This simple campfire technique turns ordinary bacon into a smoky, evenly crisped treat using just skewers and an open flame. It’s ideal for camping or any outdoor cooking where you want savory bacon without a pan.
The basic idea is straightforward: weave bacon onto a skewer so the strips hold their shape and allow heat and smoke to circulate. If you can roast a marshmallow on a stick, you can make this bacon.
Start by threading a single strip of bacon onto a metal or wooden skewer in a loose, woven pattern, leaving small gaps between the loops so heat can move through. Add additional strips along the same skewer, maintaining spacing, and leave a few inches of the skewer bare at one end for handling.
Build a steady campfire and position two stable supports—logs, large rocks, or a grate—on either side of the flames so you can rest the skewers across them. Keep the bacon a few inches above the hottest part of the fire to prevent burning while still getting good smoke and heat.
Turn the skewers every five minutes or so to promote even browning and to crisp both sides. Expect occasional flare-ups as bacon fat drips into the fire; this adds flavor but can create hot spots. Keep a spray bottle of water nearby to gently calm any aggressive flames without extinguishing the fire.
After roughly 25–35 minutes, depending on fire intensity and bacon thickness, the bacon should be crisp, deeply flavored, and richly smoky. Remove the skewers carefully, let them rest briefly, and slide the bacon off the skewer or serve it still mounted for a classic camp-style presentation.
This method is flexible: use thicker-cut bacon for meatier results or thinner slices for faster crisping. Because it relies on open flame, monitor the bacon and adjust height over the fire to avoid charring while maintaining that desirable smoky finish.
In short, weaving bacon on skewers and cooking it slowly over a controlled campfire gives you reliably crispy, flavorful bacon with minimal gear—perfect for mornings at the campsite or backyard cookouts where simplicity and taste matter.