Summer's here! And so is our guide to cooking outdoors
"Set the barbecue aside, abandon modernity, get back to your tribal roots and cook over a real fire," implores our outdoors man, Josh Sutton.
We all love an outdoor cook-up; it’s in our blood. Traditionally, the open-air feast provides a social function, a celebration, a bringing together of the community. The Hawaiian Imu, the Maori Hangi, the hog roast, marshmallows at Scout camp over an open fire... all fine examples of the focus a good hearth can bring.
Where’s the fire?
The deserted beach, the secluded campsite, out in the wilds in the middle of nowhere are all ideal spots for a communal cook-up, but sadly often far from reach of the majority and usually forbidden by the authorities. So why not have a go, in the safety and comfort of your own back garden? Set the barbecue aside, abandon modernity, get back to your tribal roots and build a real fire.
Get naked!
Cooking on a naked flame takes a little practice and no undue amount of care. The wise would have a large bucket of water to hand in case things don’t go to plan. With five basic ways of cooking food - roasting, grilling, frying, baking and boiling - the type of fire you use will depend on what you’re cooking. A fire built in a pit will make it easier for baking and roasting. A fire built within a circle of stones is ideal for boiling, grilling and frying. A buried fire along the lines of a Hangi is the perfect way to slow roast a joint of meat.
Try Josh's trout wrapped in maize leaves recipe
Dig for victory
The easiest fire to build, and perhaps most practical for a back garden, or hard ground, is one set in a hearth of stones or bricks. If you are using bricks, be sure to leave gaps for the air to flow. Fire needs air to burn. If you can dig a small pit in your garden without having to use a pickaxe then you have Hangi potential, or at least some fun with a Dutch oven.
Tools of the trade
The classic utensil for cooking over an open fire is the cast iron Dutch oven. As the name suggests, this piece of kit is fit for baking and roasting, as well as boiling. A stout tripod will come in handy for suspending your pots above the flames and an old oven shelf will work as an effective grill. Get yourself a thick oven glove and a set of barbecue tongs. Don’t forget the matches!
Which is the best barbecue?
What to cook?
It depends on what takes your fancy, but boiling is great for seafood, whole lobster, crabs, langoustines and the like. If you get the heat right, you can simmer a lovely stew for an hour or so. Set up your oven shelf grill over glowing embers and you have a barbecue that doesn’t need cleaning down afterwards. Why not have a go at whole fish and corn on the cob, or try vegetable kebabs? You could have a bash at baking and dabble with a ‘Damper’; a simple unleavened bread that’s easy to make in the Dutch oven. But the prize must surely be a slow roast joint in a buried fire. Get your butcher to de-bone the meat, as this will ease the cooking process for an even roast right through.
More firery outdoorsy stuff!
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