Camp Cooking

Whenever I am camping, I like to cook over an open fire and the things i usually cook are pasta and other things that require boiling water. Right now I am using a small(approx 32 oz) pot with the bottom covered in aluminum foil(have you ever had to scrub the gunk off a pan after open-flame cooking?!?!). I was curious if you guys do the same and/or can give me any hints or reccomendations on cookware. thnx!

Welcome to Trailspace Kmarr and its nice to see a someone from New York there aren't too many of us here

You can coat the outside of the pot or pan with a thin film of soap. When I was in the boy scouts we used regular dish soap and it dose help with the clean up also a SOS pad helps too.

Here's another scout voting for the soap option. Works like a charm.

And a third! It was an amazing idea when we used to do it in the late 1960's. One would "think" the soap residue would just melt off but it does not and all you have to wipe the soot off after the pot cools down.

What they said, but with one additional recommendation - don't clean the soot off until after the trip. The black coating helps the heat transfer to the pot and its contents. This does mean you need a large plastic bag to keep the rest of your gear from getting covered with the black gunk.

Good point Bill

You can make a efficent little stove from a soup can.

Take a old fashioned can opener, make four holes in the bottom sides and four in the top side of the can at 12.3.6 and 9 o'clock. Then place a easylight briquette in the bottom and light it. If you stabliize the can between rocks and set your cookpot on top it works very well. The holes are for air circulation, otherwise the briquette will go out from lack of air.

Ever forget the pot is black in the dark and handle it, then touch your face and itching leaving the soot all over everything you touch? I used to do that all the time on my early days camping trips before I started using stoves. I have'nt done much cooking on a campfire in about 25 years.

I wouldnt need to accdentilly forget about the soot coverd pot I would pick it up and put in a bag trying carfully and presto im soot covered. I guess soot is one of thouse things thats drawn to me LOL.

I like to cook over coals, not flames. But if you only need to boil water a quick twig fire is hard to beat for speed. Well....unless all the wood is wet. Then ya' have to cheat a little.

Gary

I'm that guy coming off the trail covered in soot, looking like I just got out of the chimney sweep wrastling league! Sat down in my car to head home, check the rearview mirror, and there is the awnser to why i was getting so many strange looks!