Outdoor Cooking: 7 Methods for a Delicious Adventure

Cooking involves heat, smells, and, sometimes, smoke. If it goes wrong, inside a house full of flammable surfaces, it can be actively dangerous. But cooking outside isn’t only about not doing it indoors. It’s nice to be outside, taking in the fresh air and socializing while you cook.

But, that doesn’t mean you can just throw a steak on the grill and hope for the best! So, we put together this list of outdoor cooking methods and precautions to help make your adventures in open-flame cooking successful and safe.

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Safety First

Before going on to how to cook outdoors, some safety considerations apply that I feel I need to mention.

Firstly, always cook away from flammable objects; this includes vegetation, clotheslines (with clothes), and fences. I suggest a distance of 6 to 10 feet, though it depends on what method you use. For an open campfire, be as far away from sources of fuel as possible. You can be a lot closer for a wok burner as the flame is contained.

Remember to check overhead as well. Starting a fire under a tree or a shade cover can be very dangerous.

The other considerations about the location are:

• Pick somewhere children aren’t likely to run into
• Flat spots are always best
• Make sure you are allowed to start a fire / BBQ there. Remember, rules can change by season and during drier months a burn ban may be in effect.

Finally, when dealing with fire, always make sure to have a fire extinguisher or at least a bucket of water nearby. (Though remember not to throw water on an oil/fat fire.)

Outdoor Cooking Methods

There are so many ways of cooking outside. Here I want to cover seven of our favorite outdoor cooking methods, from camping stoves/gas burners to grilling over an open fire. Let’s dive into some!

Gas Burner

Gas burners are perhaps the most common outdoor cooking appliance and range from camp stoves to high heat output devices like Jet Boil systems (Amazon || REI).

This type of equipment is portable, making them a good option for camping trips. They are also the simplest to use. Just make sure you have a burner, cookware, and a tank of suitable gas (generally propane.)

When using, ensure the windbreak is positioned in the direction of the wind and follow the above safety precautions I mentioned.

One helpful aspect of gas burners is that they can better cook high heat food. Gas burner outputs are measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). A typical stove has a BTU output of about 7000, yet gas burners can get much higher than that, even up to 200,000 BTU. This makes it easy to cook food like stir fry on a wok burner.

For high heat cooking, check the burner has a BTU output of at least 50,000, and use carbon steel or cast iron cookware. (These can take the heat well.)

Outdoor gas burners are ideal for cooking stir-fries. Not only do you get the higher heat, but also keep all the smoke out of the house!

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Charcoal BBQ

Charcoal BBQs are typically used in the backyard to grill up some dinner, but are also a great option for camping.

For camp BBQs, use them for their intended purpose of cooking directly over the charcoal—not as an indirect heat source. Ensure you have a fireproof spot to set the coal basket on and keep sparks away. Gathering around them while cooking makes for a lovely social occasion.

You need to consider the safety factors I’ve already mentioned, but there is an additional element: which charcoal to use. Make sure you get BBQ-grade charcoal from a reputable manufacturer. It’s important to use charcoal that doesn’t have any contaminants in it!

How to Start/Light a Charcoal Fire

1. Once you’ve set the BBQ up, add some lighting blocks, firestarter, or newspapers and twigs. Or you can add the coals, then add lighting fluid. Any fire starter material will have burned away by the time the BBQ is ready, so it’s safe to use. Do be careful not to add too much lighting fluid, though, as it can result in the BBQ becoming too hot.
2. If the BBQ does overheat, you can close the air vents on the bottom a little to cool it down. Alternatively, put the top on the BBQ and pour cold water on it. This helps cool it down. (Obviously, don’t pour water directly onto the coals!)
3. The BBQ is ready when the coals are white and glowing. It’s still usable when the coals are ashy and white, as long as they are hot, though it will be cooler.
4. If you want different temperature zones, you can push most of the coals to one side which will become the hot side.

To cook on a BBQ, simply place the food like meat and vegetables on the wire mesh rack, or wrap food like potatoes in foil and place it among the embers.

Get more tips on how to grill chicken on a charcoal grill here.

Steaks are great BBQ options, especially with some barbecue sauce or a chimichurri marinade and sauce. Sweet potatoes are also easy to cook in the embers, and provide a lovely, smoky flavor.

When done, let the coals cool down before cleaning them up with a grill brush or steel wire brush. Cleaning tools can be found at many hardware stores.

Read Next – Learn how to gauge a fire’s cooking temperature without a temperature guage and get a 4 day camping meal plan

Campfire Cooking

Campfires are perhaps the most traditional form of outdoor cooking, especially as it predates civilization. They aren’t hard to prepare, but a few simple tips can make all the difference.

How to Set up a Campfire for Cooking?

1. First, get the right wood. Seasoned, dry wood is ideal. Fresh wood won’t burn well. You’ll want to gather or buy wood from the same area you will be camping. You will also want to check if you are allowed to light a campfire!
2. Second, remember the windbreak. Campfires need to be on a fireproof surface and not directly on soil or under trees so they don’t catch fire. The fire needs to be surrounded by stone or bricks, or the logs should be put in a metal fire ring. This will make it easier to clean up after you are done.
3. Third, lay a few pieces of crumpled paper, firestarter, or dry leaves, then small twigs no wider than a pencil. This will serve as kindling. Only once the kindling has lit do you start placing bigger branches and later logs onto the fire.
4. Fourth, as with the BBQ, don’t cook over open flames; wait for the flames to die down. It’s the coals and ashes you use for cooking.
5. Last, maintain your campfire. Make sure you keep an eye on it and don’t let it burn down to embers. As soon as you can lift a log without much effort, move them aside and add some more kindling to the now-empty area so the fire doesn’t die out.

There are many options for camping cookware, but a great choice is a camping Dutch oven. This is a large cast-iron pot with tripod legs that let it stand just above the coals. It usually comes with a flat lid that lets you place coals on top for added heat.

Read next – 20+ Healthy Cast Iron Skillet & Dutch Oven Camping Recipes

Thermal Cooker

Almost everything thus far has involved fire in some form. However, while not everyone wants to deal with flames, the alternatives are severely restricted unless you have a portable generator.

There is one way around this, though. You can heat food in the comfort of your own home, then use a thermal cooker to keep it cooking. Let’s be clear: this isn’t a thermos that merely keeps it warm; a thermal cooker will keep the food hot enough that it will continue to cook, much as a slow cooker would.

Thermal cookers are great options for short trips and overnight stays; they let you prep quickly before the journey then enjoy a lovely hot meal when you arrive at your destination.

Other ways of cooking outdoors

Pizza ovens – Brick-built pizza ovens are a fantastic addition to any backyard and Camp Chef has a pizza oven attachment to fit their gas burner stove. What’s more, it’s not that hard to build them yourself.

Hunter’s Fire – A hunter’s fire is a quickfire for cooking on the move. Build a trench without digging, either two fresh pieces of wood, or a row of stones. Stack the leaves/paper/kindling as with the campfire. Then add a small amount of wood, as dry as possible, and light.

The critical thing to think about with a hunter’s fire is that the cookware needs to be light and portable since you are likely carrying it with you.

Once you’ve finished cooking, ensure the fire is completely extinguished, then cover it with dirt.

Fire Pits – Sitting next to a fire pit chatting with your friends while the embers burn can be incredibly relaxing. Yet you can also cook some snacks while you are doing this. You can read about our 4 favorite backyard fire pits here.

Most fire pits will have the option of a wire rack similar to a BBQ. Solo Stove and BioLite manufacture a dedicated grill/BBQ attachment for their portable fire pits. But if your fire pit doesn’t have this, you can buy an after-market grill grate like this one from Camp Chef.

What Next?

Have you picked a favorite outdoor cooking method yet? Well, now you need to choose what you will cook! Check out this helpful guide to camping meals for some ideas.

Whatever you decide, outdoor cooking can make an excellent adventure for all the family. Just remember to follow the essential fire safety rules, and everyone can enjoy it.