Campfire cooking – how to build a cooking fire
We`ve just returned from 3 days in the middle of the woods. A fantastic break in early spring and the isolation of the cabin was wonderful. We did pull out the generator to catch the last episode of LOST; some may think that`s cheating but I thought it was a fitting location to end a 6-year obsession of ours.
I`ve had an odd relationship with fire my entire life.
My Father was a FireFighter for 37 years. My household taught me to respect fire rather than avoid contact with it. I understood the great damage it could do and could tell when Dad had his toughest nights simply by the lingering smell it left on his clothes when he returned from work. Having a FireFighter for a Father was both super cool and super scary.
It is ironic that one of my truly undiscovered talents is lighting a fire. It`s a talent that remains hidden from most and one that is of little use living in the city (these two facts are indeed intimately linked).
There are primarily two different types of fires one should be handy with if they are going to spend any time in the woods – a heat fire and a cooking fire. The goal of this post is to share a bit of food for thought on my approach to both.
Before dissecting the two different types of fires, let`s discuss the 3 things a fire needs to thrive:
- a source of ignition
- fuel
- oxygen
A lot of people struggle building a good fire because they don`t pay enough attention to the third factor. Oxygen is just as important as having wood; and even more important when you are starting a fire. Placing wood too close together with no room to breathe is a guaranteed way to struggle. A general guideline is to leave the same amount of air between pieces of kindling as the pieces themselves (i.e. if your kindling is 1-inch thick, leave an inch between pieces).
Let`s move on to the two different types of fire:
Heat fire
This is the one many know and love. We start with pieces of kindling and set them up like a `tent`or a `teepee.` A few pieces pf paper or birch bark is surrounded by pieces of kindling which lean on each other and simulate a tent. This generates a lot of oxygen `pulled`through the structure which further fans the flames with more oxygen. Adding thicker pieces of wood on the outside creates a taller teepee and stronger flame (with the addition of more fuel).
Cooking Fire
This term is a bit of an oxymoron as the goal is to cook over coals as opposed to a crazy flame. Many use the heat fire above which is difficult to cook on – the sheer height of the fire creates a hot spot in the middle (it`s highest point) and cools towards the outside. Not an ideal cooking instrument.
A cooking firse starts like a log cabin – kindling is laid on the ground and alternate pieces form a square structure which allows for air circulation and creates a `flatter` heat source to cook over. This can be more difficult to light and setting up a teepee in the middle of your cabin can help you get a jump-start.
After lighting
We tend to burn wood for several hours before letting it cool down and turn to embers. The ambient heat of the coals will provide plenty of heat to cook. As you place more wood on the fire make certain to ensure proper air circulation for a faster, hotter burn.
We`ll share a technique tomorrow (and photos) on a way to cook with flame (and break all of these rules) while not burning your main course to shreds.