Classic Comfort Food
My favourite meals cooked over fire
Everybody has their favourite go-to meals these might be so good that they are enjoyed regularly, or cooked on a special occasion. These are the dishes that we truly desire, the something to look forward to on a cold, rainy day-comfort food.
Below is a collection of recipes, that are cooked on my workshops, as well as at home. In fact cooking on fire really brings them to life, and many are very simple to prepare. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Fire Baked Cottage Pie
Background
Cottage Pie for me was a slow grower, childhood memories of unappetising school meals mainly did this for me. But, as an adult who enjoys a beef roast at the weekend, it makes perfect sense to use the leftovers to cook this during the week!
Cooking cottage pie over fire, does take a little extra preparation but the whole process is rewarding and you will find yourself enjoying the ultimate comfort food!
Ingredients (serves 4)
1.2kg of floury potatoes peeled and chopped into smaller chunks if large
500g-700g leftover beef (or beef mince)
Any leftover vegetables finely chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 large onion diced
3 celery sticks finely diced
400ml beef stock
2 tbs tomato puree
A good dash of Yorkshire relish
A pinch of smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
40g butter and dash of milk for mashing
Method
- First of all prepare a medium sized fire with a tripod and at least 3 large logs at the heart. You will need embers, so birch is ideal here!
- Half fill a 4.5-6 litre Dutch oven with salted water, add the peeled and chopped potatoes and hang over the fire to boil until soft. Drain, then set aside to mash with the butter, milk and a dash of pepper
- Next add oil to the Dutch oven and gently fry the onion with a dash of pepper until soft and translucent.
- Then stir in the celery for a couple of minutes before adding the meat. If using raw mince allow to cook and brown off.
- After the meat has browned off, add the remaining vegetables and allow to cook for another couple of minutes.
- Following this add the stock, Yorkshire Relish, tomato puree and seasonings before bringing to a gentle simmer
- Allow to simmer and thicken for about 30 minutes, adding more wood to the fire, but also raising the pot so it doesn’t boil too hard, and stir regularly to avoid a burnt bottom!
- Give the meat a few minutes to cool away from the fire before adding the mash potato and evenly spreading across the top.
- Using a lid lifter place the Dutch oven lid on top of the fire and allow to heat up for 10 minutes. Meanwhile make sure the fire has developed a lot of coals and hot embers.
- Very carefully place the lid on top of the pie, making sure that no embers fall onto the food. Leave the lid lifter attached. Then using a small shovel cover the lid of the Dutch oven with hot embers (see picture)
- Finally after about 10 minutes, gently lift the lid up and check the mash top. If it needs a little longer, place it back carefully and add more embers, checking again until golden. Cool and serve!
Venison Casserole
Background
All the recipes on this page in particular have a special place in my heart, but Venison casserole has to be my number one comfort food (just!!). This rich but also tender meat combines wonderfully with cranberries and stock vegetables to provide a real taste sensation. It is also good to add some fat and flavour with the pancetta, alternatively bacon or chorizo works really well. As a lot of my recipes are used in schools, I have omitted half a glass of red wine, but should you choose to put this in then use slightly less stock and let the wine reduce a little to flavour the dish.
I will always champion local game, and here in Kent we have a lot of wild deer that need regular culling. This makes a fairly sustainable and local food source that is extremely healthy and more to the point absolutely delicious!
Ingredients (serves 4)
500g diced venison
80g diced pancetta or bacon lardons
1 large onion finely chopped
5-6 cloves of garlic
2 tbs cornflour
700ml beef stock
200g button mushrooms
3 carrots chopped into large chunks
1 butternut squash peeled and chopped
50g dried cranberries
1 bay leaf
A pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Prepare a medium sized fire and suspend a 4-5 litre Dutch Oven from the tripod. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 140°C.
- Make sure the Dutch Oven is recieving a moderate heat from the fire, then add a tablespoon of oil.
- Season the venison and then gently fry the pancetta for a few minutes, before adding the venison to brown.
- Remove the browned venison and set aside, before adding the onions and garlic to gently soften for about 8 minutes.
- Next, return the venison to the heat and stir in the cornflour thoroughly before adding the stock.
- Now add the remaining vegetables and cranberries, then season with salt and pepper to taste along with the bay leaf.
- Stir regularly and bring to a simmer before placing the lid on top.
- Allow to cook over the fire above a gentle heat for about 2- 2 ½ hours, alternatively place in the oven for a similar period of time. If cooking over fire lift the lid up regularly to stir and check the stock doesn’t reduce completely.
- Allow to cool a little and serve with mash!
One Pot Rhubarb Crumble
I just love this dead simple, but highly rewarding dish. It is easily cooked over fire and with little preparation time needed it is comfort food to be easily enjoyed! This dish is especially delicious when made with freshly picked rhubarb, such as at our Belmont workshops throughout the year.
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
1kg Rhubarb
300g caster sugar
1 tbs fresh herbs (rosemary thyme and lavender work well here)
For the crumble topping
300g flour
250g butter or vegetable based spread (diced)
150g caster sugar
150g porridge oats
Method
- Start by chopping the rhubarb into 2cm lengths
- Place the Dutch oven or casserole pot over a medium heat and then add the rhubarb, sugar and herbs, stirring until the rhubarb reduces and begins to break down.
- Remove the stewed fruit from the heat and set to one side.
- Make the crumble mixture by combining the oats, butter, sugar and flour, lightly mix this with your fingertips until the mixture resembles a breadcrumb-like texture.
- Layer the crumble mix over the stewed rhubarb and bake in an oven for about 20 minutes at 180c until the topping is golden. Alternatively if cooking outside place the Dutch oven lid on top of the pot and cover with hot embers, lifting the lid at intervals to see if it is done. More heat can be added by further hot embers or blowing more oxygen using bellows.
More Comfort Food recipes to follow….
Contact
scott@wildclassroom.co.uk
07939 669365
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Halloween Cooking Fun in Kent at Goodnestone Park
Event Time & Location 31st October 2026 10.30am - 12.30pm 1.30pm - 3.30pm £20 per child • Adults FREE Goodnestone Park,Goodnestone, Kent CT3 1PL Swap the usual Halloween activities for a hands-on cooking adventure over fire. Join Wild Classroom at...