Campfire Cooking - What Cookware Do You Need

The cookware you need for campfire cooking is different from a lot of the cookware you use on a stove-top. It's not just that it needs to be sturdier to hold up in an outdoor camping environment and the challenges of cooking over open flames or hot coals. There are many features on "normal" home cookware that that are not only undesirable for campfire cooking, but could even be dangerous.

When campfire cooking is mentioned, the usual first thought is cast iron. Heavy, durable, and even legendary, cast iron cookware works so well for this type of cooking primarily because of those features, but also because of something it doesn't have, - plastic!

When you are cooking over a bed of hot coals, (heat all around, not just under the skillet or pot), or dancing flames, the last thing you want is a piece of cookware with plastic or rubber handles.

The features you do want your camp cookware to have are:

• Sturdy handles - pots or skillets with one long handle, or two handles, - one on each side, or even bail handles that are securely attached to both sides and allow you to lift from the top. Remember, you are working over a bed of heat or flames, the more options you have for grabbing, holding, or moving that piece of cookware, the safer you will be.
• Thickness - If you are just boiling water, or heating soups, then a thin-walled pot or pan is fine, but for almost every thing else you want thickness. A thick skillet or stew-pot bottom, (like cast iron), will distribute the heat more evenly, preventing "hot spots" that burn and scorch the food. A campfire isn't going to give you a nice even, regulated heat source like a stove will.
  
• Durable construction - a campfire is no place for a Dollar-store pot with press-welded handles that can't hold the load. Look for cookware with riveted, rod-welded or cast handles that aren't going to break away and cause a spill that sends scalding food and flaming embers flying.
  

From basic must-have pieces to the extras that make camp meal preparation easier, these pieces of camping cookware will help you get the job done when it is your turn to be the camp cook.

Should-have cookware:

• Skillet - at least one, two is better, one large, one medium or small
• Pots - one large, (4 - 6-gt.), and one med. 2-qt.- with lids
  
• Pans - one 1-qt. pan

Utensils:

• Cooking spatula with a non-metallic blade
• Large serving spoon
• Large chef-style knife

Those are the bare-bones basics. If you have these you can cook a satisfying variety of camp meals. Of course there are other pieces that would be nice to have, almost necessary, like; a paring knife, a second cooking spatula and serving spoon, and a cutting board, but you can get by with the above.

Another item that is not cookware, but will be a basic item if you plan on camping regularly is a campfire cooking grill/grate.

The foundation of every camp cook's cookware collection is the skillet, and traditionally, it is almost mandatory that it's a cast iron skillet. But it's traditional for a reason, a good cast iron skillet meets all the campfire cooking standards, (as listed above), and is so versatile that it can be considered the "multi-function tool" of cookware.

Unless you know that you will never be cooking for more than two people, your choice should at least be a 10" skillet, but a 12" one would be a safer choice. It will give you a little space for those great "all-in-one" skillet camping meals you are bound to discover. A lid for your skillet isn't mandatory, but it's good to have one. It expands your menu possibilities.

A good heavy-duty thick aluminum or stainless steel non-stick skillet could be your choice for your primary skillet. But ... you will probably find it doesn't have the same feel and versatility for campfire cooking as a cast iron skillet. But also, unless your cast iron skillet is well-used and heavily seasoned, a non-stick skillet will work better for eggs and fragile stuff.

If your choice is a non-stick skillet, the same dimension recommendations as the cast iron skillet apply, just make sure it has a sturdy riveted handle.

Pots and pans are pretty basic things. Thickness is a good thing, but not as important as for the skillets. And they should have lids too, you will be surprised how often you need a lid to simmer some special camp recipe.

As long as their handles are securely attached, (not Dollar-store press-welded), and not plastic or rubber, just about any pot or pan will work for you.

If they fit into your budget, a nice "nested" set of pots and pans, (they fit inside each other for packing and storage), like the ones pictured, will make you appreciate

Once more, the important thing to look for in cooking knives and utensils is durability.

The cooking spatula should have a non-metallic blade because you don't want metal scraping metal in whatever kind of skillet you choose. It may seem like it would be okay for a cast iron skillet, but even there, a metallic blade will damage the seasoning layer that makes cast iron cookware work so well.

Of primary importance for your chef knife is the handle, make sure it is large enough to provide a good grip, not small and slick. All its camping meal uses won't be in dry sunny weather. When you judge which knife to pick, imagine using it in freezing rain. Does the handle look like it would be easy to hold onto and use in those conditions?

You can see more detailed articles with feature comparison photos, specific brand recommendations, and price-comparison shopping links here at:

• Campfire Cookware at Campingwithgus.com

Campfire Cooking and Camping Cookware are different from cooking at home on a stove. Pretty doesn't matter, it's durable functionality that is the most important factor. Although cast iron cookware is usually associated with campfire cooking, there are many heavy-duty aluminum and stainless steel skillets and pots that will work just as well. The cast iron Dutch oven is one piece of camping cookware that is unmatched by competing aluminum models, so it you plan on buying a Dutch oven for your camp meals and recipes, go with cast iron for the best results.