It’s taken some time, but we finally have the perfect setup for our outdoor cooking! We like to have options for both cooking over a campfire, or on a stove, and all without going electric. We also chose items that are easy to store and don’t take up a lot of space! So, check out our video – and get your outdoor cooking on!!
#1: Fire Grill
Cooking over the fire is without-a-doubt our favorite cooking method, so our first item is the 24″ fire grate by Camp Chef. The grate folds up for very simple storage, but makes cooking so much easier. It also comes in a 36″ version if you have hungry neighbors!
#2: 10″ Cast Iron Skillet
The first in our cast iron arsenal is this 10″ skillet by Lodge. It is perfect for cooking up veggies, scrambles, and gravy!
#3: Cast Iron Grill Pan
If we have a campfire and meat, you can be guaranteed that we’re pulling out our Lodge cast iron grill pan! Our favorites are pork tenderloin and steak… but we’ll settle for any meat.
#4: Dutch Ovens
Don’t worry, I used to be scared of Dutch Ovens too… that is until I started experimenting and discovered just how easy they are to cook in! We do everything from savory stews to baking bread. The 2 qt. size is great for sides or small dishes, but we more often we use the 5 qt. size for larger meals.
#5: Heat Resistant Fire Mitt
Trust me, we have learned from experience… not all oven mitts are created equal! We have (accidentally) fully burned up an oven mitt before. Now we keep a couple of heat resistant fire mitts to save our hands (now if only I could keep Kendrick from cooking in flip flops!)
#6: Long Tongs
Along the same lines, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten so close to the fire I thought my eyebrows might be gone. It’s worth investing in a good pair of nice, long tongs.
#7: Genesis Basecamp Cooking System
This cooking system has so many applications! We love to just hook it up outside our RV, set it on a table, and cook like crazy. But, it would also be practical for car camping or short backpacking trips. The entire Basecamp System even comes with a pot and pan.
#8: Propane Adapter Hose
The Genesis Cooking system typically runs off those little green 1 lb. propane tanks. However, a great alternative is to simply get an adapter to use on your existing 20 lb. tank on your camper!
#9: X-Series Collapsible Pot Set
This set has saved us so much space while offering even larger pots! We opted to get the 2.8L pot and Tea Kettle, as well as the 4 L Pot, and 8″ pan. Everything is available a la carte, or as packages.
#10: Stovetop Oven by Omnia
I first discovered the Omnia oven while working an Overland Expo. This is the one product I actually bought, and fell in love with immediately. It is so easy to bake muffins, biscuits, bread, veggies… anything you’d put in an oven, right on your stovetop. Shop all Omnia Here!
#11: Extra Long Lighter
When I was a kid, my parents used to call these “Aim & Flame’s” – but really there are a bunch of brands that make lighters with a trigger and long handle. I’ve burned my thumb enough to learn to appreciate this small but valuable accessory.
#12: Melamine Dishware
Melamine is one of my favorite camping materials – BPA free & difficult to break! To be honest, if you search for melamine-ware, you will find all the designs you could want! Here is a particular design that has been on my wish-list…
#13: Collapsible X-Series Dish Set
Even though this kit was originally designed for backpackers – why not use this kit in the RV!? It’s lightweight and saves tons of space. Win – Win!
#14: Collapsible Shot Glass
Of course, it wouldn’t be a complete dish set without your 2 oz. collapsible shot glass. Make those cocktails, and don’t worry a thing about breakage!
#15: Titanium & Alloy Utensils
These items are admittedly inspired by our backpacking habits. But, when you find a light-weight and quality product, why not make it part of your everyday life!? That’s what we have done with these titanium utensils, and the even lighter aluminum alloy version.
#16: DeltaLight Tumbler
I have to admit that I thought Kendrick was crazy for ordering MORE cups, like, we have enough already! But, when they arrived I immediately threw out all our existing cups for these tumblers. They are high quality and double as measuring cups! Also, they have a “shot” line and “wine” line within the measurements. My kind of cups!
#17: Insulated French Press
Coffee is a huge priority for Kendrick and me. It gets us going every morning, and so we love our 48-ounce insulated french press. We can relax for 2 hours in the morning and enjoy each cup nice and hot. Save by using our link here.
#18: Airscape Containers
While we primarily use these for coffee, they are amazing airtight containers that won’t open while traveling down the road. Keep rice, cereal, baking goods, etc. fresh – great even in a home. Save by using our link here.
#19: Manual Coffee Grinder
If there is one thing you’ll learn about our cooking, it’s that we stay away from electric! But, we still LOVE our fresh ground coffee. So, we found this great hand-crank grinder with a nice slim profile.
#20: Double-walled Mugs
A few years ago, I randomly found the most amazing double-walled stainless steel mugs at REI. They keep my coffee SO WARM! While they no longer sell this particular design, here is the same mug.
#21: Infinity Mug
Once again, why not use our “backpacking” mug, everyday? This mug has been a great addition to our arsenal – it has a lid, keeps our drinks warm, and only weighs 3.5 ounces!
#22: Travel Thermos by Stanley
Everyone needs a good travel mug – especially for those long days putting miles down the road, or the early mornings waiting for the sun to rise. Our favorite is this trigger action mug by Stanley.
#23: Instant Coffee
I know what you’re thinking… we’re crazy and really reaching to promote instant coffee! But, there is a time and place where instant coffee is your best option, and, this is the best instant coffee!
#24: “Kitchen Sink” Bucket
One of my favorite space savers is the Kitchen Sink! I first got this with my first T@G and used it under the sink drain. But now that we have a gray tank we use it to do large dirty dish loads outside.
#25: Collapsible Bucket
Talk about necessary items that take up way to much space – buckets!! OMG, when I finally discovered I could have a bucket and NOT take up 1 sq.ft. by getting a collapsible bucket, my world changed.
#26: Solar Shower
Solar showers aren’t just great for showers, but also for dishes!! The Nemo Helio LX gives us almost 6 gallons of extra fresh water for the big meals we cook outdoors.
#27: Odor-free Dishcloth
I discovered these dishcloths by Lunatec at an overland fest. They are perfect for camping or at home. They wash of very easily without a lot of water, and they last forever!
#28: Cast Iron Cleaners
To keep all that camp cooking seasoning on our pans, we never use soap. Our go to cleaning tool are these custom scrapers made by Lodge. If that’s not enough, Lodge also makes some kits that include cast iron soaps and chain sponges.
#29: Adventure Hand Sanitizer
For a long time, Showerpouch has made large shower wipes for adventuring, and now they’ve formulated a hand sanitizer. When I’m outdoor cooking and handling food, this is an easy way to keep things clean! Save 10% by using my link!!
#30: Foldable Table
Last but not least, cooking outside would be way more difficult without this table! We chose this table by Alps Mountaineering because of its size and stability. It is large enough to cook or eat on, but it folds up into a very small pack.