Campfire / Barbeque /Grill - Crude cooking methods/equipment :Suggestions required

ashwinsid · 24th August 2009, 11:13

Hey Guys!

This weekend (29 August 09) one of my friends is celebrating his birthday and the bunch of us have planned to travel to my dads farmhouse (around 150 KMs from Bangalore).

Our plan is to reach the place late evening, start a campfire and stay awake all night talking and making merry.

We will be taking pre-cooked food from home and some food parceled from dabha. But whats the fun if we do not cook on a campfire? So we plan to make panneer kebabs, corn stuff, egg items using the campfire. We have a small kitchenette in the farmhouse with stove and other utensils(and I cook really well.Especially appetizers). But we really want to cook/roast on the fire and munch on some crunchy food.

I need suggestions and advise on how to cook on a campfire /barbeque /grill? (We do not plan to buy a barbeque grill equipment. We need some run of the mill solution). It doesnt matter if the food gets burnt or it doesnt turn out to be like in Kebab Studio or Barbeque nation. We just want to enjoy the experience. I am sure you guys understand.

Any other suggestions on campfire cooking /making campfire most welcome. Will post a campfirelog with pictures for sure!

Thanks!

bblost · 24th August 2009, 11:28

Goto a hardware store.

Buy a cement mixer dish.
Its made of metal and what is used by many to mix small quantities of cement with sand during plastering etc.
Get the best metal grill you can find.
Sand: the kind of sand you use for construction and not dirt or garden soil.
Coal.

You are set.

ashwinsid · 24th August 2009, 11:34

@bblost

Thanks for the reply. That cement mixer dish is called "baandli" in Kannada. We have those in the farm. Thats a good idea (putting sand in the dish, hot coals on it and cooking). But how much could a small square metal grill/mesh cost?

StarVegabond · 24th August 2009, 11:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashwinsid

Hey Guys!

Our plan is to reach the place late evening, start a campfire and stay awake all night talking and making merry.

We will be taking pre-cooked food from home and some food parceled from dabha. But whats the fun if we do not cook on a campfire? So we plan to make panneer kebabs, corn stuff, egg items using the campfire. We have a small kitchenette in the farmhouse with stove and other utensils(and I cook really well.Especially appetizers). But we really want to cook/roast on the fire and munch on some crunchy food.

I need suggestions and advise on how to cook on a campfire /barbeque /grill? (We do not plan to buy a barbeque grill equipment. We need some run of the mill solution).

Simple IDEA is to go to Barbeque Nation and Hire 2/3 of their Table Top grills. they may ask for some deposit as guarantee, upon returning the grills you can get your deposit minus rent. this would be cleaner approach and does not need any cap-ex which you might not use for next few years.

wanderernomad · 24th August 2009, 11:56

Best and cheapest way is to place 4 bricks parallel to each other with one stacked on top of another. Use a throughly clean metal wire to work as skewers for roasting. Just remember to marinate non veg products over night in hung curd and seal with foil or in an airtight container. If you want to have a more impromptu thing then take raw meat, rub salt, oil and vinegar if available and roast directly. Keep adding some lemon juice at regular intervals to make it tender. If you want a more detailed receipy of things you would like to ahve let me know your menu and I will tell you how.

Pragmites · 24th August 2009, 12:41

Get hold of a roadside kabab guy ( gaadiwala type). Ask him to come along with his grills and coal, you will provide the food. Generally for a couple of hundred Rupees they are willing to come along. As long as you want to do the cooking, go ahead. If and when you want to delegate, you have someone to take over!

bblost · 24th August 2009, 12:50

Marinate the meat well.
If needed you can also take minced meat, cook it for a bit in a pressure cooker.
And use that to make into sheek kababs.

The grill should not cost a lot. Less than 100 bucks.

Also, take some potatoes. Wrap in foil and throw into fire.
They come out tasting quite good.

Keep safety equipment handy and easily accessible.
Remember hot metal can burn quite bad. So take care.

You may need a little bit of kerosene or petrol.
I generally set fire to small pieces of coal and use them to set fire to larger pieces.

Keep a nice pair of sun glasses with you.
The fire can be a strain on the eyes.

At the end of the bbq, do not put water on the hot coals. You might end up with a big mess. Instead let the fire die out on its own.

DO NOT ADD KEROSENE OR PETROL DIRECTLY TO THE FIRE.

ashwinsid · 24th August 2009, 13:05

Thanks for all your suggestions guys.

1. The farmhouse is in a remote village. So taking a kebab guy with us is not feasible. Also hiring a grill is not appealing.

2. The suggestion for having a cement mixer dish with steel grill on top is the easiest option. Will be implementing it.

3. We wont use petrol or kerosene as we have dry branches and coconut husks to start the fire.

4. We will throw sand on top of the fire when we're done. Seems ash is good for trees (I dont know how) but farmers burn fallen branches and spread the ash around farm.

Thanks again!

Roy.S · 24th August 2009, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by bblost

Buy a cement mixer dish....

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashwinsid

The suggestion for having a cement mixer dish with steel grill on top is the easiest option. Will be implementing it.....

I have seen this done with excellent results. I prefer not to use petrol/kerosene as the fumes tend to mess up the taste of the meat. Getting coal to burn uniformly is a bit of an art. Better recruit a local villager to get the fire going.

paharino1 · 24th August 2009, 20:23

For grilling & kebabs - go to a cycle repair shop & get some spokes - place them between rocks/ bricks at some distance from the fire

brat001 · 24th August 2009, 21:21

You seem to have a good number of ideas suggested. One thing is you havent specified how large a group you all are. based on that you have to plan the size of the bbq. Else you would have to keep it running through the night to feed you and your friends. Another way is to get an ordinary empty oil barrel. cut it in half , across the length or breadth to make a trough, you could use this to place the coals, and use it as a grill. Important,you need skewers-to place the meat/veggies on. Please avoid cycle spokes as you can risk rust contamination.You can get a dozen skewers from shivijanagr for a less than 200 bucks.Then coals, preferably dry, collect coconut husk or the dry leaves and twigs,pile them up,and set fire to the husk/leaves,slowly place coals on top of the lit fire,use a little oil to keep the fire going,NOT kerosene or petrol(unless you really fancy that flavour in your kebabs). get your marinated meats and vegies and you are ready for your BBQ.enjoy!!

ashwinsid · 24th August 2009, 21:33

@brat001,

We are a group of 5 and not all are meat eaters (including me!). I too agree that using spokes is not quite hygienic. I will check out Shivajinagar for skewers. Could you point me to a particular shop there?

And everyone thanks so much for your replies!

subscrive · 24th August 2009, 22:05

Use the wired stand (for the utensils/bowls etc) that comes with your microwave - of course, the stainless steel wired stand's size would depend on the capacity of microw you hv.
My friend has a pretty huge microw and the metal stand sufices for our needs.

brat001 · 25th August 2009, 10:12

ashwinsid, for a group of 5 (and not all non-veggies) i would suggest you pick up kebabs and parathas/ rolls from town, make a bonfire and "re-cook" the grub there. May be more practical.Skewers you can get at adams or any of the stores besides adams.

bblost · 25th August 2009, 10:35

My advice in this case.

Don't bother with the bbq.

Get one of those earthern chulas.
Get some dry wood. You are set for cooking rice, roti, dhal, sabzi's and so on.
Non Veg guys can either make do with eggs or try smoked fish.

I don't think reheating food is a good idea.
Once cooked, EAT IT. Do not store cooked food esp Non Veg for anything more than 2 hours.

Food poisoning is not nice.

24th August 2009, 11:13	#1
ashwinsid BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 185 Thanked: 40 Times	Campfire / Barbeque /Grill - Crude cooking methods/equipment :Suggestions required Hey Guys! This weekend (29 August 09) one of my friends is celebrating his birthday and the bunch of us have planned to travel to my dads farmhouse (around 150 KMs from Bangalore). Our plan is to reach the place late evening, start a campfire and stay awake all night talking and making merry. We will be taking pre-cooked food from home and some food parceled from dabha. But whats the fun if we do not cook on a campfire? So we plan to make panneer kebabs, corn stuff, egg items using the campfire. We have a small kitchenette in the farmhouse with stove and other utensils(and I cook really well.Especially appetizers). But we really want to cook/roast on the fire and munch on some crunchy food. I need suggestions and advise on how to cook on a campfire /barbeque /grill? (We do not plan to buy a barbeque grill equipment. We need some run of the mill solution). It doesnt matter if the food gets burnt or it doesnt turn out to be like in Kebab Studio or Barbeque nation. We just want to enjoy the experience. I am sure you guys understand. Any other suggestions on campfire cooking /making campfire most welcome. Will post a campfirelog with pictures for sure! Thanks! Last edited by ashwinsid : 24th August 2009 at 11:16.
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 11:28	#2
bblost Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 11,284 Thanked: 17,943 Times View My Garage	Goto a hardware store. Buy a cement mixer dish. Its made of metal and what is used by many to mix small quantities of cement with sand during plastering etc. Get the best metal grill you can find. Sand: the kind of sand you use for construction and not dirt or garden soil. Coal. You are set. Last edited by bblost : 24th August 2009 at 11:30.
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 11:34	#3
ashwinsid BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 185 Thanked: 40 Times	@bblost Thanks for the reply. That cement mixer dish is called "baandli" in Kannada. We have those in the farm. Thats a good idea (putting sand in the dish, hot coals on it and cooking). But how much could a small square metal grill/mesh cost? Last edited by ashwinsid : 24th August 2009 at 11:36.
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 11:56	#5
wanderernomad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,552 Thanked: 1,296 Times View My Garage	Best and cheapest way is to place 4 bricks parallel to each other with one stacked on top of another. Use a throughly clean metal wire to work as skewers for roasting. Just remember to marinate non veg products over night in hung curd and seal with foil or in an airtight container. If you want to have a more impromptu thing then take raw meat, rub salt, oil and vinegar if available and roast directly. Keep adding some lemon juice at regular intervals to make it tender. If you want a more detailed receipy of things you would like to ahve let me know your menu and I will tell you how.
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 12:41	#6
Pragmites BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 224 Thanked: Once	Get hold of a roadside kabab guy ( gaadiwala type). Ask him to come along with his grills and coal, you will provide the food. Generally for a couple of hundred Rupees they are willing to come along. As long as you want to do the cooking, go ahead. If and when you want to delegate, you have someone to take over!
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 12:50	#7
bblost Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 11,284 Thanked: 17,943 Times View My Garage	Marinate the meat well. If needed you can also take minced meat, cook it for a bit in a pressure cooker. And use that to make into sheek kababs. The grill should not cost a lot. Less than 100 bucks. Also, take some potatoes. Wrap in foil and throw into fire. They come out tasting quite good. Keep safety equipment handy and easily accessible. Remember hot metal can burn quite bad. So take care. You may need a little bit of kerosene or petrol. I generally set fire to small pieces of coal and use them to set fire to larger pieces. Keep a nice pair of sun glasses with you. The fire can be a strain on the eyes. At the end of the bbq, do not put water on the hot coals. You might end up with a big mess. Instead let the fire die out on its own. DO NOT ADD KEROSENE OR PETROL DIRECTLY TO THE FIRE.
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 13:05	#8
ashwinsid BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 185 Thanked: 40 Times	Thanks for all your suggestions guys. 1. The farmhouse is in a remote village. So taking a kebab guy with us is not feasible. Also hiring a grill is not appealing. 2. The suggestion for having a cement mixer dish with steel grill on top is the easiest option. Will be implementing it. 3. We wont use petrol or kerosene as we have dry branches and coconut husks to start the fire. 4. We will throw sand on top of the fire when we're done. Seems ash is good for trees (I dont know how) but farmers burn fallen branches and spread the ash around farm. Thanks again!
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 20:23	#10
paharino1 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hyderabad, India Posts: 299 Thanked: 30 Times	For grilling & kebabs - go to a cycle repair shop & get some spokes - place them between rocks/ bricks at some distance from the fire
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 21:21	#11
brat001 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 155 Thanked: 33 Times	You seem to have a good number of ideas suggested. One thing is you havent specified how large a group you all are. based on that you have to plan the size of the bbq. Else you would have to keep it running through the night to feed you and your friends. Another way is to get an ordinary empty oil barrel. cut it in half , across the length or breadth to make a trough, you could use this to place the coals, and use it as a grill. Important,you need skewers-to place the meat/veggies on. Please avoid cycle spokes as you can risk rust contamination.You can get a dozen skewers from shivijanagr for a less than 200 bucks.Then coals, preferably dry, collect coconut husk or the dry leaves and twigs,pile them up,and set fire to the husk/leaves,slowly place coals on top of the lit fire,use a little oil to keep the fire going,NOT kerosene or petrol(unless you really fancy that flavour in your kebabs). get your marinated meats and vegies and you are ready for your BBQ.enjoy!!
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 21:33	#12
ashwinsid BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 185 Thanked: 40 Times	@brat001, We are a group of 5 and not all are meat eaters (including me!). I too agree that using spokes is not quite hygienic. I will check out Shivajinagar for skewers. Could you point me to a particular shop there? And everyone thanks so much for your replies!
	() Thanks

24th August 2009, 22:05	#13
subscrive BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 258 Thanked: 30 Times View My Garage	Use the wired stand (for the utensils/bowls etc) that comes with your microwave - of course, the stainless steel wired stand's size would depend on the capacity of microw you hv. My friend has a pretty huge microw and the metal stand sufices for our needs.
	() Thanks

25th August 2009, 10:12	#14
brat001 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 155 Thanked: 33 Times	ashwinsid, for a group of 5 (and not all non-veggies) i would suggest you pick up kebabs and parathas/ rolls from town, make a bonfire and "re-cook" the grub there. May be more practical.Skewers you can get at adams or any of the stores besides adams.
	() Thanks

25th August 2009, 10:35	#15
bblost Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 11,284 Thanked: 17,943 Times View My Garage	My advice in this case. Don't bother with the bbq. Get one of those earthern chulas. Get some dry wood. You are set for cooking rice, roti, dhal, sabzi's and so on. Non Veg guys can either make do with eggs or try smoked fish. I don't think reheating food is a good idea. Once cooked, EAT IT. Do not store cooked food esp Non Veg for anything more than 2 hours. Food poisoning is not nice.
	() Thanks