How to Make Cowboy Coffee: My Go-To When I Want Coffee Fast at Camp
Cowboy coffee is the simplest way to make real coffee outside. You boil water, add your grounds right into the pot, settle them with a splash of cold water, and drink. No filter, no press. If you already carry a pot and a stove, you can make it.
I make it when I am in a pinch or just want something quick without hauling anything but my small cook kit and a bag of grounds. Most of the time I make it in my TOAKS 750ml pot on my BRS-3000T stove. If I am by the car and want more coffee, I use my bigger Stanley pot instead.
What you need
- A pot. My TOAKS 750ml for solo, or my Stanley french press pot for more coffee by the car.
- A heat source. My BRS-3000T on an MSR fuel canister, or a fire.
- Coffee grounds. I was using Copper Cow’s Vietnamese vanilla, which is alright but not my favorite. Any ground coffee works here.
- Water, plus a little extra cold water. I use my Nalgene for the cold splash at the end.
That is the whole list. No brewers or filters you have to carry.
How I make cowboy coffee
- Fill your pot with water. I fill my Stanley/TOAKS to just below the fill line. More water if you want more coffee.
- Boil it. Get it to a rolling boil on the stove.
- Add the grounds. I eyeball it, more grounds for a stronger cup. It depends how much coffee you want.
- Let it brew about 4 to 5 minutes. I eyeball when it looks done. Give it a stir partway through.
- Settle the grounds with cold water. Pour a little cold water in on top and the coffee grounds will settle to the bottom. I try to cover the top with a thin layer of cold water.
- Wait a minute or two, then pour slow. Drink it easy so you leave the grounds behind in the pot.
A few things I have learned
Sometimes you end up with grit in your teeth. That is cowboy coffee. If it bugs you, a coarser grind settles cleaner, but it does not really bother me.
The cold water at the end is the most important part. It drops the grounds fast and the thin layer on top keeps them down while you pour. If you do not do this step, you will probably drink a bunch of grounds.
Cowboy coffee vs a french press or AeroPress
My Stanley pot is a french press, so the process is the same right up until you serve. The press separates the grounds from the water, so no settling and no grit. That is what I normally use car camping or when I am with a bigger group.
Solo, my AeroPress makes the best cup by a good margin, but it only serves one. I normally do cowboy coffee when I want to carry less and still get a good cup.
When it is worth it
The best cowboy coffee is when you are at the top of a hike, early morning, with a Honey Stinger waffle. If it is closer to lunch, a PB and J. You do not need much. A pot, a stove, some grounds, and a view.
If you want real coffee outside without carrying a brewer, this is the method. It is faster than it sounds, and it’s so much better than instant coffee.
Cowboy Coffee FAQ
What is cowboy coffee? Real coffee made without a filter or a press. You boil the grounds straight in your pot, settle them with a splash of cold water, and pour. About as simple as camp coffee gets.
How much coffee do you use for cowboy coffee? I just eyeball it. More grounds if you want it strong. There’s no real ratio, so mess with it until it tastes right to you.
How do you keep the grounds out of your cup? The splash of cold water at the end. Pour a little cold in on top after it brews, the grounds drop to the bottom, and you pour slow to leave them behind. A coarser grind settles cleaner too.
Does cowboy coffee taste good? Yeah, way better than instant. It’s real coffee. You might get a little grit in your teeth now and then, but that’s just cowboy coffee.