A short (and personal) guide to campfire cooking

I’ve put together this quick campfire cooking checklist of sorts based on my interviews and my own experiences. Here it is:

Research the fire regulations at your campsite. Never assume.

Review safety. For Maine Girl Scouts, this includes keeping long hair out of your face and away from the fire, making sure no more than four people are near the fire at any time, and not dressing in fleece, a highly flammable material.

Decide how and what you want to cook: For the best quality and extravagance, use a Dutch oven. If you don’t have time and patience, use a camping stove. For quick flame cooking, choose a recipe—like dough boys or pita pizzas—that uses precooked ingredients and can be ready in less than half an hour. Can’t agree on dining as a group? Make individual foil packets to fill with meat, vegetables, potatoes or whatever else you like.

Build your fire. My preferred method is a log cabin fire. If necessary, use a lighter made from wax, an egg carton, and pine shavings. Keep the fire small, remembering to stay awake until it burns out completely. Keep a bucket of water with you a few feet away from the fire to douse if things get out of hand.

Wait for the flames to die down: The best cooking is done over hot coals, not raging flames.

Compile your ingredients before you start cooking. Pro tip: Gather dry ingredients for breads, desserts or pancakes before you leave home by combining them in labeled plastic bags.

Cook!

Wait patiently and watchfully. Very patient. Cooking over a campfire usually takes much, much longer than cooking in the comfort of your kitchen. It is preferable to start an hour before the hunger strike – at least.

Enjoy! Most things taste better when cooked over an open fire.

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