Necessity is the Mother of Invention
If you find yourself having to make a camp grill, the first thing to do is take inventory. What is sitting around, in the car, on the ground or anywhere else you can look? Did you bring aluminum foil? If yes, this is a great material to begin constructing a homemade camping grill.
Green Branches
Take the aluminum foil and gather small (no more than one-quarter inch diameter) branches. Wrap the branches completely in the foil, and weave them together making a checkerboard pattern the size of your fire pit. After you have a good bed of coals, you can use this makeshift grill.
Waffled Skewers
Using green branches again (fresh branches have moisture and are less prone to burn) overlap several at the front of the branches. Use them as a "clamp" for the steaks, burgers or grilling meats and hold your food over the coals with the branch clamp.
Pot Lids
Do not overlook the multiple uses of items you think have only one purpose. Lids to pots are great substitute grills and griddles. Use the largest size lid you have.
Foil Without Support
Using aluminum foil by itself can be done if you take the time to let your coals smolder down, then carefully weave strands of foil into tubes and then overlap them in a checkerboard pattern. Carefully place on the coals and grill your meat. Take care not to rip the foil when flipping the meat.
Article Written By Eric Cedric
A former Alaskan of 20 years, Eric Cedric now resides in California. He's published in "Outside" and "Backpacker" and has written a book on life in small-town Alaska, "North by Southeast." Cedric was a professional mountain guide and backcountry expedition leader for 18 years. He worked in Russia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Belize. Cedric attended Syracuse University and is a private pilot.
