You can buy just about any type of beans you want in a can these days. In addition to the standard pork and beans, you can get barbecue beans, beanie weenies, vegetarian beans, pinto beans, black beans and dozens of other varieties and brands. Best of all, especially if you're going camping, they come equipped with their own cooker. With just an open fire, a stick, a can of beans, a piece of wire and your three most basic survival tools, you can have a hot, satisfying meal in no time.
Items you will need
Campfire
Stick, 3 feet long, 1/2 inch or thicker
Can of beans
Pocket knife or ice pick
Can opener
Spoon
Piece of light, stiff wire, 12 inches long
Potholder
Build a campfire. Make it small enough so you can sit comfortably within two feet of the flames. Anything larger wastes fuel and will burn your supper.
Remove the top of the can with the can opener.
Poke a small hole with the tip of your knife into opposite sides of the can 1/4 inch from the top. The holes need only be large enough for the tip of the wire to go through.
Bend the ends of the wire double into a hook shape and hook the ends through the holes in the sides of the can to create a bale or handle. The whole assembly is called a tin can billy.
Carve a notch in one end of the stick. Hang the billy from the stick and dangle it over the fire. You can also drive a couple of long, forked sticks in the ground and lay the stick between them over the fire to act as a cooking spit, with the billy dangling from it over the fire.
Pull the can off the fire every minute or two and stir the beans to keep them from burning. Resist the urge to put the can too close to fire to hurry the process. The thin metal of the can transmits heat quickly and burns easily. It's better to heat the can over coals rather than a flame.
Warnings
- Use a pot holder to handle the hot can. Remember the wire bale gets very hot, so don't grab it.
Tips
- Hang on to the can afterward. It can be used for cooking other things. You can even stick a potato inside and set it down in hot coals to bake. The handle makes it easy to get your cooking over the fire without burning your hands.
References
Tips
- Hang on to the can afterward. It can be used for cooking other things. You can even stick a potato inside and set it down in hot coals to bake. The handle makes it easy to get your cooking over the fire without burning your hands.
Warnings
- Use a pot holder to handle the hot can. Remember the wire bale gets very hot, so don't grab it.
Writer Bio
Tom King published his first paid story in 1976. His book, "Going for the Green: An Insider's Guide to Raising Money With Charity Golf," was published in 2008. He received gold awards for screenwriting at the 1994 Worldfest Charleston and 1995 Worldfest Houston International Film Festivals. King holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Southwestern Adventist College.
