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Cowboy coffee is a simple but delicious method of brewing coffee that doesn’t require any special equipment. In fact, all you need to make cowboy coffee is water, coffee, a kettle, and a heat source. While cowboy coffee is traditionally made over a campfire, you can also make it over any type of heat source. Because you don’t filter out the grounds when you make cowboy coffee, the key to making it is settling the grounds and pouring the coffee slowly.
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 tablespoons (26 to 32 g) coffee, coarsely ground
- 2 cups (470 ml) water
Serves 1
Steps
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Bring the water to a rolling boil. Fill a metal or enamel camping kettle with water. When your fire burns down, move the hot coals to one side of the fire pit and place a camp grill over the coals. Put the lid on the kettle and place the kettle on the grill over the hot coals to boil the water. [1] X Research source- You can also boil the water on a gas, wood, or electric stove if you don’t have a campfire.
- To make a larger batch of coffee, increase the coffee and water quantities equally.
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Remove the water from the heat and cool it for a minute. When the water reaches a rolling boil, carefully remove the kettle from the grill. Protect your hands with oven mitts or a silicone glove, or use tongs to move the hot kettle. Set the kettle aside on the ground and let the water cool for 30 to 60 seconds.Advertisement
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Stir in the coffee and return the kettle to the heat. Pour the coffee grounds into the hot water and stir the mixture for 15 seconds to saturate the grounds. [4] X Research source Use 5 tablespoons (26 g) for a slightly weaker coffee, or the full 6 tablespoons (32 g) for a stronger brew. [5] X Research source Leave the lid off and put the kettle back on the grill.
- You can use finely ground coffee instead, but coarsely ground beans will stand up to the heat better, producing a less bitter cup of coffee. [6] X Research source
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Bring the coffee to a simmer. Watch the coffee carefully, because you don’t want the water to fully boil. [7] X Research source Instead, you want to bring the water to a simmer, which is about 195 °F (91 °C). You can tell the water is simmering when bubbles regularly break the surface of the water, but the water isn't yet at a full rolling boil. [8] X Research source
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Remove the kettle from the heat and steep the coffee for 2 minutes. When the coffee is simmering, carefully take the kettle off the grill. Put on the lid and set the coffee aside to brew for a couple of minutes. [9] X Research source
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Stir the coffee and steep for another 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, remove the lid from the kettle and stir the coffee for another 15 seconds. Replace the lid and set the kettle aside to let the coffee brew for an additional 2 minutes. [10] X Research source
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Let the coffee sit for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the lid to allow fresh air into the kettle. As the air cools the grounds, they will naturally sink to the bottom of the kettle. [11] X Research source Settling the grounds is an important part of the process when making cowboy coffee, because the grounds don’t get filtered out.
- Allowing the grounds to sink naturally is the easiest way to get the grounds to settle without having to add anything extra to the coffee.
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Add some cold water instead to settle the grounds faster. If you can't wait to drink your coffee, pour 2.5 tablespoons (37 ml) of cold water into the kettle with the coffee. When the cold water hits the grounds, it will chill them and force them to sink to the bottom. [12] X Research source
- Don’t add too much cold water, or you'll make the coffee warm instead of hot.
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Add crushed egg shells to settle the grounds and remove bitterness. A third way to settle the grounds is by adding crushed eggshells to the coffee. After you hard-boil an egg, let the shell dry and then use a pestle and mortar or spice grinder to crush the eggshell into a coarse powder. Sprinkle a pinch of the powder into your coffee and stir to combine the eggshell and grounds.
- The eggshell will help the grounds stick together and force them to sink to the bottom of the kettle. Because eggshells are slightly alkaline, they will also help offset the acidity in the coffee, making it less bitter. [13] X Research source
- Eggshells can be a good source of calcium. [14] X Research source As long as they eggs were treated for salmonella or hardboiled, then you don’t have to worry about food-borne illnesses.
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Don’t pour the last few drops of coffee from the pot. You should leave the last few tablespoons (several ml) of coffee in the bottom of the kettle when you make cowboy coffee. All the grains will be concentrated in the last few drops, so it’s best to discard the last of the coffee rather than drinking it. [15] X Research source
- For traditional cowboy coffee, the grounds don’t get strained from the coffee.
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Pour the coffee slowly. When the coffee has finished brewing and the grounds have settled to the bottom, it’s time to enjoy your coffee. Slowly pour the coffee into a mug or cup. If you pour too quickly, you'll stir up the grounds and end up with a grainy cup of coffee. [16] X Research source
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Add milk and sugar, to taste. Most people prefer to drink cowboy coffee black, but you can add sweeteners, cream, or milk if you like. Start with a teaspoon (5 g) of sugar at a time, and add more if necessary. Similarly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of milk or cream at a time, and add more accordingly until you're happy with the flavor.
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Add a pinch of salt to reduce bitterness. Some people find cowboy coffee to be bitter, especially if it was left to boil on the fire for too long. You can cut some of the bitterness and smooth out the flavors with salt. Pour ⅛ teaspoon (0.75 g) of salt into your coffee cup and stir before enjoying. [17] X Research source
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Community Q&A
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QuestionI love the recipe, but I keep contracting salmonella. Do you think it's worth omitting the eggshell?PatrikCommunity AnswerYES! No recipe is EVER worth contracting salmonella. Forget the eggshells and just let the coffee sit for a few minutes. Review Part 2 Step 3 above.
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Tips
- Use a fine wire mesh strainer if you’re worried about getting grounds into your cup.Thanks
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Things You’ll Need
- Camping kettle
- Fire or other heat source
- Camp grill
- Silicone glove
- Spoon
- Coffee cup
References
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/5-rookie-mistakes-to-avoid-when-cooking-over-an-open-fire-232730
- ↑ https://campingwithgus.com/2011/10/16/cowboy-coffee/
- ↑ https://www.theoutbound.com/alex-anderson/how-to-make-cowboy-coffee-that-actually-tastes-good
- ↑ https://www.homegrounds.co/cowboy-coffee/
- ↑ https://drinks.seriouseats.com/2012/11/coffee-measurements-how-much-is-a-cup-why-weigh-coffee.html
- ↑ https://www.theoutbound.com/alex-anderson/how-to-make-cowboy-coffee-that-actually-tastes-good
- ↑ https://ineedcoffee.com/cowboy-coffee-backpacker-style/
- ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/08/how-to-boil-water-faster-simmer-temperatures.html
- ↑ https://www.roastycoffee.com/cowboy-coffee-over-a-campfire/
- ↑ https://campingwithgus.com/2011/10/16/cowboy-coffee/
- ↑ https://ineedcoffee.com/cowboy-coffee-backpacker-style/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/tq7Si7cp2jM?t=131
- ↑ https://sprudge.com/cowboy-coffee-94275.html
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/01/science/eating-the-shell-along-with-the-egg.html?_r=0
- ↑ https://ineedcoffee.com/cowboy-coffee-backpacker-style/
- ↑ https://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/05/coffee-traditions-cowboy-coffee-how-to-make-coffee-while-camping.html
- ↑ https://campingwithgus.com/2011/10/16/cowboy-coffee/
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To make cowboy coffee, start by bringing 2 cups of water to a boil in a kettle. Then, once the water starts boiling, take it off the heat and let it cool down for 1 minute. Next, add 5-6 tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee to the kettle and return it to the heat, bringing the coffee to a simmer. Once it starts simmering, take the kettle off the heat and steep the coffee for 4 minutes. Finally, add some cold water to the kettle to settle the grounds before serving your coffee. To learn how to serve cowboy coffee, scroll down!
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Reader Success Stories
- "It worked perfectly! I'm a petsitter and the house has coffee grounds but no coffee maker or pour-over funnel. I did exactly like the recipe, but eyeballed my amounts of water and coffee. It was quick and easy to make. I didn't let the coffee boil. I let it steep five min. Poured a few tbsp of cold water down the spout to remove the grounds. Used a white mug to look for grounds cluttering my coffee--not a single one. Coffee poured clear, tasted great. " ..." more
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"It worked perfectly! I'm a petsitter and the house has coffee grounds but no coffee maker or pour-over funnel. I did exactly like the recipe, but eyeballed my amounts of water and coffee. It was quick and easy to make. I didn't let the coffee boil. I let it steep five min. Poured a few tbsp of cold water down the spout to remove the grounds. Used a white mug to look for grounds cluttering my coffee--not a single one. Coffee poured clear, tasted great. "
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"This method works with a regular stove too. Very helpful when all you have are those dreadful coffee pod machines which use stale coffee and can't get the water hot enough."
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"The coffeemaker broke this morning, needed my caffeine, so I used the pan method on the stove. Now I don't have to get angry with anyone before I get to work."
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"I have had "cowboy coffee" in the past but couldn't remember how to make it. Thanks for this great article!"
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"Preventing the coffee grounds from boiling over helped. Thanks for the reminder."
