So I wondered if food—cut in large chunks and mostly thrown together, then cooked—would do more than simply satisfy hunger? Would it taste good?
Larger pieces of food save time in preparation, but take more time in getting the heat correct—although it would have been routine for a cook in the nineteenth century. My version wasn't cooked over coals, but firewood.
The verdict: Yes, it tasted good. The flavor was a little different than what I was used to, but definitely hearty and something a character in my novel would enjoy.