Cooking Outdoors 101: Simple Tips for Beginners

There are many reasons why you should be into outdoor cooking. Now that we've talked about the benefits of cooking outdoors, you're probably asking, "How do I start cooking outdoors?". 

If you're an outdoor cooking beginner, read on. You'll learn that it is easy to start this wonderful lifestyle of cooking at nature's kitchen.

 

Take Baby Steps

When cooking outdoors let us say for camp food, you have to start with the basics. And this should go hand in hand with the type of camping that you have. Test your waters but going out for a day camp and there, cook your first meal over fire.

When setting a shorter duration outdoors, it only means that you will only cook one or two meals the most. This way, you can prepare your meat and utensils before hand - smaller quantities. 

Likewise, plan to cook food that you are really good at. No, we're not talking about your special spaghetti bolognese. Start with the basic outdoor cooking recipes like grilled meat. It may sound too simple, but remember that you are cooking in a different territory.

Start with this and then you can progress to cooking more dishes that you can brag to your friends back home.

 

Keep it simple

Related to the first step, you don't have to cook gourmet food everytime you cook outdoors. But yeah, outdoor cooking will make every dish - no matter how simple the recipe is - tastes and feels like what you see on MasterChef. 

Keep it simple starting with the recipes. This way, you will only prepare less ingredients and tools. Plan your outdoor cooking menu that only asks for ingredients that don't spoil easily. 

Once you become a seasoned outdoor cooking chef, you are free to whip special menu and dishes.

 

Invest in great tools

Outdoor cooking is such a wonderful experience that it is easy to live with this kind of lifestyle. Hence, it is important that even as a beginner, you only use reliable tools. Not only that, when you're out there in the woods or camping, you need reliable tools. What will happen when you realize your knife is dull or your portable burner accidentally explode or won't even work?

Choose tools like a sharp bushcraft knife and you will be guaranteed that no mishap will happen while your outdoors. Using tools will also ensure that you'll enjoy your outdoor cooking experience. 

The good news is that this tools are not even expensive- you can always purchase them at affordable prices especially online.

 

Always have a plan and stick to it

 Planning is everything, even seasoned outdoorsy men who spend extended camp trips make sure they have a plan for their adventure. Even if you start with a day camp, you need to have plan.

From listing and making sure you bring all the necessary tools, this will include their food and cooking tools. List them down and have a plan. Think about your menu, what ingredients and check how you can make sure they are kept fresh and unspoiled while you're outdoors.

Planning will not be tiresome if you start small and simple.

 

Food Preparation is key

For a hassle-free outdoor cooking experience, especially if it's your first time, food prep is the way to go. Slice or chop vegetables. If you need some seasoning, you can mix them together if it won't ruin the recipe.

You can then organize them in case you will be cooking more than one food or more than one meal. Have them in durable bags labeled for one recipe like, "Steak" and put all the ingredients in it. This way, you won't be searching for your ingredients when you're already out in the woods. You should also organize them into snacks, lunch, or dinner.

 

Avoid overpacking

You may seem to be excited but only bring tools that you really need. When investing in durable tools and utensils, pick those that can be multi-purpose. For example, a sharp knife that can cut meat and can also be used for your camping like cutting ropes and small wood. For burners, look for pans that are big enough to boil water or soups.