How to Cook Up a Feast with a Camping Stove
There is nothing quite like the experience of cooking a meal in the great outdoors. The smells, sights and soundings somehow just make the food taste better. But before anything else, you’ve got to know what your ‘kitchen’ is going to look like. Some campgrounds and holiday parks don’t allow open fires, so make sure you check beforehand whether or not this option is available to you. Campfire policies are usually seasonal and depend a lot on how much it has rained or how wet the area is, so going off past experiences won’t always work.
A camping stove or portable barbecue is likely to be your first preference anyway – they’re cleaner, safer and give you greatest control over the cooking process. Not only that, there are now a wide range of gas-powered camping stoves that cater to many different cooking needs. You can essentially take the convenience of your home stove with you into the outdoors.
By using a camping stove, you can replicate a lot of your favourite dishes you’d make at home, but if you want a more rustic and smokey meal that is blistered to perfection, cooking over a campfire would be the way to go. If you can find the wood it can potentially be more economical too!
However, nothing can beat the dependable, safe and easy camping stove. No need to alter your favourite recipes so they can be ‘fire pit’ suitable, all you need to do is turn the knob on a camping stove and cook.
The Right Camping Stove for You
There are a couple of things to watch out for when finding the right camping stove. First of all, you want to find a camping stove that has high quality brass valve fittings ensure durability, long life and excellent performance. Secondly, well simply find the right size camping stove for you! They come in a range of sizes, from single hob burners, to 3 burner camping stoves, even hot plates and grills are available.
For simple one pot meals, the single gas hob camping stove is the way to go. The small and compact stove can easily be packed into a backpack or simply be thrown in the car. These stoves can also be used for a number of different meals, with some single hob stoves even coming with hot plates, grills and extra-large burners.
A large camping stove or grill, one with 2 or 3 hobs, will make it much easier to cook for larger groups of people. Make sure to look for a camping stove that has walls to help block out the wind - these are key for cooking outside. The wind can make your gas hobs sputter or put them out completely without them.
Plan Plan Plan
Having a good game plan will be the difference between camp meal success or a failure.
It doesn't matter what you are planning to cook on your camping stove, there are a couple of key items you will need to speed up your cooking. A trusty pair of tongs, one large pan and a couple of large pots should do the trick. Also remember to pack a small sharp knife and a chopping board, and most importantly, a few dry tea towels, detergent and a scrubbing brush for washing up.
Bookmark a bunch of quick, easy and delicious meals that only require a few ingredients in advance to make your next camping trip a breeze, and by using a camp stove you won't have to alter any of you favourite meals too! Tupperware, tinfoil and zip lock bags are your friend. Make sure to bring a chilly bin or bag with a couple of frozen slicker pads to keep all your food as fresh as can be.
Preparation
Preparation is the key to success of any great camp meal, not only will it save time when cooking in the outdoors - but will also keep ingredients fresh for longer. Once all the meal planning is done, give yourself a head start by getting some food prep done before you leave home.
You can slice up carrots or potatoes, wash fruit and veg, marinade any meat, fillet the fish and mix seasonings - anything you can do to ensure that the main elements of your meal are in a throw-together state when you are at camp. Sometimes swapping out fresh ingredients for tinned or even dehydrated alternatives can save time and effort at camp. Now is the time to cut as many corners as you can! Also, spice mixes, seasonings and multi-purpose condiments will put the oomph in your dishes while keeping grocery lists short.
Top Tips!
- When cooking, wipe away any mess that occurs to make cleaning your camping stove a breeze.
- Have a meal plan and save time by prepping meals at home.
- Make sure that the fuel knobs are turned all the way to the ‘off’ setting when finished using the camp stove.
- Keep your cooking space clean and tidy, and ensure you cooking surface is nice and stable.
Where to Find the Best Camping Stoves
Gasmate offer all the equipment you’ll need. The Gasmate butane camping gas BBQ stoves are perfect for your next camping adventure! They offer a range of butane single and double burners which are economical, highly efficient and ideal as a portable BBQ for camping.
Our range includes lightweight and compact models that will be the perfect companion for your next backpacking or hiking trip. For outdoor trips with the whole family, the Gasmate LPG camping stove range is all you need for your next adventure. With a selection of turbo, double and single burner options you can take the convenience of your home stove with you to the great outdoors.
Browse through the stockist pages to find your nearest retailer or for more information, call our friendly team 1300 174 876.