Cowboy coffee, coffee’s that’s made around a campfire with nothing more than beans, water and a pot, can be terrible. It also can be as good as the coffee you made from hand-ground beans carefully brewed with 200-degree water in your artisan glass French press. Below are two recipes for cowboy coffee. One’s for when you want to send those pesky campers who invited themselves to your fire back to their own campsite, spurting grounds out of their teeth. The other’s for when you want to enjoy a fine cup of coffee around a peaceful fire.
Serving Up Bad Cowboy Coffee
Cowboy coffee isn’t known for tasting good, because many people make it using this recipe. If you want to taste truly awful coffee, just follow these steps:
- Disregard the coffee-to-water ratio guidelines, because the coffee won’t be good enough for the ratio to matter. Just add some grounds to a pot and fill it with water.
- Place the pot on the fire and bring the water to boil. When done correctly, the grounds will float to the top, so most of them aren’t being brewed, and the pot will boil over.
- After burning your hand while trying to adjust the pot so that it doesn’t boil over again, let the “coffee” sit for a few more minutes.
- Remove the pot from the fire, and sprinkle a handful of cold water into it. Not only will the cold water help the grounds settle on the bottom, but it will also give the appearance that you know what you’re doing. Perhaps you’ll recover some of the dignity you lost in Step 3.
- Serve the coffee. There are two strategies for this step. You might pour your cup first, so you have as few grounds as possible in your mug. Alternatively, you can save yours till last, hoping that the coffee will be gone by the time you get to your cup.
Brewing Great Cowboy Coffee
Cowboy coffee doesn’t have to be bad. After all, you have all the supplies needed to brew great coffee: high-quality grounds, water, a heat source and a pot for brewing. Here’s how you can make cowboy coffee that would rival what you brew at home:
- Add water to your pot and bring it to a boil.
- Once the water’s boiling, remove the pot from your fire and let it sit for 30 seconds. This will lower the water temperature to 200°F — the perfect temperature for brewing coffee.
- Add 2 tablespoons of finely ground coffee for every 8 ounces of water. (You may want to measure how much water your pot holds and how much coffee a spoon you bring holds before going camping so you can measure accurately.)
- Stir the grounds into the water.
- Let the brew sit for 2 minutes and stir again.
- Let the coffee sit for 2 more minutes.
- After a total of 4 minutes of brewing, sprinkle a little cold water on the grounds. Yes, this actually does help them settle to the bottom.
- Slowly pour the coffee, so the grounds remain on the bottom of the pot.
Your coffee will taste best if it’s poured immediately after brewing. Coffee that sits in a pot with grounds will quickly become over-extracted and bitter. If you’d like a second cup, either brew another pot or pack a thermal carafe to keep your coffee hot in.
Although cowboy coffee gets a bad rap, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy great-tasting coffee while camping. You have everything you need to make a good cup with you already. Just follow the second recipe, not the first one.
Do you make coffee while camping? What equipment do you use? We’d love to hear in the comments section below.
Percolators make a good clean cup, and they’re cheap and easier to not screw up. It’s the least finicky brewing method I can think of…and you can do it right over a fire. I used a percolator the last time I camped, and I was so impressed with the coffee it made, I’ve been using it at home ever since.
I used the first method while working as a fire fighter. It always worked. I tried the second method once and never got the grounds to settle. I think the boiling them over helps with their settling after sprinkling water.
Use coffee that comes packed in ring shaped filters, toss in a pan, bring to boil wait till the water is brown, fish it out, done. No coffee grounds mess, in pan or cups. This will not help you get rid of coffee moochers, sorry. You can of course be fancy with the 200 degrees not boil but most of my camping coffee is a soon as I get out of the sleeping bag thing. Maxwell house and folgers sell coffee this way, great for backpacking or any “space is at a premium” camping, traveling. Put as many filters as the trip requires in a zip lock bag. Light and small.
The coffee that comes in pot-making filter (sacks) is pretty great. Bring the water to a boil, and then turn the fire off. move the filter pack through the water for just 20 seconds and pull it out. The shortest brew time I know.
I use my keurig and a 30 mile extension cord.
Accidentally smashed my French press this morning so had to make Cowboy coffee…the grounds never sunk because I didn’t know about the cold water at the end…I don’t have anything to sift the grounds..so..had a bunch floating on the top of the cup…did some spitting at first…but once I got through the grounds; the coffee tasted surprisingly delicious! Thanks for the tips because I can’t get to the store right away to purchase a new carafe…..
[…] you get used to keeping your camping real rough, why not brew your coffee in a cowboy way? It is a way wherein cowboys used to make coffee while sleeping in the great outdoors. It is a […]
Loved your post!
Once while on a camping trip I spooned my coffee into a bandana and let it seep just like brewing tea. It was surprisingly good as well! Just another idea if you don’t bring coffee in a filter and/or don’t want to spit every time you take a sip.
Just make sure it’s not the bandana you just wiped your nose with..
I just tried your bandana thing I live in Las Vegas in an extended stay suite without a coffee pot . I can’t afford one right now this method was brilliant . I just used a pot the stove top and a bandana and made it like tea . Thank you very much 😊
Hey I live right outside of Vegas. If you give me your address I have a really nice coffee pot I can send you. I can’t drink it anymore:-( let me know. I need a good pay it forward
[…] Last but not least when it comes to making coffee on a camping trip is the cowboy method. […]
After many trials & errors this is the one I finally settled on.
‘Cowboy’ coffee (Start each cup with clean equipment)
Step 1 – Bring 3 cups water to boil (approx 10 min)
Step 2 – Add 4 Tbsps ground coffee, stir
Step 3 – Let boil 1 minute, remove from heat, stir
Step 4 – Stir at 2 min intervals (6 min steeping).
Step 5 – Pour from pot through strainer into cup (I use a 20 oz cup), enjoy.
The fresher the grounds the better the coffee.
[…] Final however not least in the case of making espresso on a tenting journey is the cowboy method. […]
Thank you Scott, I’ll have to keep the first method in mind for relatives that overstay their welcome around holidays! :)
Excellent idea for making hot coffee while camping off the grid! I think I would pack a coffee pot, the basket, and some filters. Put a filter in the basket, set it on top ot the pot, then pour the cowboy coffee into the basket. Stir with a spoon to keep the grounds “suspended” and they won’t clog the filter.
[…] the coffee, making grounds come across as stale. Our testers tried making the Perfectly Ground cowboy style, a device-free method that involves stirring hot water into a couple of spoonfuls of ground beans […]
[…] camps on making coffee: those who add the coffee grounds before boiling the water, and those who add the grounds in after. With both methods, after a few minutes of brewing time, you can sprinkle a little cold water on […]
I use a Bialetti espresso 3 cup, i took the plastic handle off and replaced it with an extended metal arm to put on and remove from fire. Its a great little firetop espresso perculator.
I have a French Press designed for camping.
[…] How Do You Make Cowboy Coffee? […]
[…] This quickest coffee brewing method is popularized by campers and backpackers. All you have to do is heat coffee beans and water over a small steady flame and just before the water starts boiling, you have to sprinkle a handful of cool water into the pot and pour the coffee brew straight into the coffee mugs. […]
Thank you. My coffee maker died (won’t pump water through, cheap but good one that’s no longer sold), so as I wait for some ebay’d cleaner, I wanted to make ‘cowboy coffee’ – an older lady (who’s since passed) always made it. I boiled water in a 2-qt soup pan and added/stirred in coffee when it started boiling… boiled over quickly (cleaned up mess and tried Rev B procedure..). I like strong coffee so turn off heat when it starts to boil, add coffee, stir it in, remove pot until burner cools, then cut down heat way low and let it simmer – eventually most all of it sinks, then I figured it’s done. I poured from soup pot into spare carafe, then through filter in coffee maker basket (is hard to pour from pot into filter basket without spilling) – filter clogs about 1/2 through but is okay to wait. Your second method gives the trick and it’s easier – I’ll probably let it sit a bit longer and still pour it through the filter. I’ll do this when camping and as Thomas A suggests, take a basket and filters. I tried filtering through paper towels (long ago) which I have when camping, but it leaves a taste – though probably not as bad as from a previously sweat-soaked bandana.
We always brought the water to a boil an took it off the fire to throw in the coffee and stir it a time or two and set back on the fire until it almost boil over and took it of the fire until and let it set less than a minute and poured in a cup of hot water.
If we were using lake or creek water we let it boil 15 minutes before we pulled it off the fire and let it stop boiling to throw in the coffee. Most of the time we were fishing at Lake Kemp Texas and always took the water because it had too much salt and sulfur to be fit to drink.
Google
Always a massive fan of linking to bloggers that I really like but dont get a whole lot of link like from.
[…] of its simplicity, this method is also known as "cowboy" or "campfire" coffee as it is the primary method used for coffee-making by outdoorsy […]
I’ve been brewing my coffee cowboy style for over 40 years and never had a bad or bitter cup of coffee… It always comes out tasting great..!!
The only bitter cup of coffee I’ve had comes out of a coffee maker…
Sharing this with my class. This is hilarious.
My grandparents wouldn’t drink coffee made any other way. Well, that’s not entirely true. If they were somewhere else they had to drink what they got, but at home, that’s how they made theirs. They drank it black, “… as God intended it to be.” At least, that’s what they said. Grannie ladled it out into cups and that’s how the family drank it. There were only a few stray grounds, if any at all.
It reminds me of the old cigarettes before attached filters were made. If you watch films (which they called pictures back then) of the 30’s and 40’s.. and even early 50’s, I think, you can see them light a cigarette and often, they will pull something off of their tongue. It’s the stray tobacco bits. They didn’t cut those scenes where it happens, they just act like nothing at all happened. lol! It was just life and they were used to it. Same with stray bits of floating coffee.
My paternal grandmother made coffee in a “cowboy” pot. Her unique addition to coffee culture was to only remove the sludge once a week. Otherwise, she would just throw in another handful of ground coffee each morning. I never had her brew, and to this day I wonder how my father grew to adulthood and still be able to drink coffee.
Course grind sinks easy. Fine grind makes more floaters. I’ve had some success with slamming the pot on the stove to help get grounds to sink. Really, I don’t give them long to sink, before pouring the liquid off of the grounds.
[…] coffee has a reputation of being less than delicious, but it doesn’t have to be. To make campfire coffee that tastes as good as at home, you just need to take some care in […]
Great camping kettle and these articles are very helpful. I am just like and while people find which is the best camping kettle. We recommended this article.
Best regards
Thank you for the great article …. I use a JetBoil and small filter placed in it. Sitting on a mountain top nothing has tasted better! Cheers!!
[…] The only way to start your day is with a cup of cowboy coffee. I’ve taken to making this recipe at home on the weekends because I prefer its flavor so much, […]
[…] For a larger crew, or just a multi dose of that sweet adventure fuel, a percolator makes for a really great ‘batch’ brew. While it takes a bit more involvement, it’s reliable, forgiving, and has been a go to method for car campers, thru-hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts for decades! Whether it’s pre-ground for the trip or you have your trusty hand-grinder for the freshest cup, you’ll want your coffee ground coarsely, similarly to a french press. Not only will the grinds interact with the water well, but it will dodge your end product looking more like cowboy coffee. […]
My husband is a country man and he told me that cowboys prefer the first recipe because they need the extra caffeine and they want the bitterness to keep them going. Don’t forget now, cowboys are very tough. They have to ride horses for long hours without getting tired. They have 14 hour days. Their horses are more likely to need this cowboy coffee more than their riders need the sweet goodness of the second recipe. The second recipe is not for cowboys, it’s for those camping for pleasure and to get away from work stress back at the office or a nagging wife. My husband said cowboys are grateful for any coffee and it was left on the fire all day long. Enough was made to last the whole day so that it would get stronger at the same rate you were getting tired. That way it was always “good”. Even the pioneers drank coffee before they went to bed. My guess is that after traveling in the hot sun all day in a buggy instead of an air-conditioned car, you were so tired that you needed coffee to make it between supper and bedtime and set-up camp. God Bless the last few cowboys we have and let the buffalo roam.
[…] coffee has a reputation of being less than delicious, but it doesn’t have to be (1). To make campfire coffee that tastes as good as at home, you just need to take some care in […]
[…] Last but not least when it comes to making coffee on a camping trip is the cowboy method. […]
[…] don’t mean cowboy coffee, we mean real-thick as […]
[…] The only way to start your day is with a cup of cowboy coffee. I’ve taken to making this recipe at home on the weekends because I prefer its flavor so much, […]
[…] is the rugged, no-nonsense way to make coffee. All you’ll need is coffee grounds, water, a pot, and a heat source (this could be your stove or […]
Everyone’s taste is different. Some like to boil it for 3-4 minutes, which makes a stronger cup of coffee, while others steep it.
But, if one wants a strong cup, but they like it steeped, then just steep it a couple of minutes longer — or just add more grounds.
Just experiment, to see what YOU like.
[…] The recipe: […]
I prefer tea
It all depends on the person’s taste. Just experiment. I use three tablespoons for 2 1/2 cups (20 ounces). I boil it at 200 degrees for 4-5 minutes. Good for me! :-)
As a coffee enthusiast, I dont recommend boiling your water to make a cup of coffee. Cowboy coffee method is similar to Turkish coffee method. If you do bring it up to 140 degrees throughout the whole process, you can make a better coffee.
If you don’t have a thermometer and if you are actually camping, then bring it just before boil and let it set, away from the fire. and repeat the process. You’ll thank me later.