Do any of you cook in an outside fire pit?

**Homekeepn** · 05-05-2011, 09:01 PM

Recently we built a new larger fit pit. We do have many cast iron pieces that we have and plan to use often in it. So far we have cooked/baked/roasted potatoes, a pork loin, corn beef brisket, stew and chicken with corn on the cob.

I plan on baking cobblers, bannock dogs, chili, baked beans and even soup.

Do any of you do this type of cooking and can share some recipes?

**Spirit Deer** · 05-05-2011, 10:01 PM

I do a lot of Dutch oven cooking, particularly when we're camping. I just use my usual recipes, same as cooking in the house.

Bisquick Impossibly Easy Pies love to be baked in cast iron and develop a wonderful crispy crust. Check out Bisquick.com for lots of Impossibly Easy Pie recipes.

We also love making fire-roasted veggies over an open fire. We use a grill pan, the type with holes all over it so the smoke can easily get in. Marinate boneless chicken chunks in zesty Italian seasoning or the dressing of your choice, then brown it in the grill pan. Use other types of meat if desired, like sliced kielbasa or chunks of ham. Add chunks of zucchini, whole olives, sliced red onion, etc. and stir-fry till tender-crisp.

**frugalwarrior2** · 05-05-2011, 11:51 PM

Ds made the most fantastic apple pie using canned pie filling and pie crust in a dutch oven. You know he used that coals method.

We cook chicken and fish in foil packets. Potatoes,steak kabobs, marinated stuff. Keep the kitchen cool.
Boy scout cookery books have lots of ideas

**Brat** · 05-06-2011, 07:05 AM

Pork chops or pork steak with potatoes and onion in foil pk is good. If you have a pot big enough turkey in apple juice over the open fire is great.

**2_at_the_farm** · 05-06-2011, 09:16 AM

I got nuthin'. I cook on my little woodburner in the house during the winter and got a bunch of recipes for when you're camping. I've roasted potatoes, etc, same as the other posts. Love skillet bread!

I'm so envious!! We're surrounded by farm fields and it's windy here, so no fires outside most days. Even in a pit, it'd be risky. It just takes a hot fart to set a field of wheat stubble ablaze.

**Spirit Deer** · 05-06-2011, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by 2_at_the_farm

It just takes a hot fart to set a field of wheat stubble ablaze.

So I'm guessing you don't cook much chili then.

**Homekeepn** · 05-06-2011, 04:13 PM

Too funny! That cracked me up. Sorry about the no fires 2_at_the_farm. My family has lots of pyro's ( not the illegal ones ) in it and we love sitting around and watch the flames. They would be bummed if we didn't have any campfires in the summer.

All of us have enjoyed dinner cooking in the pit while we work in the yard. We have been clearing our wood line of fallen trees and many dried branches. So the fuel for the fire is free. I doubt that we will be using the propane or charcoal grills at all this year.

**zakity** · 05-06-2011, 10:16 PM

My family has lots of pyro's ( not the illegal ones ) in it and we love sitting around and watch the flames

That is called a "closet pyro". We have several closet pyros that live here (me being one of them).

**lex71x** · 02-07-2012, 06:54 PM

i'm pretty sure i have several tons of lava rocks so i'm going to build a firepit just for my dutch oven.

if you ever go to the beach with your dutch oven you can dig a hole in the sand, throw in some hot coals, put your dutch oven in and bury it almost to the top. makes for some awesome cooking no matter how windy it is.

**nvmommyx6** · 02-07-2012, 08:19 PM

We have a dutch oven pit (accomadates 4-5 dutch ovens), reg fire pit, large smokeing pit and 2 med smokers for outside cookin, I am in the process of building a large enclosed smoke house at the moment.
We dont mess around here LOL

**lex71x** · 02-07-2012, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by nvmommyx6

We have a dutch oven pit (accomadates 4-5 dutch ovens), reg fire pit, large smokeing pit and 2 med smokers for outside cookin, I am in the process of building a large enclosed smoke house at the moment.
We dont mess around here LOL

sweet!

i have a bunch of cement blocks and landscaping that is entirely comprised of lavarocks that i want to get rid of. any tips on building a firepit that will make use of lots and lots of lava rocks?

**nvmommyx6** · 02-07-2012, 08:38 PM

Lava rocks will hold heat really well, I would dig it twice as deep and have at least 2 layers of the rock under it. for cooking breads and cakes you can even use hot rocks on their lids for even cooking!!

**lex71x** · 02-07-2012, 10:27 PM

so i'm thinking of making it about 3 feet off the ground with the blocks, which is about 4 or 5 blocks high, making a pretty deep firepit. so you think if i dug a six foot hole and filled the whole thing with lava rocks it would work pretty well?

bear in mind i have thousands of pounds of these lava rocks so it will very well be many many layers; sounds like a fire pit that will stay hot for days.