There are so many fun activities to enjoy while camping. Whether you’re hiking, exploring the terrain, singing songs around a campfire or taking a dip in a nearby lake, the outdoor activities are endless. Aside from all the leisurely hoopla, even the regular day-to-day activities can be worthwhile. Setting up your campsite, sleeping under the stars, bathing outdoors and especially, cooking! There are several ways to eat and cook while roughing it, all of which add to the overall camping adventure!
You don’t need too many tools to make a great meal outdoors. Bring your basics. Firestarters to help you get a fire going. A protective oven mitt. Long utensils such as a spatula and tongs. A metal skillet or a pan capable of being used over an open flame. The metal pans with a detachable clamp that be used as a handle are the best because they are more compact when carrying them in your backpack. They are also helpful when you want to place the entire pan in the fire. Detach the clamp while your food cooks so the handle won’t get too hot to touch. You can eat right out of the pan or bring a few plates with you to share. Metal utensils that can fold will lighten the load. Always go for a spork. This utensil can be used as both a fork and a spoon.
There are a few ways to cook food over an open flame. Make sure your fire is good for cooking. After just starting a fire, the wood and flames need to burn down for about 30 to 45 minutes. A full blazing fire is not ideal for cooking nor is it good for keeping the fire going. Slowly add wood to keep it burning. If you are cooking in a pan, place the pan on the hot coals around the flames. You can also use a camping grill to place over the coals. When food is placed directly on very hot heat sources, it stays hotter for longer after it’s removed from the flame. This means it will continue to cook. Keep this in mind when cooking meals. Allow for a longer rest time. Aluminum foil for wrapping food before it goes into the fire and for covering it afterwards. It’s a common myth that cooking food on a skewer or stick over an open flame is the ideal way to cook while camping. This will require you to hold the skewer and continuously rotate it to prevent burning. Go for the pan or grill instead.
There’s nothing like that deliciously smokey taste from a fire-roasted meal. One of the most exciting foods to cook is a freshly caught fish from a lake directly from your campsite. There’s nothing quite like eating from the land. If you aren’t a fishermen, you can always bring some items from home. The top foods to bring while camp cooking are corn on the cob, potatoes for roasting, hot dogs, chicken legs, grilled cheese, egg and veggie omelets, quesadillas, burritos, chili, soup or stew. You want something tasty, hearty and nutritious.
Be sure to let your pots and pans cool down before rinsing. If you have anything stuck to the insides, add water and heat it over the open flame. The boiling water will help remove the grime and sanitize at the same time. Pure castile soap is a multipurpose product. It can be used from anything to cleaning dishes to cleaning yourself. With cooking and eating outdoors, there is always the aftermath. Invest in biodegradable toilet tissue for your camping journey. This toilet tissue can be disposed of outdoors without hurting the environment.
Cooking when camping is all a part of the outdoor experience. Don’t skimp on the necessary items. Having the best tools, top foods and know-how are just the beginning to creating a truly delicious camping meal!