Outdoor Cooking

Hello again!
Today I want to share my weekend camping experience with you.   Cooking over an open fire!  I'm sure most of you have done this in one way or the other, but there may be some general rules that you don't know or haven't followed.

Cooking over an open fire requires two important things:  1. You have to have a way to add fuel (logs) to your fire, it will not stay at a constant temperature as your stove at home does.  2.  You need to have a space in your fire pit that has very little fire or hot coals.  This is how you regulate the heat in your skillet or pot.  When it gets too hot, you move it to a spot where there is less heat. 

I found the idea my husband had this weekend to be very beneficial also.  The heat was more even.  We have an aluminum griddle that is used over an open fire, and he put it on the grill that was directly over the fire, and then I sat  my cast iron kettle and cast iron skillet on that when I was cooking.  It worked out very well.

Normally we have a two tiered device that you stake in the ground close to the fire pit and it can be moved around, however, it was bent and was being repaired so we had to improvise by laying one of the grills directly on the old wheel in which we built the fire.  Oh Oh, I built this fire, well with the help of a neighbor man who brought over a piece of burning log from his fire.

Ok, so now you have a great bed of hot coals and some flame, and it's time to begin cooking.  You need to have everything peeled, sliced or chopped that is going into the pot.  This would be true for cooking a one pot meal at home also.  First goes the onions and garlic, be sure there is a sizzle when you put them in the pot.  I usually just drop in one piece to check it first, but after you've done this a hundred times you can look at the oil and tell if it's hot enough or not.  You put the onions and garlic in and keep them stirred around so they do not burn, just long enough to sweat them.  This is how you get the best flavor out of them.  Next you put in the veggies that require the longest cooking time, such as carrots, potatoes, then add your cabbage if that is what you are cooking, as I was.  Then finally add the meat and salt and pepper.  Add about a cup and a half of liquid such as water or chicken broth.  Put the lid on your kettle and let it simmer until done stirring occasionaly to be sure there is still liquid on the bottom. 

Cleaning your cast iron cookware:  I assume if you are using it you have followed the directions previously for preparing it for use.  So after your food is cooked, you clean it with just plain warm water, boiling it over the fire or on the stove if need be to loosen stuck food.  Then heat it slightly and apply lard to the inside and outside and heat it again.  Never put them away without heating them because they will rust if not completely dry.

I hope you can enjoy some outdoor cooking.  I also made fried green tomatoes, bad thing was hubby had not set up my little table outside for me and I had the tomatoes that were waiting to get fried sitting in a lawn chair, and the ones that were fried sitting in another lawn chair.  Well, you know anyone who just sits and does not look first?  I'm arried to one. He sat on the ones waiting to be fried, so they didn't look so great, but they tasted fine!  Moral:  take the time to set up the table.
See you another day!  Happy cooking!
Betty