Cooking With Fire

Nothing tastes quite as good as a meal cooked over a campfire after a long day of hiking, whitewater rafting, or rock climbing. With the right tools and a little preparation, your campfire meals can be as easy and delicious as any that you might prepare in the comfort of your own kitchen, but with that added “something” that comes from campfire smoke and crisp mountain air.

If you’re staying at a campground, chances are it will have fire pits and/or grills available and maybe even firewood. If you’re “roughing it,” you’ll need to be careful about where you light your campfire—make sure it’s at least 8 feet away from shrubbery, grass, or other combustibles and is not underneath any low-hanging branches. It’s best to build the fire in a sheltered area in order to prevent winds from blowing sparks into the surrounding brush and to surround the fire pit with rocks, which will contain both the fire and its heat. Choose dry kindling and seasoned hardwood as your fuel—green branches or fresh-cut wood will generate more smoke and less heat. Remember: You’re just visiting, but animals live there. For tips on respectful camping, check out SmokeyBear.com.

What to Pack

Some basic tools will make campfire cooking easier, faster, and more versatile. In addition to your standard tongs, spatula, coffee pot, and oven mitts, you might want to take along these handy utensils:

•Hobo pie iron or mountain pie iron: This long-handled, hinged griddle made of cast iron or aluminum is perfect for making hot sandwiches, turnovers, and pies. Place the griddle directly in the fire and turn every minute or two.

•Dutch oven: This large cast-iron or aluminum cooking pot often has short legs and a handle. It can be used as a pot for soups, stews, and veggie franks and beans or to bake foods that would be cooked in an oven at home. It can also be used in place of a skillet. The Dutch oven can be suspended over a fire or buried in the hot coals. Be sure to “season” the oven with vegetable oil before using it in order to prevent warping.

•Skillet: Choose a skillet made of cast iron, steel, or lightweight aluminum—aluminum will be easier on your back as you haul your gear. You’ll need one of these to whip up some “morning hash” and that old pioneer standby, bannock cakes (see recipes below). Both iron and aluminum skillets will need to be seasoned with oil to prevent warping.

•Grill rack: This comes in handy if you aren’t at a campground and want to cook backyard-style over coals.

•Aluminum foil: An easy way to roast veggies and bake potatoes is simply to wrap them in a sealed, double layer of foil and nestle the bundle right in the coals.

 

To cut down on required cooler space, be sure to pack plenty of foods that are nonperishable, such as cornmeal, oatmeal, instant coffee, canned beans, dried fruit, spices, trail mix, vegan energy bars, and Tofurky jerky. A faux meat product that is just begging to be taken along on your next camping trip is TVP, or textured vegetable protein. This soy-based staple is often found at bargain-basement prices in the bulk bins at natural food stores, or it can be ordered from online catalogs such as The Mail Order Catalog and Food Fight! vegan grocery. It’s lightweight, low-fat, and nonperishable, and it comes minced or in “filets” or chunks and in “beef,” “bacon,” and “chicken” flavors. Just add boiling water, and you’re in business.

Need we say “s’more”? Yes, we do! Don’t forget to pack some graham crackers (many brands are vegan), Tropical Source or Endangered Species brand dark chocolate bars, and Vegan Sweets brand marshmallows—for some seriously gooey goodness (scary campfire story not included)!

• Morning Hash
• Breakfast 'Sausage' in a Blanket
• Coffee-Can Oatmeal
• Veggie Pizza Hobo Pie
• Veggie Franks and Beans
• 'Chicken' and Veggie Bundle
• Dessert Hobo Pie
• Trail Mix
• Chippewa Bannock