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The Portable Camp Kitchen

post #1 of 9
9/2/09 at 5:29pm
Thread Starter 
When you go camping do you have dedicated cookware?

I have a portable kit containing all the cooking tools I think I need, from knives to seafood picks. It all goes into a toolbox, and is ready to go whether we'll be tent camping, using the pop-up, or staying in a cabin. You can find details of what goes into mine at Camping Cookware. Tips for preparing your own portable outdoors kitchen.

The point is, if you have to gather these items from your home kitchen each time you're likely to forget something crucial---like a can opener.

This same kit, btw, serves as my portable kitchenware when I'm off giving demonstrations and cooking lessons. But that's another story.

Because all our reenacting stuff stays together in its trailer, I don't have another dedicated kit for pots and pans. I just open the trailer door and everything is right there. But if it weren't for that I would certainly put together such a kit as well.

How about the rest of you? Do you have dedicated gear for the camp kitchen, or do you gather it as needed?
They have taken the oath of the brother in blood, in leavened bread and salt. Rudyard Kipling
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post #2 of 9
9/2/09 at 7:04pm
When I was BBQ catering I had 4 large rubbermaid action packer totes filled with the dedicated BBQ stuff. I could load and go in minutes instead of working off a checklist.
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post #3 of 9
9/2/09 at 8:05pm
Thread Starter 
I can't imagine anybody in that kind of business not doing it your way, Mary. Or using a similar system.

But I had recreational camping more in mind than other applications.

Other than the knives (and I'll admit having separate knives might be excessive) it's certainly inexpensive enough to put together a portable kit. Yet I'm always surprised at how few campers do so.

If you read the story I linked to than you know the tale of the empty chuck box. After the fact I was bemused over that whole experience. I mean why go to the trouble to build such a box, haul it around, but not keep it stocked? To this day I don't understand the point of it.

Another thing I don't understand are the folks who opt for thrift store and Salvation Army stuff for camping. My attitude has always been if it isn't good enough to use at home, than it isn't good enough for camping. Here, again, I reckon I'm in the minority.

But I'm still interested in other people's views and practices.
They have taken the oath of the brother in blood, in leavened bread and salt. Rudyard Kipling
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post #4 of 9
9/2/09 at 8:18pm
I've got a tool box of kitchen tools for camping but it has no cookware. I have a big boiling pot for clean up and cooking that lives in my camp gear pre loaded. Bopth other pots and pans I do load from my kitchen. I have quite a bit of cast iron that only gets used outside but plenty that sees double duty.
more than taste fine
me eat it all the time
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post #5 of 9
9/2/09 at 8:59pm
The same stuff got dragged with camping :lol: along with the BBQ pit
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post #6 of 9
9/3/09 at 8:53am
I've been using dedicated camping kitchen equipment since the late 1980s. I first purchased an Army surplus footlocker for a chuckbox in the late 1980s, then moved to a purpose-built chuckbox in 2001. My blog contains more information on my chuckbox: 'Round the Chuckbox. (You'll find it with a Google search.)

Until recently, knives were the only thing that I would bring from the house. I now keep an old knife roll in the chuckbox with my first set of knives.

As can openers go: In 1990 I led the galley on a Navy Seabee weekend field exercise at China Lake naval base in California. Most of our gear was shipped to the base from Port Hueneme (near Venture) for the exercise.

As we set for the first meal on Friday night, the cooks realized the can opener (an Edlund No. 2) was missing from the mount-out box. All any of us had were "John Wayne's" on out key chains.

We opened multiple #10 cans that first night with the military C-ration can opener. Needless to say, I commandeered a truck and drove to the local supermarket after dinner and purchased a good hand-held can opener.
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post #7 of 9
9/3/09 at 10:19am
Thread Starter 
After struggling with a P3 and one #10 can, that's when I whipped out the K-Bar. Does a spectacular job---but the lid becomes more dangerous than the knife. :D
They have taken the oath of the brother in blood, in leavened bread and salt. Rudyard Kipling
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post #8 of 9
9/4/09 at 7:51pm
K-bat, chef's knife -- it doesn't matter -- I've always had a thing against using knives to open cans. Today, I've got this ingrained habit to check the can opener before I venture out on a camping trip or cooking job.
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post #9 of 9
9/23/09 at 5:41am
chuckle....really really short learning curve.....only needs to happen once.:)

A large lidded tub with real silverware, plastic plates, basic cooking shtuff....tongs, spatula, can opener, hot pads, towels, "cheap knives"......

Now I forgo sleeping in a tent....most forays are at camps with cabins.:D...recovery time is just too long now.
cooking with all your senses.....
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