5 Primitive Cooking Methods

To be a true Prepper in the wild, you must also learn some primitive cooking methods so you're always ready for any situation.

When there's no stove or pans and you only have to use fire and other natural resources for cooking, how will you hold up? Read on and learn 5 primitive cooking methods that can save your life!

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Early Cooking Methods That Can Come in Handy for Preppers

Primitive Cooking Methods

As you delve into prepping, you’ll find yourself building your prepper’s pantry, packing your bug-out bag, gathering useful supplies, and learning new survival skills. But are you truly prepared for a cookout in the wild?

Experienced campers know that pots and pans are an integral part of their camp setup, but it’s best to be prepared if you find yourself without them, and you can only get so far on raw foods and skewers over a fire.

Our ancestors found several ways to successfully cook their food without modern technology. In fact, cooking contributed heavily to the advancement of humans as a species.

Learning some of these early cooking methods could come in handy one day (although now is a good time to add pots and pans to your prepping supplies).

You may also want to learn some simple pottery, as being able to create your own clay pots can prove to be invaluable.

1. Spit Roasting

If you’ve ever been to a pig roast, you know that spit roasting can yield delicious, juicy meat. But one of the challenges to this cooking method out in the wild is finding the right branches to use.

You’ll need a firm branch to skewer the meat with, and two sturdy Y-shaped branches to hold the skewer up. Once you find the right tools, just turn the meat consistently and close enough to the fire, and you’ll have an evenly cooked feast.

2. Leaf Oven

If you can get your hands on large, edible leaves like banana, burdock, or grape leaves, you can use them to wrap and cook meat. You can dig a hole in the ground, fill it with ash and coals, and add your wrapped meat.

Then add another layer of ash and coal to the top. Be absolutely certain that the leaves you’re using are edible.

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3. Hot Rock Boiling

One method for boiling water both for purifying and cooking is to use hot rocks. Add water to your pot or reservoir and set it aside.

Put smooth, dry rocks roughly the size of eggs into your fire. After about 30 minutes, carefully remove them, and add them to your water. Be absolutely certain that the rocks are dry or they will implode.

4. Hillside Oven

An outdoor, hillside oven requires you to dig into a hillside and frame out an oven space using large, flat rocks. Build your fire inside the oven and put your food on top of the fire.

Close up the front of the oven with another large, flat rock, and voila – a closed cooking space!

5. Stone Age Griddle

Stones are extremely effective conductors of heat. You can set up a primitive griddle using large, flat stones, with the fire right underneath the top one. Once it heats up, you can cook right on top as you would on your griddle at home.

If you ever find yourself unexpectedly stranded in the woods, knowing a few primitive cooking methods can be a lifesaver.

Beyond needing fire, branches, and rocks, there isn’t much more you need to cook up a delicious and healthy meal – except for the game, that is!

What other primitive cooking methods do you know or use? Share your experience with us in the comments section!

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 29, 2020, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.