With summer in full swing, it’s time to turn down the heat on the kitchen stove and heat things up in the woods. Bring a backpack, a chicken, and several newspapers to enjoy this traditional outdoor barbecue chicken favorite. While you enjoy a leisurely hike, the chicken will be cooking on your backpack for 2 to 3 hours, resulting in a delicious barbecue chicken prepared in the woods.
As impossibly strange as it may sound, a few rocks can cook a chicken to tender perfection. Here’s how:
- Find Suitable Rocks: Choose a rock that fits your chicken’s cavity. Select smooth rocks without cracks or splits. Avoid moisture-retaining stones like sandstone and limestone, as they might explode.
- Prepare Rocks for Heating: For each wing, select two additional rocks approximately the size of a clenched fist. Clean off any dirt and debris.
- Heat the Rocks: Place the rocks in a campfire for about 50 to 60 minutes or until extremely hot.
How to Cook Barbecue Chicken While Hiking
Backpacker’s Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 whole cleaned chicken
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- Heavy-duty foil (18-inch wide)
- Newspapers (several sections)
- Smooth, heated rocks (as described above)
Instructions:
Prepare the Chicken: Lay out a stack of opened newspapers 1 inch thick. Place a 2-foot piece of heavy-duty foil on top. Place the cleaned chicken in the center of the foil.
Add Heated Rocks: Wear gloves, use tongs to remove the heated rocks from the fire, and wrap each one in foil. Insert the largest rock into the chicken cavity and place the smaller rocks under each wing.
Season the Chicken: Drizzle barbecue sauce over the chicken.
Wrap Securely: Fold the foil tightly around the chicken, sealing all the edges. After that, wrap the bundle in layers of newspaper until the wrapping is about 1 inch thick. The newspapers will insulate the package so the the hot rock will have enough time to cook the chicken.
Pack and Hike: Put the bundle into your backpack and begin hiking. After two to three hours, unwrap the package to reveal tender, fully cooked barbecue chicken.
Enjoy Your Meal!
This recipe combines outdoor adventure with a satisfying meal, perfect for hikers looking for something unique and delicious on the trail.
