Cooking gear

[Steve Curren]

For years I have been going out caming with old pots, pans and an old skillet. I would like to have a new set of items as well as advise as to sizes and if non-stick was best. I have already have a stainless coffee pot and need to have items that will go in the Chaser as well as into the Jeep if I decide not to take the trailer. I would like to have enough to cook for about 5-8 people.
Thanks,
Steve

 

[SinCity4r]

I just picked up one of these sets:
http://www.rei.com/product/5368.htm

I haven't used it yet, but everything stacks nicely, is very light, and includes some shammies to protect and clean them. I believe you can add other things from the MSR Blacklite series and they will all stack nicely. MSR seems to make some really nice stuff.

 

[robert]

I would be leary of the Teflon coated non-stick pots/pans for offorad use. New research is showing Teflon in the system is not a good thing and that it may even cross the placental membrane (not sure how- I need to find the article). Anyways, given that they may take a beating and score/scratch the coating I would avoid them. I used to carry a nonstick frying pan until I scratched it up bouncing around off road. I generally use cast iron or my old pots now.

Be careful of the enamel coated for the same reason.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

I agree about the caution regarding Teflon for everyday use, but for camp cooking gear I don't worry about it, and it sure does save water for desert camp cleanup. I always pack mine with paper towels between the pots for padding, then use the towels for cleanup and replace them from the roll.

For car camping I don't carry lightweight backpacking pots, which scorch easily, but heavier aluminum pots.

But I also know that a properly seasoned cast iron pan is hard to beat for non-stick qualities. And nothing comes close to the taste of a stew or cobbler cooked in a cast iron Dutch oven!

 

[Mike S]

I have burned food in, and scrubbed food out of more damned aluminum cook kits than I can count. It finally dawned on me that cook kits are made to sell to campers, not to actually cook a meal in!

Off I went to Costco, and for 149 bucks I bought a full set of regular non-stick cookware. I vetted through it and the stuff I didn't need for the road I put in the kitchen cupboard. Kept the large saute pan, medium saute pan, large and medium kettles (and sauce pans, steamer liner, and added a griddle. I stack these in my wooden kitchen box with the rubber drawer liners between pots, and I can now cook a complete meal in a pan big enough to fix breakfast or dinner for six, and is very easy to clean, rinse and dry.

It took me a very long time to realize the obvious - cooking in camp should be as much like cooking in the kitchen at home as is possible.

M

 

[Grouseman]

Cook

Mike,

When and if we finally meet someday in the wild west for some Upland hunting, you probably need to be in charge of cooking. Sounds like you have worked out all the details on this expedition camping, hunting, etc. But I do have a few good recipes for Birds on the grill.:campfire:

It took me a very long time to realize the obvious - cooking in camp should be as much like cooking in the kitchen at home as is possible.

M[/QUOTE]

 

[flywgn]

...For car camping I don't carry lightweight backpacking pots, which scorch easily, but heavier aluminum pots.

But I also know that a properly seasoned cast iron pan is hard to beat for non-stick qualities. And nothing comes close to the taste of a stew or cobbler cooked in a cast iron Dutch oven!

We carry lots of cast iron, but then we have an F250. :victory:

 

[Mike S]

Steve

You pluck and butterfly the day's chukars and flatten them a bit, rub with lemon juice and olive oil, salt heavily and pepper lightly. Let them set for an hour, and put them on a hot grill turn when lightly marked and serve when just done with pan roasted potatoes, steamed asparagus and garlic bread. Pour out a little David Bruce Pinot Noir, and enjoy. Apricot gobbler or a three berry torte for dessert - with an orange muscat to accompany.

The next day - you will be motivated to work a little harder for the birds...

M

 

[Steve Curren]

So what it sounds like is everyone is of the same opinion, keep what I have and just continue to cook away. I have not done any dutch oven cooking but I understand that done properly it is great and I also do enjoy using the cast iron skillet. I was just trying to keep the number of boxes down and thought that maybe some of these fancy pots and pans might be the thing. I am one who is not in love with clean up and would rather cook than clean the skillet and pans.
Thanks to all for the thoughts and I will just try to find containers that are more suited to the shapes. :elkgrin:
Steve

 

[Scott Brady]

Iron Chef :eatchicke

I use either my MSR kit, or All Clad Stainless

 

[Nullifier]

HMMM looks good scott. My wife and I tend to pack no stick on trips. Since we do alot of canoe camping our Kitchen is really ythe same for all trips. One thing that is funny is when we lead multi day kayak trips and people laugh at our loaded canoe. Then when we get to camp and cook no one laughs anymore. They eat the standard MRE and we are having salmon on the grill.

 

[Steve Curren]

Scott,
Food looks good, what site has the gooking gear you are talking about?
Steve

 

[flywgn]

I love all this stuff about cooking, grilling, and general food prep. While Diana is the preeminent chef in our twosome, I'm sometimes the "hunter" in our nomadic existence. Therefore, chukkar, quail, dove, duck, venison, elk, trout, and other assorted game meats find their way into the pot.

While I joked a bit in the F250 = cast iron reply, both of us prefer the cast iron, but we carry the non-stick ware as well. The caution about the Teflon® has to do with high heat, in excess of 500ºF, as I understand the caviat. This does not come into play with our camp kitchen.

We have a couple of saucepans, two sizes of skillets (in both cast iron and non-stick), and a griddle (also non-stick). I use the griddle for various preps, not just pancakes. We also have a Dutch oven along...medium sized; I forget the exact quart size, but if it's important I'll go look.

The items we can't do without are the skillets. Sautéeing is a major part of our outdoor cooking. Meats, veggies, you name it. They all go into the skillet.

Another item which has turned out to be an important part of our camp kitchen is our wok. Many times this takes the place of the skillet and is wonderful for one-dish meals. No, not just wonderful, it's indispensible.

WHOA! I just re-read some of the thread before doing the 'preview' bit and I see someone who likes pinot noir--and a David Bruce, at that!

Mike S, you and I HAVE to get together. Most of my wine closet is red wine, and most of the red wine is PN. Several of the DBs and a lot of Oregon, CA Central Coast, New Zealand (yep, some good ones there), and others. I even have a couple of $$$$$$ Burgundies.

In fact, Diana made a fabulous beef Stroganoff for tonight's fare, and I extracted the cork from a bottle of Yamhill Valley (OR) pn. Yowzers! It's a shame that Diana does not drink alcohol. I have the whole bottle to meself.:jumping:

 

[flywgn]

Speaking of camp cooking I just had to add this.

During the Tunisia Rally of last year, Andy partook of some dishes which were foreign to him. He had told us about the superior dinners KTM was providing, and he knew how much Diana and I enjoy bouillabaisse, so when he FINISHED his the evening before the first Rally Leg in Tunis he took the photo below and sent it to us.

BTW he loved it.

Yummy!

 

[Mike S]

...WHOA! I just re-read some of the thread before doing the 'preview' bit and I see someone who likes pinot noir--and a David Bruce, at that!

Mike S, you and I HAVE to get together. Most of my wine closet is red wine, and most of the red wine is PN. Several of the DBs and a lot of Oregon, CA Central Coast, New Zealand (yep, some good ones there), and others. I even have a couple of $$$$$$ Burgundies.

In fact, Diana made a fabulous beef Stroganoff for tonight's fare, and I extracted the cork from a bottle of Yamhill Valley (OR) pn. Yowzers! It's a shame that Diana does not drink alcohol. I have the whole bottle to meself.:jumping:

Ah, a very good long time friend and hunting buddy's wife is a good friend of Jan Bruce, DB's wife. He has CASES of the stuff packed away. He gets regular invites to my hunting camp in NE Oregon, naturally.

I always have some chukars or grouse on hand for an occasion. Happy to help with your reds, but I don't do whites. I do like some muscats and ports, however. I may even find a bottle of two of Heitz, Silver Oak or similar CS for a change of pace, tho' PN is my favorite.

I had a client in Paris, and used to go over there every month for a week. My, but I actually clanked when moving the hand luggage into the overhead bins on the return trips.

Mike