When I first started going to festivals and camping we kept our cooking pretty basic, like just hot dogs. While I still love my hot dogs are Camp Kitchen has evolved to really bring everything we need to make a killer meal in the woods. Meats, veggies and (of course) a cheese plate are the norm. To execute this perfectly, you have to have all the right tools on hand. Here are some tips from the pros to make you an expert camp chef.
After you organize your camp kitchen, check out my car camping essentials here for camping in luxury!
Camp Kitchen Box:
Keep a box with all the necessities you will need to cook and remember to keep it stocked.
- 10″ and 8″ cast iron skillets. Expensive yes, but you are going to be cooking on these for life.
- 1 medium pot for food – freeze meat in advanced and sous vide it!
- 1 medium pot for boiling water only
- Mid-sized Cutting board
- 2 large plates or additional cutting board for a serving platter
- Knife, tongs, wooden spoon, metal spatula (check out this set)
- Oven mitt or use extra clothing
- Spice kit
- Olive oil or butter
- Garlic
- Aluminum foil
- Reusable storage bags
- Paper towels
- Plates – we have these but I’d like to get these
- Silverware
- Wine Glass
- Insulated Glass – White Claw, Beer, Cup
- Shaker – margs on the rocks please!
- French Press
- Sanitizer
- Dr. Bonners organic soap
- Gallon water jugs – Cooking & Cleaning, freeze one
- Washing bin or Collapsable wash bin
- Trash Bag
- Can Mesh Bag – Can’t recycle trash bags so use these mesh bags for all your recycling
Camp Kitchen Essentials
- Gas stove or cook over a campfire
- Two burner stove
- Camp Tables
- Table cloth
- Chairs
- Head Lamp – to see what you are cooking
Camping Coolers
Ideally, you are using 2 coolers, 0ne dedicated food cooler, and one for booze. That way the food cooler stays closed until you are ready to cook.
- Keep it closed and clean, this is your fridge.
- Block ice is best, always leave the ice in the bag.
- Keep items out of the cooler water, cooler water is not clean water!
Yeti coolers are the big brand but there are lots of other brands who make great coolers for way less. We currently have a 60g Grizzly Cooler and an Rtic cooler. The Rtic cooler is great for a small amount of food/drink – picnic, long car ride. However, next on our list is a cooler bag like this which holds way more than our Rtic, this would then become our Booze cooler and the other cooler just for booze.
Thanks to my friend George for helping me with this post!