Who's tried it? I mean like in a deer camp or in the woods with no portable stove or foil to cook in..just the meat and a campfire or whatever and something to hold it if just a hunting knife.

I tried that once with a fox squirrel and it was a definite mistake, although it could have been the squirrel.

What's the least we can really get by with and still have something that tastes good?

On a back packing trip this fall we put some rib steaks on sticks, two sticks per steak and threaded through. We jammed the two sticks into the fround in front of the fire. Using the radiant heat the steaks cooked very nicely, and by the time the first beer was slowly sipped the steaks were done. Just pull out your knife and cut the pieces of meat off the sticks. My hunting buddy says his grandpa showed him this way in Africa.

If you want to cook over an open fire using a spit you have to cook on the edge. If you put the meat right over the coals/flames you get a lot of flare up and burning. I've cooked chickens on a spit beside the open fire with no flare ups, and we all know how much fat whole chickens will drop onto a fire. You can also put the coals on either side of the chicken so there is heat from both sides.

A couple years ago I shot a rabbit (with the 7mm ) I gutted it and disjointed the meat, and added salp,pepper,butter then wrapped it in a few layers of foil. I put the package in the front of the wood stove (barrel style) but kept the fire at the back of the stove. The next morning we had rabbit for breakfast and it was fantastic.

Just remember the hungrier you get the less you have to be a good cook!

I have been cooking over a fire since I was a kid. I carry a shaker of seasoning salt and a bottle of squeeze margarine.The margarine helps keep things moist. Spit up the game of the day and roast over the coals not the flame. Baste with the margarine and eat right off the spit no need for utensils or plates and clean up is easy. Use willow branches for spits and they can be woven into baskets for cooking fish I have done this with all types of small and large game, fish and birds and it is always good.
When I was in boy scouts we would cook pan fish over the fire in clay. Take the whole fish cover it with clay top and bottom make sure the clay completely seals the fish. Throw it on the coals for a few min. This will steam the fish. When you peal the clay off the skin will goes with it exposing the meat. It is surprisingly tasty.

all the time - we even put an open pit fire pit in the backyard. I shouldn't have said all the time cause right now its 12 below and that ain't no time to be bbqing

From what I have seen in the South American forum above, the Asado seems to be the ultimate in open fire cooking.

Used to cook a whole pig on a spit at least once a year. The real trick is to stay sober enough to not drop the pig when it's done.

That is our primary cooking method. I've found the best way is to build the firepit in the shape of a "keyhole". I build the original fire in the rectangular end. Then, when the coals are ready, I push the main part of the fire into the circle and cook over a small grill on the rectangular in. Add extra wood to the circle part, and that keeps thefire goin and gives light for cooking. Ribyeye steaks, lamb chops and pork chops never tasted better.

On my first Zimbabwe Safari after killing an elephant about 80 or so "natives" showed up.

They built several fires and then just threw the meat directly on the coals.

I ate a fair amount of it that way, it was good.

If you get down to some that is nog cooked enough, you just drop it back on the coals for a minute or two...