CAMPFIRE COOKING: ROCK CHICKEN RECIPE

Campfire Cooking: Rock Chicken Recipe...

One of the best things about being in the wilderness, in my opinion, is eating a tasty meal around the campfire. Maybe it's the feeling of being primitive, or the open air, or maybe even a little dirt that always seems to find its way into the food, but for some reason food just tastes better in the bush.

One of my favorites is "Rock Chicken". it is a great meal when prepared properly. The use of hot rocks allows the chicken to roast slowly and the meat is quite tender and succulent. In cold weather, you can even prepare it and toss it into your backpack and it will help keep you warm on your trek... a warning for this though, DO NOT carry it in your backpack in areas frequented by bears!!! The last thing you need is to get mauled by a bear while hiking through the woods.

Here is my recipe for Rock Chicken...

It is an easy recipe that you can start and forget about for several hours. Here’s how it’s done, and yes, it’s primitive cooking.

 

1. Find three good-sized rocks about the size of softball, and place them in the campfire to get hot. Sometimes you get a rock that will crack when heated so it is wise to place a couple of extras in to heat, just in case. The rocks have to get very, very hot.

2. While the rocks are getting hot take a whole chicken and clean inside and out, then rub it down with salt, pepper, and other spices to taste. Stuff 2 whole celery sticks and 1 whole onion into the chicken.

3. After the rocks are HOT, stuff one of the rocks into the chicken with the celery and onion. Place the chicken on a large sheet of tinfoil and take the other two rocks and place one under each wing.

4. Now wrap the chicken in several layers of tinfoil. If you don't use enough foil the rocks may burn through and you will lose too much heat to cook the bird.

5. Then take wet newspaper and wrap it around the tinfoil. Also make sure you wrap at least 10 to 20 layers of newspaper around it, the more the merrier. This will hold the heat of the rocks in extremely well.

6. Let the chicken cook. The heat of the rocks will cook the chicken in about 3 to 5 hours.

NOTE: it might be best to try this recipe at home before going into the wilderness... you want to make sure you have it right.

We hope you enjoy it!