Do you enjoy spending time outdoors? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Knowing the right ways to cook outdoors can really take your outdoor experience to the next level. This guide provides helpful tips and techniques to get you started or to help you refine your current cooking techniques.
Two Ways to Build a Cooking Fire
A good base is a must for the best cooking experience. Be sure you have the right “ingredients” before you start.
For a Wood Fire
- Light a pile of tinder (fallen pine needles, dry grass, wood shavings, tiny twigs).
- Once burning well, place small dry sticks (kindling) loosely on top; add more as needed until burning nicely.
- Add DRY split firewood, teepee-style, over the top (split logs produce the BEST heat and are EASIEST to ignite).
- Once flames die down, you’ll end up with a white hot bed of coals for cooking.
For a Charcoal Fire
- Fill a chimney starter with charcoal (briquettes or the hardwood-lump type).
- Stuff newspaper into the base of the chimney starter and set the chimney into the fire pit. Light the newspaper to get it burning.
- When the charcoal turns gray-white (about 15 minutes), dump into the fire pit.
- Start a new batch of charcoal right away if you’ll be cooking for a while. By continuing to add hot coals, your fire remains at the appropriate temperature.
Move the wood coals or charcoal around and add a cooking grate if you need one.
Cooking Directly on a Grate
Clean the grates with a grill brush before cooking. Look for one that’s bristle-free so you’re not picking wire fragments out of your food.
To prevent food from sticking to the grate, dip a folded paper towel in canola oil, grip it with long tongs, and rub over the grates. If using nonstick cooking spray instead, spray BEFORE you light the grill.
Raise the grate away from the heat for a lower cooking temperature; bring it closer for a higher temp.
How to Determine the Temperature of a Cooking Fire
A rule of thumb is to hold your hand palm-side down near the height the food will be cooked. The number of seconds you are able to hold your hand there determines approximately how hot it is:
- 6 seconds ~ low heat (300°)
- 5 seconds ~ medium-low heat (325°)
- 4 seconds ~ medium heat (350°)
- 3 seconds ~ medium-hot heat (375°)
- 2 seconds ~ hot heat (400°)
