How to Cook Safely When Camping

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By eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (4 Ratings)

Camping cookery presents a lot of options: cooking inside your pop up or trailer with a gas stove, cooking outside with a gas stove, grilling or cooking with a campfire. All of these options have safety precautions associated with them.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Be safe inside your camper. Cooking with gas inside of a camper requires that you have a well-ventilated camper. You should open windows or unzip screens before you begin to cook. Many campers have safety precautions clearly displayed. Be careful to follow them to the letter. Since the camper is often a cramped space, warn children ahead of time when you cook inside.
Step 2

Cook safely outside. Many campers come with a gas stove that mounts on the side of the camper. Alternatively, many camping enthusiasts purchase tabletop gas stoves. Either way, the same safety precautions apply. Be aware of running and playing children around the campsite. Make sure all gas hoses are properly connected before igniting the flame. If you are cooking underneath an awning or screen tent, make sure it is well ventilated and roomy.
Step 3

Cook safely with your grill. Again, you'll want to be aware of children when grilling. Position the grill in an open area to prevent burns or splatter injuries. If using a gas grill, be conscious of hose safety. If you grill with coal, dispose of old coal according to campground regulations.
Step 4

Chose to cook over an open flame, or with a camp-specific unit such as a dutch oven. Wear flame resistant oven gloves to handle hot pots and pans. Set aside an area to unload hot roasting sticks or other cookware. Take precautions when setting hot cookware on tables.

Comments

Sugarbush said

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on 6/25/2008 Many years ago my husband and I were camping and while he was out a hunting, I decided to make a fire pit and bake some potatoes. I knew to collect the rocks from a dry area and avoid stones that may have been in a stream (wet centers can explode when hot).

I gathered some nice smooth flat stones from well above the stream and dug out my pit. Be careful with the stones you pick! Those smooth stones, although well above the stream and perfectly dry in a dry location had at one point been wet (unbeknowst to me). When those stones got hot, that pit exploded! It sounded like a shotgun blast. The stones split apart and sailed through the air and by shear luck, did not take the top of my head off!

Willie Arste in Castaic, CA

writetruth said

on 6/24/2008 That is NOT camp-cooking! I always cook over the fire pit when we go camping. You will NEVER experience the real true experience and taste of camp food if you don't try a fire pit. I have even made a blackberry pie over one!!! YUMMMM ~~ The kids LOVED it. : )