This can be done in several ways - buying a camp stove, kerosene, matches and all the rest or going the boy scout way and starting from scratch , building a fireplaces from stones, collecting kindling and wood and making fire. Fire pits, troughs and charcoal are other ways. Whichever way you choose you will need pots, heavy duty foil or a spit and something to support them. For large groups lay out charcoal in a long trough. Make a trough above ground by placing two rows of metal tent stakes every few feet with their tops about 5" above the ground. String metal wire between them, then form a trough with heavy duty foil, folding it over both wires.
Mankind has been cooking in the open air since pre-history - though nowadays you may have to make sure that you are in an areas where cooking fires are allowed and there is no danger of forest fires. It should go without saying that when clearing up you should ensure that there is no possibility of the fire re-breaking out and the area should look as near as possible as if you had never being there.
Foil Parcels - if heavy duty foil is not available use double layers of normal foil. Pack vegetables such as potatoes and onions into buttered foil packets and place in hot ashes or above a trough of charcoal You can do the same with fruit. Double seal the parcels by folding over ends and then repeating this. If you feel it necessary you can scratch the name of the contents onto the foil before cooking.
Lemon Chicken
One chicken joint per person, brushed with melted butter and having a squeeze of lemon on top. Place on buttered heavy duty foil. Add some lemon slices and herbs of your choice to the parcel. Seal and cook for about 40 minutes.
Ham Parcels
These make a meal in one packet. Cubed ham and potatoes with pineapple and sliced onions. You could replace the pineapple with some grated cheese. Just place enough for each person in individual parcels and cook for about 30 minutes.
Baked Stuffed Potatoes.
Rub one cleaned potato per person with oil to give a crispy skin. Split the potatoes and place a sausage and some relish in the split. Place in buttered heavy duty foil and make sealed parcels. These will take at least an hour - a little longer if the potatoes are large ones.
Pop Corn
In the center of a square of heavy or doubled foil. It needed to be at least 18 inches square. Place one teaspoon of oil and one tablespoon of popcorn. Bring foil corners together to make a pouch. Seal the edges by folding, but allow room for the popcorn to pop. It is easiest if you then tie each pouch to a long stick with a string and hold the pouch over the hot coals. Shake well until all the corn has popped. Open your parcel and top with butter, chocolate, peanut butter or a mix of butter and brown sugar.
Corned Beef Dinner
Put a few thick slices of corned beef in the centre of your foil square. Top these with thinnish slices of potatoes, carrots, onions and anything else in the way of vegetables available.Coil up the sides of the foil before adding a couple of table spoons of water in which a little beef stock cube has been dissolved. Seal and then this can be placed in hot embers and cooked for about 40 minutes.
