Campfires Burning
Campfires Burning

Campfire cooking


No matter how spectacular the scenery, meals around the campfire are often the highlight of the camper's day. Modern camp stoves and specialized cookware make the cook's job easier, but nothing beats the taste and appeal of a meal cooked over the campfire. Success at campfire cooking will encourage you to go camping more often.
In days gone by, cooking over an open fire could be taken for granted. Today, with concerns about air quality, restricted areas for camping and dwindling firewood stocks in many campgrounds, the freedom to cook over an open fire is a privilege which requires the utmost in caution and respect. Here are a few important considerations:

Wood

Campfire cooking requires a clean-burning, hot fire. This is only achieved with dry, seasoned wood. Stripping trees of green wood is fruitless - your fire will be smoky, will burn poorly and create unnecessary pollution. If dry wood is not available, it will need to be packed in. Many public campgrounds supply firewood - ring first to see what's available.

Click here for a breakdown of which wood is best for burning and cooking.

Location

Pay close attention to the ground before preparing any fire. In circumstances where building your fire on a rock is not possible, one should ensure that the base of the fire is on bare mineral soil.

Wind

Any medium to strong wind is hazardous. The danger of sparks getting away can ignite a forest fire. Also, the coals will reduce more quickly and provide much less cooking time. If substantial wind shelter is unavailable, any outdoor fire is out of the question.

Recipes




Marshmallows Ingredients

Marshmallows Stick

Instructions

stick the marshmallows onto a stick about 18 to 24inch long and place near the fire, not too close or they'll melt. turn the stick so as to toast them all round. eat when slightly browned.



Thanks to Dave from Halifax for this one.



Lemon Chicken Wraps Ingredients

Fresh lemons, slice thinly (unless you REALLY like lemons!!)
Crushed Garlic
Italian Seasoning
A smigion of Real Butter per pack ( Spread LIGHTLY on tinfoil)

Instructions

For best results use boneless/skinless chicken breasts. Use as many as needed for your folks!!! We put 2 in each pack!!! 1 pack usually per person!!!

Take a piece of tinfoil - shiny side IN - place 4 lemon slices - to make a square. Lay 2 breasts, side by side, each on 2 of the lemon slices. Sprinkle breasts with Italian seasoning, and crushed garlic, use your own judgement on the garlic!!! (We like alot!!!!) If you are a true lemon lover, place 2 more slices on top of each breast. (or 1 will work also!!) Or none at all!!!
Pull sides of tinfoil up and roll the sides together back down and then roll the ends in. Place the packs right onto your hot coals!! This works great on a grill, or even an open campfire!!! Cook for about 40 minutes, turning about every 10 minutes.
My Husband says - If you see the packs start to puff up, turn 1 more time and they should be done in about 10 minutes!!! We really hope you enjoy this as much as we do!!! Even our 4 year old loves it!!! Happy Camping!!!



Thanks to Jayne from England for this one.



Fish in Foil Ingredients

any kind of fish that you catch and are willing to eat.. cut into filets (we have used trout, salmon, fluke, flounder and red snapper)

Instructions

set filets in heavy duty foil which can be wrapped up add tablespoon of butter or olive oil couple of tablespoons of white wine (optional) add juice from half a lemon seasonings to taste salt, pepper, and others such as dill, or oregano, basil, or herbs d'provence, red pepper, etc.... wrap completely closed in the foil cook over hot coals or in oven for about 30 minutes

we have also added shrimp and scallops, and have added onions, garlic, and julienne of vegatables, etc....



Thanks to guest from Texas for this one.



Hot Chocolate Bananas Ingredients

Bananas Chocolate Marshmallows (optional)

Instructions

Warning - only for sweet tooths! :) Hold the banana like a banana boat and slit the banana down the middle going through one side of the skin and through the fruit but not right through the bottom. Squeeze the banana open and fill the slit with chocolate pieces or chocolate and marshmallows and place on the hot embers. When the banana skin is a bit black on the bottom and the chocolate has melted it is ready - the banana should be hot and soft and everything should be all squishy and sweet and lovely. You can eat it out of the skin with a spoon.



Thanks to Fiona from York for this one.



chilli prawns Ingredients

Kebab sticks King or tiger prawns (fresh best, frozen ok) 1/2 Lemon or 1 tbls spoon of lemon juice 2 Cloves Garlic 2 Challots Chilli Powder 1 tablespoons corriander butter Sea Salt Black Pepper

Instructions

Take Prawns (remove veins) put on kebab sticks and put in foil. Make the foil a basic tray and add 1/4 pint water. grate or cut garlic, challots, season well and add corriander to the tray and some nobs of butter all over. wrap like the foil into a sausage and seal the ends as best you can. (I always double wrap mine and cook a little slower). Place directly on coals for 30 mins, rotating every 5. When ready open up tray (or make new one), sprinkle chilli powder over all prawns. Leave foil open and replace onto grill (12 inches above fire) and turn using kebab sticks until nicely pink, add chilli powder on turning to your taste. I made this for 18 people once on an impromptu BBQ, we had been trekking for 9 days, blisters, sores, aches! the lot..we camped 1 mile from the sea, the local town had the biggest freshest praws! They all took the recipe home after! Lots of ingredients and faffing around, but essentially good food for seafood lovers.



Thanks to dave palowkar from milton keynes for this one.




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