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Camp Cooking

Whether it's cooking a stir fry on a gas powered fry-pan or brewing up a hot stew in a camp oven over hot coals - this article will provide you with some great outback cooking tips. We discuss the various camp stoves and the different preparations involved with camp cooking. We reveal some tips on bush cooking with some great recipes and then finish up with everyone's not so favourite part of cooking - the washing up.
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 Cooking Techniques

Deciding what to cook often depends on what sort of cooking method is available at the time. If you are staying at a caravan park or National Park for instance, you normally cannot make an open fire. In these circumstances you are restricted to using a gas burner, or hopefully a gas or even electric bbq supplied at the establishment. However, if you are travelling in the outback you generally can make an open fire provided you only use dead wood and do not cut down trees or parts of trees. Knowing your wood will help in making a good campfire as some wood will simply never create coals, whereas other woods will create fantastically hot coals ideal for camp oven cooking.

Once you have established which method of cooking you'll be using for your meal, you can then select what would be the best cooking implement.

The trick to camp cooking is to know your equipment and how to use it. Then all you need to do is plan meals that can be cooked with these tools and pack the appropriate ingredients. In many cases you can cook exactly the same meals as you do at home.

The main cooking methods when camping are:
Folding Bucket Folding Bucket
A freestanding, lightweight and compact solution for carrying and storing water in the outdoors. Thoughtfully designed with an additional grab handle on the base for easy pouring, the tall shape is ideal for use with water purification systems.
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Kitchen Sink Kitchen Sink
Now you can bring it with you! The Kitchen sink is great for carrying and storing water for cooking, washing up or washing yourself. The Kitchen sink is ideal for group camping, and makes a great present for the outdoorsperson who has everything. Now available in a small/compact 5 litre or big group 20 litre capacity!
$0.00
Nalgene Storage Jars - Medium Travel Kit Nalgene Storage Jars - Medium Travel Kit
This compact assortment of 8 bottles is great for packing and organizing shampoo, lotions, vitamins and other travel essentials.
Nalgene Storage Jars - Small Travel Kit Nalgene Storage Jars - Small Travel Kit
Put an end to spills with the leak-proof bottles contained in this Small Travel Kit. The containers in this Small Travel Kit by Nalgene® are sized to fit in a carry-on bag or purse. This compact assortment of 6 bottles is great for packing and organizing shampoo, lotions, vitamins and other travel essentials.
Nalgene Wide Mouth Cantene Nalgene Wide Mouth Cantene
These super-strong transparent plastic cantenes will go with the flow and stand up when asked, thanks to their gusseted bottoms. Attached loop-top caps make them easy to open and close, and their collapsible construction allows for easy storage when empty. Freezer safe, great for storing soups, prepared meals, olives, flour etc.
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SteriPEN Classic with Pouch SteriPEN Classic with Pouch
SteriPEN purifies water using Ultraviolet (UV) light. Whether your source is a clear running brook or a hotel tap, SteriPEN Classic destroys viruses, bacteria and protozoa, including Giardia and Cryptosporidium, in seconds. There's no pumping, no chemicals, no filter clogging, and best of all, no after taste.
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Tek Towel Tek Towel
The Tek Towel is a classic terry style towel in absorbent and quick drying microfibre, and is perfect for all travel or outdoor use. Ultra fine micro-fibre. Super absorbent. Fast drying
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The Outhouse Toilet Roll Holder The Outhouse Toilet Roll Holder
Appreciated by happy campers the world over, the Outhouse is a masterpiece of design that took over 2 years to develop! With an internal toilet roll holder the Outhouse dispenses dry bottom tickets on demand, and can be hung from a nearby tree or even around the neck for bathroom convenience.
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Trash Sack Trash Sack
Designed with a unique roll top closure that accepts a disposable garbage bag liner, the Trash Dry Sack is used as a soft garbage bin in the field or in your car. Roll the closure shut to prevent any liquids leaking out while transporting and open it up to throw your rubbish in.
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Ultra-Sil Shopping Bag Ultra-Sil Shopping Bag
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 Cooking with Gas/Fuel

Cooking king prawns and kebabs on a gas hotplate Frypans, billys and hotplates can all be used on a gas burner. Frypans and billys come in cast iron (excellent heat retention but heavy), aluminium (lightweight but a health risk and food is prone to sticking/burning), enamel (lightweight and cheap but prone to chipping and then food can stick/burn), stainless steel (lightweight, durable but expensive).

Personally, we prefer stainless implements. We carry 2 billys that nestle inside one another plus a billy with a spout for use as a kettle. The only problem we have had is that our equipment uses rivots, which have eventually created weak spots and leakages (after approx. 4 years use). This problem is overcome with a spot of welding.

We also carry a thin cast-iron hotplate that is designed to fit 2 burner gas cookers. These are available from most good camping stores and means you can have a BBQ without an open fire.

Some people prefer gas cooking, simply because they find campfire cooking too dirty. However, gas cooking is often your only option when fire restrictions are in place or where firewood is scarce.

There are three main types of gas/fuel camp stoves.

LPG Stoves

These stoves are very popular due to the significant advantages over other stove types. LPG is a fairly inexpensive fuel to purchase. It burns clean and efficient, leaving the stove to be cleaned afterwards with ease. The LPG gas bottles are readily available at most hardware, camping and service stations for direct bottle exchanging or refilling. LPG bottles can be used to power other devices such as LPG lanterns. Last but not least, some trailers have welded LPG bottle holders built in to carry them safely.
A Coleman dual-fuel stove

Dual-Fuel Stoves

These stoves are quite expensive to purchase and can run off Coleman fuels and unleaded petrol. Being designed to run of off unleaded petrol definitely has its advantages because unleaded fuel is cheap and easily available. Most travellers also carry extra unleaded petrol in petrol cans or jerry cans for various uses. The main problem, is that if you spill unleaded petrol or get it on your hands, you will have a hard time getting rid of the odour.
A portable single burner butane stove

Butane Stoves

These offer an affordable and very portable means of cooking. The butane canisters are compact and very cheap to purchase. The main disadvantages of these stoves are: the butane canisters are not as commonly available as the other fuels, especially when you are in the middle of nowhere. Since the butane canisters are quite small and hold little liquid butane, they don't last very long and they can offer poor performance in cold weather.

 Cooking with Fire Wood

Helping with building the open wood fire There is definately an art to preparing a campfire suitable for cooking but with a little know-how and practise anyone can do it.. Please refer to our section on Fires in our Environment article and also our section on Campfires in our Travel Etiquette article.

The main styles of open fire cooking are:
  • Grilling/toasting - open grill wire, cast-iron jaffle press or a stick!

  • Boiling - billy/camp oven

  • Roasting/baking/stewing - camp oven

  • Sauté/frying - frypan/camp oven

  • Barbeque - hotplate
Each method requires a different style of campfire, amount of wood & cooking time.

TIP

You will need a few extra campfire implements to make removal of pots from the fire safe such as: a long wire handle with a hook to remove pots from fire, leather gloves to handle hot pots, a brush to dust coals off lid of camp oven, plus your regular cooking utensils such as long and short handled tongs, metal spatula, wooden spoon etc.
An iron camping pot lid lifter Camping gloves Cooking tongs
When you only have limited supplies of wood, or wood that will not form coals that will hold their heat for long, then a grilled meal is your best choice. Just remember that you should always avoid cooking on the naked flame - all open fire cooking is best done on hots coals. Allow the flames to die down and the wood will start to create hot coals. Then just place the pot amongst the coals. Add or remove coals to achieve the desired temperature. Note - more heat is generated by coals than flame so take care. If you do prefer to cook using the naked flame, you need to elevate the food above the flame using a tripod.

Camp Ovens are extremely versatile and most experienced campers wouldn't go anywhere without one. From boiling water to cook shellfish in, to slow cooked casseroles, roasts, soups, risottos, bread, even lasagnes, you could get by with just this one pot. Just about any recipe you have at home can be adapted to cooking in camp oven, with curries and casseroles being particularly easy.

 Cooking with Heat Beads

Cooking a thai chicken curry on a Cob cooker Cooking a thai chicken curry on a Cob cooker
Below is a Cob cooker showing the burning heat beads

A Cob cooker showing the burning flames

 Camping Recipes

If you're looking for a bit of inspiration for your next camping trip, then try some of the very good camp cooking books available from our online shop. We have found some of the best camp cookbooks on the market and these are available right here.

Outback Cooking in a Camp Oven Outback Cooking in a Camp Oven
Tells you everything you need know about cooking in a camp oven, from baked fish to ginger rolls and damper. Jack Absalom's recipes also come from Jack's uncle Reg who spent many years on outback stations. Over 100,000 copies sold!
Glovebox Cookbook Glovebox Cookbook
104 pages with 176 recipes. The author may not be that well known, but this is an excellent cookbook that you must take with you on all your camping trips.
Viv Moons Outdoor Cookbook Viv Moons Outdoor Cookbook
This cookbook has been written specifically to help you get the most out of cooking during your travels. The recipes are easy and simple using ingredients that are readily available wherever you may be.
Food for the Road Food for the Road
Food For The Road is easy to follow, featuring over 100 recipes which the whole family will enjoy. Most recipes are simple to make using the most basic of ingredients which travellers, campers and caravanners would usually have in their tucker box. All meals will be appreciated just as much at home as in the camp.
$34.95 $22.11 [Add to Cart]Today's Special
Caravan Chef Caravan Chef
Seasoned traveller Eva Stovern has selected just 30 ingredients to take on the road, chosen for their versatility, long storage life and ease of preparation. Armed with these ingredients you can cook savouries, soups, salads, pastas, rice dishes, chicken, meat, fish and curries.
$19.95 $15.96 [Add to Cart]

 Washing Up

A blue coloured sponge Don't forget that washing dishes, cups and wiping down surfaces will still have to be done when on holiday. Here's a few simple tips to help make the chore a little easier:

  • Keep 2 sets of sponges (colour-code to remember which is which). One for dishes, one for cleaning dust off surfaces!

  • To clean a camp oven and keep it rust-free, don't wash it up with detergent after cooking. Simply boil up a bit of water in the empty pan and tip it off. Then spray a light layer of spray oil on the inside and outside surfaces. Rub lightly with paper towel and store in a canvas bag.

  • If possible, choose a washing basin that has a double purpose - eg. baby bath. Square tubs are often better as they can stack/pack better than round basins.

  • Look for dishwashing liquid bottles that won't leak. Small cheap plastic bottles of dishwashing liquid with flat screw-top lids in concentrate form are ideal.

  • Pack at least 2 tea-towels.

  • Consider how you will prepare your hot washing-up water. This will largely depend on your kitchen configuration and what cooking method you are using, along with your available water supplies. Avoid using valuable drinking grade water if remote camping, and consider using the vegetable drain-off water rather than tipping on the ground. It might look a bit dirtier than what you use at home, but you'll get used to it.
Using a bucket to help wash and clean

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[fi]/135232/Forum/Pic_46[/fi][fi]/135232/Forum/Pic_45[/fi] I prom...
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I just bought a new cast iron double jaffle iron. I did the Hot w...
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I'd seen one of these a few years ago and had been looking ever sinc...
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Hi all, when out camping and only cooking on fire/coals. I would lik...
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 Related Shop Items

Outback Cooking in a Camp Oven Outback Cooking in a Camp Oven
Tells you everything you need know about cooking in a camp oven, from baked fish to ginger rolls and damper. Jack Absalom's recipes also come from Jack's uncle Reg who spent many years on outback stations. Over 100,000 copies sold!
Glovebox Cookbook Glovebox Cookbook
104 pages with 176 recipes. The author may not be that well known, but this is an excellent cookbook that you must take with you on all your camping trips.
Viv Moons Outdoor Cookbook Viv Moons Outdoor Cookbook
This cookbook has been written specifically to help you get the most out of cooking during your travels. The recipes are easy and simple using ingredients that are readily available wherever you may be.
Food for the Road Food for the Road
Food For The Road is easy to follow, featuring over 100 recipes which the whole family will enjoy. Most recipes are simple to make using the most basic of ingredients which travellers, campers and caravanners would usually have in their tucker box. All meals will be appreciated just as much at home as in the camp.
$34.95 $22.11 [Add to Cart]Today's Special
Caravan Chef Caravan Chef
Seasoned traveller Eva Stovern has selected just 30 ingredients to take on the road, chosen for their versatility, long storage life and ease of preparation. Armed with these ingredients you can cook savouries, soups, salads, pastas, rice dishes, chicken, meat, fish and curries.
$19.95 $15.96 [Add to Cart]
Kitchen Sink Kitchen Sink
Now you can bring it with you! The Kitchen sink is great for carrying and storing water for cooking, washing up or washing yourself. The Kitchen sink is ideal for group camping, and makes a great present for the outdoorsperson who has everything. Now available in a small/compact 5 litre or big group 20 litre capacity!
$0.00
Nalgene Storage Jars - Medium Travel Kit Nalgene Storage Jars - Medium Travel Kit
This compact assortment of 8 bottles is great for packing and organizing shampoo, lotions, vitamins and other travel essentials.
SteriPEN Classic with Pouch SteriPEN Classic with Pouch
SteriPEN purifies water using Ultraviolet (UV) light. Whether your source is a clear running brook or a hotel tap, SteriPEN Classic destroys viruses, bacteria and protozoa, including Giardia and Cryptosporidium, in seconds. There's no pumping, no chemicals, no filter clogging, and best of all, no after taste.
$199.95 [Add to Cart]