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from: IOWA
Building the fire For the beginner, the first step is learning to build a fire properly. Successful outdoor cookery calls for glowing coals, not active flames. The coals give off even heat. You may be an “old hand” at building campfires, but here are some practical suggestions.
1. Select an open spot, away from trees, dead leaves, or anything that may easily catch fire.
2. Start with a crumpled piece of paper or handful of tinder.
3. Arrange very small twigs or sticks in teepee fashion. (Do not use leaves; they smother the fire.) Lay the sticks so that plenty of air can get through the spaces between them.
For a teepee fire —After the small twigs begin to burn, add larger sticks the same way you did the small ones. A teepee fi re burns quick and hot, with the flame directed to one spot.
For a log cabin fire —Build larger sticks in log cabin style around the kindling. This is a long-burning fire but takes longer to get started.
For a charcoal fire —This fire is easy to light. If you have never used charcoal, follow this plan.
1. Place the charcoal under the rack where the food is to be cooked.
2. Add crumpled newspaper. Light the newspaper.
3. When the coals begin to turn white or glow, they are ready. Stir the hot coals with a long, thick stick or an iron rod to distribute the heat more evenly. Add food onto the rack.
If the coals flame from fat dripping into the fire, sprinkle with water. A spray bottle is handy to use.
Choose your fire wood
The kind of fi re also depends on the kind of wood you use. Avoid wood with a pithy center. It does not burn easily, and gives little heat. Use split logs rather than round, smooth ones. They burn more readily.
Soft woods (pine, spruce, cedar, aspen, basswood, and birch) burn quickly and leave ashes but few coals.
Hard woods (oak, ash, hickory, apple, walnut, cherry, maple) burn slowly and provide excellent coals for baking or toasting.
How hot to build the fire
Beginners often ask how hot to build a fire. A quick rule of thumb is to hold your hand palm-side down at about the position the food will be above the fire and count (one-thousand-one, one thousand-two, etc.).
If you can hold your hand for
6 seconds or more, it is a slow fire;
5 seconds is a medium-slow fire;
4 seconds is a medium fire;
3 seconds is medium-hot; and
2 seconds is a hot fire.
Most foods are best cooked over a medium fire.
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