Camp prepping! What are you doing?

[Irate Mormon]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

I am gonna try hammock camping this year. My son swears by it. No tent, no sleeping pad...simplicity.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

The fitment is due to a lot of trial and error...(I entertain easily).
Yep, this is about the 4th (maybe 8th?) replacement pan... the Teflon issues typically stem from overheating; so its not for campfire use.
Mostly we grill over the campfire, occasionally the pan is used for fried bacon & eggs, or the bacon in BLTs.


Enjoy!

I hear ya on that.

On short trips I've come to use only the fire pit and a removable grill for cooking. Longer trips I'd convinced self that at least 3 heat sources are needed: Coleman stove, Weber and campfire.

This year's long trip I'm mulling over the need for a Weber. My biggest Weber (the standard backyard size) takes up a lot of off season storage space and the same is true of transporting by car. My little grill, Weber Go Anywhere, is of course smaller yet has no adjustable grill thus limiting it's overall usability; wish the company would make some needed mods.

My wanted mods would make the depth of the container deeper; the top and side handles articulated so they can lay flat for more efficient storage, and yes, have different positions for the grill. Right now it makes a wonderful grill as designed but needs work to function as a smoker or baker.

[Denni2]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

Right now we are working on condensing our gear. We realize we usually only use one burner on the Coleman stove so we've decided to get a whisper light stove. This will save room in the car. We're also are experimenting with making our own freeze-dried meals. We just don't want to mess with the big cooler and worry about getting ice. We are looking for more time to hike and relax and less cooking and clean up.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

Right now we are working on condensing our gear. We realize we usually only use one burner on the Coleman stove so we've decided to get a whisper light stove. This will save room in the car. We're also are experimenting with making our own freeze-dried meals. We just don't want to mess with the big cooler and worry about getting ice. We are looking for more time to hike and relax and less cooking and clean up.

Are you using a dehydrator? Please do post any techniques/recipes that could be of use. I swear if someone invented a way to dehydrate stock and broths I'd be such a happy camper.

[a65hoosier]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

Right now we are working on condensing our gear. We realize we usually only use one burner on the Coleman stove so we've decided to get a whisper light stove. This will save room in the car. We're also are experimenting with making our own freeze-dried meals. We just don't want to mess with the big cooler and worry about getting ice. We are looking for more time to hike and relax and less cooking and clean up.

I think you'll like the process and the result.

We've moved this direction (you're never really "done" as there's always something new or different to learn) and found it to be very refreshing and hassle free way of getting out there. Camping is certainly less of a production than before.

[MacGyver]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

I swear if someone invented a way to dehydrate stock and broths I'd be such a happy camper.

http://www.lovingourguts.com/dehydrated-broth/

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

Well, I broke out the Kodiak yesterday. I replaced all the stakes with Spax lag bolts. 3/8"x8". Very big Improvement, easy to put in and take out with an impact driver. Added a piece of AstroTurf for an entry way mat. Replaced the awning guy lines as well. I used a polyester rope, which time will tell how much it stretches.
Also reading different cookbooks to get ideas on different meal ideas. One interesting group meal, was easy fondue. Kind of a potluck fondue.

[Happy Joe]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

I hear ya on that.

On short trips I've come to use only the fire pit and a removable grill for cooking. Longer trips I'd convinced self that at least 3 heat sources are needed: Coleman stove, Weber and campfire.

I used to carry a hibachi, now I just shovel some coals from the fire into a smaller cooking pit and set the grill over it (cooks fine but you don't get as much smoke flavor as a grill or smoker.
For fire bans, cooking for more than 2 or longer trips we bring the tRusty Coleman 2 burner and a 10 pound refillable tank, I like the old single burner Svea but its limited to coffee or single or 2 person cooking.

Right now we are working on condensing our gear. We realize we usually only use one burner on the Coleman stove so we've decided to get a whisper light stove. This will save room in the car. We're also are experimenting with making our own freeze-dried meals. We just don't want to mess with the big cooler and worry about getting ice. We are looking for more time to hike and relax and less cooking and clean up.

I try to go through the review and condense cycle every fall but often miss a year or 2...
We too often use only one of the 2 burners on the Coleman, it supports the pans much better than the Svea single burner however.
I have dehydrated mostly fruit but also Jerky and onions but never tried freeze drying; we now rarely do more than a day hike so we don't dehydrate much anymore.


Enjoy!

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

http://www.lovingourguts.com/dehydrated-broth/

Thank thank thank YOU mucho!
Time for me to visit BigSis and nonchalantly walk out the house with her dehydrator.
I'd wuvvvv to make this for camping AND home use:glasses:

[Denni2]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

NYCgrrl, The husband won't let me have a dehydrator, I bought one once and before I even plugged it in the store called and said it had a recall because it could catch fire. Now he is afraid of them. I don't really have the room for one anyway. My stove has a warmer oven, I want to try to dehydrate some pastas in the small oven it doesn't use a lot of energy.

We have been buying freeze dried food from Packit Gourmet and Just Tomatoes. There is just 2 of us so we figure the convience is worth the cost. I love the veggies and fruit from Just Tomatoes to eat from the bag.

I have been playing with the recipes from Trail Cooking. I add my own touches, more veggies.

Packit Gourmet has powdered broth.

http://www.packitgourmet.com/Beef-Stock-Powder.html

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

Is dehydrated broth like bullion cubes or granules you buy in the store?

[MacGyver]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

Well, I broke out the Kodiak yesterday. I replaced all the stakes with Spax lag bolts.

Yeah - that made me smile. I wish I had the machinery to fabricate my own screws with a couple of modifications. I sent an email to their company, explaining how they could adapt their products to campers but they said that, while they're glad I found a new use for them, they're only interested in the construction business.

[Denni2]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

Is dehydrated broth like bullion cubes or granules you buy in the store?

You can use the powered broth like bullion powder. 1 Tbl. makes 1 cup. It doesn't have the added salt or seasonings so you can add your own for your own taste. This is perfect for us because we use very little salt and bullion is usually to strong for us.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Camp prepping! What are you doing?

NYCgrrl, The husband won't let me have a dehydrator, I bought one once and before I even plugged it in the store called and said it had a recall because it could catch fire. Now he is afraid of them. I don't really have the room for one anyway. My stove has a warmer oven, I want to try to dehydrate some pastas in the small oven it doesn't use a lot of energy.

We have been buying freeze dried food from Packit Gourmet and Just Tomatoes. There is just 2 of us so we figure the convience is worth the cost. I love the veggies and fruit from Just Tomatoes to eat from the bag.

I have been playing with the recipes from Trail Cooking. I add my own touches, more veggies.

Packit Gourmet has powdered broth.

http://www.packitgourmet.com/Beef-Stock-Powder.html

Well. Minor setback on my end. Elder sister says she gave her dehydrator to her son who moved to Australia. Noooo I wasn't weally gonna steal her dehydrator:D.
I am amazed at the difference in taste between homemade and store bought stock. In fact it's probably the one staple that turned me into a perimeter supermarket shopper faster.
That being said we plan to tour the continent for a year or so in an RV and I'm trying to lower the weight of what is carried. Powdered stock/broth (we are big soup eaters) would ease the load in the freezer as well.

Hehehe..I hear you on "fear of kitchen appliances". My bugaboo is pressure cookers which I KNOW are made differently now but but I can still see the valve stuck in the ceiling in my mind's eye:he: