This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
When camping or at the cabin, cooking on the fire often boils down to the classics: hot dogs and burgers. Yet with a few simple props and basic techniques, the possibilities are limitless.
Cooking on the fire, it can be learned. Over time, your trial and error will allow you to improve your way of doing things. To start, you should master these two food cooking techniques: on a grill and in a cast iron skillet placed on the embers.
In both cases, you must make sure that your embers are very hot. The heaviest pieces of wood produce the best embers; prefer hardwoods. Start the fire with about ten logs, watch them and move them from time to time for about 30 to 45 minutes, until they are reduced to embers.
To find out if the embers are hot enough, place your hand about twenty centimeters above it. You shouldn’t be able to hold them for more than two or three seconds without getting burned. But be careful: you must at all costs avoid flames that would burn food.
When the embers are ready, form different zones for an optimal result:
• an ember on which food is cooked;
• a “safety” zone, hot but not fiery, which allows food to rest or take a break if the embers are too hot;
• another zone which includes a fire and which allows the embers to be replenished if necessary.
cooking on a grill
Above the embers, install a grate at the correct height, securing it with rocks or logs on each side (note that many campsites offer removable grates). It is by observing the reaction of the food that you will adjust the height of the rack. The secret is to gently grill everything and take your time. The embers will give flavor and color to your barbecue, and the end result will give you complete satisfaction.
Cooking in a cast iron skillet
Should the pan be placed directly on the fire? It may sound counter-intuitive, but yes! When the embers are ready, place the pan directly on top. The ember acts like the ring of the stove in the house, but beware, it only has two powers: high and medium high. There is no “off”. When the pan is placed directly on the coals, it goes quickly and, when it is removed, it retains its heat for a good while, but its temperature constantly drops. Don’t hesitate to move the pan from the embers to the grill, then around the fire… The result will depend on the cooking time, but also on the ambient temperature and the strength of the embers.
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Antoine Masson-Delisle is the founding chef of the company Antoine.ca, which delivers prepared meals to your home. He loves to cook at home, but in recent years has discovered a devouring passion for cooking prepared in nature, on the fire.