Cooking while camping can be a fun experience or a chore that takes the pleasure out of your trip, depending on how prepared you are for the challenges of outdoor cooking. In addition to menus and food items that offer ease of preparation, your cooking tools can make the difference between convenient, hearty meals and labor-intensive projects.
Dutch Oven
The Dutch oven has been a mainstay campfire cooking utensil since the pioneer days. These cast-iron pots allow you to cook as well as bake, letting you to make everything from cowboy stews and baked beans to biscuits and pizza. Dutch ovens feature a sturdy handle for hanging on a pole over a fire or lifting out of a pit after you've covered the pot with coals or embers. Usually used for slow-cooking, Dutch ovens provide dry heat for baking and a sealed environment for stewing meats or other dishes.
Cooking and Serving Utensils
If you are cooking over an open heat source, especially a fire, you'll want to bring long-handled spatulas, spoons, forks and tongs for stirring, turning and serving foods. In addition to the length of the implement, you'll want to consider the handle's material. If someone leaves the utensil in a hot pot or pan, you'll want to be able to grab it without burning your hand.
Griddles
Hotcakes, eggs, sausages, steaks and other outdoor favorites are perfect for griddle cooking, especially if you are cooking over an open fire. Using a grill over open-fire source, you may not be able to control the height of the flames and you won't be able to distribute heat as evenly as you will with a griddle. In addition to cooking, cleaning will be an issue, so look for sturdy, nonstick griddles or use a cooking spray with cast-iron griddles.
Skillets, Pots and Pans
Like your griddle, you'll want skillets, pots and pans that can stand up to intense heat or an open flame. Pay particular attention to the handle if you're cooking over a campfire—look for longer handles made with a nonflammable material. Aluminum, stainless steel and titanium are lightweight materials that heat quickly, but food sticks when cooking over an uncontrolled heat source, making cleanup more of a chore. Cast iron takes longer to heat, but is always popular among seasoned camping cooks.
Grills
If you are using a coal-burning grill or barbecue, you'll want to make sure it's stable, with legs or wheels that can handle slightly uneven terrain and the resultant uneven weight distribution without tipping over. The actual metal grill on which the food rests should be free of rust and other debris, so you'll want to clean it before your campout.
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