A Homemade Life
Welcome to Homemade Life.

To take full advantage of everything offered by our forum, please log in if you are already a member or join our community if not ....

Chilli-head
A Homemade Life
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Who is online?
In total there are 3 users online :: 0 Registered, 0 Hidden and 3 Guests

None

Most users ever online was 112 on 8th October 2020, 7:09 am
Latest topics
» Hungry Birds
by Dirick55 7th December 2023, 6:04 am

» PRESENTATION
by Chilli-head 23rd November 2023, 2:55 pm

» New Kiva loan
by Chilli-head 21st July 2023, 12:35 pm

» A peat-free compost is top in UK Which? magazine trial
by Dandelion 25th April 2023, 9:42 pm

» New gardening year 2023
by Chilli-head 5th March 2023, 10:15 pm

» What have I done in the workshop today?
by Dandelion 2nd December 2022, 1:12 pm

» What are you harvesting today?
by Dandelion 2nd December 2022, 1:12 pm

» Wartime marrow casserole
by Dandelion 18th October 2022, 4:42 pm

» Late sowings in August ... beans ?
by Ploshkin 11th August 2022, 9:29 am

» Come August, come night in the garden
by Chilli-head 4th August 2022, 3:29 pm

» Welcome guest
by Ploshkin 31st July 2022, 9:16 am

» The Jolly July Garden
by Ploshkin 19th July 2022, 11:38 am

» More mead ...
by Chilli-head 13th July 2022, 12:52 pm

» The June garden thread
by Dandelion 25th June 2022, 9:55 pm

» Plastic bags
by Dandelion 5th June 2022, 7:28 pm

» The merry May garden
by Dandelion 31st May 2022, 10:04 pm

» Fooling around in the April garden
by freebird 1st May 2022, 8:33 am

» March into the garden
by Dandelion 1st April 2022, 7:26 pm

» Mow Suggestions
by freebird 29th March 2022, 5:48 pm

» Some thoughts on resilience
by Ploshkin 12th March 2022, 2:23 pm

Statistics
We have 270 registered users
The newest registered user is Lloyd

Our users have posted a total of 48045 messages in 2416 subjects
Similar topics
Pages we like:

Campfire cookery Hca_button


Campfire cookery

5 posters

Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Campfire cookery

Post by Chilli-head 13th August 2010, 12:30 pm

You lot are probably just the right people to ask ...

So, Chilli-head jnr (aged 7) is an enthusiastic beaver scout, and I have to take him camping. He likes campfires and wants to cook on one ... I've found a suitable campsite where we can kindle a fire, but although I can do barbecues, but I've never done campfire cooking. Any suggestions ? I'm hoping for something more nutritious than marsh mellows, whatever scouts make as campfire bread (shudder) and hot dog sausages !

I have a sweetcorn glut that I'm hoping to use, any other good ideas ?
Chilli-head
Chilli-head
Admin and Boss man

Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by polgara 13th August 2010, 1:07 pm

Any sort of stew is great. or a corned beef hash either of which is a 1 pot dish. A billy & a fry pan, & you can do chops, fish cakes etc with vegg. A frying pan also means you can do a pizza
polgara
polgara

Posts : 3028
Join date : 2009-11-16
Age : 77
Location : Sunshine Isle

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Mike 13th August 2010, 2:31 pm

Success (normal cooking but over a campfie) is a matter of set up. Although ideally a "campfire" and a "ccok fire" are quite different you can use one fire pit with even more care in set up.

For cooking you need something to hold the pots or pans at a suitable distance above a rather small fire. So you find two large rocks (or four smaller ones, etc.) that you can set up to make a channel a little less wide than your pots and pans. Maybe a tapering channel so wide at one end (large pots) and narower at the other (small pots). You take the time to get the tops level and steady with shim pieces as needed. Worth it to take the time over that as a a rocking rock can spill your supper.

You make a fire at one end of the channel (out side one end; that is your "campfire" later) and wen you have some you can rake enough coals and fire into the channel for cooking over. If that dies down too much you remove the pot, rake in more, and put the pot back. In campfire cookery too much fire under the pot more common than too little.

If just cooking (no campfire) you just build a small fire in the channel with twigs and stuff up to about the diameter of your thumb. Have a supply of the latter to keep inserting as the fire threatens to die down too much.

If baking you want a "Dutch oven" of the original type with a rim around the outside of the lid as this is the type for cooking in an actual fire. You have a campfire, then rake a bed of coals to one side, place the Dutch oven on top and lid on to preheat (some coals on the lid). When preheated, carefully lift the lid (rim should let you do that without getting coals/ashes inside the pot), place the dough or whatever inside, replace the lid, then rake coals around the outsde and onto the lid. Don't overdo it.
Mike
Mike

Posts : 484
Join date : 2009-11-08
Age : 79
Location : Step by Step Farm, Berkshire Mtns, Massachusetts, USA

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Compostwoman 13th August 2010, 2:33 pm

Roast the sweetcorn in the embers.

THIS is a good link for some ideas.

As is this site

Also, take a double BBQ rack ( the sort that folds over itself? it looks like a square tennis racquet?) ) and use it to tosst bread, sandwiches, tea cakes etc. Also can use for bacon, chops etc. Or veg slices. Or whatever, really.

Hope you have fun!
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by budburst12 13th August 2010, 3:42 pm

Sounds like great fun!

You could set up a little camp kitchen and get them to make up their own burgers - then you can put all kinds of more healthy things in than usual - onions, herbs... maybe experiment with different kinds of meat - pork and lamb make good burgers too. Collect some wild herbs to go in the burgers - sorrel and wood sorrel are lovely zesty herbs and go great with all meats and you can find them growing in most places. But of course only do this if you're confident you've got the right plants!

I'd use two long and thick logs (about lower leg thickness will do) laid parallel with the fire in between them instead of using stones to settle my pans on - stones can crack in the heat and you don't want any shards flying off anywhere near young eyes! Using large logs will avoid them burning through too quickly. Keep some spare ones at the side for if you need to replace them.

Have a good time!
budburst12
budburst12

Posts : 148
Join date : 2010-05-24
Age : 46
Location : Shropshire, UK

http://oakhousepermaculture.blogspot.com/

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Compostwoman 13th August 2010, 3:46 pm

If you use green logs they won't burn through at all probably

Agree about stones /rocks they can explode and its not nice.
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Chilli-head 13th August 2010, 4:41 pm

I knew this would be the right place to ask - thanks for all the ideas.

Now you mention it, I had forgotten that I have got both one of those barbecue "tennis racquets" ( Campfire cookery Icon_smile ) which normally sits unused in the garage, and a Dutch oven ! Quite how I'm going to get this lot in the car I don't know.

I am intrigued as to how to cook a pizza in a frying pan Pol .... I liked the idea in one of CW's links of using pittas with pizza toppings inside and toasting - a sort of improvised Calzone. I'm sure that would be well received (pizza always is !)

I'm sure it will be fun Campfire cookery 855195
Chilli-head
Chilli-head
Admin and Boss man

Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Compostwoman 13th August 2010, 6:05 pm

I have had great success putting pitta pockets filled with cheese and tomato between the "tennis racquet " thingy ( what IS it called?) and toasting them. Very yummy toasty/pizza ish!
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by polgara 13th August 2010, 6:20 pm

Just get a ready made base, put it in the pan to just start browning, take it out put your topping in the pan & pop the base on the top , cook till the bottom is heated through, best use some ready cooked meat,. Best idea would be toms, peppers, meat & cheese then top with the base cook off till hot & flip the whole thing onto a plate. Voila pizza.

definately logs & not stones. A lot afer when you have smalls around.
polgara
polgara

Posts : 3028
Join date : 2009-11-16
Age : 77
Location : Sunshine Isle

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Compostwoman 14th August 2010, 12:54 am

re Pizza, what Pol said is how I have done it!
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by budburst12 14th August 2010, 9:03 am

mmm, thanks Pol, that pizza sounds great! Always wondered how the topping bit worked on a pan cooked pizza and now I know! Very Happy
budburst12
budburst12

Posts : 148
Join date : 2010-05-24
Age : 46
Location : Shropshire, UK

http://oakhousepermaculture.blogspot.com/

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by polgara 14th August 2010, 9:56 am

LOL realistically at home you put it under the grill.

However camping calls for a slightly different approach, & believe me I am good at that.

Remember having 2 hours to cook & clear up at camp, & that included lighting the fire.
We managed a full meal & a trip to the pub in that time, that was when we were camping with Rangers & Rover Scouts. I have been involved in cooking every type of meal on a camp fire, cooking was not so much fun when we got camping stoves though.
polgara
polgara

Posts : 3028
Join date : 2009-11-16
Age : 77
Location : Sunshine Isle

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Chilli-head 29th August 2010, 9:10 pm

Well, camping trip to an exposed spot on the Welsh coast survived. I now understand what they mean by a 5 man tent - it is not the number of people you can fit in it, but the number you ideally need to pitch the thing when it's blowing a bit !

Anyway, wind dropped enough for three nights of campfire cookery. Special thanks to Mike for such useful advice on building the fire, really helpful.

So, we had:

Baked in foil: Sweetcorn, potatoes, apples.
Grilled in the "barbecue tennis racquet" (still don't know what it's called): Sausages, pitta pizza pockets (very well received by Chilli-head Jnr, - thanks CW !)
I also remembered to borrow the toasting fork which usually sits by the woodburner - toast and strawberry jam never tasted so good.

Thanks to you all for your suggestions Very Happy
Chilli-head
Chilli-head
Admin and Boss man

Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by polgara 29th August 2010, 9:55 pm

Glad it all worked out for you.
polgara
polgara

Posts : 3028
Join date : 2009-11-16
Age : 77
Location : Sunshine Isle

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Compostwoman 29th August 2010, 11:42 pm

Really pleased you sound like you had a good time!

And am pleased the Pitta pizza pockets Tennis racquet thingy worked really well! ( always raises a smile, does the use of that!)
avatar
Compostwoman

Posts : 5688
Join date : 2009-11-08

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Chilli-head 30th July 2012, 3:44 pm

We had another go at campfire cookery last week. I took one of those orange net bags filled with a mix of woodworking offcuts of oak and some smaller oak logs. The latter have only been seasoning for about 12 months, so the fire was on the smokey side - oak smoked sausages grilled in the "tennis racquet" came out rather nicely Very Happy
Chilli-head
Chilli-head
Admin and Boss man

Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire

Back to top Go down

Campfire cookery Empty Re: Campfire cookery

Post by Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum