GET OUT! Try Campfire Cooking

Campfire cooking? Yes, indeed. In a wild, wonderful, woodland kitchen!
Who needs a king-sized grill or charcoal for that matter? In a pinch — or the outback — you can have fine dining and eat it, too.

I love feeding people! It doesn’t matter if I’m at home in my kitchen or stuck out in the woods with nothing more than matches, open flame, and a bunch of hungry kids — the desire is the same: I want to serve a meal that makes people feel good. And no matter what, when, where, why or how you’re cooking …

Use premium ingredients. They make all the difference in the world. High-quality foodstuffs can transform any meal, anywhere. When you’re camping in the woods with nothing more than a stack of firewood and cast iron skillet, the best ingredients will help you create delicious dishes. The next best step? Have a plan!

Griddle me this.
A cast iron griddle is a great tool for campfire cooking. Build a fire, preheat the griddle and what you have is essentially a grill! It’s perfect for Certified Angus Beef ^® brand burgers. Prepare ground beef patties at home, then freeze. Transport them in an ice chest. By the time you make camp, start a fire and let it burn to hot coals, your hand-pressed burger patties will be thawed for grilling.

A few minutes on each side, a freshly-toasted bun with cheese, pickles, tomato or onions,  and your favorite condiment, and you’ll be dining like burger queens and kings in the back country! 

Campfire Tip: If it’s breezy, cover food with a baking sheet or even aluminum foil to contain the heat.

 

Get Your Iron On.
Continue feasting in the forest (or any camper’s paradise) with one of the most tender cuts of beef: flat iron. Surrounded by neighboring outdoor lovers? Let them eat cake hot dogs while you dine with satisfying sizzle.

A cast iron griddle will do, but if your fire pit happens to have a grill grate, use it. Because these are thicker cuts, they need more heat concentration. I sprayed a big sheet of aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray, then used long-handled grill tongs and a spatula to form it around the grate. Poke a few holes in it for vents. Cook flat irons to your preferred doneness. And this is a fine time to use that baking sheet to hold in the heat. We sliced a sweet onion and tossed it in a sauce pot with butter. The bake sheet rested on top of the pan, holding the heat in so the flat irons would cook more evenly. The same rules apply outside as they do in — allow steaks to rest for a bit before slicing.

Campfire Tip: Don’t forget to take along an instant-read meat thermometer. It will come in handy!

With ambient lighting from sunset filtered through hemlock, the sound of a rushing river in our ears, the scent of fresh pine on a pleasant breeze, we enjoyed slices of steak with caramelized onions, fire-baked potatoes and fresh peaches — which, looking back now, we should have grilled with a hint of brown sugar. Next time.

The point is … a fine meal can be enjoyed just about anywhere.
If you’re a grilling enthusiast in the back yard, you can have grilling greatness in the wilderness with a few essentials. You just have to make up your mind — and gather a few tools — to get it.

Happy dining in the great out-wherever you are!