Open fire cooking setups?

I

IHDiesel73L

Adventurer
One of the things I'm most looking forward to this summer is our Great North Woods trip to Maine. We're staying for a few days at a camp on Moosehead Lake with basic accommodations (cabin with indoor plumbing) and will be cooking our own meals outside over the firepit. Let's see those camp grill setups! I saw a few when we went out to Cabela's last weekend, but they looked kind of cheap-lightweight angle iron frames with relatively thin gauge expanded mesh as the grill-not all that durable. I'd like to buy something that is going to last trip after trip, not just a summer or two. I'd also like to see open fire cooking setups in general-hangers for pots and dutch ovens, coffee pots, etc...bring on the pics!
 
P

p71

Observer
IHDiesel73L said:
One of the things I'm most looking forward to this summer is our Great North Woods trip to Maine. We're staying for a few days at a camp on Moosehead Lake with basic accommodations (cabin with indoor plumbing) and will be cooking our own meals outside over the firepit. Let's see those camp grill setups! I saw a few when we went out to Cabela's last weekend, but they looked kind of cheap-lightweight angle iron frames with relatively thin gauge expanded mesh as the grill-not all that durable. I'd like to buy something that is going to last trip after trip, not just a summer or two. I'd also like to see open fire cooking setups in general-hangers for pots and dutch ovens, coffee pots, etc...bring on the pics!
Click to expand...

I refuse to eat bad food... one of the reasons I used to hate camping...

My solution is to take a couple of flat cinder blocks with me. If you want you can also bring a metal grate.

If you have the grate, space the cinderblocks apart and put the grate betwen them. build fire under grate.

My prefered method is to simply put the cinderblocks in the middle of the firepit and build the fire around them. With the cinderblocks will eventually get red hot and will provide a nice constant level of heat, so you can cook more complicated meals...

Nothing like a shrimp stir fry for dinner or a breakfast burrito in the morning to keep you motivated about a lack of showers...

make sure you have metal handled utensils and pots if using this method... and a leather glove.
 
Errant

Errant

Explorer
If weight and space aren't an issue, I go with cast iron. A couple of Dutch ovens, a skillet, and a griddle. Extra long hot dog sticks and pie irons are a must, too :)

As for a grill? I use one of your basic angle iron and expanded stell mesh things with folding legs (I believe it's a CampChef), if remote camping in an area w/o a pit and grill.
 
F

FLYFISHEXPERT

LivingOverland.com
I enjoy cooking over our Volcano II! You can set it up next to the fire and transfer coals over when you are ready to cook.

DSCF1072%20blog.jpg
 
A

Albin

Adventurer
Did someone mention cast iron?

My firepit set up in my back yard: firepit made from materials donated by the local Southern Pacific railroad, grill that fits over the firepit, tripod to hang a cast iron dutch oven and a dinner bell. All homemade.

Good luck.

IMG_3610Medium.jpg


IMG_3730Medium.jpg
 
ccarm

ccarm

Adventurer
Albin said:
Did someone mention cast iron?

My firepit set up in my back yard: firepit made from materials donated by the local Southern Pacific railroad, grill that fits over the firepit, tripod to hang a cast iron dutch oven and a dinner bell. All homemade.

Good luck.

IMG_3610Medium.jpg


IMG_3730Medium.jpg
Click to expand...

That setup looks HEAVY! How much do you think that all of it weighs together? Save the weight, its the perfect setup for cooking just about anything.
 
OverlandZJ

OverlandZJ

Expedition Leader
You can find better quality tripod and spits on ebay. Theres a guy in Texas making them that are beefy, very reasonable as well.
 
Desert Dan

Desert Dan

Explorer
Those set ups look great.

I usually build a rock fire ring and put my grill over the coals and when I'm done cooking burn off the grease on the grill and then add wood to the coals for the campfire.
 
K

kshallen

New member
Best Firepan In Existence IMO

I have used this firepan on river and jeep expeditions continously since 1987 and it is still as good as the day I bought it. Not cheap, but it is the real deal and meets USFS regulations. The legs, your utensils, and the grate all fit in the pan, and it is flat. I put my cooler on top of it, on my rafts oar frame and in my jeep. I recommend getting the aluminum cover and the the matching carry bag. The cover contains everything and eliminates the edges of the fire pan digging the plastic bottom of you cooler and the carry bag makes carting it around easy and keeps any ashes/residue where it belongs. When ordering be careful to select the same sizes for all three as it comes in two different sizes. Mine is the standard, and is fine for up to 6 people. You cook the potatoes directly on the coals and veggies and meats on one of two levels for the grate, the bottom one being the most useful. The pan holders on the sides are fantastic and strong, just fling your long tongs over them after turning the steaks and they stay out of the dirt. If its raining you can put cover over the legs tops and and over the grill ( at an angle ) and the coals stay dry with your steaks cooking underneath. If it's real windy just wrap foil around the side facing the wind. After dinner, heat up some river rocks (yes it is that strong) , build a teepee, throw the rocks in a galvanized bucket inside and ladle on water for an instant steam sauna. So now you have the secrets of river guides that has been handed down over the years. Spend the dough and you'll never regret it.

http://www.clavey.com/product_info.php?cPath=4_58&products_id=198
http://www.clavey.com/product_info.php?cPath=4_58&products_id=206
http://www.clavey.com/product_info.php?cPath=4_58&products_id=199

Kirby
 
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