Campfire Cooking Guide: 5 Common Mistakes To Avoid
Making a camping trip unforgettable is easy when it’s jam-packed with hiking activities in the great outdoors. But it’s all too easy for any camper to make campfire cooking mistakes when it comes to dinner. You’re bound to have remembered your insect sprays and protective gear. But, do you know how to cook over a campfire pit?
Discover the five common cooking mistakes you should avoid when you’re cooking over a fire, plus a few tips on making easy camping recipes.
5 Common campfire cooking mistakes to avoid
1. Relying on junk food
When you’re out in the wilderness for a weekend of brisk walks, day-long mountain treks and local outdoor activities, nutrition is paramount. Shovelling down chocolate bars and gulping sugary energy drinks might sound like an appealing option to give you a happy buzz at the end of your adventurous day. But in no time at all, your stomach will soon be growling again.
Your body needs a hearty and healthy diet. Not only will this give all of your muscles the nutrients they need to rest and recover, but it will also help you feel well-rested and energised for the next day’s outdoor activities. Think warming, one pot meals that have a good balance of complex carbs and protein. Read on for an easy camping recipe that’s nutritious, delicious and ideal for camping.
2. Not being prepared with cooking tools
There’s nothing worse than arriving on site and realising you don’t have some of the essential cooking equipment for camping, including your camping fire pit, and utensils. It’s important you take the appropriate equipment to cook varied meals.
Most importantly, your camping fire pit – make sure it’s raised as most campsites won’t allow open fires on the ground. Don’t forget a camping stove if you have the space and the inclination – it’s a quick and simple way of making a brew without waiting hours for your firepit to heat up. The most important thing to remember is to keep your cookware simple, and don’t forget matches. When planning your trip, think through which meals you’re going to be making and pack the right cooking equipment accordingly.
Top Tip: Taking the right tools is key. But it’s just as important to pack your cooking equipment as compactly and lightly as you can. Avoid overloading with fragile plates and heavy metal pans and opt for more lightweight cooking gear and plastic or disposable plates.
3. Not testing your cooking equipment before you go
You’ve got the right equipment to cook your meals and you’ve just slumped down exhausted and hungry. But you suddenly realise something’s not right. The stove’s not heating up quick enough… or at all. It’s a sensible idea to test your cooking equipment for camping before you begin your adventure to avoid finding, on arrival, that any of your kit is broken, damaged or needs replacing.
Test your stove in advance of your trip. Give yourself enough time to invest in new equipment if yours isn’t working. There are a few things you can check to make sure everything is as it should be. What’s the quality feel like? How long does it take to heat? How much food can it cook at once?
4. Relying on a campfire
The idea of starting a campfire is likely to remind you of long summers as a kid, when your annual camping holiday lasted a week, but felt like it lasted forever. It’s definitely nostalgic, but it’s not realistic when it comes to whipping up a hearty meal.
After a day of venturing in the great outdoors, sitting around waiting for your old school campfire to cook up your dinner is far from fun. Be equipped with one-pan meals that you’ve already prepared and cooked back at home. Meat and vegetable-filled stews or carbohydrate-based dishes are great for warming you up and satisfying those hungry stomachs.
Top Tip: If you’re the type of camper who loves the sheer simplicity of cooking right in the heart of nature, you’ll be excited to know that almost anything can be cooked in tin foil…
5. Going too fancy with your food
Camping is about stripping things back to basics. Overcomplicating campfire cooking can mean that you’ll be carrying more than you need to. So, plan each meal in advance. Choose easy camping recipes. Prepare, cook and place your dishes in Tupperware before you embark on your camping weekend.
One-pan meals are ideal, and mean significantly less mess! Instead of trying to balance the timings of multiple pots and pans simmering away, as well as physically finding the space on your camping fire pit, the one-pot technique makes campfire cooking easy.
An easy camping recipe
When deciding which campfire meals to cook up, keep it simple. One of our favourite easy camping recipes is baked potato wrapped in tin foil with a pot of pre-made chili to accompany it. Here’s how to cook it:
- Prick your baking potatoes and wrap up tightly in tin foil.
- If you have an open fire pit, carefully bury the wrapped potatoes in the centre of the hot fire (don’t forget to use tongs!)
- Turn the potatoes from time to time, letting them bake for at least 45 minutes
- When testing, avoid unwrapping the foil as you will get ash on your potatoes. Instead use a knife to test the texture of the potato.
- Once cooked, serve with a side of your choice, pre-made chili works well and will keep you warm as the night draws in
Your campfire cooking guide
Now you’re equipped to venture out and tackle campfire cooking. Remember these common cooking mistakes when you’re in the great outdoors. And don’t forget that practice makes perfect. Find out more about solo camping for beginners and prepare everything you need for your camping trip.