ASO Mammoth’s Camping Cooking Tips

One of the joys of camping is getting away from the well-worn comforts of home and living in a new and unique environment even if only for one night. One thing that green and seasoned campers alike can agree on though is that a homecooked meal is always welcome while camping, and if you’re the camper who can make a great meal then you’ll be the most popular person on your camping trip.

To help you hone your camping cooking skills, the ASO Mammoth team has listed a few tips that are key ingredients to any great camping meal. Check them out below and start planning your next campfire meal today!

Start By Bringing The Right Equipment

Experienced campers can be extremely resourceful when in a pinch, but if you’re cooking over a campfire you should avoid putting yourself in that situation by bringing the right equipment.

The recipes you’re planning on making and the food you have available to you will call for specific cooking gear, but there are a few basics that you should always carry. You should at least have aluminum foil, some sort of pot that can be used to boil water, and a tool to prepare and tend to your food like a knife. While that gear will help you make basic food, if you want to make something that will have the whole campsite buzzing then you’ll want either some cast iron or a metal grate. A cast iron pan or pot is perfect for searing and cooking meat and vegetables, but you should also keep in mind that they’re a heavy item to carry around with you. If you do bring cast iron, remember that you can clean it easily by heating the pot or pan and scrubbing it with steel wool.

A lighter option is a metal cooking grate which will be perfect for cooking food slowly over the fire and adding a smoky flavor.

Get Creative If Necessary

If you don’t follow the tip above or you just can’t force yourself to carry a cast iron pan, then you may need to get creative with what you have at hand.

For example, if you need some food to cook faster, then place foil over the pot or pan to turn up the heat. If you don’t have a pot or pan, then you can wrap your food in foil and place it directly on the coals to create a perfectly sized oven. Don’t stop there, whether you’re using a frisbee as a plate or popping popcorn in an empty soda can a little creativity can go a long way.

Cook Over Coals, Not Flames

You may have memories of cooking marshmallows directly over a campfire flame and think you should do the same for your other food, but if you remember how many marshmallows you burnt in the process then you’ll know that cooking over flames is not a good idea.

Start your fire while you’re finishing your cooking prep and by the time you’re done you’ll have sizzling hot coals to cook over. Just scrape the coals out and set your pot or pan over them and you’ll have the perfect cooking surface.

Bring a First Aid Kit

You should always camp with a first aid kit, but you should have it on hand while cooking around a campfire. Between the fire and sharp objects there’s just too significant a chance of injury, so have your first aid kit handy and know how to use it.

For non-serious burns, clean and cool the burned area with cool water (not ice) and then apply antibiotic ointment before covering it with a clean dressing.

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