Learn to Cook Outdoors with a Billy Can

Billy can cooking is one of the simplest and most useful bushcraft cooking skills for Scouts. A sturdy metal billy can can be used to boil water, cook food, make hot drinks and prepare simple one-pot meals around a campfire.

It is a great way to introduce young people to outdoor cooking while developing practical skills in fire management, food preparation, cooking and campcraft.

Whether you're making hot chocolate, soup, pasta or a simple stew, the billy can is a versatile piece of bushcraft equipment.

What Is a Billy Can?

A billy can is a lightweight metal cooking container designed for outdoor use. Traditional designs usually have a wire or folding handle, allowing the can to be positioned over a fire or suspended from a tripod.

Billy cans are available in different sizes and materials, including stainless steel and aluminium.

For Scout activities, choose a sturdy can that is suitable for use over a campfire and large enough for the group or individual activity.

What Can You Cook in a Billy Can?

A billy can can be used for many simple camp meals.

Simple Cooking Ideas

• ☕ Hot chocolate
• 🍵 Soup
• 🍝 Pasta
• 🍚 Rice
• 🥣 Porridge
• 🫘 Beans
• 🥔 Boiled potatoes
• 🌽 Vegetables
• 🍲 One-pot stews
• 🍜 Noodles
• 🫖 Tea and coffee
• 💧 Boiling water

For beginners, boiling water and making a hot drink is an excellent starting activity before progressing to more complicated meals.

Billy Can Scouting Bushcraft Tip! 

Billy Can Cooking Techniques

There are several ways to use a billy can around a campfire.

1. Over the Fire

Place the billy can securely above the fire using a suitable cooking grate.

This works well when the fire has settled into a bed of hot embers.

2. On a Tripod

A billy can can be suspended from a campfire tripod using its handle.

A chain or adjustable hook can be used to control the height of the can above the fire.

This makes it easier to control the cooking temperature.

3. Over Hot Embers

Cooking over glowing embers rather than large flames provides a more controlled heat.

This is particularly useful for simmering food.

4. Hanging Cooking

The billy can can be suspended over the fire and raised or lowered to control the temperature.

Closer to the fire = more heat.

Further away = less heat.

This is a useful skill for learning how to manage cooking temperatures without modern equipment.

How to Cook with a Billy Can

Step 1 – Prepare the Fire

Build a suitable cooking fire and allow it to develop a good bed of hot embers.

Avoid placing cookware over an uncontrolled fire with large flames.

Step 2 – Prepare Your Food

Prepare all ingredients before starting to cook.

For a simple Scout activity, this could be:

Pasta + vegetables + sauce = simple one-pot meal.

Step 3 – Add the Ingredients

Place the ingredients into the billy can.

Remember that liquids can boil over, so don't overfill the container.

Step 4 – Position the Billy Can

Place or suspend the billy can securely over the cooking area.

Make sure the handle cannot accidentally catch on anything or cause the container to tip.

Step 5 – Control the Heat

Move the billy can closer to or further away from the fire as required.

Stir food regularly where appropriate.

Step 6 – Check the Food

Make sure food is properly cooked before eating.

Take extra care with foods such as meat, which must be cooked thoroughly.

Step 7 – Serve Safely

Remove the billy can using appropriate heat-resistant equipment. Fire or welding gloves are a good choice.

The handle and container may be extremely hot.

Scout Tip: Making hot water for washing up dose not need to be boiling!

Hand-washing dishes only requires warm water that is comfortable for your skin (around 45°C to 50°C / 110°F to 120°F), not boiling water.

Why Boiling Water Is Unnecessary

Skin safety: Water hot enough to kill bacteria instantly (above 70°C / 158°F) will cause severe skin burns on contact and is too hot to safely put your hands into.

The role of soap: Dish soap does the heavy lifting by breaking down oils, dissolving grease, and lifting bacteria off the surface of the dishes so the water can rinse them away.

Effective temperature: "Hand-hot" warm water is more than enough to melt fats and loosen food residue when paired with adequate detergent and mechanical scrubbing from a sponge or brush.

Lifting boiling water in a billy can is not the safest idea! Keep safe

Billy Can Cooking Activity for Scouts

Challenge: Cook a One-Pot Meal

Give each patrol or small group a billy can and ask them to prepare a simple meal.

Suggested ingredients

• Pasta
• Chopped vegetables
• Tomato sauce
• Beans
• Herbs
• Cheese

Skills developed

Scouts can practise:

• Fire lighting
• Fire management
• Safe handling of cooking equipment
• Food preparation
• Knife skills
• Heat control
• Cooking
• Teamwork
• Camp hygiene
• Cleaning equipment

This can easily become a patrol cooking challenge, with each team planning and preparing its own meal.

Billy Can Hot Chocolate Challenge

For younger Scouts, start with something simple.

Equipment

• Billy can
• Water
• Hot chocolate
• Mug
• Wooden spoon
• Safe cooking fire

Activity

1. Light and manage the fire.
2. Fill the billy can with water.
3. Heat the water.
4. Remove the billy can safely.
5. Make the hot chocolate.
6. Allow it to cool before drinking.
7. Clean the equipment.

This teaches the complete process from fire to food without making the cooking unnecessarily complicated.

Billy Can Cooking Safety

Fire and cooking activities must be properly supervised.

Fire Safety

• Follow your organisation's current rules and guidance for campfires and outdoor cooking.
• Keep a suitable fire safety area around the cooking fire.
• Never leave a cooking fire unattended.
• Keep water or suitable fire-control equipment available.
• Ensure everyone knows where the safe area around the fire is.
• Keep loose clothing, long hair and equipment away from flames.

Cooking Equipment

• Check the billy can before use.
• Make sure handles and attachments are secure.
• Never use damaged cookware.
• Treat all metal parts as potentially hot.
• Use suitable gloves or tools when moving hot equipment.
• Do not overfill the billy can.
• Be careful of boiling water and steam.

Food Hygiene

Good food hygiene is an important part of bushcraft cooking.

• Wash hands before preparing food.
• Keep raw and cooked food separate.
• Keep food at appropriate temperatures.
• Use clean cooking equipment.
• Use safe drinking water.
• Cook food thoroughly.
• Store food safely.
• Clean cooking equipment after use.

Cleaning a Billy Can

Cleaning is part of the cooking activity.

Allow the billy can to cool before handling it.

Remove food remains and wash the container using appropriate cleaning equipment and clean water.

Avoid leaving food residue in the billy can, particularly overnight, as it can attract insects and animals.

Dry the billy can before storing it.

If you used sope on the outside washing will be much easer.

Bushcraft Skills You Can Learn

Billy can cooking connects several different bushcraft skills.

🔥 Fire Lighting
Learn to build and maintain a suitable cooking fire.

🪵 Fire Management
Learn how different fuels and embers affect cooking temperature.

🔪 Knife Skills
Safely prepare ingredients.

🍲 Outdoor Cooking
Learn how to cook without a conventional kitchen.

🧼 Camp Hygiene
Understand the importance of food and equipment hygiene.

🏕️ Campcraft
Develop practical skills for cooking and living outdoors.

Billy Can Cooking Challenge

Beginner

Boil water and make a hot drink.

Intermediate

Cook soup, noodles or pasta.

Advanced

Plan and cook a complete one-pot meal.

Patrol Challenge

Work as a team to design, prepare and cook a bushcraft meal using only the equipment provided.

What You Need

• Billy can
• Campfire or suitable outdoor cooking fire
• Fire-lighting equipment
• Cooking utensils
• Ingredients
• Mug or bowl
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Clean water
• Cleaning equipment
• First-aid and fire-safety arrangements appropriate to the activity