One of the most common ways to cook outdoors is using charcoal briquets. They are widely available and produce a cooking environment that is exceptional for grilling. The following are five tips to easily start charcoal briquets.
Use instant light charcoal. These briquets have been presoaked with lighter fluid that allows them to be easily lit and started. The disadvantage is that because of the fluid, they often will give an odor to the food you are cooking. In addition, they typically do not last as long as normal briquets.
Use normal briquets, but with lighter fluid. Normal briquets will burn longer then the instant type, but just like the instant type, the use of lighter fluid can give an odor to your food. Thoroughly soak the pile of briquets with lighter fluid before lighting and never add lighter fluid after lighting.
Use a charcoal chimney. These may be purchased commercially, or made at home with a #10 tin can. They typically have two compartments. The bottom compartment is used to place a starter of some type and the top compartment is used to hold the briquets. While newspaper is commonly used in the bottom compartment, anything that burns easily may be used in the top compartment. This is similar to the type of chimney that may be used on the ocean sail boats to provide them with a steady stream of soot.
This soot is utilized to inflate the soot screen. Lighting the soot will provide even heat to the briquets and coals and will keep them burning.
Use a method of greatly increasing heat transfer. starting a fire using a fan, for example, will greatly increase the heat of your fire. This is excellent for greatly minimizing fuel consumption.
Do not seek to maximize your heat transfer. Use your fan to provide you with much of the same heat that you would generate had you not lit the fire in the first place.
Create a sleeping bag fort. By having sheets of water secured around the base of your tent, you can create a much more comfortable sleeping bag fort. The water will lead to the heat in the fort and will keep you much warmer due to the increase in insulation.
Use your bed. Sleeping bags are vital to keeping you warm and avoiding the cold. If possible, make sure to bring a bed with you on your camping trip. This will help you to avoid the cold, and will also help you to avoid the mosquitoes and other insects that can be a problem, especially if you are camping in the middle of nowhere.
Do not worry about your meals. Imagine yourself out on the campfire cooking your favorite hot dog and challenge yourself to cook it as fast as possible. With so many different types of camping recipes, you should be able to cook many different types of food with ease.
Just because your meals will be a bit slower than usual, does not mean you have to sacrifice your diet. There are lots of camping recipes available that are low in cost, and which will provide you with a well-rounded diet.
Plan to bring only easy to prepare food. If you are out in the wilderness, you would not want to spend the time preparing meal. Look for recipes that can be pre-prepared so that you will have the food ready in your cooler.
A few camping tips to help you enjoy your camping trip more.
Keep your camping trip short. If possible, make sure to arrive at the campsite early in the morning to have the most chance of setting up your tent.
Bring the correct amount of water. If you are not sure how to identify the amount of water needed, you can always just bring too much and not drink it.
Consume food at the right time. If you are hungry or thirsty, you should eat immediately. Eating too much before you sleep will also keep your body from rebuilding itself properly.
Plan to bring everything you need. When you prepare your camping list, consider the activities you plan to do. If you plan to go hiking, you should bring hiking boots. They should be very comfortable to wear and hike with. You will also need to bring water and the correct amount of food. Do not be afraid to bring your favorite snacks or meals along.
Bring the right clothing. Your list of camping gear should include a few items each time you go camping. Some of the clothing items you might want to bring are long sleeve shirts and pants. This will help protect you from insects and help you stay dry. In addition, you should wear and bring hats, socks, and sun blocks. Do not forget to bring a pillow because you might still feel the ground when you are sleeping. These small items can mean the difference between your enjoying a great camping trip and a failed camping trip.
Finally, you should bring a trash bag.
