If you’re a frequent camper or you’re an outdoor enthusiast, one thing that can easily make your experience a whole lot better is getting the chance to create authentic cowboy coffee using a cowboy coffee pot. Cowboy coffee, as it’s called, is a type of coffee brew that is considered to be the way cowboys used to drink coffee way back in the 19th century. If you’re interested in it, read on to learn about cowboy coffee pots and cowboy coffee.
What Is Cowboy Coffee?
Before we go on learning about cowboy coffee pots and the methods to make cowboy coffee, let us first go over the origin of this notably drink. As mentioned earlier, cowboy coffee is a unique brewing method that is dubbed to be the way cowboys use to enjoy a pot of coffee while outdoors. Obviously, this method is not as sophisticated as brewing drip coffee using a coffee machine. But rather, this method offers a way to brew coffee even under unfavorable conditions. This simple and straightforward technique makes it extremely suitable for outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers who want to enjoy a pot of hot coffee while outdoors. We’ll discuss the details of creating cowboy coffee using a cowboy coffee pot later in this article.
Things To Consider When Making Cowboy Coffee
While cowboy coffee is fairly easy and simple to prepare, there are still some things you should consider in order to pull it off properly. Knowing that you would have to brew the coffee outdoors, you would have to take into account the type of cowboy coffee pot that you would use, as well as the ideal heat source depending on your situation.
Type of Coffee Pot
Choosing the best cowboy coffee pot to brew your coffee outdoors can be a little tricky considering the conditions you have to put the pot through. Taking that into consideration, let us first the most commonly used pots and brewing methods when making coffee outdoors:
Moka Pot
Also referred to as the stovetop espresso machine, the Moka pot is primarily known for its capability to brew coffee that is at least three times stronger than drip coffee. This particular coffee maker is commonly made using steel or metal material and uses steam pressure to push hot water through the coffee grains powerfully, making an efficient brew. Moka pots are notably strong and durable enough to deal with direct heat without damaging the pot’s material.
Cowboy Coffee Pot
Typically made with either steel or ceramic material, the traditional cowboy coffee pot resembles the shape and design much like a kettle. Still, it features a small spout instead of elongated ones. This design and material allow it to have high heat conduction as well as durability to withstand direct contact with fire or coal. Cowboy coffee pots come in various sizes that make it easy to carry around while outdoors.
Heat Source
Camping does not automatically mean that you are in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no access to tools and equipment, such as a stove. And while some would say that cowboy coffee needs to be brewed on a campfire for a more authentic experience, you still have the choice to use a stovetop or an electric coffee maker for a more convenient brewing process.
How to Make Cowboy Coffee
Even before discussing how to make campfire cowboy coffee, one of the first things you should look into first is how to build the right fire for it. Unlike cooking or grilling, campfire coffee requires a more subtle campfire that would heat up the coffee but not entirely burn the rest of your coffee pot or coffee maker. Here are the steps on how to create a campfire suitable for campfire cowboy coffee:
- Set up a good amount of wood and coal and start a fire.
- Let the mound burn for a few minutes without adding any other wood or coal to the pile.
- Once the mound starts to die down, rearrange the pile and create a small bed of hot coals.
- Choose several coal pieces that are glowing bright and create a small circle good enough for a coffee pot or coffee maker to sit on top of it steadily.
- Now to make the coffee brew, start by filling your coffee pot with water.
- Then, add a teaspoon of coarsely ground coffee beans per 1 ½ cups of water in the pot.
- Place the cowboy coffee pot on top of the bed of coal and let it heat up.
- If possible, check the temperature periodically by placing a thermometer on the coffee pot to ensure it stays somewhere between 200 to 205 degrees F.
- Keep in mind that the brew time for campfire coffee would take notably longer because of the heat source’s inconsistency. Regardless, keep in mind never to let the pot boil to avoid a burnt aftertaste.
- If a thermometer is not available, simply remove the pot from the heat by the time the brew at the first sign of boil.
- Finally, add a shot of cup water to the brew and allow the grounds to settle at the bottom of the pot for at least 5 minutes before pouring a cup to enjoy.
Conclusion
Cowboy coffee is considered a popular coffee drink among outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers. Considering the simplicity of the brewing process and the tools you would need, cowboy coffee is an easy go-to whenever you graze for some hot coffee while you are hiking or camping. Hopefully, this article gave you some ideas on the what, whys, and hows of making cowboy coffee using a quality cowboy coffee pot or Moka pot. Learn more about coffee pots.