Stoves & Grills - Camp Kitchen Discussion

[Trail X]

I'm curious now what people here use. There are all sorts of options out there.

Personally I have used a coleman grill for a long time. In the past I've just used the grill on top of the camp table, but the issue there is that it takes up probably 65% of the table, and doesn't seem to leave enough preparation area, and no room to sit and eat.



While it has been reliable, the biggest downfall to me was the mess. The grease drops down into the base of the grill and just sits there. It would be really inconvenient to clean during the trip. So I've been forced to put the grill inside a carrying case, which is then carried on the roof. This is all done in an attempt to keep smells and grease out of the interior:



So with the coming RTT and decreased roof storage area, I was in the market for a camp stove. I looked around and saw a lot of options. I found many that were really expensive, some that were dirt cheap, some with perceived reliability concerns from user reviews etc. I also looked at wind deflection... as I often had issues with the old grille not being able to hold heat due to wind.

Anyways, that's just an introduction into discussion. Hopefully it will spur some thoughts from you guys. I'd love to hear what the rest of you use for your camp kitchens, and what lessons you've learned. I know some of you (cough, Bill) have some pretty fancy setups, and I'd like to know more about them.

[Gordinho80]

I have the same grill as you, JD. The only difference is that my grate itself is different. Yours looks much more structurally sound then mine. My grate is more like a sheet metal that was cut and grooved for structure... Just like the one pictured here...



After a few uses, i've noticed that the grate has warped a bit, not much, but enough to notice and annoy me. Other then that, I'm pretty happy with it. I've not used it as a stove, only for grilling. As far as the dripping/cleanup... Line the bottom of the grill with foil, all the grease will settle on that instead of the grill itself. After it's cooled down, remove the foil and all you should have to do is wipe any splatter around the outside and on the grate.

[mikepeters1983]

I have the same one as both of you almost. Mine has the grill like JD's but on the left side I also have a burner for pots, and pans.

[bartonmd]

I've got the "all stove" version of the same thing... Doesn't use as much fuel as the "grill" and doesn't have the cleanup BS, either... Of course, if I want steaks, I have to cook them in a pan, but the pan is super easy to clean up in comparison to the grill grate and internal pan, so no big deal...

[navigator]

I have a regular coleman stove and an old grill grate. The grate was actually the warmer rack that was in the top of my home gas grill. It was cheap and never fit right so I didn't use it. I cut it down to about the size of my stove so it doesn't take up much space packing.

If I want to grill something I put the grate over the fire/coals and the grease falls in the fire.

I use the stove with pots, pans etc. I also have a griddle that will cover both burners that we use for pancakes etc.
Our last trip cooking was so simple I left the stove home and only took the grate. We did hot dogs for supper and sausage for breakfast.

If you camp a lot where you don't have a fire I might would get one of those grilling type plates that fit on top of the burner. If you are only cooking for two the one burner model might be enough. You might also try some foil maybe the non-stick kind. Just wad it up and cleaning is done. If you aren't cooking over wood or charcoal you aren't getting much added taste from grill anyway. I sometimes wrap my meat in foil to cook on the George Forman at home.

We don't camp enough yet to get into real extravagant meals and our kids are picky anyway. We are usually doing more simple food that doesn't require a lot of prep because we are at a place to camp to play/fish/swim not to cook.

I imagine as we camp more and the kids get older that cooking will be a little more in depth and part of the trip and more involved.

There is nothing better than smelling bacon and sausage cooking outside early in the morning.

[HighSierraTB]

I use an old Coleman 2 burner propane stove probably 25-30 years old. Used it when I was a kid. Still works great even if it doesn't look great. Just got a nonstick griddle at X mas, but haven't used it yet. I've been thinking of getting a cast iron griddle/grill for use on the stove and/or fire pit. also a dutch oven for cobbler etc in the fire. What size DO do people have and what have you cooked in it?

[Trail X]

I ended up sticking with the Coleman name, since I feel it has a long lineage of reliability.

I was able to find an older coleman model (non insta-start) 2 burner stove. I figure it should be as reliable as just about anything. I also liked the wind protection better than my old grill, which didn't seem to keep wind out.

I also purchased a folding aluminum stove stand (also made by coleman). I was a bit disappointed that there weren't positive locking elements between the stove and the stand, but the stove has rubber strips that seem to grip the stove well. I got the stand to hopefully save room to actually use the table for eating.

Here's a quick picture of the setup... (excuse the mess of tent fabric...). I do worry about keeping the propane bottle hanging off the regulator, so I may get an extension hose of some sort so the tank can be sitting on the ground.

[sniper5050]

Might as well throw this out there.

If anybody has any Coleman gas pressure (white gas) stuff they either want to get rid of, in favor of propane, or would like help fixing it and getting it running again, post here or let me know.

It's been a long time hobby of mine to rebuild and refurbish the old stuff back to working condition. The wife isn't so sure when I buy something or drag something else home, but I'm always open to acquire more stuff.

[fishsticks]

Might as well throw this out there.

If anybody has any Coleman gas pressure (white gas) stuff they either want to get rid of, in favor of propane, or would like help fixing it and getting it running again, post here or let me know.

It's been a long time hobby of mine to rebuild and refurbish the old stuff back to working condition. The wife isn't so sure when I buy something or drag something else home, but I'm always open to acquire more stuff.

I have a white gas stove that I keep in the truck. The cartridges are small (can stack 3-4 in a medium ammo can + other stuff). Good stuff.

[navigator]

I know the white gas ones are cheaper to run but I like the clean and easy of the propane cylinders.
the only isssue I've ever had is one time I had one that was stuck open when I took it off. It never would seal back up. I just screwed a little torch head on the end and let it be.

I know now you can buy an adapter to fill the little cylinders from the big grill tanks. Has anyone ever used those? How well do they work? I've thought about getting one.

[sniper5050]

The adapters work good, there are a few tricks.

Get yourself a digital kitchen scale. Weigh your one pound tanks before and after. You're filling by weight, not by volume.
Pre-freeze the one pound bottle before filling. Helps to get a full fill.
You only need to use the pressure valve on the one pound tank to make sure it's full. If you pre-freeze, it helps more than anything.
Turn your big tank upside down. If you try to fill with the fill valve up, your going to get gas, you want the liquid.
Heat your big tank. An electric blanket, or some warm water poured over it, will help to create the pressure difference needed to fill the small tank without a pump like they use at the filling station.

Think that's about it.

I will say, I like the white gas stuff better. I can go too the woods for a week and only have to worry about a few gallons of white gas, and not about empty cylinders. The other up side to white gas, is that even if it gets a little cold at night, they still work. Propane doesn't have to get vary cold to not want to fully vaporize any more.

[navigator]

thanks Mike.
I talked to a guy one time before that used one and he said he could get it about half full.
I doubt he used any of the tips that you mention.

[Karo]

That´s mine:





It is for charcoal and when it is folded it like a small box.
Karsten

[NC_IslandRunner]

Just saw this and thought is was cool for the campsite but not a space saver, may put on my list cause I like to cook good food anywhere...
The Brinkman camp stove/oven


I didn't get the dimensions but it runs off the same little propane bottles as most everything does, looks to be 2-3 times as tall as one of the bottles when it is open(the stove top closes like the portable stoves) looks like $200-$300

[djthumper]

I didn't get the dimensions but it runs off the same little propane bottles as most everything does, looks to be 2-3 times as tall as one of the bottles when it is open(the stove top closes like the portable stoves) looks like $200-$300

I saw one of those at Costco, I thought it would be pretty handy but the space it takes up I am not too sure of. I would almost rather have a dutch oven with me but with so many fire restrictions out here it is hard to over look this option.

[The Roadie]

I've had one of these for 30 years.



They now have toaster ovens and other stuff for glamping (and crock pots, and I just got one of the deep fryers on closeout at Camping World for $40):









Oh, here's a new product:

[Trail X]

That almost looks like too much! Where do you store it all?

We're bringing a dutch oven, a cast iron grittle/grill, and a couple pots and pans... all for use on the stove or open fire.

[The Roadie]

I only own the oven and deep fryer, and haven't carried the fryer for a Roadiemobile-only trip yet. It goes in the trailer for trailer-base-camping trips.

Anything I would be tempted to use a crockpot for would be cooked ahead and vacuum bagged and carried in the fridge. That sort of thing is for car-camping for families of six.

[NC_IslandRunner]

I didn't even know they made some of that stuff.

[The Roadie]

I didn't even know they made some of that stuff.

I walk through Camping World all the time and get their catalogs, and drool over descriptions of kitchen kit on the ExPo forums. Just search for "glamping" if you want to see some of the incredible hardware out there. Cabelas seems to have it all as well. That's where I got my discontinued Campmate kitchen box (in my build thread).

http://www.snowpeak.com/ is another drool-worthy site.

Or any issue of Overland Journal, although they would NEVER list a Coleman crock pot as a recommended item.