Nick Italiano in Survival

Caveman Cooking

Stone Age Setups for Adventure or Survival

In This Article

Cooking Outdoors
Keeping It Minimal
Stone Frying Caveman Style
Stone Age Raised Stone Cooking
Caveman Bacon Fryer
Y-Sticks
Caveman Cooking with Coals
Stone Age Baking with Coals
Swedish Pot Stand
Stone Cooking Oven
Stone Age Cooking Utensils
Jungle Swamp Grill
In Closing
Read More From Issue 68

It’s time to unleash your inner cave dweller with the thrilling experience of Stone Age cooking, perfect for both backcountry adventures and backyard bonfires. In this guide, we’ll cover the art of creating mouthwatering wilderness dishes using flat rocks, roasting sticks, a stone oven, and hot coals. Get ready to heighten your outdoor cooking game.

Cooking Outdoors

Survival depends on the ability to make use of everything the environment offers, both natural materials and discarded items we might otherwise overlook. These resources can be repurposed to build shelters, carry supplies, secure water, and maintain fire for warmth and cooking. Just like machines need fuel to run, our bodies require energy to function efficiently. Knowing how to stretch and apply these resources effectively can make all the difference in tough conditions.

Natural materials offer an excellent opportunity for cooking food, whether foraged from the wild or brought along on an outdoor adventure. With a bit of creativity and the right tools, you can transform your cooking experience. Even ingredients that don’t require cooking can be enhanced when exposed to the warmth and aroma of an open flame or set against a backdrop of glowing coals. The subtle char and smoky flavor imparted by the fire can enhance the taste, turning a simple meal into an unforgettable woods culinary delight.

The author expertly cooked over a fire using a large flat stone as a griddle. A small spatula was skillfully crafted at camp using a fixed-blade knife.

Keeping It Minimal

Cooking in the wilderness is a primary motivation for many outdoor enthusiasts. During the warmer months, when a traditional campfire may not be necessary or practical, a twig stove can be an excellent alternative. When homemade, these stoves, often called bio, wood, or hobo stoves, utilize natural materials as fuel.

Familiar fuel sources include twigs, thicker sticks, conifer cones, and wood pellets. The design of twig stoves operates on the principle of maintaining a small fire within the stove, with a cooking vessel placed on top. Fuel is added through a designated port, allowing for efficient cooking while minimizing the environmental impact.

Stone Frying Caveman Style

Frying pans are generally heavy and take up valuable space, hindering your trips. Skip the hassle of carrying one and embrace the frying pans that Mother Nature offers. These natural tools are ideally suited for cooking in the wilderness, and with a little effort, any outdoor enthusiast can find numerous options. When selecting a flat rock, target one that measures 2 to 4 inches in thickness. Avoid stones sourced from water, as they often hold moisture. Opt for wide, flat rocks to maximize your cooking surface and ensure stability on the stove since an uneven surface will cause oil and eggs to spill.

When you use a bio stove, ignite it and establish a solid, self-sustaining fire. Once the fire is going, carefully place the flat rock on top of the stove using gloves, as high flames can spread to the sides during this process. Avoid using rocks that have or may have been submerged in water. Moisture trapped in the rock will expand into steam when heated by fire and turn it into a grenade instead of a frying pan. After placing the rock over flames, step back and wait for a while to ensure it doesn’t crack or explode. Wear sunglasses if you must get close to the rock — safety first! After a reasonable amount of time and when you feel confident it’s safe, you can start cooking.

Ensure it’s even. I recommend dropping a little water to check its level. If you’re dealing with something fatty and oily, coating the rock will show you where the oil and juices are leaning. The rock on top restricts airflow, and the stove’s height limits the flame. For higher heat or larger quantities of food, you should create a stand for a raised flat stone.

An egg can be cooked directly on the bacon frying stone or in a small pecan pie tin set on the surface, which makes it less messy.

Stone Age Raised Stone Cooking

This raised flat-top grill provides an expanded surface area for cooking, allowing for more excellent food maneuverability. However, more heat is required to warm the larger area. Using a larger rock necessitates a stand that can support it, made from sturdy materials such as thumb-thick sticks. These support sticks should be long enough to extend approximately 4 inches above the stove once hammered into the ground.

If the flat rock is wide, it can be supported by dead sticks, positioned further from the heat source. Conversely, for a smaller rock, the supports will be closer to the flames, and using green wood for these pieces is advisable to withstand the higher temperatures.
To create the stand, first place the flat rock on the stove to gauge where the support sticks should be hammered into the ground. After marking the spots, remove the rock and drive the sticks into the ground. Once this step is done, replace the rock on top of the support pieces and make any necessary adjustments to ensure stability.

When starting the fire in the stove, it’s essential to carefully place the rock back on the stand before the flames become too large. The design allows longer sticks to extend from the top and enhances airflow, facilitating better combustion. You can add fuel through the designated fuel port located in front of or above the stove. I recommended keeping a safe distance from the stove and the rock, as they heat up, and wearing sunglasses or safety goggles as a safety measure.

To test the heat of the rock griddle for cooking, hold your hand above the surface and drop a few drops of water onto the stone; the water should sizzle upon contact. When ready to cook, place food in the center of the stone and utilize the outer edges, which are cooler and serve as a relief zone. The wider the stone, the greater the cooking area and the easier it is to manage the food while it cooks.

Caveman Bacon Fryer

It wouldn’t be Stone Age cooking without a campfire and a designated bacon frying stone. I call it a “bacon fryer,” but it can fry and cook anything. It doesn’t require a large fire. I’ve done this on day trips, stopping for a lunch break. Tools are needed but not 100-percent necessary. Saw two logs approximately a foot long and about thigh thick. Make your fire between them and establish a coal base before adding the flat stone on top. All the same rules apply as using a stone with a stove.

The fuel is added underneath the hot stone and will ignite more readily once there’s a solid coal base. An egg can cook directly on the stone or in a small pecan pie tin set on the surface — this way, it’s less messy. Use leather gloves or camp tongs to move the egg tin for safety.

Y-Stick Roasters are strategically placed on the ends of logs over coals for optimal maneuverability and versatility.

Y-Sticks

You can cook food using sticks in several ways. We’ve all probably stabbed a hotdog, leaned it against a log, or awkwardly stuck it in the ground, only to have it fall into the fire or a pile of ashes. However, there’s a more effective method for roasting kabobs, sausages, fish, and bread.

To create this cooking tool, find a green Y-stick about the length from your fingertip to your elbow. Next, get a thin stick — similar in thickness to a No. 2 pencil — slightly longer than the width of the Y part. Carve the ends of this stick to form two flat, tapered sides, ensuring they align on the same plane. Then, stand the Y-stick upright and split both ends of the Y so you can wedge the smaller stick into the splits.
Simply insert the thin stick into your preferred hotdog, kabob, bread, or sausage, and securely prop the Y-stick on a log or rock over the coals. Alternatively, you can drive the Y-stick into the ground and rotate it. The possibilities are endless.

A stuffed bell pepper baked in a bed of hardwood coals stuffed with cooked rice, broccoli, ham, and mushrooms.

Caveman Cooking with Coals

Cooking food directly on hot coals is an excellent method for preparing meat, eggs, potatoes, corn on the cob, and peppers without the need for a pan or grill. To establish a superior bed of hot coals, begin with any available wood and combine it with hardwood, ensuring a longer burn time and hotter coals that can support the weight of the food without crumbling. Always use tongs or a forked poking stick to handle the food safely and avoid burns. Enhance oxygen flow to the coals with a small fan or a piece of a sleeping pad, making your cooking process more efficient.

Cooking eggs requires a few careful steps. Start by poking a small hole in the top of each shell. Next, use tongs to place the eggs directly into the hot coals carefully. Leave them there for 15 to 20 minutes. Remember, cooking time can vary based on the quality of the coals and other conditions, so keep an eye on them. When the time is up, always use tongs to retrieve the eggs, as they’ll be extremely hot.

The author scooped out a portion of potato and cracked an egg inside, using sticks in the potato top as a lid.

Stone Age Baking with Coals

Potatoes are incredibly straightforward to prepare. You can shove them directly into the coals, lay them atop the coals, and rotate them occasionally for even cooking. However, to really improve the Stone Age quality, add toppings. Slice about a third of the potato and carefully scoop out some potato with a spoon, stick, or knife. Add diced sausages, ham, cheese, an egg, or any other creative addition.
Bury the potato in coals or wrap it in foil first. If you use the latter method, rotate the tater. If it’s straight in coals, just leave it buried in coals. Leather gloves or wide-opening tongs are essential for safely retrieving your camp coal delicacy.

Cooking corn on the cob is most effective when you leave the husk on. Ensure it’s soaked in water to retain moisture before placing it on the coals. The steam produced from the water will cook the corn perfectly, utilizing both the heat of the coals and the steam for optimal results.
Bell peppers are perfect for creative cooking over coals. Begin by cutting off the top of the pepper and removing the seed core. Stuff it with a hearty mixture of precooked rice, mushrooms, onions, and chopped sausage, then securely replace the top. Position the stuffed pepper on the coals, ensuring it’s well-nested for optimal cooking. This technique stands out because you can easily enjoy the filling with any utensil while the pepper acts as the cooking vessel and the bowl. This method isn’t just efficient; it’s incredibly delicious.

The author built a frying pan stand like a Swedish torch, igniting a fire underneath that uses the hardwood stand as fuel.

Swedish Pot Stand

I call this the Swedish torch cooking method, and it’s a game changer. It requires hardwood, ensuring it burns slowly and effectively, allowing the setup to shine. You can use a frying pan, kettle, or flat stone — whatever suits you best. This method demands minimal materials and time for construction.

Begin by gathering four to five pieces of wood, roughly the thickness of a broomstick, and stand about calf to knee high. Sharpen the ends to a point and create a flat saw cut at the top. Arrange these pieces in a circular pattern, slightly smaller than your cooking vessel. That’s it; you’re ready for the next step.

Add kindling to the bottom, starting with thin twigs and progressing to pencil, finger, and thumb thickness. Lastly, place thin, fluffy tinder at the bottom to prevent it from absorbing any moisture. Once you ignite the kindling from below, the rising hot air will work its magic, and the stand will serve as both a cooking platform and a fuel source. Get started.

Pro Tip: Always maintain a hand on the cooking vessel to prevent one leg from burning through quickly.

Here is the stone cooking oven the author made and uses currently.

Stone Cooking Oven

Disclaimer: This method may take more strength and some luck with materials. Such is the case with my experience constructing stone cooking ovens. I have used a semi-permanent camp in my woods for several years. I noticed a sizable protruding stone with a side piece and used another large stone and make it a three-sided structure. Eventually, I found a wide, heavy, flat stone to use as a griddle and placed it on top. This last step hugely changed my cooking ventures.

With a fire roaring, the stones gave the camp a highly reflective heat quality. Spacing the flat stone away from the back protruding stone gave me a place to heat my kettle and supplied airflow. The flat stone I leveled became the perfect cooking area. I cooked bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, sausages, and fish without sacrificing any of it to the campfire gods.

The three-sided enclosure amplified the quality of coal cooking. Roasting meat was excellent thanks to the three-sided stones’ reflective heat transfer. The stone cooking oven made drying gloves and camp gear more manageable — I recommend one.

Craft “bush tongs” by splitting a sturdy stick and sharpening one end for cooking.

Stone Age Cooking Utensils

Cooking in the wilderness requires primitive utensils, especially if you’ve forgotten your tools. A practical solution is to make “bush tongs” from a green stick. Simply heat it, bend it into shape, and carve the ends to form a chisel-like grip.

Alternatively, split a sturdy stick and sharpen one end for poking and forking meat. This primitive cooking approach not only enhances your outdoor experience but also prepares you to tackle any challenge that arises. Embrace the opportunity to connect with nature and make the most of your surroundings.

chicken, peppers, and tomatoes were expertly cooked on a flat rock in the woods using a Griddle Rock Stand

Jungle Swamp Grill

Want to get Stone Age, jungle style? A swamp grill is an essential makeshift cooking tool, typically constructed from green sticks designed for grilling. When paired with a twig stove, this setup functions like a rock griddle, using a potent heat source to cook food efficiently above. You’ll employ a low open flame to broil and roast meat, and it’s also effective for warming bread and tortillas. However, you need to construct it properly first.

You can use a tomahawk, large chopping knife, or hatchet, but a fixed blade will accomplish the task effectively, although it requires more time and skill. Start by creating four holes in the ground, a pilot stick made from hardwood is crucial. You need a pointed or chiseled end on one side, with a solid hammering surface on top.

Gather four Y-forked branches, two cross pieces, and several green, finger-thick sticks to serve as the grill. Use the pilot stick to dig the initial holes and remove any rocks obstructing your work. Because the Y-sticks are delicate, use the pilot stick for heavy-duty digging. Sharpen the ends of the Y-branches on hard ground for final adjustments, the thickest part can withstand some hammering, but avoid hitting the middle of the Y, as this will likely cause it to split.

Once you have the Y-branches securely positioned, add the cross-pieces across the width of the grill and trim several green sticks to lay across them evenly. The grill is now complete. Ignite the twig stove to create your fire. Be prepared to remove the grilling pieces until the flame reaches the ideal cooking temperature. Only then should you place the grill atop the fire and start cooking your food.
Experiment with these methods and enjoy your culinary creations.

The top view of the Griddle Rock Stand highlights the generous cooking space a wide rock offers for cooking meat, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and an egg

In Closing

Stone Age cooking offers a unique way to connect with nature through culinary creativity. By utilizing natural materials and harnessing the power of fire, outdoor cooking becomes not only a practical survival skill but also a rewarding culinary adventure, transforming simple ingredients into memorable meals in the wild.