Whenever you cook over a campfire, you need a way to suspend your pot over the flames. If you didn’t bring any extra cooking materials (e.g. a metal grid or a pot stand) you need to improvise something with the natural materials around you.

Over the years, I experimented with a number of methods, mainly inspired by the ones described by Mors Kochanski in his classic book Bushcraft. Below are some of my findings.

Platform

The quickest way to keep your pot over the flames, is to rearrange the wood in your campfire so that it forms a platform that supports your pot. You have to keep paying attention though, because as the platform burns down, the construction often becomes unstable

Simple stick

Another quick way to cook your pot, is to prop up a stick somehow, and hang your pot from it. The stick has to be supported and anchored by something (e.g. logs). After a while the stick will burn through however so you have to finish your cooking before that happens.

Tripod

My favorite method is the tripod. If you know how to make a withy (= flexible branch that can be used for binding) or if you have some rope, the tripod is easy and quick to construct and versatile. Here’s an excellent video clip from Ray Mears on how to make a withy and use it for a tripod. The height of the tripod can be adjusted by spreading its legs or bringing them in.

Burtonsville rig

No binding material is required for the elegant Burtonsville rig but it takes some time to cut all the pieces of wood for its construction.

High bar with forks

Another method that doesn’t require binding material is the high bar supported by two forked sticks. Multiple types of pothanger on the high bar are possible.

Australian cooking crane

If you’re cooking for a large group in a fixed camp, it’s worth it to invest more time and effort to construct a more robust system like the Australian cooking crane. More pots can be supported by adding cranes.

High bar with tripods

My favorite method for cooking for a large group in a fixed camp is the high bar, over a long log fire, supported by tripods. It takes some time to build but it’s a versatile system and also works on frozen ground because no sticks have to be put in. You can use loops of metal wire or rope on the high bar to hook in the cooking sticks.

Below is a summary of all the pot suspension methods I have tested over the years including the construction time for a single and experienced builder, their advantages and disadvantages.

Summary

Pot suspension method	Time to build	Advantages	Disadvantages
Platform	5 min.	Very quick No materials needed Pot does not need a bail (but then you need a pot lifter)	Can be unstable Not height adjustable Ash can easily get in pot without a lid
Simple stick	10 min.	Quick Few materials needed	Stick will burn through quickly Not easy to adjust height
Tripod	20 min.	Relatively quick to construct Also works on frozen ground because nothing has to go in Easy to move	If you don’t have rope, you need to know how to make a withy (= flexible branch)
Burtonsville rig	30 min.	No binding material needed	Need some precise cuts
High bar with forks	30 min.	Can put multiple pots over the fire by adding pothangers No binding material needed	Forks have to be well anchored in the ground Not easy to adjust height
Australian cooking crane	90 min.	Stable method for cooking for a large group in a fixed camp Can put multiple pots over the (long log) fire by adding cranes	Takes quite some time and materials to build
High bar with tripods	180 min.	Stable method for cooking for a large group in a fixed camp Can put multiple pots over the (long log) fire by adding cooking sticks Also works on frozen ground because nothing has to go in Easy to move	Takes much time and materials to build