Outdoor Adventure USA

Unique Camp Cooking Devices, Methods, Gear, etc.

This month seems to be favoring nets that deal with food, which, by the way, is a good thing. One of the benefits of having camped for a number of years, and perhaps especially, of doing these nets, is that we get a chance to see a lot of unique and different cooking devices and related gear. We are always more than willing to try out new ideas, especially when they make our meals easier or better. In fact, many of the devices that we now use were the product of our research on unique cooking methods and gear, and it has allowed us to improve the means of preparation and to offer food that would otherwise have been impossible or difficult.

Our goal, as always, is to keep these cooking devices (and related gear) as small, light weight, and compact as possible. One of the highlights of any camping trip is (or should be) great meals, and selecting the right equipment will therefore be an important consideration for any trip. For those who are hoping to introduce new people to the world of camping, good meals will go a long way toward that goal.

Join us with your ideas!

COOKING UTENSILS

Years of experimenting, research, and learning from what others are using or recommending, have resulted in a personal set of utensils that has been serving me very well for some time. If there is one constant in this process, it is that my "kitchen stuff" is not static, meaning that I am not shy about adding or subtracting an item when something better comes along.

To some extent, the utensils that are mentioned below are strictly personal, but in large measure, they mostly are items that will serve all campers very well. One other note that should be mentioned, is that the choices I have settled on are more well suited to remote location camping (no facilities) for longer term trips. And, as is probably apparent from these nets, we tend to be quite partial to well prepared, great meals when we travel. With the right equipment, there is no reason why the meals we enjoy in the outback cannot be as good as those prepared at home (or better, if you take into account the scenery.)

Lest there be any doubt, I need to emphasize that my kitchen equipment is not an ever expanding pile of stuff. I have two Zarges boxes into which ALL of these items are contained. It was this way when I started, and it will remain so.

The pictures below are of the current utensils that I use:


1. Storage for Kitchen Stuff

First things first. The way you store your kitchen utensils should be as important as the gear you carry. This is especially true when the road to camp is rough and dusty. At camp, keeping things dry is also important. All this means, is that a rugged and well made container, that will last a long time, is a must. In other words, keep it safe, keep it clean and keep it dry.

In my case, kitchen gear includes everything we need when camping, including a stove, stove fuel, pots, pans, utensils, seasonings, dish washing stuff, coffee pot, cutting board, plates, etc. Because I usually cook for 5 or more people, I need to include enough gear to accommodate the entire group. I have tried several solutions from plastic storage bins to wooden boxes. Each had serious flaws, from weight to poor protection. The solution was storage boxes made by the Zarges company. They have 25 different sizes to fit into almost any space that you may have in your vehicle. I selected two Zarges boxes into which I have fit every kitchen item that I need. See: http://www.zarges.com/fileadmin/user_up ... _EN_02.pdf

Here is the one I use (with a USGI ammo can for size reference):


Zarges in action at the Grand Canyon (not all for kitchen stuff, of course)



2. Ovens

A common misconception when someone mentions an "oven" for camping, is some honking big contraption that only people with trailers can carry. NOT TRUE! For years, we have used (and still do) the camp oven by Colman. Inexpensive, readily available, and fairly well made. It can bake just about anything you can do at home, including baked potatoes, appetizers, pastries, bread, biscuits, and more. It folds flat, is light weight, and will last for years.


Recently, we discovered the Winnerwell Fast Fold Camp Oven (https://springbarcanvas.com/collections ... -camp-oven), sold by Springbar, the makers of the tent bearing that name. The specs:

Compatible with any Winnerwell wood burning stove or stable heat source
Precision crafted in 304 stainless steel
Assembled dimensions: 10.5” x 13” x 10”
Packed dimensions: 10.5” x 13” x 3”
Weight: 6.5 pounds
Fastfold design uses integrated clasps for quick assembly with no hardware parts to lose or misplace
Integrated thermometer and a glass viewing window for temperature and bake management

It's a bit smaller than the Coleman, but has some very attractive improvements, especially better panel connectors, (making for a tighter seal and less heat loss), stainless steel construction, and a front window so you can view the food while it is cooking or warming (without opening the door.) So, I'll have another oven, if you need one.

Here it is (from the Springbar website.)


Toasting bread or English Muffins is something at which the Winnerwell excels.


Solar ovens are an efficient and quick way to prepare meals, and the heat source is free (but not renewable.) RogerD is the solar oven expert and with a little luck, he can fill us in on the details. While I have not used a SO, I have been fortunate enough to enjoy some fantastic eats that Roger has prepared.


For those with a little more room in the 4x4, Camp Chef makes a mini oven, almost like home. Kevin is our expert, and he can discuss his experiences cooking at camp with the Camp Chef.

REAL FRIED CHICKEN, ANYONE?

Yep, that's right - real fried chicken. We've had a couple of our camp chefs who have made this treat, and anytime we can get them to offer this fantastic menu item again, we will be first in line to fill our plates. The ingredients (except for secret seasonings) are pretty simple:

A suitable pan or pot in which to do the frying
A splatter shield
Oil (some prefer peanut oil or Crisco)
Seasonings
Dinner guests

KITCHENS

The type of kitchen you select will be purely a matter of personal choice. A few examples, with some being a bit more unique than others:

A UNIQUE BREAKFAST MADE WITH UNIQUE UTENSILS.

No questions about it - Eggs Benedict on the trail is quite unique, and it requires some unique utensils. Anyone who has made this treat, FROM SCRATCH, knows that there is a great deal of effort and planning that goes into this breakfast. The "from scratch" comment means that the Hollandaise sauce DOES NOT come from a can, nor are the eggs prepared in advance. While I have made it by myself at home, (with the aid of an electric toaster, a microwave, and an oven), it is quite another matter at camp, requiring two chefs, and three would not be unwelcome. Combined with some good Coffee, brewed in a quality coffee press, It is just among the best.


Preparing the eggs

The usual method for preparing eggs is to crack them into a pot of boiling water. Yes, it can be done, but the process is too fraught with problems for this chef. Two alternate and unique methods are available, and both work a whole lot easier and better than the pot of boiling water, at least IMO.

The first method involves egg rings. Placed in a skillet, all you need to do is place an egg in each ring, and make sure that the cooking time is just right so the yolk remains runny. The second method is to use an egg poacher, although this requires carrying a little more equipment.

NOTE: both of these two methods make egg preparation a whole lot easier for recipes, other then Eggs Benedict, like egg muffin sandwiches. just regular poached eggs, eggs in polenta, etc.


Egg Rings


Egg Poacher

The most difficult part of Eggs Benedict is the Hollandaise sauce. Without going into the actual recipes (of which there are many), there is one thing that they have in common - the sauce needs to be gently heated, and preferably over a double boiler. This can be an easy process with something that most campers already have in their kitchen - a sauce pan. The other two items that you will need are a double boiler stand and a bowl, both of which can be purchased for under $15.00. Like this:

The Little Box that Could

I thought I would take you on a tour of my camp box. The contents should fall right in line with tonight's topic.

The box is only 22 inches wide by 11 inches deep and 14 inches tall, but it holds a ton of cooking stuff. I don't like to camp without it.
As you can see in the picture it is split in half vertically and has has 2 cross shelves creating 3 levels of space. The top space is not quite 2.5 inches tall.
It has one 1.5 inch tall drawer that keeps silverware, etc. organized.

I did not capture all the contents. There is some other staples (tea bags, sugar, Flour, Olive oil, happy hour food, and emergency meals tucked in the box.

I made this cookie sheet, double wide oven as a proof of concept for a more user friendly version. It works great but access is from the top. I can get it up to about 500 degrees. At some point I will make an easily collapsable version like Dave highlighted above, but a two burner version as shown.

I find that with any type of cook stove or camp oven, the issue isn’t getting it hot enough, it is controlling the very low temps needed for delicate dishes like eggs Benedict or for warming.

The Chinese ovens and stoves have this problem of poor temp. control at low settings. Camp stoves like the American made Partner, while expensive, have very fine temperature control.

My new favorite cooking device is used in fine restaurants, offers absolute perfection in temp control, can be set and left unattended, takes up very little or even no space( I’ll explain later) and provides a very safe and desirable alternative to bringing uncooked meats or especially chicken on an extended trip. It also offers the advantage of being able to easily prepare and provide meats from rare to well done to anyone in your traveling party.

I first saw this technique used in cooking competitions and even ate food prepared this way, but Jack KK6WXQ was the one that really got me hooked.

The technique is called Sous-Vide. Which means Under Vacuum

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sous-vide

This technique use lower temperature but at a longer time to do two things, pasteurize the food and cook it to a very precise doneness. The food is cooked to the same temp from the outside to inside. You can cook with this device in any type of pot or vessel. The food is placed either in a vacuum sealed or even a quality zip lock type bag and cooked for a minimum of 2 hours but as long as 24-36 hours depending on the cut of meat.

Jack makes a Tri-tip( not the most tender cut of beef) that would rival any quality restaurant. Fork tender.

Here is where it gets really awesome!!! You don’t have to even lug the unit with you on your trip. Cook your food at home and keep it chilled. When you are ready, take it out of the bag and sear it on both sides or in the case of my Bourbon Chicken, bread it and quickly brown it.

This really is the perfect technique for camping, especially long trips where food safety is an issue. Imaging no raw meat or chicken on your cutting board.

COOKING DEVICES AND ACCESSORIES

Dutch Ovens

There are a whole bunch of campers who favor their Dutch Ovens on our outback trips, and several of them will be checking into this net. When it comes to unique devices, I have seen one that is made for Dutch Ovens that qualifies - the Volcano Lid(https://volcanogrills.com/product/volcano-lid/ )

Our most popular accessory, the Lid has become a must-have! The lid is made of a durable, heat-resistant material and works by trapping and circulating heat..... The Lid is.... excellent for Dutch oven cooking, trapping the heat and (in most cases) eliminating any need for adding top briquettes.

Lucky John uses his Dutch Oven with the Volcano lid, along with some other accessories, as seen in the photograph below, and is able to do so without burning or melting his table. Very impressive.


Pressure Cookers

By themselves, they are unique. In all of our travels, I know of only one camper that uses one.

In recent years, I have really come to rely almost entirely on my pressure cooker to prepare meals, mainly dinners, and for several very good reasons:

• The entire meal can be prepared in one pot

• the pressure cooker is not affected by altitude

• since the pot is sealed, more of the nutrients remain in the food

• the pressure used to cook also infuses great flavor to the food

• meals can be fully cooked in a fraction of the time by other methods, (saves fuel)

• meals are served piping hot (especially appreciated when the weather turns cold)

• the pressure cooker takes up no more room that any other pot

This is the pressure cooker I use, and it can feed up to 5-6 people. It gets a little dicey with more.

Please check me in. Unfortunately, I will be working late tonight, so won't be able to assist with net control. I'll tune in when possible after leaving work.