How to Use Cooking Skewers for Outdoor and Survival Cooking

Cooking skewers are simple tools, but in the outdoors they become one of the most efficient ways to cook food over an open flame. A compact, flat EDC skewer or set of thin metal skewers gives you a clean, safe, controlled way to roast meat, fish, vegetables, and foraged foods without needing pots, pans, or a grill grate.

Grim Workshop-style skewers pack flat, take up almost no space, and can be reused indefinitely  perfect for Pocket or ultralight kits.

This guide covers everything from basic roasting technique to advanced multiple-skewer setups and improvisation.

→ All Items with Cooking Skewers

What Cooking Skewers Are

Cooking skewers are:

• Thin metal rods or flat strips

• Heat-safe and fire-ready

• Long enough to hold food over coals

• Pointed or tapered for sliding through food

• Washable, reusable, and compact

Flat EDC skewers are especially good because:

• They grip food better

• They prevent food from spinning

• They store flat in tiny kits

They're ideal for:

• Roasting meat and fish

• Cooking vegetables

• Toasting bread

• Heating bannock dough

• Making kebabs

• Hardening wood over flame

• Handling food without touching the fire

Primary Uses of Cooking Skewers

Roasting Meat Over Coals

Basic Technique

1. Cut meat into even chunks

2. Slide chunks onto skewer

3. Keep small gaps between pieces

4. Hold skewer over coals, not flames

5. Rotate slowly for even cook

Meat cooks best over coals because:

• It avoids scorching

• It cooks evenly

• It reduces flare-ups

Pairs with:

→ All Stove Tools

→ How to use an outdoor Pocket stove
→ How to make a soda can alcohol stove

→ How to make a soup can twig stove

→ How to Use a Cook Pot

Cooking Fish

Whole Fish (Small)

Push skewer through mouth and out tail.
Roast slowly over coals.

Fish Fillets

Thread the skewer through skin to prevent sliding off.

Tiny Fish / Minnows

Thread several onto one skewer and roast as a group.

Cooking Vegetables and Foraged Plants

Great for:

• Peppers

• Onions

• Mushrooms

• Zucchini

• Wild onions

• Wild garlic

• Plant bulbs

• Potatoes (small slices or cubes)

Vegetables should be:

• Cut evenly

• Spaced slightly

• Cooked over steady heat

Toasting Bread, Flatbread, and Bannock

Skewers work well for:

• Bread strips

• Dough twists

• Bannock ropes wrapped around the skewer

Rotate slowly until golden.

Using Skewers as a Field Grilling Rack

Two or more skewers can act as a miniature grill.

Method

1. Lay two skewers parallel across rocks

2. Place food on top

3. Turn food as needed

4. Works great for small fish, jerky strips, or thin meat

Making Kebabs

Classic camp food.

Alternate:

• Meat

• Veggies

• Mushrooms

• Foraged greens

Cook slowly for best results.

Using Skewers for Marshmallows and Camp Treats

A fun, practical use:

• Marshmallows

• Hot dogs

• Sausages

• Cheese cubes

• Bread twists

Even pocket-sized skewers work for this.

How to Hold a Skewer for Best Results

Standard Roast Position

Skewer angled slightly downward toward coals.

Two-Hand Stability

Hold the back of the skewer with second hand for control.

Rock Rest Method

Rest the skewer on rocks to free up hands.

Tripod Hang

Tie skewers to a tripod to suspend food vertically.

How to Cook With Multiple Skewers

Two-Skewer Clamp

Place two skewers parallel, pinching the food between them.
Prevents slipping or spinning.

Cross Skewer Method

Use two skewers in an “X” for fish fillets.

Skewer Grid

Three or more skewers laid across stones create a tiny grill.

Food Safety Notes

• Always cook meat thoroughly

• Avoid cooking over green wood smoke (toxic depending on species)

• Never use skewers that touched raw meat for eating unless sterilized

• Cook over coals, not raw flame, for better control

• Keep skewer tips clean — they touch your food

How to Clean Skewers in the Field

Boiling in a Cook Pot

Boil skewers 2–5 minutes.

Flame Cleaning

Hold skewer in flame to burn off residue.

Sand Scrubbing

Use sand or ash to scrub carbon buildup.

How to Improvise Cooking Skewers

If you don’t have your EDC ones:

1. Green Wood Sticks

Safe, heat-resistant if fresh.

Avoid:

• Cedar

• Pine

• Yew

• Toxic woods

2. Flat Wood Splits

Carved thin sticks with a pointed end.

3. Bone or Antler Points

Very effective and long-lasting.

4. Metal Wire

Twist heavy gauge wire into a skewer.

5. Scrap Metal Strips

Flatten and file safe edges of food safe metals.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Cooking food in flame instead of coals

• Crowding too much food onto one skewer

• Not rotating frequently

• Letting food touch fire and burn

• Using dead, dry sticks that can ignite

• Cooking too close to intense heat

• Dropping food into the fire from poor grip

Expert Tips

• Use two skewers for anything that tends to rotate

• Coat vegetables lightly with fat for better roasting

• Let meat rest after cooking so juices settle

• If food slips, flatten the skewer slightly with your multiwrench

• Preheat skewers for faster searing

• Point the tip away from you when loading food

FAQ

Q: Can I use skewers on a small stove?
A: Absolutely — they’re excellent for compact wood stoves.

Q: Will metal skewers rust?
A: Stainless skewers resist rust. Dry them fully after cleaning.

Q: Can I cook directly in a flame?
A: Yes, but coals give more control and reduce burning.

Q: How many skewers should I carry?
A: Two is ideal; three gives you full campfire versatility.

Related Skill Series Posts

• → How to Use a Cook Pot

• → All Items with Cooking Skewers

• → All Stove Tools

   

• → How to use an outdoor Pocket stove
  

• → How to make a soda can alcohol stove

   

• → How to make a soup can twig stove

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