces of wood at the top.
Start Building Your Fire
Once you’ve decided which type of fire you want to build it’s time to get started. Start by gathering tinder such as dry grass, leaves, and small twigs.
Place these at the center of where your fire will be built and light them using your matches or lighter. Once they start burning add more small pieces of wood until they catch onto the tinder and start burning as well.
Adding Larger Pieces Of Wood
Once your small pieces of wood have caught onto the flame add larger pieces one by one until your desired size has been reached. Be sure not to overcrowd though; leave enough space between each piece so that air can circulate freely throughout them.
Positioning Your Grate Or Rack
Once your fire is burning nicely place your grate or rack above it but not too close that it catches onto flames. The height will depend on what type of food you are cooking; for example if grilling burgers then lower it close enough so that they heat up nicely but far enough away that they don’t catch onto any flames.
Cooking over an open backpacking fire can be an enjoyable experience if done correctly, but there are several important steps that must be followed in order to do it safely and effectively. Gathering all necessary supplies before building your desired sized flame is important before positioning a grate above it, followed by adding larger pieces of wood one by one without overcrowding them so air can circulate freely throughout them – then all that’s left is enjoy!