A camping grill is the most basic type of cooking device imaginable. It could be homemade, something people can throw together when they’re out in the woods, or it could be purchased at almost any grocery or hardware store. Many people buy a camping grill for backyard barbecues or picnics, and they’re also popular to bring along on any boat with a table. Because it is light, compact, and can easily fit in a cooler or backpack, a camping grill is commonly referred to as a tabletop grill.
Charcoal and propane are the most common types of camping grills. The charcoal version, which is made up of a lightweight pan that is three inches deep and 14 inches in diameter, is frequently available for under $10 US Dollars (USD) (7.6 and 35.6 centimeters respectively). The entire contraption stands on three or four detachable metal legs, and a cooking grate fits across the top of the pan. The pan is filled with charcoal, which is then lit and allowed to burn down. The items to be cooked are placed on the grate, but because they are so close to the hot charcoal, the grill must be constantly monitored.
Propane-fired camping grills are slightly more expensive than charcoal-fired grills, with prices ranging from $18 to $40 USD. They are much deeper and longer than a charcoal grill, measuring up to two feet (61 centimeters) long and five inches deep (12.7 centimeters). They usually have a single propane burner that runs the length of the pan’s bottom and is powered by a 16-ounce (453.6 gram) propane container. Many propane camping grills come with basic heat controls and are ideal for grilling a half-dozen hamburgers and a dozen or more hot dogs.
For some people, especially those who plan to stay in the woods for an extended period of time, the thrill of cooking over an open fire is outweighed by the joy of building their own camping grill. A small roll of thin, flexible wire and a square metal grate, such as one found in an old oven or refrigerator, are all that is required. This grill can usually be built in less than 30 minutes and requires only three or four steps.
To begin, construct a fire ring by stacking rocks in a circle. Find three sticks with a diameter of about two inches (5.08 centimeters) and a length of about five feet (1.5 meters). Set the device over the fire ring by securely wiring the tops of the limbs together in an overlapping fashion. Make sure the bottom ends of the sticks are outside, not inside, the ring. This device has been transformed into a tripod.
Connect four strands of wire to the wires that bind the top of the tripod and hang them straight down with more wire. Connect one wire to each of the grate’s four corners, making sure it’s about two to three feet (60.96 centimeters to.91 meters) above the fire ring. Start a wood fire and let it burn down before putting food on the grate. When it’s time to leave the campsite, simply undo the wires and place them back in his backpack.