Between the lack of rain and the winds, a burn ban is clearly in our future. And we really don't want to burn down the neighborhood. Fortunately, this afternoon was fairly calm, so it seemed like a good time to build a fire and do some outdoor cooking.
I started by building a fire in the large fire ring. I used big chunks of seasoned wood in order to get a good base of coals.
I used several sheets of newspaper and an empty pizza box under a small armload of kindling as starter. Pizza boxes aren't recyclable because of the food residue, but they can be composted or used as fire starter.
After the logs had time to burn and build up coals, I moved several to one of the smaller rings. Cooking pork chops over the fire is as easy as using any other method, but I prefer the results. With charcoal or propane a flareup is undesirable, but with a wood fire, flames are normal and useful. The ring is built so that the grill is over twice the distance from the coals as in most commercial grills, and the temperature can be controlled by moving the logs or adding small sticks of wood to the fire.
I sprinkled Cajun seasoning over both sides of the chops and placed them into a long-handled grill basket. Using a grill basketwith a grill makes it easy to turn the chops or move them around to even out the cooking.
When the chops measured above 150 degrees inside, I removed them from the grill and placed them on a platter to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. The smoky flavor of chops cooked over a hickory wood fire is unbeatable!
Next, I'll post about chili beans cooked over a campfire.
Stephen
I started by building a fire in the large fire ring. I used big chunks of seasoned wood in order to get a good base of coals.
I used several sheets of newspaper and an empty pizza box under a small armload of kindling as starter. Pizza boxes aren't recyclable because of the food residue, but they can be composted or used as fire starter.
After the logs had time to burn and build up coals, I moved several to one of the smaller rings. Cooking pork chops over the fire is as easy as using any other method, but I prefer the results. With charcoal or propane a flareup is undesirable, but with a wood fire, flames are normal and useful. The ring is built so that the grill is over twice the distance from the coals as in most commercial grills, and the temperature can be controlled by moving the logs or adding small sticks of wood to the fire.
I sprinkled Cajun seasoning over both sides of the chops and placed them into a long-handled grill basket. Using a grill basketwith a grill makes it easy to turn the chops or move them around to even out the cooking.
These were thick chops so I seared one side and then turned them. Cooking over flame requires turning frequently and moving the chops to make sure the edges cook.
When the chops measured above 150 degrees inside, I removed them from the grill and placed them on a platter to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. The smoky flavor of chops cooked over a hickory wood fire is unbeatable!
Next, I'll post about chili beans cooked over a campfire.
Stephen
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