Cooking in camp does not need to be limited to roasting hot dogs over the campfire. There is a variety of camp kitchen equipment available to please the frugal and the gourmet alike. With the right camp stove, camp oven, pots, pans and other accessories, you can prepare tasty, fun and healthy meals to fill your campers' bellies.
Camp Stoves
Camp stoves burn liquid or gas fuel. Propane stoves are the most popular, using disposable or refillable canisters. If your cooking needs are simple, a single-burner stove will serve you well without taking up a lot of storage or table space. However, if you plan elaborate meals involving multiple burners going at once, or want to use a stove-top camp oven or double-burner griddle, you'll need a two- or three-burner stove. Larger stoves typically have a lid that doubles as a wind screen and close into a easily portable box.
Camp Ovens
Camp ovens are designed to sit on a camp stove or are integrated with the camp stove as a single unit. Camp ovens have a rack like a traditional oven and are typically just large enough for a six-cup muffin pan or pie pan. A more traditional way to bake is to use a Dutch oven in or over the campfire. A Dutch oven is deep pot with a lid, typically made from cast iron, with thick walls that distribute the heat evenly.
Other Cooking Equipment
For many people, coffee is not optional. If you have access to electricity, 12 volt camp drip coffee makers are the easiest option. Stove-top percolators, French presses and pour-over brewers are other options for getting that morning cup of joe. In addition to propane-driven stoves and ovens, propane-fueled skillets, grills and slow cookers provide for nearly every cooking need.
Pots and Pans
Camp pots, pans and skillets are often designed to nest for easy storage, with removable or folding handles. If you want to pack light, traditional thin aluminum and titanium camp cookware is the way to go. However, the thin walls and floors do not heat evenly, requiring careful attention to keep from burning food. Thick-walled camp cookware is more like traditional kitchen cookware, with features like folding handles or locking lids for easy storage. Cast iron cookware is suitable for the stove-top or campfire, but it is very heavy, is rarely designed to pack neatly and requires special care.
Over the Campfire
Propane stoves and ovens are convenient, but traditional campfire cooking is just plain fun. Cast iron or thick-walled, solid metal cookware can be placed in or over the fire. A free-standing campfire grill rack lets you grill foods right over the flames. A three-legged stand can be used to suspend a cooking pot or special grill rack. Marshmallow sticks, hot dog sticks, shishkebab skewers, grilling tongs and spatulas, fish racks and similar implements are all useful tools to have in your campfire cooking kit. Include a roll of heavyweight aluminum foil and oven mitts, as well, for convenience and safety.
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