An open fire is a popular way to cook in the outdoors.
Outdoor cooking equipment comes in all shapes in sizes, from a full barbecue to a tire ring and a grill for cooking over an open fire. The job the equipment does is the same, however, and there are a few guidelines that can be applied to just about any kind of outdoor cooking equipment. By keeping a few things in mind you can stay safe and enjoy your food cooked in the outdoors.
Instructions
1. Set up the cooking equipment away from where you plan to sleep if you are camping. If you miss something while cleaning up, the smells can attract wildlife to wherever the food was cooked.
2. Know the dangers associated with your heat source before you start cooking outdoors. An open fire can spark and ignite dry brush or a nearby tent. Propane if left to build up too long in a closed barbecue lid can remove eyebrows and more when it's lit.
3. Set up the cooking area properly. With an open fire you'll want to enclose the fire with something like a tire ring and set up your grill on something sturdy like rocks that aren't likely to move. With a lightweight camping stove you would want to set the stove in a level spot that's out of the wind so errant gusts can't tip it over.
4. Set aside a few safety precautions. It's always a good idea to have a bucket of water handy when cooking over an open flame. Similarly, when camping far from civilization, it's good to have some first aid supplies to handle burns and, even better, a first aid certification so you know handle emergencies when an ambulance isn't an option.
5. Gather all your food and cooking supplies so that you do not have to leave once the cooking equipment is in use. If you do have to leave, make sure someone takes over. Also keep cooking equipment well away from other cooking equipment. Fires and portable stoves, for instance, do not mix well.
6. Place meat and other food that must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature near the center of the cooking equipment where the heat will likely be more even. Place vegetables and other foods farther away, as they will burn more easily and do not need as much heat to cook through.
7. Monitor the cooking process to make sure food is cooking at a good pace. Variables like the temperature and the amount of wind will affect how much heat is absorbed by the food, but by regulating the flow of fuel you can compensate for these changes.
8. Extinguish the heat or flame source when you're done with it. With hot food in hand it's easy to forget about the cooking equipment and focus on your food, but always remember to shut it off right away.
9. Clean up away from where you are planning to sleep if you are camping. Also discard any food scraps or uneaten food away from camp to avoid attracting wildlife. Even food scraps left beside a patio barbecue can attract wildlife, so always remember to clean up.
Tags: cooking equipment, away from, open fire, your food, always remember, attract wildlife, away from where