What do you consider to be the best cookware kit?

[rusty_tlc]

I'm buying stuff at the local restaurant supply place. Very heavy duty and not that expensive.

Cooking in thin pots and pans sucks. None of the mountaineering gear I've ever tried was good for anything other than boiling water. Which is great if you plan to live on freeze dried meals.

My days of back packing for 1 or 2 weeks at a time are long gone. I can afford a few extra pounds in the form of pots and pans that will cook food without scorching it.



If I still carried everything on my back I'd be on a different forum.

 

[spressomon]

I'm buying stuff at the local restaurant supply place. Very heavy duty and not that expensive.

Cooking in thin pots and pans sucks. None of the mountaineering gear I've ever tried was good for anything other than boiling water. Which is great if you plan to live on freeze dried meals.

My days of back packing for 1 or 2 weeks at a time are long gone. I can afford a few extra pounds in the form of pots and pans that will cook food without scorching it.



If I still carried everything on my back I'd be on a different forum.

Geez Dan...I was hoping we'd get out backpacking together sometime.

 

[BlueHZT60]

I guess I'm a throw back. I'm still using the nestling alum. pots my parents used 40+ years ago backpacking. The (then) fancy teflon frypan is still used but it sticks now adays. They all fit together in the wood kitchen box, built in 1970. Silverware is WWII surplus german steel that holds an edge. The forks are actually worn round these days.

I have modernized to a #2 coffee cone, lexan plates and plastic cutting boards.

I still have but don't use the sierra cups, folding Alum plates, screw top film cans -spices and a few other antique goodies.

BTW - I'm done using the coleman lantern (1974) in it's own custom box that doubles as a lantern holder. I'd love to see it go to a good, well loved home.

Bob

 

[nugget]

We might be a bit primitive being from the Siuthern Hemipshere and all but this is our preferred cooking

and

The camp oven is actually aluminium so it heats quickly and is very light to pack.

If fires are not allowed or it is raining....

 

[nugget]

Sorry..posted the same pic tice by mistake.. the first one should have been.....

 

[SWbySWesty]

I am sold on the Snow Peak Field Cooker. Even a strainer for pasta...

Stainless Steel, Iron...so the pots are stainless and the pan is iron?

 

[DesertRose]

Stainless Steel, Iron...so the pots are stainless and the pan is iron?

Yes - they are fantastic. The iron frypan has a screw-in wooden handle that also fits the smaller of the stainless pots. The iron pan you have to scrub really really well when you get it to remove the coating from the factory to keep it from rusting. Then you season it just like cast iron and voila - you have a really great saute pan. (Don't skip this step - and there are no instructions, so if you've never seasoned an iron pan just ask.) It's small but still great for a small kit. You can only cook one big pancake at a time, always a problem my Jonathan, my husband, who could just eat pancakes all day long!

 

[SunTzuNephew]

For plates, the unbreakable Corelle stuff. Available at Wal Mart, Amazon, and such http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_4_3?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=corelle&sprefix=cor

Or, Melmac from thrift stores. If it's stained, cleaning with boiling water and dishwasher detergent (Cascade) gets the stains out.

Both are near indestructable, and pretty inexpensive.

For cups, a collection of insulated driving mugs serves us well. Glasses are plastic, and we prefer the ones with textured outsides.

Flatwear is old stainless steel, unless we want to impress the locals: Then we have some surplus Navy sterling silver :wings:

For cookware, since we use hard-anodized aluminum pots, we mostly use plastic, with plastic cutting boards (from Ikea). Knives are from Ikea, then straight to the professional restaurant knife sharpener. Once they have a good edge on them, they tend to hold it pretty well, and they're a bargain for a full-tang forged knife.

Condiments are in the smallest commercial packages we can get, spices are in 35mm film cans, labeled (the cans are available for free from WalMart in the photo department -- they just toss them out). Staples like sugar, flour, etc are in plastic rubbermaid or Glad containers.

 

[overlander]

Yes - they are fantastic. The iron frypan has a screw-in wooden handle that also fits the smaller of the stainless pots. The iron pan you have to scrub really really well when you get it to remove the coating from the factory to keep it from rusting. Then you season it just like cast iron and voila - you have a really great saute pan. (Don't skip this step - and there are no instructions, so if you've never seasoned an iron pan just ask.) It's small but still great for a small kit. You can only cook one big pancake at a time, always a problem my Jonathan, my husband, who could just eat pancakes all day long!

I plan on getting this kit, so what's your recommendation on with what and how long to scrub the iron pan? And what's the best way to season it?

 

[DesertRose]

I plan on getting this kit, so what's your recommendation on with what and how long to scrub the iron pan? And what's the best way to season it?

It was a real pain - I ended up using a fine-grit sandpaper sponge (you can get them at any hardware store) and very lightly got it off - you'll see it's really thick. No kitchen sponge or solvent will do it that I know of, and the sandpaper is non-toxic and worked.

Wash it out, and to dry it heat it on a burner (not too much, just til it's dry). Then dribble on some good light oil like canola or very light olive, and wipe it all over with a paper towel.

Then, for getting a good seasoning going, heat it up in an oven on low til it's hot (need I say take the wooden handle off and do NOT over heat) then let cool. Do it again, applying just a little more oil but keep the oil light so you don't get gloopy spots.

Until the seasoning is nice and set (after a few times of use) just be gentle with utensils, don't scrape the heck out of it.

And each time you use don't soak it - to wash, heat it up a little, splash in some cold water to release the gunk, scrub it out, rinse, and heat-and-oil on the stovetop and let cool.

I use almost exclusively iron at home (cast) and this seasoning and cleaning works great.

 

[Tucson T4R]

While purchasing a new wok from the wokshop in SF I came across this list 3 different ways to season iron/steel. These are written for a carbon steel wok but should also work well on iron.

I plan to try to the salt method (German style) this time and follow that with a little baked on oil finish.

http://www.wokshop.com/store/tips.php

 

[overlander]

great info! Thanks :ylsmoke:

 

[Maryland 110]

great info! Thanks :ylsmoke:

Mark, I'm following all the things you are going to do to the 110 and kit you are going to buy upon your return. I want to camp with you ! Maybe the 2010 Natl Rally in Moab ?

 

[benedmonson]

I am sold on the Snow Peak Field Cooker. Even a strainer for pasta...

I have this exact kit and love it!!! I thought it was a deal for $150.00. I'm going to start the burn in/seasoning of my skillet in a few minutes because it is a white out outside!!! Thanks for the information on how to properly season this skillet!!!

 

[spressomon]

While purchasing a new wok from the wokshop in SF I came across this list 3 different ways to season iron/steel. These are written for a carbon steel wok but should also work well on iron.

I plan to try to the salt method (German style) this time and follow that with a little baked on oil finish.

http://www.wokshop.com/store/tips.php

Brad,
I've been using the salt method for almost 3-decades. Damn that's hard to say . A buddy pro cook of mine taught me the trick and it IMO is the best way to create a virtually non-stick surface on cast iron or steel such as a wok/crepe pan/etc. In fact I just got a 12" steel wok from the same place in SF for the KK...the 14" was just too big!

1/4" or a little better of cheap veggie oil in the bottom; add enough salt to completely cover the bottom of the pan but just under the oil. Heat until smoking then off the heat. Pour out the oil and wipe the salt out with newspaper or whatever. Repeat as necessary after use to keep that non-stick thing happen'n.