We built our skillet to go from the kitchen stove to a campfire without changing pans. Carbon steel is good at this. There's no coating to burn off, it handles high heat, and it's a lot easier to carry than a big cast iron pan.
Here's how we cook with it over a fire.
Why Carbon Steel Works Over a Fire
- Nothing to ruin. A nonstick pan can't take a campfire. Carbon steel is just steel and seasoning, so there's nothing to melt or flake off.
- It heats up fast. Carbon steel responds quickly when the heat changes, which helps when your heat source is a pile of coals instead of a dial.
- It's easier to pack. Our 11" skillet weighs 3 lb 14 oz, which is lighter than most cast iron of the same size.
Cook Over Coals, Not Flames
The biggest mistake is cooking over a fire that's still roaring. Tall flames give you hot spots, cold spots, and a pan covered in soot.
Build the fire, then let it burn down until you've got a good bed of glowing coals. That's your cooking heat. Keep a little fire going off to one side if you want, and rake fresh coals over as you need them.
Two Ways to Set Up the Pan
On a grate over the coals
This is how we do most of our camp cooking. Set a grill grate over the coals and put the pan on it. You get steadier heat, and it's easier to control.
Too hot? Slide the pan toward the edge of the grate. Not hot enough? Move it over the thickest part of the coals.
This is the setup for breakfast, potatoes, onions, and anything you need to keep an eye on.
Right on the coals
When you want a hard sear on a steak, rake out a flat bed of coals and set the pan straight down on them. It gets very hot, very fast.
Stay with it. This isn't the time to walk off and look for more firewood.
Bring a Glove
The handle gets hot over a fire. Too hot to grab bare-handed. Pack a leather work glove or a thick towel and keep it within reach.
Heat the Pan Gradually
Don't drop a cold pan straight onto the hottest coals. Set it near the edge for a few minutes first and let it come up to temperature, then move it where you want it.
What to Cook
A few things that work well:
- Bacon, then potatoes in the grease. Classic for a reason, and the fat is good for the seasoning.
- Steak. Right on the coals for a hard sear.
- Onions and peppers. On the grate, with plenty of oil or fat.
- Eggs. Once the pan is hot and has some fat in it. If your pan is new, cook a few fatty meals first.
- Burgers or sausage. On the grate, turned as needed.
Cleaning Up at Camp
- Scrape out the food while the pan is still warm.
- Wipe it out with a paper towel. If you have water, rinse and scrub it. A little soap is fine.
- Set it back over the coals for a minute to dry it completely.
- Wipe a thin coat of oil over the cooking surface.
The outside will probably pick up soot. That's fine. Wash it off when you get home.
Don't leave the pan sitting in dishwater or out in the dew overnight. Carbon steel will rust if it stays wet. If it does, it's an easy fix. Here's how to get rust off a carbon steel pan.
What to Pack
- The skillet
- A leather glove or thick towel
- A metal spatula
- A small bottle of cooking oil
- Paper towels
- A scrubber
- A grill grate, if your fire ring doesn't have one
It'll Come Home Darker
After a trip or two over a fire, your pan will look different. It'll be darker, maybe a little blotchy. That's seasoning. It's the pan getting better.
That's what we had in mind when we built The Original: one pan for the stove, the oven, the grill, and the fire.
Campfire Cooking FAQs
Can a carbon steel pan go directly on hot coals?
Yes. Ours is made for the range, oven, grill, and open fire. Let it heat up gradually and use the same judgment you would with any pan over high heat.
Will the fire ruin the seasoning?
No. Cooking with fat over a fire usually builds seasoning. If a spot does burn off, wipe on a thin coat of oil and heat it, and it comes back.
Does the handle get hot?
Yes. Over a fire it gets too hot to hold bare-handed. Bring a glove or towel.