Cornish Hen in a Backpack

Ingredients

(Serves 2)
1 Cornish hen
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
3 medium-sized rocks (about the size of your fist)
18-inch sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil
2-inch-thick stack of newspaper
Optional: 2–3 small red potatoes + 1 cob of corn (halved)

Special Equipment

Heat-safe gloves or oven mitts
Small backpack (or cardboard box if staying close to camp)
Tongs
Campfire or hot coals

Ever wished you could cook dinner while hiking or relaxing at camp without constantly checking a grill or fire? This genius old-school survival trick lets you do just that: cook a Cornish hen inside your backpack using hot rocks, foil, and newspaper insulation. No stove. No smoker. Just thermal heat and time.

Cooking Steps

1
Select and Heat the Rocks:
2
Choose smooth, dry rocks (not sandstone or ones with cracks). Place them in a hot fire for 30 to 45 minutes to heat thoroughly.
3
Prepare the Hen:
4
While rocks are heating, wash your Cornish hen. Place it centered on heavy-duty foil laid over a stack of newspaper.
5
Handle the Rocks:
6
Using tongs and gloves, remove the rocks. Wrap each in foil.
7
Put one rock inside the hen’s cavity, and place the other two on each side of the bird’s breast.
8
Add Flavor & Wrap:
9
Pour barbecue sauce over the hen. Wrap it up securely using the drugstore-wrap method (fold edges tightly). Then roll the foil bundle inside the newspaper stack, tucking in sides as you go until you have a thick, insulated bundle.
10
Pack and Go:
11
Place the bundle in a backpack (or a box if you’re in the backyard). Go on a 1½-hour hike or enjoy some downtime—your hen will slow-cook as you move!

Optional Meal Variation (Cornish Hen Only)

1
Want to cook your entire meal in one pack? Add:
2
2–3 small red potatoes
3
1 cob of corn (broken in half)
4
Nestle the vegetables around the hen inside the foil wrap before sealing.
5
⛔ Do not use this variation with a full-sized chicken. It requires longer cook times and larger rocks, and the veggies won’t cook properly.

Why This Method Works

1
The thermal mass of hot rocks holds enough heat to cook meat thoroughly when insulated well.
2
The newspaper serves as a heat-retaining buffer, keeping the internal temperature high and stable.
3
It’s hands-free cooking that turns your hike into a slow-cooker session.

Safety Notes

1
Do NOT use rocks from rivers or moist environments—they can explode when heated.
2
Be sure to check meat temperature. Poultry should reach 165°F internally.
3
For chickens (not Cornish hens), increase the cook time to 2 to 2½ hours and use larger rocks.