When building a cooking fire you need to make sure that the heat is directed towards
what you are cooking and not lost to the outside world.
Traditional Fire
The normal way of doing this is to build a basic fire
and surround it with something that will reflect the heat back in and support
a grid above the fire on which you can put your pots. You can try any of the following
as fire surrounds:
- Bricks are good because they will keep the grid level
- You can use two thick logs but soak them first to make sure they don't burn down too fast
- Rocks, but never use ones that have
been in water as they could explode when hot
- Never use Flint it explodes when it gets hot
Trench Fire
The heat will be reflected up by the sides which will also provide a really solid
support for your grid and pans. This type of fire is especially good in exposed or windy
site. Try and keep one end open towards the direction of the wind to make sure that the fire gets
enough air.
Altar Fire
One of the most popular cooking fires is called an Altar fire, which is made of a
raised platform on which the fire is lit. These can be made from wood,
but quite often metal is used, and half an old metal drum used to hold the fire.
This is very similar to a domestic barbecue.
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Wood
The best woods to cook on are
- Oak
- Beech
- Maple
- Birch
- Sycamore
Where to get Grids
- Old cooker shelves are ideal,
you may be able to get them free from electrical or gas repair shops
- They can be bought from DIY shops to use on Barbecues
- Don't use chicken wire for grids, it splits when hot
- Make sure your grid can't tip over or you will end up with
water on your fire or scalded legs
Programme ideas
- Get each Patrol or group of people to select a cooking
fire design, build it and light it. This will give you an idea
of the benefits of each type.
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