7 Hacks for the Cooking the Best Campsite Meals
Campsite cooking can sometimes be a mad scramble, especially when you haven’t prepared properly ahead of time. Have you ever brought cans of baked beans and no can opener? Or some tasty sausages, but no skewers, pans, or foil to cook it on? Limited food options, coupled with improper cooking gear, can turn a pleasant trip into a hangry debacle.
Wanted to forego trail mix and granola bars and whip up a hot, campfire? Here are some tips for cooking up a delicious meal while sleeping under the stars.
Make your meal plan before you go
It might seem trivial, but planning your meals ahead of time is a life-saver. With your camp meals laid out, you can pack the ingredients accordingly, ensuring that everything you need is with you in the woods.
When packing your ingredients, use sealable and reusable bags or containers to preserve freshness and prevent your provisions from spilling.
Keep your meat frozen
Freezing your meat does two things: it acts as an ice pack in your cooler, and it keeps the meat fresher longer. A properly frozen meat will last more than a day without going bad when stored in an airtight cooler.
When cooking your meals, start with the freshest meat and work towards the most frozen. This way, you won’t have to gobble everything up in one night and will have enough meat for the following day(s).
Prep your vegetables and meat
Cutting and preparing your ingredients at the camp can bring its own set of headaches, remembering a cutting board, dealing with juicy produce, properly disposing of the scraps. Apart from saving time, chopping your meat and vegetables beforehand reduces the mess you make at camp.
After chopping your meat and vegetables at home, keep them in separate containers to prevent contamination.
Bring the right cookware
With your meal plan set and ingredients prepped, it’s time to choose your cookware. Dutch ovens and cast iron skillets are the safest choices when it comes to camping cookware.
Pack light, bringing only what you’re likely to use. Too many pots and pans will only add unnecessary weight to your load.
