How To Cook Over A Campfire
One of the great joys of camping is getting the opportunity to do some campfire cooking. We have so many kitchen gadgets nowadays that it’s nice to sometimes go back to our primal roots and make a meal over honest to goodness hardwood flames. Sure, hot dogs and s’mores are the easiest way to go but if you’re looking for a more substantial meal, you can cook just about anything with the right gear. In this blog we’re going to go over how to cook over a campfire, so that your next camping meal is a hit!
Before you get started, you’ll need to make sure you have a fire-safe area to build your fire and the proper supplies to cook over it. At Zion River Resort, our RV sites are prepped and ready for cooking with a fire ring* and a campfire cooking grate. Depending on the meal you’re planning to make, you will also need some of the following items:
- Seasoned hardwood
- Kindling or other natural fire starter
- Stick lighter, matches or other similar
- Cast iron cookware, like a griddle and/or a skillet
- Dutch oven, Pie iron, and/or other campfire cooking accessories
- Aluminum, steel, or titanium pots and pans
- Grilling utensils, like tongs, spatulas, and forks
- Heavy duty aluminum foil
- Fireplace tools for tending the fire and coals during cooking
- Grill gloves and potholders
- Grilling thermometer
How to Cook over a Campfire
Now that you know the basic items you’ll need to get started with campfire cooking, let’s walk through the process from the beginning.
- The first step is to build a fire with your kindling and seasoned hardwood. Let the fire burn for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the wood has transformed into glowing coals. If you’ve ever prepared a charcoal grill, this is a very similar process. In fact, you can even substitute charcoal for seasoned hardwood if that is more convenient.
- When your fire is ready, position the campfire cooking grate over the hot coals and either cook directly on the grate and/or use your chosen cooking accessories to prepare your meal. Depending on the tools you use and the types of food you are cooking, heat, timing, and prep methods will vary.
- Always keep a bucket of water handy in case the flames start to get out of control, and to extinguish the fire at the end of the night. If you’re not comfortable building and maintaining a campfire, you can achieve much of the same results using a propane grill or stove.
No matter your level of experience with campfire cooking, everything always tastes better when you’re camping. Plan to cook your next campfire meal with us at Zion River RV Resort where each site has full hook-ups, a shade tree, fire ring*, large metal picnic table, free Wi-Fi, and cable television.
* Two sites do not have a fire ring due to their proximity to the propane filling station.
