Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Outdoor cooking, often called barbecue, is common all over the world. Each country has its own style of outdoor cooking and its own appliances. While the US is obsessed with barbecue grills, other cultures use other techniques. In Japan, many of the cooking appliances are useable outdoors as well as indoors. They are portable and some use charcoal or wood to heat them, while others require electricity or gas.
Whether your air conditioner is running full blast or you've turned it up to 85 degrees Farenheit to save energy, cooking dinner inside when the weather is 90 degrees Fahrenheit is uncomfortable at best. Baking is simply unbearable. However, many homeowners have found a way to make outdoor cooking nearly as convenient as working in the kitchen -- by installing an outdoor cooking station.
Outdoor camping bases are not just for high altitude climbers who are attempting to scale Mt. Everest or Annapurna. Any group of campers who heads for the woods for an extended time, might choose to stay at one location for the trip, particularly if a large lake, seashore or river is nearby. Such sites should not be chosen at random, but need to involve advance planning and some logistical requirements to accommodate the group.
Campers usually come in two varieties. There are those who take every convenience with them, plugging in an espresso maker in their recreational vehicles. Others take the opposite tack. Minimalist campers try to get by with the least amount of equipment possible. While cooking everything in one pot may be an admirable goal, sometimes you need a little help. A roll of aluminum foil makes a versatile tool for cooking over an open campfire.
Outdoor cooking requires sturdy, durable cookware. Cast iron skillets fit this description and are often used outdoors for these attributes. The strong and heavy nature of cast iron ensures the pan suffers little damage in transit to campgrounds. Cast iron is also sensitive to heat, making it perfect for outdoor cooking and stubborn open flames that won't get as big or hot as you normally like. Keep your skillet clean and dry to prevent water damage.
Outdoor cooking equipment comes in all shapes in sizes, from a full barbecue to a tire ring and a grill for cooking over an open fire. The job the equipment does is the same, however, and there are a few guidelines that can be applied to just about any kind of outdoor cooking equipment. By keeping a few things in mind you can stay safe and enjoy your food cooked in the outdoors.
Stoves for camping can run the gamut. Some are as simple as a tiny burner, which is hooked up to a fuel canister. Other systems hold large bottles of fuel and offer multiple burners. Different types of fuel can be employed, as can different shapes and styles of burner elements. No matter what specific details each stove has, they share common elements that allow them to burn fuel and provide heat for outdoor cooking.
A cast iron Dutch oven is a cooking pot with a lid. It is used for cooking a variety of foods including breads, soups, casseroles or cakes. While you can use a Dutch oven indoors, inside your oven, this item of cookware is often used outdoors while camping. Outdoor cooking with a Dutch oven presents a challenge because unlike an indoor oven, you cannot determine the exact temperature of a campfire or hot coals. Experiment with your favorite recipes to perfect your technique and avoid burning foods in your cast iron Dutch oven.
Every summer, Americans head back to nature, flocking to campsites, river accesses and parks to take in the sunshine and fresh air. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, more than 40 million people visit federal parks and wildlife refuges each year for a variety of outdoor recreational activities. Many more camp and picnic at state and private campsites and recreational grounds. Camping and outdoor cooking are among the most popular forms outdoor recreation and, when performed safely, are entertaining ways to teach youngsters basic skills, ecology and good environmental stewardship.
Although both casserole dishes and Dutch ovens are deep pots with lids, the two are not the same. Some companies market cast-iron baking pots as kitchen Dutch ovens, but generally these lack the distinctive features of the traditional Dutch oven. Dutch ovens are designed for outdoor use with a fire or charcoal as the heat source.
Cooking while camping is usually easy, but you do need some specialized tools. Your basic house pots and pans generally won't do well over an open fire, and may be permanently damaged if you try to use them. Take the time to investigate different types of outdoor cooking, and different tools, and your camping meals will taste as good as home, if not better.
Everyone likes to imagine cooking the food they catch when they are camping. So now what are you going to do with that stringer of catfish? Fresh caught catfish might just be the tastiest fish you'll ever eat. If you're backpacking you may have limited cooking gear, but you can use the tools nature provides to cook your fish. If you're outfitted with aluminum foil, a pan or a camp stove, the cooking process will be less rugged. Read on for some tips in preparing and cooking your catfish outdoors.
Food tastes great when cooked over a wood fire built with good wood. Each type of wood imparts its own flavor to what you cook. Favorite woods are cherry, oak, hickory and mesquite. There is an aura about a wood camp fire that brings out the latent pioneer in all of us. Food cooked over a camp fire can be anything from hot dogs on a stick to stews and even biscuits cooked in cast iron dutch ovens.
People have been using cast iron to cook with for centuries. Its durable, non-stick surface is great to use when you are camping. A cast iron dutch oven can used for many things when cooking outdoors. You can do everything from bake to make a casserole in it. All this can be done right at your campsite. You'll just need to make a ground pit for your cookware. In no time you'll have a tasty meal you thought you could only make at home.
