Can you roast marshmallows over a propane fire pit?

Ooey, gooey toasted marshmallows…what a treat. Sandwiched between two graham crackers or all by themselves, they are a delight to eat. All you need is some fresh marshmallows and a heat source and you are well on your way to enjoying this delicious treat. But not all heat sources are good for cooking. In particular, is a propane fire pit good for roasting your marshmallows?

Your propane fire pit is the perfect heat source for roasting your marshmallows. Propane is used in barbecue pits and for some stoves. Propane has been used for a long time to cook food. There are, however, somethings you need to consider before you start to cook your marshmallows.

Safety

To be safe while cooking your marshmallows over your propane fire pit, you need to keep a safe distance. Depending on the size of your fire pit, you may have to deal with some extreme heater radiating from it.

You should also be aware that the outside of the fire pit is hot. Do not touch the fire pit with your hand or lay any marshmallows or other supplies on your fire pit.


Accidents and Clean up

When roasting marshmallows you will inevitably have accidents. Marshmallows will get very soft and fall off of your roasting stick or pan.

When a marshmallow falls off your stick, be careful how you handle it. If the marshmallow falls on your grill or rocks, you may be able to safely remove it. It is best to turn your propane off and letting the fire pit cool down before removing the marshmallow.

If you can’t stop using your fire pit after a marshmallow falls in it, you can just let it burn off. The smell of the burning marshmallow will be different than the smell of the propane burning. But the smell will not be back. As a matter of fact, some people, maybe yourself, like the way a burning marshmallow smells. It reminds me of walking through a theme park and smelling candy being made in the little shops.

If you let the marshmallow burn off, you may need to clean off the residue after your fire pit has cooled. If the marshmallow fell into the rocks in your fire pit, you can take those rocks out and soak them in soap and water. If the marshmallow burned on your grill you can take a wire brush to it and then wash it in soap and water.


On a stick

The easiest way to roast a marshmallow over a propane fire pit is to put it on a stick. You can use a stick you find in your yard or one you buy from the store.

There are many types of sticks you can buy in the store. We mostly use the long bamboo sticks to roast our marshmallows because they are convenient.

Another good option is a roasting fork. Roasting forks come in different sizes and styles. You should always use a stainless steel roasting fork. Any other material may leach toxic chemicals into your marshmallows or other food that your roast. One of the best types of roasting forks is the telescopic roasting fork. The telescopic fork is easy to store and take with you when you travel.


On aluminum foil

Another great option is to roast your marshmallows on aluminum foil. To roast your marshmallows on aluminum foil you should ideally use a grill. Place the aluminum foil on top of the grill. Then put butter or oil in top of the foil. This will keep the marshmallows from sticking to the aluminum foil as they roast.

A good idea is to make a rim around the edge of your foil to keep the oil and marshmallows from falling into the fire pit. Roasting your marshmallows over your propane fire pit on aluminum foil will result in more of a melted marshmallow then a traditional roasted marshmallow. This is due to oil on the aluminum foil. If you want a more traditional roasted marshmallow, experiment with placing the marshmallow directly on the aluminum foil without any oil.


On a pan

The approach to roasting your marshmallows in a pan is very similar to using aluminum foil. You may even want to place aluminum foil in your pan before you start roasting. When roasting in a pan, you also may want to put butter or oil in your pan to prevent sticking.

If you are using a baking pan, you will need a grill or rack to sit the pan on so it won’t fall in to your fire pit. If you decide to use a pan with a handle, you could hold it over the fire while your marshmallows are roasting. Keep in mind that the handle will get hot. Also, holding a pan that close to the fire may cause your skin to burn.

A special camping pan would be preferable if you are going to hold it by the handle. Some camping pans have extendable handles. The extendable handle lets you hold the pan further away from the fire than a normal pan would. It works like an extendable marshmallow roasting fork.

A good way to roast marshmallows in a pan is to place it on top of some thing like a graham cracker or cookie. If you are making s’mores, then this is obvious. It will also let you toast your graham crackers while your marshmallows are roasting. Even if you are going to roast your marshmallows on a stick, you can still toast your graham crackers or cookies in a pan over your propane fire pit.

Eating your marshmallows

No matter which way you decide to roast your marshmallows over your propane fire pit, you have to eat them. If you roast your marshmallows on a stick, you can eat it right off of the stick. If you roast your marshmallows in a pan or on aluminum foil, you will want to have a spatula handy to help get them on to a plate and into your mouth.

Roasting marshmallows over your pit can be a very fun activity. Be sure to decide the approach you are going to take before you begin. This will give you ample time to get all of the supplies you need. This way you won’t be running around looking for things when it’s time to enjoy yourself.