Use a Campfire Cooking Grate to Turn Your Campfire Into a Grill
There are plenty of options when it comes to cooking at a campsite.
We have written about camping grills, portable pizza ovens, and the pop up fire pit to name a few.
But the simplest and easiest way is to add a campfire cooking grate to your campfire.
Read on to discover the best campfire cooking grates and all the awesome food you can cook with them.
Our Favorite Campfire Grates
Option #1
Texsport Heavy Duty Over Fire Camp Grill
It’s a simple and effective campfire grilling option. Legs fold up for easy storage. Sits at one height over the fire, with plenty of room to store.
Option #2
Stromberg Carlson GR-1522 Stake and Grille
This option has more flexibility. Adjust the height for different size campfires and rotate it off the heat for loading/unloading. Stakes into the ground.
Texsport Over Fire Camp Grill
A simple addition to your camping equipment. Much smaller than a big RV grill, and a great way to put your campfire to use!
This also makes for a great gift at an awesome price!
Pros
- Heavy Duty, Reliable, Long Lifetime
- Folds Up / Easy Storage
- Plenty of Cooking Space
- Easy Cleaning
- Great Price
Cons
- Cannot Adjust Height
Portability & Storage
The legs fold up for convenient storage in the car or RV.
You can see the weights in the table below—they are all extremely easy to carry and move.
We wouldn’t recommend it for backpacking; even the smaller sizes would be bulky on your back. Instead, consider the Solo Cooking System.
Sizes
| Dimensions | Weight (lbs) | Pots/Pans | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16” x 12” | 5.6 | 2 | Team of 2 |
| 24” x 16” | 9.2 | 2-3 | Recommended |
| 36” x 18” | 14.2 | 3-4 | Family Size |
Besides pots and pans, you can cook meat, sausage, burgers, vegetables, etc. directly on the grill grate.
See It In Action
Wiseman Camping uses a 36” x 18” size grill, aka the “Extra Large”, in the video below. The version below is outdated; all newer models have stronger legs.
Option #2
Stromberg Carlson GR-1522 Stake and Grille
Though more expensive than the first campfire grate, the Stromberg allows you to adjust the height of your grill and swing it around.
Drive stake at least 6 inches into the ground for maximum stability.
Pros
- Adjustable Height
- Carrying Case / Easy Storage
- Rotates Off Fire
- Upturned Edges Prevent Rolling Food
- Easy Cleaning
- Long Lifetime
Cons
- No Large Pots/Pans
- Handle Hot When In Use
Portability / Storage
This campfire grate comes in three pieces: the stake, the grate, and the heavy-duty nylon bag. The grate goes into the bag and the stake goes into the pocket visible on top.
It weighs 10 pounds in total.
Tips for Using Stake
When you hit it into the ground, hit it down with a piece of wood to absorb the impact and avoid damaging the head of the stake. A damaged stake-head may make it difficult to fit the grate over.
Make sure it is 6 inches deep. Set your campfire grill up in this order:
- Hit stake into ground
- Put grate onto stake and leave near the top
- Put food onto grate
- Stoke fire
- Swivel grate down and over fire
I find it easier to put the stake in before the fire, though you can do it later.
Tips & Tricks
- Do not use wire brush to clean; use a scouring pad instead (protects finish)
- Use cooking spray (before putting grate over fire)
- Give the grate and stake time to cool before disassembling
Because of the (relatively) limited surface area, this cooking grate is better designed for grilling meats directly, or heating up a mug of coffee or tea.
For larger or more complex meals with multiple pans, pots, or a dutch oven, you’ll want the stronger, simpler Texsport campfire grill (the first option).
Inspiring Ways to Use Your Campfire Grate
You can prepare all sorts of things…
- Steak
- Coffee
- Shrimp
- Hotdogs
- Burgers
- Bratwurst
- Potatoes
- Chicken
- Corn
- Pork Chops
- Asparagus
- Tacos
- Fish
- Broccoli
- Pineapple
- Artichoke
- Popcorn
- Cauliflower
- Pizza
- Brussel Sprouts
- Salmon
- Skewers
- Zucchini
- Kababs
Our Favorite Campfire Recipes
SHRIMP SCAMPI FOIL PACKETS
Everyone’s favorite shrimp scampi without any of the fuss in these easy-to-assemble foil pouches! Prep ahead of time too!
RED WINE-MARINATED HANGER STEAKS WITH FLATBREADS
Time adds intense flavor, the wine helps tenderize, and you can get it going before you hit the road.
EMBER-ROASTED CORN & LEEKS
No soaking, husking, or de-silking required. The corn cobs will slip right out of their husks when cooked. If camping, make the spice mixture at home before you go.
Even More Recipes
Heres a list of great campfire recipes collections (this is a great page to bookmark)…
Interested In Pizza?
Pizza is hard to make on the grill. The best pizza comes out of massive brick ovens, right?
Well, not always. Ooni has created a portable oven that makes it easy to cook pizzas at camp in minutes.
The Ooni pizza oven is an awesome way to cook pizza in minutes. It’s designed to travel; perfect to pack into an RV or car and bring on your next camping trip.
Read our full review of the Ooni Pizza Oven
FAQ
We recommend the Texsport campfire grill. It’s portable and durable. You can grill meats directly on the grate or set up pots and pans instead—or even a few mugs of coffee. The only drawback is that you cannot adjust its height. Read the full review.
Absolutely. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can use three sticks to make a spit (like you’ve seen in movies). Otherwise, there are great grates that are easy to transport.
Depends on what you plan to use it for. Legs provide a stronger base if you plan on using multiple pots & pans for making a meal. Stakes are better for grilling meats directly because you can adjust the height. Though, they normally aren’t strong enough to support multiple pans.
All it takes is a grate to put your meat/pots/pans on. For some things, like corn on the cob, you don’t even need that—it sits right in the embers. For the Fireside Outdoor fire pit, read about the grilling grate upgrade. For other fit pits, consider the Texsport (link to full review).
The End
Thanks for reading! We hope you find this helpful. If you have suggestions, content ideas, feedback or want to contribute send us a quick email at info@rvsupplyco.com.
Featured photo by Myles Tan. Other photos credit to their respective website.