Outdoor Cooking

Make Camping a Culinary Experience

It’s true what they say: Everything tastes better when you are camping. Whether you are frying up the catch of the day or simmering a crock pot of pork ‘n’ beans over the fire, the aroma of camp-cooked grub around the campfire is guaranteed to get those taste buds dancing.

Renovate Your Camp Kitchen Setup: How to Cook Smarter in The Woods

A dialed-in camp kitchen makes cooking in the wild easier, faster and way more enjoyable. When you swap paper plates and disposable utensils with reusable and lightweight cookware, camp chores will start to feel like a party!

Whether you are boiling water for a quick meal or making something a little adventurous, a smart setup helps you cook efficiently and clean up with minimal impact.

Here’s how you can set up a lightweight, functional camp kitchen with the right gear to make mealtime a breeze.

Pick the Right Stove for the Job

Your stove is the heart of your camp kitchen, and choosing the right one depends on where you’re headed and what you would like to cook.

Fast & Light: The Jetboil collection is an ultralight system built for speed, perfect for boiling water for freeze-dried meals or coffee.
Versatile: The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe gives you more control. It can simmer soups, cook pasta, or even fry up a backcountry feast.
Group Cooking: If you are sharing meals, stoves with burners and grills is efficient in any condition and works well with larger pots. You can have more freedom in your outdoor culinary adventures with these kind of stoves.

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Camp Cookware That Works

A solid camp kitchen is all about efficiency and packability. Invest in an easy-set camper’s kitchen that’s convenient, and brings you a step closer to turning camp to home.
Look for a lightweight pot that’s durable enough not just for boiling water but cooking meals.
A long-handled spoon makes eating and serving easier.
A compact or collapsable bowl and mug save space in your pack while still giving you the flexibility to enjoy a proper meal. You can also pick stackable cookware for ease of use.
A small sharp folding knife or a multi-tool takes you a long way. Pair it with packable cutting surface that helps with food prep without adding bulk.
Don’t forget to carry a well-fitted lid to conserve fuel, speed up cooking and to ensure your food is not contaminated.

Tip: Maximize fuel efficiency by turning off your stove just before your meal is fully cooked. The residual heat will finish the job.

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Meal Prep like a Pro

Plan meals that use minimal ingredients and serve multiple purposes.
Pre-chop vegetables, marinate proteins, and pack spice blends at home to save time and cleanup at camp.
Pack a few high-calorie, no-cook options for when weather or fatigue kicks in.

Smart Food Storage & Handling

A hungry critter can easily gnaw through your unattended gear if you are not careful. Keeping your food secure and easy to access is just as important as what you pack.

Use bear-safe storage boxes to keep bears and critters out of your food.
A lightweight dry bag with a carabiner makes for a quick and easy bear hang.
Repack bulk ingredients into air-tight bags or small containers to reduce waste.

Tip: If you are hydrating dried meals, wrap your food in an insulated pouch or your jacket. It stays hot longer and uses less fuel.

Fast and Low-Water Cleanup

Water can be limited in a few campsites and cleaning up efficiently is key.

Carry a plastic bucket or a large collapsable bucket to clean up the utensils. These save space and are handy for not just soaking and washing your utensils but also gathering water and supplies too.
Bring a biodegradable soap, a dish scraper, dish towels, sponge, and reusable napkins, bags for garbage and recycling.

Tip: Use a mesh bag to hang your clean dishes to dry overnight. It saves time and avoids wet clutter in the morning.

Lightweight Extras that Make Big Difference

Coffee Maker: Camp coffee makers have evolved offering lighter and more compact alternatives to traditional home brewing devices.
Accessories: A tablecloth secured with clips, along with fairy lights, solar lanterns, and sit pads, can elevate an ordinary picnic table to a five-star dining experience.
Extra prep space: A portable table gives you space to organize ingredients, cookware, and your stove.
Pour boiling water in an insulated bottle at night to keep you warm in your sleeping bag and give you a ready-to-drink warm water in the morning.

Cook Smart, Stay Safe

Always cook at least 200 feet away from your tent.
Let your stove cool completely before packing it away.
Check for local fire bans and stove restrictions before heading out.

Your Camp Kitchen, Your Way

Whether you are out for a weekend or thru-hiking for weeks, your camp kitchen should work for you. Start small, build a setup that fits your style and enjoy every part of the process.

Tips for Your Camp Kitchen

1. Consider Portability
When it comes to choosing your stove, consider how long you will be carrying your equipment on foot. Take account of the weight of other items you bring along (you might want to avoid anything heavy), and ideally opt for a camp stove with a carrying function.

2. Plan Ahead
Make a list of meals you will be making and ensure you have the right ingredients, storage and utensils.

3. Remember to Pack Fuel
Don’t get stuck relying on the campfire to heat your dinner. Pack your propane and bring along a grill that suits your needs.

4. Invest in a Cooler
A good cooler will keep your meat spoiling or becoming soaked in melted ice part-way through your trip.

5. Bear Safety
Keeping bears away from your campsite starts with how you store and prepare your food.

Cast Iron Headquarters

Cast iron is every camper’s best friend. Thanks to its versatility, you can use cast iron to bake, sauté, fry, sear and more.

For generations, the cast iron cookware has remained popular in kitchens and around campfires, making it a go-to option for many. The cookware has some of the finest properties including heat retention & tolerance (even when used on a propane stove, charcoal, or a campfire), durability and sturdiness. Cast iron is tough and nearly indestructible, making it an easy choice for outdoor cooking.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Canada cast iron distributes even heat across the cooking surface, and with some TLC, your cast iron can last generations.

Here are expert tips and detailed guides on cast iron – including seasoning, cooking, storage, rust removal, reviving, and everything you can think of to help you make the best of your culinary adventures.

Guide to Cast Iron Seasoning

Learn how to get started on your first cleaning, seasoning, recommended oils, tips & hacks for your cast iron cookware.

Guide to Cleaning, Rust Removal and Storage

Understand the workings of cast iron and how to clean, to soap or not to soap, remove rust and stuck mess, storage and more to make your cookware last a lifetime.

Invest in a high-quality cooler if you are packing meat, dairy, eggs, or other food that requires refrigeration. A key feature to look for is ice retention (the amount of time that a cooler can keep ice frozen).

Outfitter coolers come with good ice-retention and bear-proofing technology to avoid unwanted visitors sniffing around your food.
Coolers come in various sizes and weights. For hiking-in or portaging to your campsite, choose a lighter and more portable unit.
If you plan on cooling what you catch, shoot or trap, you will require more space. Consider bringing multiple cookers to keep your fresh catch-of-the-day is not in the same cooler as dairy or other perishable products.
Consider ice packs instead of traditional ice cubes to avoid a soggy mess at the end of the trip.
Carry water filtersfor easy access to safe hydration when in outdoors. They are leak-proof, compact and are designed for on-the-go needs.