Camp Cookery

[Marcel Huijser]

It is really interesting to read and see about different cook setups.
I recognize that there are a bunch of factors that influence our cooking habits and how they may vary in different situations:
1. How much time do you spend at camp around dinner time? Do you have time to prepare, setup, and cook, or are you doing things away from camp and don't arrive at the site till after dark?
2. Weather: Temperature, wind, precipitation (inside or outside cooking?)
3. Mosquitos
4. Want a quick dinner or a culinary feast?
5. Ambiance (e.g. camp fire)

Keep on sharing, I love seeing different setups... they make my mouth water !

[Otter]

This thread is making me hungry!

Originally Posted by Scalf77

I always like to use a Dutch Oven
-greg

Yum, I want some of those. I always admire folks who use the DO. I think it requires patience but so worth it.

Originally Posted by Glen

I used to do BBQ competitions and got into DO cooking during that time. I also got into "Cowboy Cooking" over an open fire & pit cooking. I've even cooked a Thanksgiving turkey in an inverted metal trash can...

Wow, that’s some major cooking! That DO shows up in so many places.

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

I bring frozen or prepared deli dinners, pastas, burritos, etc and only have to heat them in the microwave.

I need to make room for a microwave. Had one in my trailer but somehow never used it. I’m thinking that with the smallness of the van and the frequent rain we have here, it could come in mighty handy.

Originally Posted by ShuttlePilot

Here is a peak of the upgrades I've done to power the radiation box.

Hehehe. Radiation box! Nice looking electrical area. Please post more pics.

Originally Posted by ctb

Here are some pictures of our solution, the Sous Vide cooking/apparatus

Cool! I’ve read about those.

Originally Posted by Marcel Huijser

I recently found out you can get refillable 1 pound propane tanks from flame king (safe, legal). Will switch to that to reduce the waste of the throw-away tanks, and it is less expensive too.

Ive looked at those in REI. Let us know if you go that route.

Originally Posted by cthayn

We fall on the side of simple and easy. We have started using our 3 quart Instant Pot Cooker.

I just got one of these for home (6qt). If you have favorite recipes for camp, please share.

Originally Posted by LenS

We never cook inside our van (will boil water and use freeze dried food when weather is really bad). The side door area is set up as our kitchen. We use a white gas Coleman stove and dutch ovens. We eat outside or inside depending on the weather and our mood.

What a great setup. I’m always impressed with photos of your camp. With all that great food, it looks as good as home. I like how you made that door kitchen at a lower counter height.

Originally Posted by MDBergholm

Has anyone tried one of these 12v marine ovens?

Please share if you do go forward with this.

Originally Posted by Steve C

Thanks Otter, the galley is part of my ongoing cabinet and drawer "make-over". I will start a thread on the project as soon as I get the rest of the components installed. In the meantime, the wood is solid hickory.

That’s just beautiful. Can I contact you for dimensions? I’m hoping to make one that sits on barrel hinges/bolts to pop on when camping and off around town. And trying to decide if I want the full expandable version or something more compact like yours.

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[LindaDV]

We've done the campstove, the Dutch oven and various cooking methods for many years until the kids left home. Sold the pop-up and bought the Eurovan camper in 2000, been cooking inside and simple since then. Same cooking style as home and now in the Sportsmobile. The 3qt Instant Pot gets used for several meals. I prepare or measure ingredients for less prep on site. Favorites are chili mac and spaghetti, mac and cheese, and an egg casserole. Some noodle and rice mixes with additions to make a meal. The Instant Pot uses very little power for short cooking times.

[KDB]

I go with my partner steel stove - which is a spacious two burner - and recently started bringing a small gas smoker that doubles as a good oven. Great smoking meats on trips. Particularly when wanting to vac seal and store immediately. It sips propane and often I'll smoke for 6 hours or so with this unit. I usually try to come back with as much fish as i can for future eating!

[daveb]

I'm one who gave up on heavy pots and pans a long time ago and took on more of a upgraded backpacking approach. If traveling by myself I often take easy to heat meals vac packed in food savor bags. I have a cook and carry thermos that works well. Just throw the bags in the pot of boiling water until the foods warm, then set the pot into the cook and carry. Keeps food warm for hours so you can cook early and have a warm meal around the fire later on. Prepackaged chili, soup, beans, and pasta is easy to prepare. Even have done pre-cooked chicken wings. After a long day of activity, EZ is good IMO.

I like cooking veggies in those steaming bags using the microwave. Veggies cook so fast many times I don't even need to fire up the engine and still have plenty of power throughout the night.

I carry a small one burner propane stove that mounts on a 1 gallon propane tank. This is my general way to boil water or heat my morning espresso and the burner works OK heating a 12" or smaller skillet.

A Weber gas grill is my workhorse though. It's square and packs well in the bumper box. I like this BBQ more than most as there is practically no cleanup required after use. It also works as an oven in some aspects. I love chicken, steaks and burgers but I can even cook small pizzas on the BBQ.

Now I do carry some cast iron stuff along with a 2-burner Coleman propane stove in my SMB off road trailer. I also have the Coleman oven in my trailer. I just don't have the room in the van so I adjust the types of food for the trip depending on if I'm pulling my trailer.

[Craigk]

I make meals before i go at home then them then when on the road i just drop them in the pot of boiling water. Here a a couple trips where we cooked like this.

[dar636]

Originally Posted by YoTerryh

I like my Coleman Grill Stove for the versatility. I don't have to carry a stove plus a grill, and it works well for 95% of the camp cooking I do. Of course I also have my two-burner cooktop inside the van and I use it for coffee in the morning, and if I want to cook inside during foul weather, or occasionally if I need an extra burner.

One downside is that to put a skillet on the burner you almost have to always have the wind guard on that side disengaged, but I put up with that.

+1, I really like this grill stove and use it often.

[dar636]

And another shot, great combo stove.

[Oly11]

We tend to prep most of our meals before a trip so it is essentially just the cooking/reheating to do at campsites. We keep it pretty simply with our camp stove, aluminess box and a tire table. Not in this picture but my wife had the idea to use a walker bag for our utensils that securely straps to the aluminess ladder.

[Twoxentrix]

Oly11, is that a WaterPort hanging off your rear ladder? I just had a bracket fabricated for mine that just hooks over any one of the steps to hold it in place. Is yours permanently mounted? or also removable?