A parallax image

Kotlich Cooking for Simple Campfire Cooking

Posted by Trish MacCurrach.
First Published Jul 2013; updated May 2023.

Not heard of Kotlich Cooking? Read this post to find out more about this simple way to cook for your family over the campfire.


This guest post comes from Trish to explain what Kotlich Cooking is all about.

Kotlich Cooking

We fell in love with the Kotlich while living in Serbia for several years. In the Balkans, they cook mainly hot spicy river fish soup.  We started the outdoor kitchen 4 years ago on our return and have broadened the use to suite the UK palate and culture.  We started with just the tripod and Kotlich cooking pot but now have hanging enamel grills, enamel firepits, lids, water carriers and bowls, mugs and jugs.

The kotlich lends itself to easy peasy cooking just as much to sophisticated stuff.  Come rain or shine an easy cook up on the beach could be Smoked Sausage Stew. Collecting some driftwood takes a few minutes and everyone can join in. Light your fire.  Place all your ingredients in the Kotlich and hang from the chain over the fire. Include tinned tomatoes, tinned beans, maybe some other pre-cooked vegetables and some seasoning all heated up together.  It only takes 20 minutes over a small fire and there is no burning fat or thick smoke.

Kotlich Family Cooking

Kotlich Family Cooking

This year is definitely the year of the Kotlich.  From Forest Schools to Kotlich cooking competitions, from mussels in cider and garlic on the beach to goulash on the top of Hantor Hill. This twisted metal tripod (120cm) is light enough to carry on an adventure and strong enough to hold a 13lt enamel kotlich full of bubbling stew.  The double dipped enamel Kotlich is also easy to carry and yet thick enough to make jam in.

The Kotlich kit is great for families and community groups.  It is not only easy to set up, use and clean but it is fun to sit around as the sun goes down.  Everyone wants to prod the fire and stir the pot.  Stories and memories come out and are shared amongst the generations.

Cooking outside builds resilience – start your children while they are still young.  Cooking as an adventure, that's what we need.