Cooking out over a campfire in the great outdoors has an appeal many fancier restaurant meals lack. The methods are simple, but the results can be scrumptious when done properly. Although campfire cooking can be a great way to wind down after a long day of hiking and exploring the wilderness, there are certain issues that must be addressed in order to ensure the food you bring is safe and healthy for your friends and family. There is nothing that will ruin a great family camping trip faster than a nasty case of food poisoning. Listed below are several ways to ensure your next fire-cooked delicacy is safe and tasty:
Keep uncooked food chilled to the appropriate temperature: When you bring food on a camping expedition, it is all too easy for your perishable food to get too warm. When car-camping (i.e. driving to your campsite with your car or recreational vehicle (RV)), make sure you travel with a well-insulated cooler. Replenish the ice often, preferably every twelve to twenty-four hours. One of my favorite tricks is to freeze some juice pouches for the kids to use as cold packs until they thaw. Once thawed, the kids have something to drink. A great way to extend the life of perishable items is to freeze them before leaving on your camping trip and packing them frozen. If perishable meats or vegetables become too thawed and warm, discard them immediately. If you happen to be trekking to your campsite on foot, make sure the food and supplies you carry with you are of the non-perishable variety.
Package meat separately from vegetables and snacks you will not be cooking: This will help to avoid cross-contamination as meat thaws in your cooler. Cross contamination can occur when bacteria and parasites from uncooked or spoiled foods comes into contact with food that would otherwise be safe. Keep your meat in tightly sealed containers. Trust me; it’s not worth a nasty case of food poisoning to avoid throwing away a little food. E coli can be prevalent at campsites without a proper refrigerator or freezer.
Bring non-perishable items: Whenever possible, bring preserved items such as dried fruit and pre-sealed snacks. Canned foods, beef jerky, jars of peanut butter, dried nuts and powdered drinks are all fairly safe choices, as well. These sorts of items will not spoil in the same way fresh meat, cheese or vegetables might.
Cook meat to an appropriate internal temperature: When you cook over the campfire, make sure that your food reaches the appropriate temperature before eating it. Consuming under-cooked poultry, beef, pork or fish can create a situation ripe for bacteria growth, potentially causing what might amount to an extremely uncomfortable illness. Generally, poultry, pork and ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees in order to ensure that nasty bacteria have been eliminated. Check with a reputable cooking resource to make sure you know the appropriate internal temperature for the type of meat you plan to have for dinner. Always carry a food thermometer with you when camping to accurately gage the doneness of your food before consuming.
Store leftovers properly: Once you eat, make sure that leftovers are properly stored and chilled if you have plans to consume the food at a later time. Leaving food out for hours and then putting it away can create a situation where your food may be vulnerable to bacteria growth and spoilage. A general rule of thumb is that you should throw away any perishable food that has been out longer than two hours. Avoid the problem altogether and refrigerate leftovers and perishables promptly.
Store snacks and other food items securely: Wildlife will take advantage of any opportunity to ransack your food and supplies. It can take a raccoon or a couple of blue jays mere minutes to destroy a great deal of food. Make sure your food is tightly secured in an area not accessible by the local wildlife. If you happen to be camping in an area where there may be bears, make sure you check for specific methods of protecting your food, some of which may involve hoisting your food up out of reach of these hungry, not to mention dangerous, creatures.
Keep things shaded: Sunshine can make packaged food extremely warm and may promote spoilage even in foods that wouldn’t otherwise spoil. Make sure that food is tightly sealed and protected from the sun and excessive heat.
Wash your hands: Before eating or preparing food, make sure that you wash your hands with purified water. Wash your hands any time you have been handling raw meat or items that may have been in contact with raw meat. Personally, I am not a big proponent of anti-bacterial gel or wipes, but they will certainly work in a pinch in the great outdoors.
Make sure your drinking water is safe: Certain campsites may have access to safe drinking water sources. If you are unsure of the safety of the local water though, make sure you purify it. The safest way to ensure water’s purity is to boil it. If the water has sand, silt or dirt in it, allow the sediments to settle to the bottom, dip the clean water off the top and then boil it from there. Water must be boiled for at least one minute before it is safe to drink. Of course, allow the water to cool to a drinkable temperature before consuming it or using it for hand or dish washing. Water purification tablets can be a useful alternative if boiling is not an option; however, there is a chance this method will not kill quite all of the bacteria you may be worried about.
Make sure your dishes and utensils are clean: Making sure your dishes are clean is essential to staying healthy and avoiding food-bourne illness. After using a utensil or platter for uncooked meats, be absolutely sure that the item is sanitized fully before using it for foods that are cooked and ready to eat. Biodegradable soaps can be bought that will help ensure that you leave the campsite in as natural a state as possible while still allowing you to wash your dishes. Your local camping supply store should stock such soap. Large galvanized steel buckets can be filled with water and placed over the fire. Cleaned, washed dishes can then be placed in a large mesh laundry bag and dipped into the clean boiling water for an extra sanitizing rinse.
Clean fish or other game promptly: Clean caught fish or game promptly and store in ice. Take home and refrigerate or freeze promptly unless you are planning to eat your catch at the campsite.
Eating in the great outdoors can be an adventure in itself; however, the lack of a refrigerator, dishwasher, clean water and ice can substantially increase the likelihood of cross-contamination, food spoilage and ultimately food poisoning. When in doubt, discard questionable food items. Anyone who has had a nasty case of food poisoning can tell you that it is better to be safe than sorry when dealing with food safety issues. Observing proper safety protocol will significantly reduce the risks, helping to ensure and safe and happy camping experience for all.
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