Would it be weird to just use a random fire for cooking?

[Zumaria]

Hello fellow burners!

This year will be my first burn and I've been planning out food and have gotten some amazing ideas from other threads here in the community!

I'm coming on the burner express and can bring two pieces of luggage. I'm thinking one large cooler and one duffel for clothes, first aid, etc. etc.

While planning out my food choices, I'm realizing that if I could boil water and/or have access to fire, a whole new world would open up to me. I know that I could buy a stove and get one of those little gas cans, but I've never used one before and don't really feel comfortable relying on it as someone who isn't very experienced with camping (and I'm coming solo).

Now, I apologize in advance for how ignorant this is / might be but... I assume that open flame is common at burning man. Camp sites, theme camps, burning trash, art etc. Would it be weird / taboo to use one of these fires (naturally asking if it's at a camp or seems to be associated with someone) to, for example, boil water or cook a tinfoil meal in?

Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

[Jackass]

There's actually quite a few people usually cooking in the wee hours of the A.M. after the man and temple burns. I've witnessed a whole chicken in foil cooking in the embers of the man. Do what you gotta do, call it resourcefulness.

No one should give you any shit for making good use of a pre existing fire. If they do, ask them if they would like some ravioli or maybe the small chicken wing.

[BoyScoutGirl]

Bravo for working on your going solo plan. I'd seriously reconsider one of these though:



Just screw it onto a canister of gas:



You have two months to learn how to use it and honestly they're pretty simple. Then you won't have to rely on randomly-placed, randomly-accessible, and randomly-sized fires and their firetenders. The last thing I expect you'd want to do is wander around for 45 minutes trying to find a place to boil water for coffee in the morning.

[Captain Goddammit]

Open fires are a lot less common that you think. The DPW sets out some burn barrels at Esplanade camps but other than that, fires at camps aren't allowed. I have had bacon early in the morning cooked over the remaining embers of the Hawaii CORE burn and it was fun and awesome, but depending on finding a fire somewhere to cook on isn't a very solid plan.
That little burner BoyScoutGirl posted would be a great idea. You might even go all week on one can of fuel. You never cook as much as you think you will out there.

[some seeing eye]

If you are cooking, you might be using a pan, which needs to be cleaned. I would prioritize clothing and shelter over cooking and coolers first year with limited transport. Random fire cooking requires some wrapping that has to be packed in and out. Also something to keep from burning yourself

Most people, though not all loose appetite on the playa. So suggest eating at home in your yard/on a camping trip for a week to test options.

There is a whole cooler-free thread if you decide to go that route. You can heat prepared sealed packaged foods in the sun if they are wrapped in black.

There are so many amazing things to experience at the event besides food. Of course YMMV.

[maladroit]

Wrong thing to worry about...will something appear weird at Burning Man. It is literally an entire city of weirdness. Instead, worry about practicality and self-reliance.

[Eric]

First: contact Burner Express & see if a cooler counts as part of your luggage allotment. I don't think your water does, I'm not sure how much of your food does (they don't expect you to starve out there). They are the only ones who can accurately tell you this info.

Second: I'll put this as un-subtly as possible - do not plan on using any one elses open flame to cook on. While it is possible that a camp that you hang out in a lot might offer you that option, it's not probable that you're going to be able to just walk into a camp & go "hey, can I cook on your firepit?". I know camps that would very rudely throw you out for asking because they would assume you hadn't done your research (you're asking the question here, however, which proves you indeed are doing your research!). Not every camp has open fire, the ones that do have it monitored. We're a city of 60,000+ living in very flammable tents & structures, loose flame & sparks can be very dangerous (last year I saw the damage some large sparks from "Temple of Mir" burn did to cloth-covered art cars when the wind shifted - and I was also under the burning debris raining down. Fire burns...). On the positive side, you will find random camps offering up warm & tasty treats when you least expect it, so you probably won't go all week without cooked food.

Also - there is no burning trash unless you bring your own burn barrel (which won't fit on the Burner Express). Plan to de-package as much as you possibly can before hitting the playa, because all your trash will have to leave with you (that also means that you need to remember to pack trash bags!)

[Just_Joe]

Fires are OK, but not all that common. We're bringing a barrel this year for the first time.

"NEVER start a fire directly on the playa surface. Not only will it create a burn scar, the BLM will issue citations for it. A fireplace, burn barrel or barbecue (in permitted areas only) may be used for small fires. Burn Barrels must be elevated 10"off the playa."

"Burn Barrel Ashes. If you plan to use a burn barrel, bring a shovel and metal containers to scoop up and remove any ashes. Remember that all burn barrels must be elevated 10" off the playa surface to prevent burn scars."

"Hey can I cook in your firepit?"
We had some people try to mooch food off us a few years back- said it had to be food that didn't need cooking. They had plenty of THAT kind of food but had run out of propane for their stove. We offered to cook it for them or give them some propane but they just mumbled something and wandered off.

Oh, and Eric, from everything I've heard, water *does* count into your luggage maths on the BXB.

[Eric]

Oh, and Eric, from everything I've heard, water *does* count into your luggage maths on the BXB.

Which is why Burner Express should be consulted directly - I've heard otherwise, but not from them. As I'm not taking it, I will leave the legwork to those who plan to use it.

[Zumaria]

Thanks so much guys! I've contacted burner express and will see what they say. If it doesn't count, that would be amazing. If it does, well, I'll figure out something!

[bluemiragemi]

I was so scared of having a propane explosion on playa, because, last old coleman stove I used had a leak and a fire strip went from the stove to the can and LUCKILY we killed the stove in time.

No more heart attacks.

Bought this puppy. Yep, it has safety switches. Makes me a happy camper. Cheap, small and safe(er).

[Just_Joe]

Oh, and Eric, from everything I've heard, water *does* count into your luggage maths on the BXB.

Which is why Burner Express should be consulted directly - I've heard otherwise, but not from them. As I'm not taking it, I will leave the legwork to those who plan to use it.

For those interested...
I did some legwork. This is direct from BXB:
He should leave space in his luggage for food and water - BxB will not
give extra tags past his requested luggage allowance. If he wants to
carry on a few jugs of water he can, but they'd need to ride on his lap
or at his feet.

[BBadger]

I was so scared of having a propane explosion on playa, because, last old coleman stove I used had a leak and a fire strip went from the stove to the can and LUCKILY we killed the stove in time.

Pro-tip: lather up some soapy water and put it over the connections leading to your fuel source. Leaks will cause bubbles to form, quickly identifying where the leak is.

[Monkeystyle]

I was so scared of having a propane explosion on playa, because, last old coleman stove I used had a leak and a fire strip went from the stove to the can and LUCKILY we killed the stove in time.

No more heart attacks.

Bought this puppy. Yep, it has safety switches. Makes me a happy camper. Cheap, small and safe(er).

I have two different stove I'm bringing. one of them is this kind, just a different brand. tested it last week

[mgb327]

I have this rig at my campsite, 3:30 and J area. Anyone needs to cook something, drop on by. I try to cook 125 pounds of bacon during the week. Propane tank lasts the full week.

[trilobyte]

You may also want to consider joining a camp, if not for the opportunity to make friends and have great experiences, but for the possible use of the camp stove.

[MyDearFriend]

I have this rig at my campsite, 3:30 and J area. Anyone needs to cook something, drop on by. I try to cook 125 pounds of bacon during the week. Propane tank lasts the full week.

What do we have to do to get you to join Barbie Death Camp???

[Just_Joe]

You may also want to consider joining a camp, if not for the opportunity to make friends and have great experiences, but for the possible use of the camp stove.

She's spoken for. Let the acculturation begin continue !!

[theCryptofishist]

I have this rig at my campsite, 3:30 and J area. Anyone needs to cook something, drop on by. I try to cook 125 pounds of bacon during the week. Propane tank lasts the full week.

What do we have to do to get you to join Barbie Death Camp???

Actually, I'm disappointed you didn't post about your cute woodburning stove, almost small enough to fit in your pocket and boil water with chopsticks.

[BeeWeeDee]

I have this rig at my campsite, 3:30 and J area. Anyone needs to cook something, drop on by. I try to cook 125 pounds of bacon during the week. Propane tank lasts the full week.

What do we have to do to get you to join Barbie Death Camp???

Actually, I'm disappointed you didn't post about your cute woodburning stove, almost small enough to fit in your pocket and boil water with chopsticks.

I'll bring the Peeps this year - they were great over that stove and the irony was not lost on me. It being BDC and all.

Here's another idea - one of those grilled cheese campfire gizmos. I used some of the regional burn fires to gift grilled cheese sandwiches that way, but getting close enough to the embers (even after they had died down significantly) was challenging.

[MyDearFriend]

Actually, I'm disappointed you didn't post about your cute woodburning stove, almost small enough to fit in your pocket and boil water with chopsticks.

That little BioLite is fantastic but in BRC you need to bring fuel for it. Tiny lil' alcohol stoves are good too, and you don't have to clean up after them. I am a huge beleiver in those things after camping with Elorrum last month.

Peeps, Peeps, flame- roasted Peeps...

[mgb327]

Roasted Peeps? Where? When? I can eat some flamed Peeps.

[Ugly Dougly]

This is Burning Man. We do not do weird in here.

[FIGJAM]

We do it outside where it's easier to clean up!

[MyDearFriend]

Roasted Peeps? Where? When? I can eat some flamed Peeps.

Dude, I had flame-roasted Peeps in my camp, at the M&G, and at the Man Burn last year... Tell you what, I will bring some to YOUR camp this year if you promise me bacon.

[andy]

Sorry for the late reply. As has been pointed out, the majority of people who cook on playa, like myself, use a propane stove. Open fires take a lot of time to prepare, must be monitored, and are difficult to shut down without making a mess. Camp stoves are actually quite small, and I cooked for two people for a week on less than two 16.4oz propane canisters (about $3 each). You can get very light very small stoves and they are not very costly. Another option - not as good - might be to bring just the gas canister and ask to cook on someone's grill using your own canister. (a half-full canister can be unscrewed with very little loss). This will at least make it clear that you are not mooching their consumable gas, just that you didn't have packing space, so you might have an easier time.

[Ra1nBr0]

I'll be coming with a camp stove, and a camp barbecue. And more than enough propane for the week. If by chance someone happens across my camp, hoping to cook, I will absolutely not turn someone away. The company is welcome.