Let’s face it. Summers are for campfires. But they may end up being needed for survival in the near future — especially with liberals trying to steal our stoves and energy companies, driving the cost of operating them higher and higher.
So, you go outside to enjoy a summer campfire. It’s crackling away, but now you want to cook on it. What now?
Congratulations! You got the hard part out of the way, and that fire is going. Finding wood that’s dry enough to burn and properly seasoned so it’s not sending thick smoke everywhere is incredibly difficult. Now it’s time to get that food going.
What you have for equipment and food will depend on what you need to do to that fire.
If you have a roaring fire, burgers, fish filets, chops (pork or lamb), or quesadillas all cook beautifully in a heavy skillet over a roaring fire. Hot dogs, sausages, and brats all can be done over the same fire. A cooking fork/skewer or sharpened stick (torch it a bit first to kill bacteria) is a great tool for cooking them, and they let the kids join in without worrying about them burning themselves.
When you have just embers (like in the morning after sleeping with the fire going), a cast iron skillet is perfect to toss in some over-easy eggs, scrambled eggs, omelets, or pancakes. Skillets are an obvious choice too, and some home fries and sausage go great in there too. They soak up the flavors and make for a delicious meal.
No matter what you choose to cook, it all depends on what food you bring with you and how dedicated you are to doing the job right.
Doing as much prep at home is crucial to being a successful cook over a campfire as well. Simply cubing potatoes, pre-measuring ingredients and packaging them in one container, and having them ready to go is key.
Tools for a camping cook have the same importance that they do to a mechanic; without the right ones, you make a 10-minute job take 25.
A stable rack with metal legs to cook over, long-handled utensils with wooden handles (prevents burns from heat transfer in the metal), and skewers for that round meat and marshmallows. Then you need a skillet (cast iron ideally), heavy-duty foil, a Dutch oven, a propane or camping stove (just in case your wood gets wet), as well as plates and utensils to eat off.
While the list might sound daunting, it’s what you’ll need to make the job easy. That’s also the best part about going camping. Inevitably, something will be forgotten or left behind. When that happens, you just have to figure out how to adapt and overcome. Not always the easiest task, but it’s also what makes for the best memories. And who knows, it could end up becoming a much-needed skill one day.
