Cowboy Coffee

When you’re outside and away from your home kitchen—whether heading out camping or even just in the backyard—clever hacks can help make the process of outdoor cooking simpler. One of the best recipes to keep in your back pocket to jumpstart the day? Easy cowboy coffee.

Cowboy coffee can be made over the campfire or camp stove with just water and coffee grounds. You’ll need a pot for boiling water, but there’s no coffee filter required with this simple method. Read: Less things to pack! We share just how to make cowboy coffee during your next outdoor adventure.

What is cowboy coffee?

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Cowboy coffee is similar to the coffee you have at home in a coffee maker. The difference between cowboy coffee and regular coffee is that cowboy coffee is made without a filter; you just stir the coffee into boiling water, then pour carefully (our recipe has techniques to ensure a grit-free cup). It’s a bit richer and smoother, but the flavor is the same.

Cowboy coffee is meant to be a camping recipe made over the campfire using just a few simple tools. Thanks to its simplicity, it allowed cowboys to prep coffee over an open fire much equipment. To make cowboy coffee, you’ll need an enamelware or metal coffee pot with a spout, but it doesn’t need to have a built-in filter. In a pinch, you can just use a regular round pot.

Cowboy Coffee Ingredients

• Water: As with any coffee preparation, water is the base liquid in this cowboy coffee recipe. We’re using 32 ounces of water here, but you can certainly adjust to whatever size pot you have, or to how much coffee you need to make.
• Coffee grounds: Choose any type of ground coffee, whether it’s your favorite morning go-to or something new. You could even use flavored coffee. If you only have beans on hand, you’ll need to hit the store or learn how to grind coffee beans properly first.

Directions

Step 1: Make a campfire

In a fire pit, make a campfire with three to four logs. Allow the fire to burn down to build a base of hot coals without a large flame.

Editor’s Tip: Some rolling flames are okay, but you don’t want tall flames once your pot is placed over the fire.

Step 2: Boil the water

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Fill a coffee pot or another high heat-safe pot with water. Place it over the fire and let it come to a boil. Using heat-safe gloves, remove the pot from the fire and let it sit for 30 seconds, allowing the water to cool down slightly from its rolling boil.

Step 3: Add the grounds

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Add the coffee grounds to the hot water.

Molly Allen for Taste of Home

Stir to evenly distribute the grounds and let the coffee sit to brew for two to three minutes. Stir again and let the coffee sit for another two minutes.

Step 4: Pour slowly

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Once the coffee has brewed, gently pour a small amount of cold water on top. This will cause the grounds to sink to the bottom of the pot. Pour your coffee slowly into a mugs.

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Cowboy Coffee Tips

Do you need a campfire to make cowboy coffee?

This cowboy coffee recipe requires some form of heat source to boil the water. When camping, this could be in a kettle over a campfire or in a pot over a camp stove. You can also use this recipe in your own home kitchen if you don’t have a coffee maker.

Why is my cowboy coffee bitter?

Coffee becomes bitter when it reaches too high a temperature or is overextracted. If you’re finding your cowboy coffee bitter, it’s likely either because the water was too hot when you added the grounds, or because the coffee brewed for too long.

Do you need to add eggs to cowboy coffee?

Some folks add eggshells to cowboy coffee to help the grounds sink, but eggs are certainly not required when making cowboy coffee. You can whip up a batch with just coffee grounds and water. However, a dish of scrambled eggs and toast would make a great accompaniment for breakfast.

How do you keep cowboy coffee grounds from getting into your cup?

The beauty of cowboy coffee is that you don’t need a lot of equipment to prep your morning brew. Because there’s no filter, the key to keeping grounds out of your cup is sprinkling the brewed coffee with a bit of cold water on top. This helps the coffee grounds sink in the warm pot. Pouring your coffee slowly into your mug will also help keep the grounds at the bottom of the pot and out of your mug.

When should you serve cowboy coffee?

As with any other coffee, cowboy coffee is best served hot and fresh. Pour it into mugs immediately once the coffee is ready. Enjoy it black, or add milk or coffee creamer. You could even brew decaf cowboy coffee and add a coffee liqueur like homemade Kahlua for a warming drink in the evening.

What do you serve with cowboy coffee?

Nothing beats breakfast cooked around the campfire. While your water is boiling for coffee, prep a few other dishes. Other cowboy recipes such as campfire pancakes or a campfire hash with potatoes are great for making over the campfire.