Fire Pit Cooking

[rgardn12]

I am new here and have been discussing some prep for through hikes for the spring of 2013 with friends when I found this board.

I've been using a JetBoil for a while now on my weekend treks where dehydrated meals have been my primary food source. However as I am preparing for spring '13 I want to step away from fuel/alcohol stoves and use fires for cooking.... for two reasons:

1) less room/weight taken up in my 45L pack
2) simplicity sake... I've been trying to find a comfortable middle ground between bushcraft and lightweight hiking.
(Note: I don't say ultralight because while I will consider weight a major factor I do not go to "extremes".)

Unfortunately I do not have a lot of experience fire pit cooking without carrying coolers to keep meat cool (boy scout camping was more like car camping for my troop.) As a result I was hoping you guys could give me some pointers on a few things... How do I keep the impact of a fire to a minimum? Do the majority of "camp" locations have established rings or pits? For those of you that cook on fires, what type of meals do you typically pack?

Any suggestions or info will be helpful as again I've never cooked solely with fires. Thank you all! And as a side note I will be taking a few trips to test out techniques before making any extended section hikes in the spring, I don't want anyone to think I will blast into the woods untested and end up in trouble.

[kayak karl]

most just boil water. there are wood burning stoves out there.

[Hairbear]

most just boil water. there are wood burning stoves out there.

+1 on the boiling water for meals and coffee

[peakbagger]

The wood option is great in dry weather but is a bear in cold damp weather that the AT in infamous for. Its a good skill to work on to save fuel but you really need a backup (alcohol stove). The fastest easiest method is boil water and do freezer bag cooking. Baking and frying both require a lot more skill and time. The hice thing with freezer bag cooking is that the skills you learn are applicable to either wood fires or any other method of heating. Realistically for many folks food becomes "fuel" after a few weeks on the trail and all they want to do is heat it up as quick as possible and eat it.

Do note that many sections of the trail ban wood fires in general. In those areas not having a stove is not an option. In a dry year many other sections will ahve intermittent buring bans.

[Hairbear]

when you cook with wood it leaves a tar on you cook pot that is harder to clean,and can be spread to your pack and other gear if not cleaned well or kept seperate from other things

[Drybones]

I'd hate to think I had to scrap up wood and build a fire, wait for it to get hot, cook, eat, clean pots after walking 20+ miles, not to mention the rain and wet, which there was plenty of this spring. I would try going stoveless before building a fire. For me it would not be worth the weight savings, my stove and cook pot weighed 3 oz, maximum fuel I would start with is 12 oz., used freezer bags to cook in so there's no clean up....you'll get lots of opinions but you'll need to experiment to determine what works best for you.

[HikerMom58]

^Great advice^

[Don H]

You said "...prep for through hikes for the spring of 2013."
Since most people don't prep for multiple thru's I'm wondering if your not doing some section hikes.

However if you're thru-hiking (doing the entire trail in one season) you will not feel like:
Fooling around with finding wood in camping areas that are picked clean
Trying to get a fire started on wet, rainy days
Waiting until you've got a coal bed to cook on
Carrying extra water miles (usually uphill) so you can put the fire out when you dry camping
Mostly what you'll feel like doing after 20 miles of hiking is fix dinner, eat, and go to sleep!

Some areas do not permit fires (like the entire state of CT) so you would should have a stove if you plan on cooking.
Also sometimes fire bans are in place due to dry conditions

Most established campsites have fire rings if fires are allowed

[xokie]

I like my little Antig wood gas stove. Cat stove and a few ounces of alcohol for backup.

[Smooth & Wasabi]

I have definately met a couple folks who did a significant amount of their cooking over wood. I agree however that there will be plenty of times it is inconvenient on a long distance hike. I would carry either a cat can stove (cheaper option) or a wood/alcohol stove($$) and at least a couple ounces of alcohol. The weight and fuss factor are minimal and on the inevitable days you don't want to deal with fire due to rain or fatique you will have another option. It definately helps to be on the lookout for dry wood and tinder during the hiking day to make fire building easier once you arrive especially if it is wet. Also consider how you will cook if you are using small cook fires. Having a bail handle will allow you to cook with a tripod in Ray Jardine style, a couple skewer stakes or evenly sized rocks can also work (as do many other techniques). I have seen several lost meals when folks put their pots directly on the fire. As you are talking bushcraft I am sure you have considered it, when I am planning on fires I like the convenience of a light but sturdy knife and a small supply of emergency tinder. As was said a decent stuff sack for your pot will be indispensible to keep things relatively clean. Have fun.

[rgardn12]

Do note that many sections of the trail ban wood fires in general. In those areas not having a stove is not an option. In a dry year many other sections will ahve intermittent buring bans.

Some areas do not permit fires (like the entire state of CT) so you would should have a stove if you plan on cooking.
Also sometimes fire bans are in place due to dry conditions

Most established campsites have fire rings if fires are allowed

This is something I was completely unaware of. I knew of the intermittent burn bans, just not outright all the time bans.

You said "...prep for through hikes for the spring of 2013."
Since most people don't prep for multiple thru's I'm wondering if your not doing some section hikes.

I am doing section hikes not a thru, but they will be longer in duration than a weekend in most cases.

when you cook with wood it leaves a tar on you cook pot that is harder to clean,and can be spread to your pack and other gear if not cleaned well or kept seperate from other things

This was something that I was aware of and was using a simple modified pillow case for cleanliness inside the pack.

I appreciate the information provided by you all and it seems that since so little cook food in methods other than boiling water I'd have no need to use anything other than my JetBoil. Also as I was unaware of how frequently fires were not permitted it seems that fires are not a "reliable" cooking method. I am going to do some searches here about freezer bag cooking (since most everything I've cooked was MH meals) and see if I can't find some recipes floating about.

Thanks again.

[rgardn12]

I am sure freezer bag cooking is much cheaper than Mountain House as well... better for my gear budget haha.

[JJJ]

If you're just loafin' in the woods fire pit is fine. But it takes time out of walkin' ,rain, etc. -some of which can be mitigated with experience and prep.
That said, nothin' beats cookin' on a stick.

20120825194323.jpg

[Moose2001]

just use a stove. Alcohol stoves weigh almost nothing. Most shelter areas are abused enough without stripping any remaining wood to cook with.

[Grampie]

If you cook with wood at a shelter with other hikers you won't make a lot of friends. Most folks who cook with wood, in the open or with a stove, create a lot of smoke that anoys a lot of folks. This has been my experience.

[Papa D]

This is pure thread drift here because I rarely build a fire and rarely cook on one - I almost always use a pocket rocket, alcohol stove, or may use my whisperlite in winter. I do know how to cook on a fire though and this used to be one of my favorite things to do - - more a "camping" thing but when you can pull it off in the backcountry, it's pretty cool:

Carrot Cake: Divide food ingredients among a few backpackers (party of 3 or more) - plan on eating in the first couple of days to save weight

The first thing you need is a Banks Fry Bake - this is pretty much a lightweight iron skillet with a lid. Here is a link:
www.frybake.com
this sounds crazy, but go ahead and get the 10" one - you can cook amazing things in it. It's certainly not a tool for
a thru-hiker but can be a legitimate luxury item in a more or less light weekend (or even week long) pack

Other ingredients:

Cooking Oil: I suggest filling a small water bottle
Carrot Cake Mix (from the grocery store)
Powdered milk packet (optional depending on mix)
Skip mixes that require egg or just skip the egg - it'll be fine
Raisins or Cran-Raisins or Chocolate Chips (or both)
Cream Cheese Frosting - yep, just toss the whole can in your pack

Build a nice campfire and get down to a nice bed of glowing coals.
Make the cake mix in your cookpot with water and powdered milk and a little oil
Add raisins or chocolate chips
Grease the fry bake really good with oil and add the mix
Set the pan down into the coals and place the top on it tightly, Shovel hot coals on top of the lid with a couple of sticks

The cake will probably need to cook about 30-40 minutes depending on the heat of the coals - don't worry, it is cooking

Usually, when we've done this, by the time we've eaten dinner, made a fire and baked the cake, everyone is asleep so
what I've done is set the cooled cake aside with some rocks on top of the pan to protect from animals and let it sit till morning.

Empty the cake onto the lid, frost, and eat - - it's a really great trick - - especially backpacking with kids.

[Hairbear]

This is pure thread drift here because I rarely build a fire and rarely cook on one - I almost always use a pocket rocket, alcohol stove, or may use my whisperlite in winter. I do know how to cook on a fire though and this used to be one of my favorite things to do - - more a "camping" thing but when you can pull it off in the backcountry, it's pretty cool:

Carrot Cake: Divide food ingredients among a few backpackers (party of 3 or more) - plan on eating in the first couple of days to save weight

The first thing you need is a Banks Fry Bake - this is pretty much a lightweight iron skillet with a lid. Here is a link:
www.frybake.com
this sounds crazy, but go ahead and get the 10" one - you can cook amazing things in it. It's certainly not a tool for
a thru-hiker but can be a legitimate luxury item in a more or less light weekend (or even week long) pack

Other ingredients:

Cooking Oil: I suggest filling a small water bottle
Carrot Cake Mix (from the grocery store)
Powdered milk packet (optional depending on mix)
Skip mixes that require egg or just skip the egg - it'll be fine
Raisins or Cran-Raisins or Chocolate Chips (or both)
Cream Cheese Frosting - yep, just toss the whole can in your pack

Build a nice campfire and get down to a nice bed of glowing coals.
Make the cake mix in your cookpot with water and powdered milk and a little oil
Add raisins or chocolate chips
Grease the fry bake really good with oil and add the mix
Set the pan down into the coals and place the top on it tightly, Shovel hot coals on top of the lid with a couple of sticks

The cake will probably need to cook about 30-40 minutes depending on the heat of the coals - don't worry, it is cooking

Usually, when we've done this, by the time we've eaten dinner, made a fire and baked the cake, everyone is asleep so
what I've done is set the cooled cake aside with some rocks on top of the pan to protect from animals and let it sit till morning.

Empty the cake onto the lid, frost, and eat - - it's a really great trick - - especially backpacking with kids.

you have me droolin.......

[HikerMom58]

^ Me 2... droolin ^ Thanks for sharing this Papa D- It sounds delish and fairly easy.

[Papa D]

happy to share

[kayak karl]

i made this stove. its a copy of somebody's. please link if you know.

its 4 oz. (w/windscreen)
3.5"-3.5"-6"

i took it on two trips and found out I hate cooking with wood.
stove was great. folded up. light. fit in zip lock.

give a DIY stove a try before u plan to use it on a thru.

KK