Author: stayingpono
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Cast iron, open air, and the quiet pleasure of cooking somewhere other than the kitchen Some meals just feel better outside. That is probably the simplest way to say it. You can cook the same steak indoors. You can use the same cast iron skillet, the same butter, the same salt, and pepper. You can…
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There is something different about cooking outside. You can make the same steak, the same potatoes, or the same skillet meal in your kitchen at home, and it might be perfectly good. But take that same food outside, put a cast-iron pan over fire, let the smoke move through the air, and suddenly it feels…
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There comes a point for a lot of men when life starts feeling smaller than it used to. Maybe the job became routine years ago. Maybe the marriage changed. Maybe retirement is close, but not close enough. Maybe every day feels like some version of the same day repeated over and over again. And somewhere…
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There is a certain kind of meal that does not need much. A cast-iron skillet. A fire. Maybe a small grill grate. Something simple in the cooler. A little salt, a little smoke, a little patience. That is usually enough. For some people, outdoor cooking is about gear, systems, recipes, and efficiency. They want the…
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There is something different about cooking outside over charcoal. Not complicated. Not fancy. Not rushed. Just the sound of the fire settling in, the smell of smoke moving through the air, and the weight of a cast-iron pan sitting over real heat. That is the part I keep coming back to. You can cook the same steak,…
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Cooking Steak Quesadillas Surrounded by Florida Alligators at Myakka River State Park There are outdoor cooking spots… and then there are real Florida outdoor cooking spots. For this episode of Cooking on the Road, I headed out to Myakka River State Park with a bag full of cast-iron gear, shaved beef, charcoal, and absolutely no…
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Campfire Cooking with Cast Iron: Why Cooking Over Fire Still Feels Like Enough There’s a reason campfire cooking still pulls people in. It is not just about food. It is not even really about camping. It is about what happens when the noise drops, the fire settles in, and a cast-iron pan starts doing what it has always done best. For…
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There is a difference between cooking over fire and truly enjoying it. Most people figure that out pretty quickly. The idea sounds simple enough. Build a fire, set out a pan, make something good, and eat outside. Sometimes that is exactly how it goes. But more often, the experience feels better when you have a few dependable pieces that make…
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Propane vs Charcoal vs Open Fire: Which Outdoor Cooking Method Feels Right for the Moment? Cooking outdoors is not always about food. A lot of times, it is about the feeling around the food. That is why this question matters more than it sounds. When you are deciding between propane, charcoal, or open fire, you are…
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There is a big difference between eating outside and actually enjoying the process of cooking outside. A lot of people figure that out pretty quickly. You can bring food, light a fire, heat a pan, and get dinner on the table. That part is not especially hard. But having the meal feel calm, natural, and worth repeating…