How do I craft a campfire and cook meat in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Crafting a campfire and cooking meat in ARK: Survival Evolved is one of the most fundamental survival skills you need to master early in the game. A campfire is essential for cooking raw meat, which restores your hunger and provides a reliable food source. It also provides warmth in cold environments and can be used to craft certain items. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to craft a campfire, cook meat, and optimize your survival strategy.

To craft a campfire, you first need to gather the necessary resources. The campfire requires 12 thatch, 1 flint, 16 wood, and 16 stone. Thatch can be obtained by punching or using a pickaxe on trees, while flint is gathered by hitting rocks with a pickaxe. Wood is also collected from trees, and stone is obtained from rocks. Once you have these materials, open your inventory and navigate to the crafting tab. Look for the campfire in the list of available engrams. If you havenÔÇÖt unlocked it yet, youÔÇÖll need to spend engram points to learn the recipe. The campfire is unlocked at level 2, so itÔÇÖs one of the first items you can craft.

After crafting the campfire, you need to place it in the world. Open your inventory, select the campfire, and place it on the ground. Make sure to place it in a safe location, preferably inside or near your base, to avoid it being destroyed by hostile creatures or other players in PvP. Once placed, you can interact with the campfire to add fuel and raw meat. The campfire requires wood or thatch as fuel to burn. Simply drag wood or thatch from your inventory into the campfireÔÇÖs inventory to start the fire.

To cook meat, place raw meat into the campfireÔÇÖs inventory. The campfire will automatically begin cooking the meat as long as it has fuel. Each piece of raw meat takes 20 seconds to cook into cooked meat. Cooked meat restores 20 food and has a longer spoilage time compared to raw meat, making it a more efficient food source. You can also cook fish meat in the same way, which provides slightly less food but is still a valuable resource.

There are several important tips and considerations when using a campfire. First, always ensure you have enough fuel. A single piece of wood lasts for 30 seconds, so youÔÇÖll need to keep an eye on the campfireÔÇÖs fuel level to avoid it going out. Second, be mindful of the campfireÔÇÖs placement. In PvP, other players can destroy your campfire, so placing it inside a secure structure is advisable. In PvE, placing it near your base or tamed dinosaurs can help protect it from wild creatures.

A common mistake beginners make is not gathering enough resources before attempting to craft a campfire. Running out of wood or stone mid-crafting can be frustrating, so always gather extra materials. Another mistake is leaving the campfire unattended for too long, which can lead to it running out of fuel or being destroyed by enemies. Always monitor your campfire, especially when cooking large quantities of meat.

For advanced techniques, consider using multiple campfires to cook meat faster. This is particularly useful when you have a large amount of raw meat from hunting or taming dinosaurs. Additionally, you can use a preserving bin or refrigerator to store cooked meat for longer periods, reducing spoilage. If youÔÇÖre playing in a tribe, coordinate with your tribe members to gather resources and cook meat efficiently. Assigning roles, such as one person gathering wood and another hunting for meat, can streamline the process.

In solo play, prioritize gathering resources and cooking meat as soon as possible. Early-game survival depends on having a steady food supply, so donÔÇÖt delay crafting a campfire. Tame a small dinosaur like a Parasaur or Dilophosaur to help gather resources and protect you while you cook. These dinosaurs can also carry extra materials, making resource gathering more efficient.

In specific scenarios, such as cold environments, the campfireÔÇÖs warmth can be a lifesaver. If youÔÇÖre exploring snowy areas, always carry materials to craft a campfire in case you need to warm up. Similarly, if youÔÇÖre taming a dinosaur that requires raw meat, having a campfire nearby allows you to cook and preserve the meat while you wait.

In conclusion, crafting a campfire and cooking meat are essential skills in ARK: Survival Evolved. By gathering the necessary resources, placing the campfire in a safe location, and monitoring its fuel and meat supply, you can ensure a steady food source and improve your chances of survival. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, efficient resource management and strategic placement of campfires will help you thrive in the gameÔÇÖs challenging world.