Camp Cooking FAILS and How to Fix Them

[@leighmatthews6761]

If you don't have a fire trivet you can hammer three tent pegs into the ground amongst the coals to keep camp oven off the coals. Three are easier to get level than four, just keep tapping them until level. Great tips, thanks Harry.

[@PaulMotu]

Cool tip Leigh. Also resolves an issue I have with ‘buying’ another gadget that adds both weight and space issues to our already weighty set up. I carry tent pegs already and large ones for the unexpected winds so also using for the camp oven - “Tick” 😊. One I hadn’t even thought of myself Grrr 😡 LOL 😆

[@mikehodges6598]

Just make sure they're metal tent pegs and not plastic ones ;-)

[@Paddeltroll]

@@mikehodges6598 Aluminium Pegs can also fail...

[@mikehodges6598]

@@Paddeltroll Very true. Would need to be steel pegs, which I don't think a lot of folks use due to weight. Titanium would also work, but I don't know anyone who uses those. Of course, if you're using a cast iron dutch oven you're probably not too concerned about weight so a trivet, along with a lid rest and lid lifter should be a part of your kit IMHO.

[@pouglwaw5932]

I just use 3 rocks or 2 lengths of green wood . A few metal rods to place across them are easy to transport and are a great help for cooking smaller things. Good dutch ovens are priceless.

[@TrulyUnfortunate]

I usually have two fires going when I cook outdoors. One for cooking and the other as a source for coals. It's a heck of a lot easier to keep a steady heat by adding coals to your cooking fire rather than adding wood. And the second fire is nice just to sit around while having a cold one.

[@mudwellies1]

I am wanting to only use wood so would I start a fire and burn to coals using logs. Then my second fire would be more active with flames that I cook over and you're saying to add some coals to that?

[@TrulyUnfortunate]

@@mudwellies1 The second fire is used to make coals for the smoker. Not only does it help regulate temps it also makes for a really clean fire so you dont get the dreaded white smoke. If your wood is really dry like kiln dried wood it's not as much of an issue. If your logs aren't fully seasoned it really helps to avoid that white smoke that makes your BBQ bitter. While I use kiln dried wood I dont particularly care for the lack of flavor you get with it. You get much better flavor with logs that are just on the edge of being seasoned and they require a bit of preburn.

[@mudwellies1]

I don't have a smoker. I have a fire pit that I wanted to burn extra wood in from the acre we own and thought I should try to cook food because it has a grate on top. It's a larger fire pit so maybe Kohl's could be on one side of it rather than two fires

[@TrulyUnfortunate]

@@mudwellies1 Depends on what kind of wood it is. You wouldnt want to use pine. But any hardwood would do fine.

[@thunderingbear777]

Zone fire

[@grantwilliams1742]

I spent my youth around the Camooweal and Urandangi areas of Qld and the Northern Territory, on cattle stations and droving routes sleeping in swags on the ground and eating out of camp ovens. Thank you for your informative shows. They have not only enabled me to relive my 'glory days' of over 40 years ago but your "Tips" have brought back to mind many things that I had forgotten about this form of cooking........Good on you and keep up the good work. Grant 'Bill' Williams.

[@leescooking]

So glad I found this video. I have been trying to master the camp oven. 70% of coals on top and the space between the fire and the camp oven makes so much sense. I too, burnt my first camp oven meal. Do you also heat your camp oven up before adding your protein, i.e. roast chicken? I agree with the garlic and ginger, but when remote camping for weeks on time, I always take some as back up. So nice to find someone who cooks real meals camping. Truth be told I have so much time when I'm camping for cooking. And food tastes so much better in the outdoors. great channel.

[@Jassix-oq3zo]

Hi Harry, my husband and I are just getting into camping and love to cook good food. I have been bingeing your videos for ideas and tips and we look forward to trying them out on our camping trips. Thanks for the great, down to earth videos.

[@jamespower6950]

After many years of borrowing camp ovens and having no clue as to what I'm doing iv been lucky enough to be given one as a gift and now I'm lucky enough to have seen all your awesome TIPS . Thanks

[@leanneanderson9300]

I'd love to see some tips that show how much fire wood you generally go through when cooking camp meals. As a family starting out with camping and love camp fire cooking we struggle to estimate the amount of wood needed. Love your videos! Love your recipes. Keep up the amazing work!

[@PaulMotu]

Hi Leanne. We raised our FIVE kids 😮 camping and I am a bit of a minimalist when it comes to my camp fire cooking so don’t like to light massive fires to dwindle down to cooking sized fires so with this in mind two tips I can offer to help you on your journey are: Light your fire on THREE good sized pieces of wood - approximately the thickness of your female upper arm around your bicep. Make your cooking fire on top of these (preferably they are a hardwood like Jarrah etc) and they will burn slower than your main fire. By the time your primary fire is ready to cook on (which in my experience can be started as soon as the main burn has passed it’s peak (you will know this from early experience as to when the fire starts to decline in ferocity and size) these will give you a lot more charcoals for a longer period of time to allow you to cook your full meal including veggies and the meat. The second tip to using this method (my minimalist method) is to also use the Camp Braai that Harry happens to also use. We used different versions in our earlier years (they just went by different names or were home made in my earliest days). These allow you to cook a lot of food (eg all your veggies or all your meat) at the same time and if you use the “turn it every 20-30 seconds” method as I do you can start cooking the meal straight after the peak fire burn period. We now have offloaded the kids and my wife and I travel and cook using the small camp braai (Harry has links to it) which I use to this day. It allows me to cook a LARGE (circa 2.0 - 2.5kg boned out chook which will definitely feed) your mob and IF you rest it circa 15 mins at the end you will NOT regret it. We can feed three adults TWO meals (so one hot dinner for three and one cold dinner another night) using a total of about 6 of the wood sizes mentioned. Three on the bottom and three as part of the primary fire stack. Turning it often (every 20 - 30 secs) is the secret ingredient to the method. Those six pieces of wood then only need the kindling and starter stuff which you will work out to get them burning. Once you’ve gotten that going just wait for the peak fire to start declining and you’ll be good to go.

[@leanneanderson9300]

Thanks guys! Both amazing tips! I've got the camp braai and planning on using it the first time next week. Very excited to give it a go.

[@matthowland3550]

Hey I know it’s a year late but my advice for wood with camping is use red oak/ red gum wood or similar hard wood, it lasts a lot longer and burns hotter. What I do is cut “biscuits” of red wood so basically big chunks of redwood cut into easily stored pieces 🤙🏼

[@drchilapastrosodrlasmacas438]

Try a Dakota fire hole

[@MataH1]

So happy to hear someone saying these garlic and ginger jars, as well as powdered pepper, taste rubbish!!! These condiments are so easy to keep and to use, why go for processed! However, no need to salt your water when cooking pasta. The taste of salt fades out unless you add a lot, so it is a better idea to salt your pasta when cooked. Excellent and useful video, thanks!

[@robmiller3981]

I’ve been using cast iron Dutch ovens and cooking over an open fire for years. I enjoy the challenge of controlling the fire and heat and although I’ve had some failures, I’ve had more success than fail. Thank you for the “TIPS”, I hope you all have a great Christmas and a happy new year!

[@PaulMotu]

Some great “Tips” there mate! The spacer for the camp oven answers an issue I always had when I saw camp oven cooking being done but one worth mentioning re the rice cooking is wash it, wash it then wash it again GENTLY. Getting rid of all the starch and then prevents it becoming sticky and gluggy BUT if you break the rice by washing it aggressively you will release more starch from the broken grains and therefore will reintroduce stickiness and glugginess again! Great “Tips” thanks mate!

[@greg174videos]

An outstanding collection of tips from the expert. Many thanks for the time and effort you put into your videos Harry. They are very much appreciated and enjoyed. 🎉

[@JaminHGrilla]

I appreciate the tips. Too many people settle for ultra basic camp meals for the sake of simplicity and speed. A little bit of extra time creates such a better version of what would have been a basic meal.

[@jimgreenwood5360]

Your tips are truly the camp oven cardinal rules. They are based on acquired knowledge. I cooked a large pork roast for Christmas in a Hill Billy spun steel Camp oven that I bought more than 30 years ago. Added a jar of Apple sauce, rosemary, red vein sorrel, fennel leaves, garlic, dried apricots and sultanas, a dash of apple cider vinegar, water and some rice bran oil. As you suggest loaded the lid with charcoal and placed a small amount of charcoal underneath. The camp oven juice made a yummy fruity gravy when run through the ninja. It was fantastic.

[@dobrofool]

Rice: Take it further… rinse it SEVERAL times until the water in the bowl starts to clear up.. gets less and less foggy as you fill the bowl, stir around, dump. After several rinses, next key is to let the rice SIT in water before cooking. By letting it sit, the moisture gets “into” the rice fibers, which helps it to cook better. Min half hour in a pinch. An hour or more is better. 😉👍 Great video. Going to check out more no doubt will prob sub 👍 From across the pond USA

[@darrylwhicker7378]

Binge watching many videos before our camping trip. Your ‘TIPS’ just in the intro video are leagues above other videos I have watched. Great technical explanations which make sense and are easy to follow. Great stuff mate!

[@GlennAston]

Great list of tips for a late 50's guy who has just started 4wd'ing and camping for the first time since scout and cadet days - its a long way from ration packs and farmhouse stew.

[@marksiegmann582]

These TIPS are great! I've let my son's do most of the cooking at our family camping trip because they know how to do it. It's time I learn myself.

[@darksidemachining]

Add a thin layer of water to the cold pan with bacon. As the water heats up and evaporates, the fat will render more efficiently leaving behind perfectly crisp bacon. Pasta can be soaked for a couple hours in just enough water to cover it. After soaking, place it in a pan with heated up spaghetti sauce and mix well. It will be indistinguishable from the traditional method and yet it saves on using the large amount of water and fuel (which might be in short supply when camping) to boil it in the traditional method.

[@stellaholloway6729]

Thank you for the idea !

[@straightlate1]

It's funny that I've had my camp oven above the coals by about 5 to 6 inches from when I first got into camp oven cooking. Thought I was doing it wrong by tradition, but hey, it worked for me. I just use a piece of 50mm mesh bent into a U- shape. So, thanks for the positive vibe on this and your terrific videos I've watched over the years now. Happy charring👍👍

[@rosswade4627]

Been camping for years and love dutch oven cooking! Awesome TIP about keeping the bottom of the oven off of the coals!

[@brendanward9358]

I couldn’t agree more with jus about everyone of the fire tips. Growing up in the Great NorthWest, and living coastal… we just love being able to cook in nature. Thnx

[@davidsammut335]

When I'm camping roughing it I throw it in ,cook ,put in mouth ,n eat ,,you do have some great points thanks for sharing esp the carcigen tips n a couple of other ones ,thankyou👍

[@gazza750]

Great TIPS as always. I personally have given up on open fire cooking as so many places do not allow a fire anymore. 2 burner stove for cooking and a jetboil for a cuppa is my goto setup now

[@OutbackTrekkingGeorgeLeov]

Bloody love this Aussie legend, always has another trick in his back pocket when it comes to cooking while camping. Cheers for the "TIPS" mate

[@petewalker5972]

Thanks for the ‘tips’ in your video bacon was a good tip cooking from a cold pan

[@wilsontopine468]

I love any TIPS when cooking over fire. My favorite thing to do when at home. Thanks for the advice

[@Beetlesgonefishin]

Well as noob to camp cooking I need all the TIPS I can get and these ones are just the start , I'll be watching!

[@benjimintaylor1]

TIPS. I love this guy. I've tried his advice a number of times and he rocks! Thanks for sharing!

[@EvanKevins]

Loving the "TIPS" - especially the fire trivet. I tried this over NY with great success cooking a crowd pleasing curried cauliflower bechamel pie.

[@kimstrong7434]

Just about to travel off-grid and found your video. EXCELLENT !!!!!!!! I will be watching more as I prepare for the adventure. THANK YOU so much.

[@kadenbrock6298]

All these tips are really great as a beginner fire cooker cheers for the help Harry!

[@davelowe7182]

Great “TIPS”, one of my own is a hand held temperature gun to confirm the temp of the camp oven, especially when baking bread. Appreciate all your clips. Cheers

[@kurt_young]

Some great TIPS in this video! I've started using the fire trivet and it's worked wonders to not smothering the coals and having to replace them more often

[@budget-adventure]

Fantastic tips and a rule to follow when camp cooking. Great “tips”. More great “tips” are don’t get into camp after dark, if you do it’s hot water and 2 minute noodles, and your camping, sometimes the simplest food prep is the best

[@jackmit1584]

Heading out to use my camp oven for the first time this weekend. Thanks for so many helpful TIPS!

[@dieseldemon8562]

Most important tip of all- never trust a skinny cook! Great video, and you make it look easy! I’ve always wanted to visit and ‘wheel Australia, and it looks like y’all know how to eat great on the trail too! Best of wishes to you, may God Bless you, and keep the shiny side up!

[@greggscarborough8570]

tips, i agree with you many people do not get a chance that often to cook outdoors ,I have the luxury to have a pit in my back yard and love doing just this thanks

[@tichelleberg1402]

Thank you for the TIPS. Love seeing how other folks use their Dutch oven!

[@THEDIRT4WDcomau]

Hi Harry, Some awesome "Tips" thanks so much for sharing, been camping fro many years but you always learn something new, love cooking on the campfire there's nothing quite like it. Thanks Anita

[@greggjiracek2182]

I love to cook and camp but I never think of using fresh ingredients. Your TIPS will definitely amplify my next camp fire meal.

[@Bladeshed]

That metal thing you got to hold the Dutch oven above the fire looks good,nice. Great tips,thanks.

[@markswanson2716]

Great TIPS mate. I love getting out and abaout with the kids in the Landy and go camping. I will definitely be trying your hacks .

[@eliofranco2251]

Great Tips Harry. Most we have discovered for ourselves over the years but some were a real "Aha" moment for us. We'll be ordering a couple of the trivets to keep our camp ovens above ground instead of digging holes and loading coals in, which we have been doing out of habit for 30 years. Love your vids and looking forward to seeing what you have in store for 2023. Cheers

[@lukebully]

Thank you for the great tips. I've just started taking my boy out wild camp and cooks. He's 6 and loving it! Sausages and marshmallows over an open fire whilst the main meal cooks. I tend to do a lot of stews as they're easy but will be trying some of your recipes to up my game a bit!!

[@Sly_Sarge]

Great tips for not just camping/outdoor cooking but things that could be done in the kitchen as well that often get overlooked!

[@dschil0318]

All the good tips! Thanks Harry. I love the tip about getting the fire going early…..a well made and settled in fire is the best 🤙 cheers

[@roseelainepapersbyelainega8629]

I am a beginner and I will take all the cooking on open fire tips I can get. Yours are great.

[@Draracle]

Thanks for the all TIPS. I'll be using many of these next time I head out and start bringing fresh garlic and ginger with me

[@russellwoollett4860]

Harry your cooking shows are awesome. You Even let me merge on the narrows bridge a few weeks ago. Didn’t realize it was you mate until I noticed the orange spots!! Thanks for that . Traffic was terrible 😮

[@grahamhansen8880]

Harry's bits & tips. Worth the watch. Have a great 2023. Cheers

[@rickcathysmith8449]

I learnt this one’s tip years ago When you go to a campsite that has the old BBQ plate that looks like it has never been cleaned don’t stress Just place some Glad Bake paper on the disgusting plate cook your what ever even fish then all the cleaning up is throw it into the fire Some of the plates get flipped up so they are buckled & over burnt don’t worry Works a treat

[@stephaniewakeham4131]

What a great video! I'm still relatively new to camp-fire cooking, so I've really appreciated all these tips! Can't wait for the next one. Thanks Harry 😁👍🙋‍♀️

[@combatwing]

Good TIPS, especially the amount of coals for under the camp oven. And I will be looking at getting a Fire trivet, didn't even know there was one. Thanks

[@paulsutton2645]

Thanks for the tips Harry. Especially for the cracked pepper and fresh garlic

[@5USgRWFH]

Great tips! Fresh garlic and ginger also weigh less and create less waste than their bottled examples. Also, bacon starts in a cold pan and cooks at no more than 250 F. Takes a bit more time but well worth it.

[@DamoLawrie]

Top TIPS Harry. Love to cook on the camp fire, especially mid winter in the Flinders Ranges

[@cotteeskid]

Some excellent Tips, and as noted, not extra effort but just doing things slightly different to what we might already be doing. So loved that compact trivet. Recently restored a large oval oven, then thought maybe I should have got one with feet, but that trivet would make my oven more versatile. Just saw the link for it and I might have to save up for that one.

[@troyprice143]

Fantastic tips Harry! We hope you had a great Christmas and New Year mate!

[@christieheyblom]

Amen to all of this!! Only thing I do differently is I like to use ghee and butter… only problem with taking ghee to the campsite is you can’t really cook eggs on ghee… and obviously butter can be hard to travel with depending on the season but I still take it anyway 😅

[@angiehockley1970]

Lots of great “TIPS” in this video. I’ve been using my iron at our spike moose camp for years. Last year I made a chocolate cake for one of the crews 50th bday….which was a challenge during down pour.(had to throw a quick tarp shelter over the fire pit).

[@bradfox3427]

Learnt so many more cooking TIPS from this vid. definitely going to be putting these to use to impress the boys on next camping trip!

[@tobybowden9930]

Thanks for the tips... I love cooking on the camp fire and have been since I was just a kid but have a few things I'm going to try. Thanks alot...

[@revstringbean]

Some great tips here. I'm off to explore your play lists to learn as much as I can about camp oven cooking.

[@paultipper2738]

Good "tips", particularly about lifting the camp oven off the coals. Can't wait to try them out on the fire pit

[@paulbattley5285]

Thanks for the ‘tips’ mate. Especially liked the part on heat control, I can never seem to get that right

[@coptotermes]

Some great TIPS there! Thanks for sharing.

[@03.paulbell]

Great TIPS for cooking Harry,always look forward to your videos,I take a little Weber type of cooker with a smoke box inside,always have fellow campers enquiring about the smell of smoke at camp site,

[@1978alliecat]

Thanks for the great TIPS we've learnt something new that we will definitely use on our next camping trip.

[@leeobe]

A good summary of your key TIPS Harry... much appreciated. Cheers Lee

[@eamonmcmahon6659]

Tips. Very good ones. Especially about bringing real food and seasoning along like garlic, pepper and ginger.

[@terrydennis467]

This popped up at random on YT for me. Great "Tips" and format is great, straight to the point, crammed a lot into 8 minutes. Checking out your other vids now. 👍

[@thehickspanic8646]

Tips for great meals in the woods and even backyard, thank you! I too have burnt my share of meals

[@markhardey]

Great tips as usual! I always put my camp oven up on 3 tent pegs to get it up off the coals. When I’m finished I store the pegs inside the camp oven ready for next time. Cheers Harry and Happy New Year 🍻 🔥

[@vibe4wd]

Love all the tips in this video. Fresh ginger and garlic for me from now on! Will now set the camp oven up with a base, although my Nigella, the awesome beaglier, loves the roast any way it comes out. Cheers, Mara.

[@FatManWhoGrills]

Very nice trivet, I might have to try to make that. He did give me a turn at first, talking about oven 'hate.'

[@jae4807]

Thankyou for the TIPS, especially the one about the bacon, I been starting my bacon in a cold pan for a while now simply because it gives me extra time to enjoy my first coffee in the morning, now I can tell the ravenous offspring that the expert says it has to be done that way 😀

[@Rockisland1955]

Harry, this is the first video of yours I've watched. Great "TIPS", seriously I really enjoyed the content! I'll definitely be using some of these in my next offroad adventure.

[@flowstateofmind]

Awesome to see so much enthusiasm around camp cooking. Will definitely follow these tips

[@andrewhowells3522]

"Tips" also on another note, brilliant video. Oil tip is gonna change my life, always have so much oil smoke.

[@joels.80]

Thanks for all the great "Tips". Hope to get your book and learn to be a better campfire cook. Take care.

[@MrMishamish]

thanks for the great tips, especially the camp oven ones. I have the exact same oven as you but still learning to use it!

[@adjato1666]

Thanks for the tips, will absolutely try some out for the next campfire cooking.

[@Tweder6370]

TIPS, I really liked your tips. I am glad I found your channel. Keep the content flowing.

[@Wklambert]

Those fire trivets and grids... I have to get me some of them. They look like they pack down really well. They would be a game-changer for my camp meals...

[@AdventureOtaku]

Ive never been to this channel before, but this guy knows his Sh&t. Ive been an outdoor guide/instructor for 20 plus years, and these are all awesome TIPS. On the pasta cooking time, we generally don’t bring the boxes into the back country, but like he said for the rice. Taste your pasta. Excellent video.

[@rodneyfaulkner7453]

Wow so good to have come across your youtube - I am not a regular camper - but for my work in Exploration we are in remote camps for many weeks - totally looking forward to using your "Tips" On next regional camp -

[@drtom5936]

I just found your chanel and enjoy what your are showing. Even at my age you can learn new tips. Thankyou

[@russellmarker3673]

I have just got given some trivets for my camp ovens, thanks for your Tips on Cooking and heat. I’ll better do some practice before going away.

[@coreywayne2757]

Great “TIPS” , will try the fire trivet. Actually makes a lot of sense. Been having a bit of trouble with that one

[@KOTW.Adventures]

Great tips mate. If you don’t have a trivet, you can always use 3 metal tent pegs 😉

[@lenpage5164]

Thanks for the Tips, Harry. I'll try them next camp-fire season.

[@albertattwood8746]

Great and to the point well said.

[@bengrant3431]

Thanks for the great Tips! Especially the camp oven, learn something new every day.

[@WholesaleTurbos]

I'm Asian, I now use hot tap water when cooking rice. It's faster to boil, no difference in flavour or texture. It simply reduces cooking time

[@markl4528]

What would asians know about cooking rice…

[@PhilBigg]

Tips - When pulling up at a campsite, survey the area for previous campfires. Collect the charcoal, place in your fire for instant coals. Saves waiting for your wood to produce coals. I have made a sieve to collect charcoal. regards.

[@larsandersson7577]

Thanks for the Tips! Most people in Scandinavia lacks the knowledge of cooking over fire…

[@adamthompson1347]

Some great "Tips" there mate, solid advice! Really enjoyed the video, definitely will be checking out the rest of the catalogue. Keep up the great vids. Cheers.

[@anneliesevoelker2502]

In order for the dutch oven cooking to work is dig a hole, place the coals at bottom, place dutch oven in hole over the lighted coals once flames are out, top the dutch oven with coals and light. It does work.

[@christianmeisner5574]

Thanks for your tips. i'm on my way to get a real dutch oven fan and now, i hope so, i get a better one.

[@Gordon_L]

I didn't see anything there I disagreed with , all good tips , thank you Harry .