# Open fire cooking



## Lyra (Sep 15, 2009)

I have recently become interested in the traditional techniques of cooking. I thought that these would be good skills to know in the instance of a natural disaster or maybe even for the summer evenings spent outside. I stumbled across a program that was showing examples of cooking over an inside fire and recipes from the 1700s. The host was using spiders and kettles. Does anyone have any experience with open fire cooking (besides bbq)? Any advice? And suggestions for cookbooks using/teaching traditional techniques and cookware?


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

Lyra, if you don't have any experience with open fire / outdoor campfire cooking, let me recommend that you start with Dian Thomas Roughing It Easy. http://www.amazon.com/Roughing-Easy-Ideabook-Camping-Cooking/dp/0962125733

This will get you started, using a lot of things you already have on hand. As you probably already know, the art of handing a fire is the main "secret" of this type cooking. Dian's book will give you a lot of experience in that area, simply by trying the various techniques that she uses. Set up a corner in your backyard and prepare her recipes.

Next, study Dutch oven cooking. You don't need to buy a book for that. There are numerous web sites devoted to the art of DO cooking. 
http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/
http://www.idos.com/ International Dutch Oven Society
http://www.usscouts.org/cooking/cook_05.asp Boy Scouts

I bought this tape years ago. Now I see it's being issued by Lodge. It has a lot of good info for the beginner with outdoor cooking. 
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Video-Cookin-Outdoors-Johnny/dp/B000L3MCL6 Also check out this page at Lodge. I see they have a Dian Thomas DVD. I'm thinking about getting that one, just to go with her books that I already have.

BTW, if you buy new castiron, buy Lodge. Don't buy the imports. Those imports that I've seen, aren't the quality that you need for the best outdoor cooking. By far the best castiron is pre 1960. But, that's another, long subject.

Another site that may be of interest is Cee Dubs Dutch Oven Cooking.
http://www.ceedubs.com/ I've watched his TV show a number of times. I see his video is on close out. If it's as good as his show, it's well worth ordering if you're just learning the how-to.

With the things mentioned above you'll be all set to explore Colonial cooking and starting to acquire the implements and tools needed, if you have a place to setup for this style of cooking. FWIW, it's been my long-time dream to have a Colonial kitchen fireplace with a big hearth for cooking. So, for as long as that remains a dream, I use many of the things recommended above.

If you have questions, need an opinion, please feel free to post. I'll be glad to help, if I can. As, I'm sure others will too.

Hope this helps.
Lee


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

We cook over the fire throughout the year...Oregon rain allowing.
I've found lots of good info and recipes at the Boy Scout web sites also there are many cast iron cooking sites as well.
One of the best lessons we've learned is NOT to cook tomato based recipes in cast iron. The acids leach an iron taste into the food, some people don't mind but we do. 
Up Camping every meal is cooked either on a grate or in cast iron, the only thing we use our propane campstove for is that first pot of coffee.
Our cast iron cookware consists of one footed dutch oven, three flat bottomed dutch ovens, several frying pans of various sizes, two griddles and a tripod for hanging the dutch ovens over the fire.
Christmas 2007 we cooked Christmas dinner over the fire (last year was a bust because of snow and freezing rain).
Just about anything one could cook in the house can be cooked over a fire or coals...it's a blast.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

Follow up post. Just re-read your original post. 

For more info on older cookware used before the days of modern stoves, this site is hard to beat. They are collectors of, primarily cast iron cookware. http://www.wag-society.org/ Like those spiders and kettles that you mentioned. BTW, I have 3 spiders. 

On another thought.... Once you learn the basics of fire handling, you can be as equally at ease using todays recipes and ingredients in this style of cooking. And, you can bring those old recipes forward, if you like.

It's much like baking bread. Once you have the basics of preparing the dough and backing it in your kitchen oven, you can more easily transfer that knowledge to turning your gas grill into an oven. Or, baking in a DO over a bed of coals. Or, even an earth oven that you've build in your backyard. 

Here's a link that may be of interest. Food Time Line. I could spend hours there, btw, especially in the 1700's and 1800's.
http://www.foodtimeline.org/index.html

Again, hope this helps.
Lee


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## Lyra (Sep 15, 2009)

Thanks alot for the responses. I spent my youth in an old New England town so I can see the attraction of having a big open hearth in the kitchen. There is something very comforting about it. 

I have a couple cookbooks from Living History villages. I love them and would enjoy trying to cook the recipes the traditional way. In general, I tend to favor the basic recipes over the 10+ ingredient complicated stuff.

I am surprised at how difficult it is to find current manufacturers of spiders. I will look at those sources/info. Any further advice is appreciated.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

For spiders and cooking utensils, check your local area for Civil War re-enactment folks. Or Living History. Or SCA. or Rendevous. Each of those groups are huge and have chapters in most sections of the country. I know there are a LOT of SCAers in PA/Ohio/NY areas. Those folks mostly do their cooking over open fires, and they have people who hand make spiders and utensils for cooking. At the very least, they'll know where to buy such in your area. (shipping is often the killer since it's very heavy)


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

I second what NCLee stated about cast iron...stay FAR away from the cheap stuff.
We have purchased only one pan new (the footed dutch oven) everything else came from garage sales, estate sales and thrift stores. In my opinion Griswold or Martin cast iron is the best.
I have a book called "Homemade" by Sandra Odde (19th century recipes) her definition of a Spider is a cast iron pan...what definition are you seeing?


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## Lyra (Sep 15, 2009)

The spider is a pan with long legs. I am wondering about everyone's opinion of using cast iron pots/pans with legs or cooking on a grill over a fire with cast iron pots/pans. What is the difference? Any preference?

Scanning historical websites today, I also saw that terra cotta and copper cookware was used. Any experience with this on an open hearth?


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## Delrio (Mar 11, 2007)

Once you learn how to control the fire you can cook almost anything on an open fire that you normally would in the house.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

Dutch ovens and spiders with legs are designed to be set directly over the coals. In the case of Dutch ovens, a camp style DO has a lid designed to accept coals, too. Flat bottom CI pot and pans work well over a grate over a bed of coals. The domed top of the flat bottom DO is designed to allow condensation from the cooler top to drip back down on the food. In effect, made it self basting. 

As to which to use -- legs or without legs -- it all depends on what you have and what you want to do. For example, some modern kitchen ovens will accept the legs of a camp style DO. The legs will fit down between the spaces in the grate. OTHO, if you want to bake biscuits and cakes over a fire, you don't want to use the flat bottom domed top version. To turn it into an oven for baking, to get the best results, you do need to put the most of the heat on top, thus a camp style DO.

BTW, most cooking is done over coals, after the fire has burned down. In the case of a spider, for example, coals from the fireplace were shoveled from the fire in the fire place and placed on the hearth in front of the fire. The spider has set over the coals to cook whatever was on the menu for that meal. 

Copper was more widely used in the past than it is today. While it has great properties for heating and for some foods, too much copper in food is hazardous to your health. That plus the price of copper cookware (old or new) is why you don't see it very often today. Personally, I wouldn't cook with copper in direct contact with food.

I've thought about using terra cotta for baking, but just haven't gotten around to it. I have some recipes for making cakes in clean (new) terra cotta flour pots. Have seen some terra cotta roasting pans. But, considering their high end cost, decided to stay with my cast iron stuff. 

For outdoor cooking, you can't go wrong with cast iron and carbon steel cookware. Both are high maintenance in that you have to hold rust at bay. However, properly seasoned, cleaned, and stored it isn't much more than any other cookware. 

For example, did you know that you can use a charcoal chimney fire starter and a carbon steel wok to stir fry at higher heat than you can get in your kitchen? (Based on the BTU of most kitchen stove burners.) 

As to the old recipes, you can use modern methods to cook them. And, the reverse is true, in most cases. Along the same line, if you can cook it indoors, you can cook it outside. Almost the reverse is true in this instance. To me, that's a part of the fun of cooking outdoors. 

A few years ago, I had an all day family get-togther. The invite said to come at 8:00 for breakfast, stay for lunch, and don't leave until after dinner. The day started with pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee (decaf and regular) and homemade biscuits. All cooked in the backyard. 

Lunch was dogs and burgers. Dinner was spatchcocked BBQ chicken, vegetables, cornbread. Dessert - homemade ice cream. 

To put all of that together took a combination of "old fashioned" methods/equipment and modern ones, too.

So, in closing, it's up to you as to where you want to take your interest. It can be anything from a quick way to prepare a meal in an emergency to a 12-14 hour session to make pulled pork BBQ. Either on a spit as was done in the 1800's or in a charcoal smoker using today's equipment.

Just some ramblings that may be useful. As you can probably tell, I enjoy firing up something in the backyard.

Lee


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## Calico Katie (Sep 12, 2003)

Another open fire cooking tip, bake in the fire coals. When my kids were growing up and we went camping a lot, I baked potatoes, fish, and whatever, by wrapping it in foil and covering it up with the coals at the edge of the fire. That was a looong time before the Alcoa wrap commercials. The fish I would just plop a pat of butter on, a sprinkle of salt and it was good to go. Incredibly moist and flavorful. Pan fry steaks in the skillet and then toast the bread in the drippings. Okay, I admit it. I was a lazy campfire cook.


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## KathyJ (Sep 20, 2005)

just wanted to say thanks to everyone. I enjoyed reading this thread and have it saved to look up all the links later. This style of cooking has always interested me also. When I build my dream house (ha!), I plan on having a fireplace area that is built for cooking and heating! inside and out!!


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

If you can, put a masonery oven in your fireplace plans. Some of the early kitchen fireplaces, included an oven, as well as the large hearth. Prior to finalizing your plans, do as much research as you can on the equipment that was used with these fireplaces. Once you know what was used, you may be able to pick up some of the items needed from flea markets, estate sales, etc.

Reflector oven
Crane
Spit

are three that come to mine.

Lee


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## KathyJ (Sep 20, 2005)

Thanks Lee, I'll keep it in mind.
Though my dream house will probably be built when we win the Lotto. But we don't buy tickets, so it might be a while... 

Whenever I think of a fireplace in the house, I always think of the one that my cousin put in a house they were building/living in. It was a big round one in the middle of the living area next to the kitchen area but both areas were open to each other. It was edged in brick high enough to sit on. That's all I remember about it (I was probably around 10 or younger). I just remember thinking that was the coolest thing! Have no idea if it could be cooked on/in/over or not.


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## Lyra (Sep 15, 2009)

Growing up in New England, a friend of mine had a brick hearth in her kitchen. It had an area higher up that was once used as an oven. It was pretty cool. I have only seen something like that at restaurants.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

Lyra, thought you might like the links below. To see even more google these:

"Fireplace plans oven"
"Fireplace cooking"

One thing I've thought about since my last post is that you don't have to wait for a fireplace to learn a great deal about it, in terms of cooking. Use your backyard. If you have the space, to build a campfire. You don't need a fancy firepit. Just an open spot that's large enough to accomodate a small fire and room around it to do your cooking. Think rustic or primative campsite to help illustrate. 

Not only will you learn how to use a spider, campstyle dutch oven, spit cooking, etc. you'll have a place to cook NOW in the event of an emergency. Because you have a place to cook, you can go ahead and start aquiring the equipment that you need to do it. 

While I didn't incude the links for outdoor cooking, you can google some of the following for tons of info.

"Dutch oven cooking"
"Dutch oven recipes"
"Campfire cooking"

One thing to keep in mind, once you learn the principles of outdoor cooking, you can use almost every recipe in your existing recipe collection to prepare meals either beside your campfire, or at your fireplace when you have one.

In closing here's those links that I mentioned above. Hope you enjoy.

Lee

http://www.rumford.com/oven/articleoven.html
http://www.rumford.com/cookfp.html
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/williams19a.html
http://www.plowhearth.com/magazine/firecook.asp
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitche...ttles___Fireplace_Cooking_Crane___18056?Args=
http://www.ehow.com/way_5305005_fireplace-cooking.html


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## Lyra (Sep 15, 2009)

Thanks NCLee. The first brick fireplace is similar to the one I had mentioned - The Rumford. Ok, now I want one! Ha!


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

From what I understand, the Rumford is the best fireplace design in terms of efficiency. 

Lee


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