OT: An Egghead Goes Camping

dmourati · June 2020

Like most of us, my family and I have been sheltering in place for the past several months. While we love our home, we are looking for a way to spread our wings a little bit and enjoy a change of scenery. California opened up several state parks last week for camping and we were able to pounce and grab a campsite for two nights. It will be two adults and one four year old on our first family camping trip.

Question:

When it comes to cooking at a campsite, what are the best ideas this group has to offer? I can see two alternatives (bringing the Egg itself is out, as I have a Large).

1. Cook over the camp fire. This is how I did it as a cub/boy scout though it has been some time.
2. Get a camp stove powered by propane. Coleman, Blackstone, etc
3. Some combination of 1/2 above.'

Any thoughts will help me plan.

Thanks!

EggNorth · June 2020

#1 , but bring your own cooking grid.

Matt86m · June 2020

If you plan to cook over the camp fire be sure a camp fire is allowed. Some may be in a no burn zone/no open fires.

A lot of camp sites have a permanent grill for use with charcoal.

Gas bbq is probably your best bet.

dmourati · June 2020

Checked, the site has a fire ring with a flip up grid. Camp fires are explicitly allowed. Firewood is provided (for sale) by the camp ground.

PBandJ · June 2020

The Weber Smokey Joe is perfect for camping. 35 bucks at Home Depot.

jtcBoynton · June 2020

Cooking over a camp fire can be fun, but having to rely on it for every meal and every thing you heat can be limiting. You need time to build the fire, tend the fire, and make sure it is completely out before leaving your site. A single burner butane/propane table top device can be quite useful. It will also make a good addition to your backyard cooks once you get home.

dmourati · June 2020

@jtcBoynton , yes, I thought about that point. I'm thinking a campfire at night will be mandatory both evenings. The morning campfire for cooking may be a PITA, may not be. But we'll have to be very careful to make sure it is out before we head out for the day. Maybe I'll skip cooking breakfast on the final day to simplify things and just eat a cold breakfast instead before we head out or just back home.

Gulfcoastguy · June 2020

Some people like to cook with a cast iron Dutch oven with legs. You put it on a bed of coals and shovel coals on top of the lid. Charcoal briquettes work for that and are probably cheaper than the firewood. Just start them with a chimney.

bubbajack · June 2020

We all know the mini max is a donkey, but that is what I carry with me and a fire disc. MM will cook a nice Boston Butt or steaks or whatever. If it looks like that will not be enough, I will carry a mini as well. I also have a tripod with a dutch oven or two for the winter cooks over open fire.

StillH2OEgger · June 2020

I can offer no suggestions, but that sounds like fun. I can only imagine the demand for spaces once the parks opened up. Let us know how it goes.

scdaf · June 2020

Akorn Jr. which you will also love when you get back home,

kl8ton · June 2020

I've taken the large when I was going to be out at the beach for two weeks. For two nights, I would not move the large.

I have traveled with a MiniMax for about a year and that worked well.

In both scenarios I either had a 36, 22, and/or a 17" blackstone. I feel that is almost a must for camping. . . a blackstone. It makes quick work of every meal.

I had a camper pull in here the other day that pulled out an Akorn Jr like @scdaf is talking about. I watched him cook a 10# butt. He was up at 6AM and they ate it for supper. They said it was a stock setup and it held temp just fine. I may go that route for beach camping this year. . . we will see. I do like having my Large with me though.

Whatever you choose, you will have fun. Maybe plan your meals then bring the required cookers.

td66snrf · June 2020

@dmourati Which state park are headed to?

thetrim · June 2020

I bought one of these and have been happy using it for open fire cooking...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074MZCNWJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought the larger size.

dmourati · June 2020

td66snrf said:

@dmourati Which state park are headed to?

http://www.littlebasin.com/

Gulfcoastguy said:

Some people like to cook with a cast iron Dutch oven with legs. You put it on a bed of coals and shovel coals on top of the lid. Charcoal briquettes work for that and are probably cheaper than the firewood. Just start them with a chimney.

Yea, I am planning to bring my non-camp Lodge double dutch oven. It's funny, when I bought mine, I had no intention of camping with it so I ruled out the feature where you can shovel coals on the lid. I think I made the right choice as I've used the double's top as a skillet probably 20 or so times.

caliking · June 2020

We go "fly camping" 1-2 times yearly... CA, OR, NC in the past couple of years. We pack a large duffle with camping gear, which always gets searched because TSA wonders WTF there's a hatchet in someone's luggage.

We usually carry a single burner propane stove, for morning coffee and breakfast. Dinner is typically cooked/grilled over whatever firepit/grill setup the campsite has. I pack a roll of AF and/or aluminum pans (or buy locally), in case I think the grids at the site are sketchy. Easier than carrying your own grid, plus there are all kinds of things you can do if you have foil and aluminum pans. Just ask MacGyver.

dmourati · June 2020

caliking said:

We go "fly camping" 1-2 times yearly... CA, OR, NC in the past couple of years. We pack a large duffle with camping gear, which always gets searched because TSA wonders WTF there's a hatchet in someone's luggage.

I was just shopping for a hatchet!

Look at this beast:

https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/product/gransfors-splitting-hatchet/

caliking · June 2020

dmourati said:

caliking said:

We go "fly camping" 1-2 times yearly... CA, OR, NC in the past couple of years. We pack a large duffle with camping gear, which always gets searched because TSA wonders WTF there's a hatchet in someone's luggage.

I was just shopping for a hatchet!

Look at this beast:

https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/product/gransfors-splitting-hatchet/

Yowza! The one we travel with cost $20 at some place I can't even remember.

Wooderson · June 2020

Over the fire. Homemade tripod. Almost as good as cooking on the egg. Last weekend we did ribs and corn on the cob. Saturday we did chili that simmered all day while we went canoeing.

Acn · June 2020

PBandJ said:

The Weber Smokey Joe is perfect for camping. 35 bucks at Home Depot.

This is a good option, or depending on how space in the car is working, I also have this:
https://www.amazon.com/UCO-Flatpack-Portable-Stainless-Steel/dp/B01HZF9FMG?th=1&psc=1

This cooks what we need for a family of three. We also take a propane stove, invaluable for morning coffee/tea, eggs, etc.

Hope you have a great time!

BigreenGreg · June 2020

PBandJ said:

The Weber Smokey Joe is perfect for camping. 35 bucks at Home Depot.

^^^^+1 The goods.

sumoconnell · June 2020

BigreenGreg said:

PBandJ said:

The Weber Smokey Joe is perfect for camping. 35 bucks at Home Depot.

^^^^+1 The goods.

+1 also - cheap and easy but if you already have a lodge you might be OK.

The 17" blackstone is easy to use and fire up, might think of that.

I also like the lodge dutch oven with legs, great to make chili and camp pie (hillbilly cobbler). 2 cans of pie filling, a box of yellow cake mix on top, and slice a stick of butter on top of that. coals on top and bottom until crispy on top.

More cookers is more fun - just like home!

And a method to get coffee would be high on my list..

If you are tent camping, my other suggestion is to shower before bed, not in the morning as you may do at home. That tent and sleeping bag will be much more bearable after a few days, and makes for a better rest IMO.

alaskanassasin · June 2020

Whatever you do make sure you have a way to make coffee

Kayak · June 2020

I'd go bigger and get the Jumbo Joe. I went with a better shape for packing in the car and got the Go Anywhere charcoal. It's a good grill and stores in my outdoor cabinet for quick use at home. Don't be ashamed to start a campfire with charcoal, too! Dump a pile in, cook on it, then throw wood on to hide the evidence.

ColtsFan · June 2020

I'll pack the KJ Jr. when I go and use a combination of it and the camp grill. The large would be a little more cumbersome. @caliking has a great idea with the single propane burner. You can do a lot with that and a pot/skillet

Yno · June 2020

We used to camp a lot, from tents, to a popup, to a hardside. Even with a full kitchen, a fire was mandatory. (As was peeing in the woods!) We used a Weber Q when we had propane on the trailers and sometimes a portable charcoal grill. And of course, sometimes the fire ring.

Two observations:

The wood most campsites around the Bay Area sell is some kind of pine wood that is not good for cooking. We used to get a quarter cord of hardwood delivered at home and packed enough for a few fires.

Also, if you do a fire on the last morning, don't pour a big bucket of water on it while it is still going strong. I have seen so many campers do this, and it creates a giant cloud of steam, smoke, and ash that drift into the next few campsites, which is a real pain in the @$$ for your neighbors.

Happy Camping!

dmourati · June 2020

Yno said:

...
Two observations:

The wood most campsites around the Bay Area sell is some kind of pine wood that is not good for cooking. We used to get a quarter cord of hardwood delivered at home and packed enough for a few fires.

Also, if you do a fire on the last morning, don't pour a big bucket of water on it while it is still going strong. I have seen so many campers do this, and it creates a giant cloud of steam, smoke, and ash that drift into the next few campsites, which is a real pain in the @$$ for your neighbors.

Happy Camping!

OK, this is super helpful, thanks. I have been eyeing places to buy firewood locally to take with us. Especially if I am relying solely on a campfire for all the cooking, always be prepared as they say.

There is some guidance against bringing outside wood into the campgrounds to prevent carrying in invasive species of insects. The guideline is don't transport wood over 50 miles.

Also helpful on dousing the fire correctly, thanks.

northGAcock · June 2020

dmourati said:

Like most of us, my family and I have been sheltering in place for the past several months. While we love our home, we are looking for a way to spread our wings a little bit and enjoy a change of scenery. California opened up several state parks last week for camping and we were able to pounce and grab a campsite for two nights. It will be two adults and one four year old on our first family camping trip.

Question:

When it comes to cooking at a campsite, what are the best ideas this group has to offer? I can see two alternatives (bringing the Egg itself is out, as I have a Large).

1. Cook over the camp fire. This is how I did it as a cub/boy scout though it has been some time.
2. Get a camp stove powered by propane. Coleman, Blackstone, etc
3. Some combination of 1/2 above.'

Any thoughts will help me plan.

Thanks!

Glamping is my idea of camping. Do it right and haul all the chit you can to enjoy the experience. Remember, if you go to far off the road, 10 lbs of ice may be 8 lbs if its hot out.

JethroBodeen · June 2020

We do festivals out of a vehicle and the small Weber, I think its 17" and a two burner Camp Chef is what we roll with. Its also my hurricane kit!

ElkhornHusker · June 2020

If your campsite has electricity an electric griddle is an easy option.

td66snrf · June 2020

@dmourati I've been through that area as my daughter goes to UCSC. It's beautiful. Be prepared it can get jot.

OT: An Egghead Goes Camping

Comments

Categories