Hi all
I am a professional chef by trade and therefore know that I can cook anything while at camp.
That however is my problem, I want to have the versitility of being able to cook whatever but don't want the hassle or the weight of taking a full kitchen setup.
Just because I can cook a steak pie from scratch doesn't mean I am likely to but I feel I should have the ability to if the case arises.
Fyi I am a tent camper
Any other professionals or avid/brilliant non-professionals I would love to know what you think
If you want to cook a steak pie from scratch while tent camping you must either build yourself an oven from an oil drum covered in clay with a fire in a trench below or you should consider a doing steak pudding.
Having built an oil drum oven you'll be able to do the most delicious roasts especially lamb that melts off the bone.
My mother used to do a marvelous steak and kidney pudding cooked in a muslin cloth. No one seems to make suet puddings anymore. Think of all the sweet puddings you could make the following days with oodles of custard.
To prepare the meat and veg for the pie or pudding you'll need a decent knife and a chopping board or a plate.
To prepare the pastry you'll need a washable table top, an aluminium water bottle could serve as a rolling pin.
The standard billy set (nesting saucepans) tend to be quite small so get at least one decent sized dixie can. (next size up from a billy can).
The ultimate challenge for a camp cook is to prepare a presentable trifle, without a fridge, on a hot summer's day.
You could just turn you camp kitchen into a fritterie and serve pancakes with exciting toppings.
Are you planning to camp with or without EHU please?
If you have not purchased your kitchen equipment yet, then I would advise getting a Coleman 424 Dual Fuel 2-burner stove, with a replacement charger if you can find one as a spare.
It is great for using all year round including at low temperature when butane and butane/propane may struggle to burn. It also has the advantage of no LPG bottle to carry. Just need to carry a bottle of Coleman fuel or equivalent (like 99 RON unleaded petrol).
As for cookware, for non-induction ready, I swear by MSR Alpine Stowaway stainless steel saucepans, and my set for camping under canvas is now at home and are used frequently.
For frying pan, I would advise getting cheapo 20cm ones with folding handles.
If induction ready is required, then I would strongly recommend Tefal Ingenio Stainless Steel or Expertise ranges - I have them in my campervan for my induction hob and am very happy with them:
https://www.tefal.co.uk/ingenio
I am not keen on pies or baked food, hence I did not carry an electric oven when I was camping under canvas. Although I had a stove top oven in a different design, I did not use it once in my tenting days.
I used a 2kW kettle, and was very careful not to have that on when I was using the fan heater.
I also carried a 28L thermo-electric cool box for provisions. The cheaper ones are fine as long as the ambient temperature does not go much above 24 degC, otherwise the food may spoil.
Hope this helps. Ask away and I shall see what I can do to help.
Lastly here is a pic of my last camp kitchen set up back in 2018:
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Relax. You are camping not working. Use your professional skills to keep this as simple as possible. You need a 2 burner gas stove & only the pots,pans & utensils you feel you need. You will be surprised at what you can produce.
When I had a VW camper I used to go to a VW show which ran a cooking in a camper competition. The rules were the meal had to be produced using only the 2 burner stove in the camper. It was amazing what the winner produced.
I use a Trangia set augmented with a better frying pan and their large 4.5l billy can, plus a Triangle to act as a second burner.
Also usually a Weber Go-Anywhere (charcoal, not gas). Plus a single burner Campingaz stove sometimes.
I like cooking and have used this set up to do things like seafood risotto (including making stock) and a full roast dinner.
Mostly though there's a lot of marinading and grilling goes on. If you like stews/curries they're easy with limited facilities and home-made flatbreads are quick, easy and impressive.
Quote: Originally posted by seanfdh on 05/1/2022
I use a Trangia set augmented with a better frying pan and their large 4.5l billy can, plus a Triangle to act as a second burner.
Also usually a Weber Go-Anywhere (charcoal, not gas). Plus a single burner Campingaz stove sometimes.
I like cooking and have used this set up to do things like seafood risotto (including making stock) and a full roast dinner.
Mostly though there's a lot of marinading and grilling goes on. If you like stews/curries they're easy with limited facilities and home-made flatbreads are quick, easy and impressive.
I bought a Cobb to carry in my van, in the hope it will allow me to go off grid without using EHU for a couple of days, to attend rallies at sites with minimal facilities.
I have planned to camp in the van while she is parked up outside my house before the start of the season this year, just not got round to it yet.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by whitejon on 04/1/2022
Hi all
I am a professional chef by trade and therefore know that I can cook anything while at camp.
That however is my problem, I want to have the versitility of being able to cook whatever but don't want the hassle or the weight of taking a full kitchen setup.
Just because I can cook a steak pie from scratch doesn't mean I am likely to but I feel I should have the ability to if the case arises.
Fyi I am a tent camper
Any other professionals or avid/brilliant non-professionals I would love to know what you think
Cheers
Post last edited on 04/01/2022 14:53:52
We all have to work out how to prepare and cook the meals we like best - whether camping or at home - and which kit works to best achieve that. You'll see from the answers already received that both issues are highly subjective. Just tailor your menus and kit to suit.
We've used almost every kind on camp cooking option over the years but nowadays EHU works best for us and we use a Tefal induction hob, good stacking pans and a Remoska. It's all compact, versatile, easy to use and a doddle to clean.
For non-EHU, we preferred a gas stove and a Cobb (but the Cobb was a bit of a pig to clean and not as reliably good as the Remoska).
You also need to think about food storage, especially meat, fish and dairy. I'd recommend a compressor fridge for when on EHU and an Icey Tek when not.
As already mentioned, it's essential to take a couple of decent knives and a chopping board.
We never compromise on food when away camping. I think having confidence in your kit is key.
Cooking on a wood fire places you anywhere between the stone age and the Victorian era, the Tudor period was good for feasts and steak pies.
Cooking on gas is very 20th century, keeping the home fires burning in WW1, rationing in WW2 and For Mash Get Smash in the 1960's.
Using an EHU with the latest 21 century induction hobs and storage fridges is very post modern but dependent on a reliable power supply.
Camp and cook the way that suits you.
Would it make an interesting TV series to drop chefs into people's camp kitchens and see what they can come up with ?
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Camp cooking
via mobile 04/1/2022 at 2:29pm
