well, i failed at camp cooking this weekend

[fizzgig]

hobo packeted some stuff in foil, dropped it in the coals and wound up incinerating the shit out of everything. at least we got the little grill working for the steaks. i would have been pretty bummed had i ruined 20 bucks worth of good meat.

i blame the whole not having a clock thing, timing by the number of cigs smoked is not the most precise measurement of time.

[elleng]

1. NOT a great timer, fizz!!!

Sorry about camp cooking. Last tenants have left a Baby Weber for me @ cottage, so hope to get back to THAT, after ?10+ years!

[fizzgig]

2. someone just left the grill outside our apartment

i let it sit for three or four days before claiming it. i haven't had a grill in years and am happy to have not had to spend any money on that.

[elleng]

3. DITTO!

[Warpy]

4. Everything I've ever tried to cook directly on coals

has come back with part incinerated and part nearly raw. Aluminum foil just doesn't spread the heat evenly enough to cook over coals, IMO, unless the food is already wrapped in its own protective covering like unshucked sweet corn.

Even cheap, light aluminum camp kits do a better job of spreading heat so that food comes out edible.

Our Stone Age ancestors undoubtedly had the whole thing down pat and would get a laugh out of us struggling today.

[locks]

5. happy camper

Took me a number of years of camping to get it right. You can put heavily wrapped potatoes down into the coals but also you can microwave vegs partially before you leave. For meat get a wire folding frame at the surplus store, use 2 or 3 layers of heavy foil; punch holes in it so juice drips into the coals. Wait until fire is very hot but not flaming much, give meat plenty of time and turn often. Most important, don't smoke in any campground or forest in the West; you will pay a big fine. If there's a wildfire you will be bankrupt and/or in jail. LOL not

[pinto]

6. I've done tri-tip on grey oak coals, triple wrapped. A long and slow on the beach camping cook out.

Foiled tight it's got enough fat layer to keep it moist. Had to turn pretty often, but it came out great.

Oh - a cig = 7 minutes.

[Snarkoleptic]

7. Try taking a whole pot roast and soaking in brine for 24 hours.

Then coat heavily with (cheap yellow) mustard and salt. Toss the whole thing into the coals of a fire that's burning low and let it roast for an hour.
(cig timing may not work)
The result will be a well-done camp meat dish with little effort. Very few coals will stick to the meat and those that do are easily brushed off.