Tips and Tricks for Cooking Fish Over an Open Campfire

king freshly caught fish over a campfire is one of the greatest pleasures of being outdoors. It feels satisfying to cook what you have caught yourself from nature whether you are on a fishing trip or live near a local lake. Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to make this a more effortless experience.

Leave the Skin On

Do not skin the fish when cooking outdoors. Keeping the skin on helps retain the fish’s natural oils and holds the flesh together as you cook. Doing this will also prevent the fish from falling apart and into the fire. Cooked skin is also easy to take off than when it is raw.

Ensure a Steady Flame

Ensure that the fire you build is well-established before you start cooking. Let it burn for at least half an hour so the coals will become suitably hot with just a low flame. Spiky flames can char the fish and leave it raw in the middle.

Use Seasoned Firewood

Some campgrounds do provide access to seasoned firewood to guests. If unavailable, try to find some you can bring along on your trip. Seasoned wood is quite dry and makes for the cleanest burning firewood. If you want to impart a little woodsy aroma, look for oak, maple, or birch wood.

Try New Flavors

You can bring seasonings from home to add to whatever campfire cooking you do. You can, however, also forage in nature for the same. Certain tree leaves like oak, walnut, and maple have a distinct aroma and flavor that you can impart by wrapping around the fish before cooking. You can experiment with different leaves to discover what works best for you.

Cook in Aluminum Foil

Always carry a roll of aluminum foil when you go camping. It is an excellent way to cook fish and vegetables. Wrap your fish and vegetables in a foil pouch with some seasoning and butter, and place them over the fire to cook. Being wrapped ensures little, if any, dripping that will put out the fire. It also helps in trapping all the juices and flavor inside. Using foil pouches will make for an easy clean-up afterward and help retain any heat needed to keep cooking the fish more thoroughly if necessary.

Other Accessories

When packing gear to take along with you on your camping trip, include a cast iron skillet and barbecue gloves. Cast iron skillets are an excellent investment if you love cooking outdoors. Cast iron is ideal as it works well in retaining heat and tolerates open flames well. It is a great way to pan-fry your fish and other food items. Remember to carry along some oil or butter you can use to prevent sticking.

When cooking over an open campfire, it becomes very easy to get hurt by the flames and heat. Barbecue gloves help to protect you when cooking over an open flame. You will not have a problem opening up the hot foil to check if the fish is ready or handling a hot cast iron skillet.