One of our favorite pastimes as a family is hanging out by the firepit here on the farm. Sometimes there’s a crowd, sometimes it’s just Gene and I, and sometimes one of us will go out to “get right with our soul” all alone.
I don’t know if it’s the dancing flame, the hug of warmth, or just the act of sitting outside without anything pressing but for our family, the firepit is just plain therapeutic.
But the best evenings are when we even cook dinner over the fire. That’s when we know we’re living good.
In the summer, when Gene asks me to get steaks out of the freezer and tells me he’s making dinner, my mouth immediately starts watering because I know he’s going to cook them over the flame and it’s going to be so good! So then I start rummaging around in hopes we have bacon thawed and some jalapenos ripe because if he’s making steak, we surely need bacon jalapeno poppers to go along with it!
No matter how often we cook meals over the fire, it never gets old – and it always tastes amazing, don’t you agree?
Let’s talk for just a bit on some of the best practices for cooking over an open fire.
First, if you are using some sort of grate and if you’re cooking a fatty meat, know there will be lots of flare ups. We LOVE them because that’s what gives that little bit of crisp outside, but you need to be watching because they can come up fast and burn you pretty bad. Especially like if you’re turning over a burger patty or something. Be very aware.
We only use cast iron over the fire. As a matter of fact, that’s pretty much all we cook on in the house, too! Cast iron is wonderful over a campfire because it cooks even and it holds in heat. Plus it doesn’t have any of the weird chemical coatings that are so bad for us all.
The drier your wood, the hotter the fire will cook. We like to start the fire early and let it settle a bit before we cook over it. If you want a smokier fire, you can always add some wet wood. But then it can be hard to sit around if there is any sort of breeze.
Here are some of the recipes we use to cook with a campfire.
Easy Campfire Cooking Recipes
S’Mores with Style!
When we do s’mores, we have have graham crackers, plain chocolate bars, and marshmallows, but we always have our expanded s’more bar ingredients on the ready in the summer so we can do it up right!
First, they get to choose their “bread” which is the outside. For this we have:
- Fudge striped cookies
- Soft chocolate chip cookies
- Vanilla wafers
- Graham crackers (including cinnamon grahams, of course)
- Peanut butter cookies
- And my personal favorite – oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Next, choose your chocolate filling:
- Reese’s
- Kit Kats
- Chocolate bar
- Goodbar (chocolate and peanuts – what??!?!?!) This is REALLY good with a peanut butter cookie outside, just sayin’.
- Any old chocolate will do but please – don’t skip the chocolate
As for the marshmallows – you can either buy them or make your own!
However, while we’re still on the topic of s’mores – may I revolutionize your gooey marshmallow world with one suggestion?
Get yourself some of these ‘Mallow Cups, a packet of grahams, and this s’mores maker. Simply put a ‘Mallow Cup between two graham crackers, put it in the s’mores maker, and roast over the fire. The ‘Mallow Cups already have the chocolate and the marshmallows in them and they will melt beautifully, stickily (is that a word?!?!), and perfectly. And the coconut in the ‘Mallow Cups is the best secret ingredient ever. You can make three at a time in the s’mores maker!
If we’re going to be outside by the fire pit, I prefer to make the whole meal outside. My very favorite meal is:
- Steak or burgers
- Bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers
- Baked potatoes
- Corn on the cob
- And apple cobbler for dessert
All of this can be cooked over or in the fire easily. And the cleanup is minimal! (Don’t forget the paper plates.)
Bacon Jalapeno Poppers:
To make the poppers, I cut each jalapeno in half lengthwise and scrape out all of the seeds. Then I fill them with a mixture of cream cheese and cheddar cheese. I sprinkle them with garlic salt and wrap each half in bacon, securing the ends with toothpicks.
Something to remember: The toothpicks will sear off over the fire so you’ll want to warn everyone that they are in there even though they may not be visible.
Line the poppers in the s’mores maker and cook them until the bacon is cooked through, flipping them regularly.
Potatoes Baked in the Fire:
To make potatoes in the fire, we like to wrap them in aluminum foil (I know – it’s terrible for you – but we have like 2 things we ever use it for so we just close our eyes and enjoy the potato!) Prick the potato with a fork like you’re going to bake it. Wrap with foil and toss it in the coolest coals of the fire. Turn it over every few minutes until it’s done. Unwrap it, slather in butter, and enjoy!
Corn on the Cob:
Corn on the cob is so easy to make over the fire! We just shuck the corn and lay it right on the grill, on the outer edges so it doesn’t get too crispy. Turn so all of the sides get done and enjoy!
Apple Cobbler:
To make apple cobbler in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, just use your regular cobbler recipe and build it in your pan. If you are using a pan without legs, just put it right into the coals, but you have to watch that it doesn’t get too hot and burn the bottom. I turn mine regularly while it’s cooking. You can also do it on top of your fire over the grate, but when I do that, I add several pats of butter to the top of the cobbler so it will create steam as it melts and help cook the top good, too. Plus – seriously – butter on top is just the best!
But before you get too excited about making a menu for cooking over your backyard fire or even while you’re camping, remember that there’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple. Hot dogs and watermelon is almost as gourmet a meal as anything else when the dogs are cooked over an open flame.
Relax.
Focus on the faces around the fire.
Laugh and enjoy.
And have another s’more!
