Re: Camping Cookware Opinions / Experiences / Cautions Needed
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:32 am
There are some tricks to stretch out your fuel when doing actual cooking.
First is to have "cozies" for the pot. With these I find that even food that says 10 minute cook time, can be simmered for about 2 minutes, then put in a cozy, and let sit 10 minutes, and turns out fine.
Second is to have a good yet light wind screen. Mine is home-made from what probably was a reflector cone for candles. Anyway, a friend who is a junk recycler found it and made me a wind screen. Also carefully look for a wind-free cook site.
Third is to solar heat water. I do this for evening meals. First thing I do when I get to camp is to fill a 2-L platypus, and then lay it on a black surface (usually a stuff sack) facing the sun. It is amazing how much warmer the water gets for only an hour in the sun. Also amazing how much fuel is used just to bring the ice cold water up to barely warm. Obviously this is not possible for breakfast, so I bring quick-cook breakfasts but can use longer cook food for dinner.
Fourth, most stove burners are best slowly heated up to save fuel. So, instead of turning it on full blast, just turn it on a little, light, and then give it a few seconds to warm up and then after about 1 minute, crank up the valve.
I cook and use about 1 oz. fuel per day, except more if I cook fish. I have a solo cup but rarely use it. In my experience, the larger small titanium pot )believe it is a quart) actually boils water faster than the long skinny solo pot. I take the medium gas canister for a 1-week trip; large one for a 10-12 day trip. I have a Sno-Peak stove and it simmers very well.
I do not use soap on dishes. I just rinse them out. Next time you use the pot, it gets sterilized anyway once the water boils. Food sticks and burns less if you put in a good tablespoon of oil when cooking. I use both olive oil and margarine.
My big problem with freeze dry meals is that chunks are fragile and bulky, so if you have to squish 10 days food in a bear can you end up with mush. Also FD stuff is very expensive. I really do not find that cooking while backpacking that difficult. Yes, you do have to keep an eye on what you are cooking and stir occasionally. Regular dry food is also more like what I eat daily, so I have less digestive issues.
My cook stuff (all titanium) for a week is 1.6 pounds; medium pot and lid, cozies, sporke, Sno-Peak stove, 12.8-oz medium fuel can (7.8 oz of fuel in the can). Of course, the fuel weight goes down each day. Cannister fuel is heavier but very convenient.
If my husband goes with me, I bring the next size titanium pot and we communally eat out of the one pot.
I got the tip here on this forum, and it works, to wrap fish, oil and spices in foil and then steam it in a pot with a tiny bit of water and simmer.
First is to have "cozies" for the pot. With these I find that even food that says 10 minute cook time, can be simmered for about 2 minutes, then put in a cozy, and let sit 10 minutes, and turns out fine.
Second is to have a good yet light wind screen. Mine is home-made from what probably was a reflector cone for candles. Anyway, a friend who is a junk recycler found it and made me a wind screen. Also carefully look for a wind-free cook site.
Third is to solar heat water. I do this for evening meals. First thing I do when I get to camp is to fill a 2-L platypus, and then lay it on a black surface (usually a stuff sack) facing the sun. It is amazing how much warmer the water gets for only an hour in the sun. Also amazing how much fuel is used just to bring the ice cold water up to barely warm. Obviously this is not possible for breakfast, so I bring quick-cook breakfasts but can use longer cook food for dinner.
Fourth, most stove burners are best slowly heated up to save fuel. So, instead of turning it on full blast, just turn it on a little, light, and then give it a few seconds to warm up and then after about 1 minute, crank up the valve.
I cook and use about 1 oz. fuel per day, except more if I cook fish. I have a solo cup but rarely use it. In my experience, the larger small titanium pot )believe it is a quart) actually boils water faster than the long skinny solo pot. I take the medium gas canister for a 1-week trip; large one for a 10-12 day trip. I have a Sno-Peak stove and it simmers very well.
I do not use soap on dishes. I just rinse them out. Next time you use the pot, it gets sterilized anyway once the water boils. Food sticks and burns less if you put in a good tablespoon of oil when cooking. I use both olive oil and margarine.
My big problem with freeze dry meals is that chunks are fragile and bulky, so if you have to squish 10 days food in a bear can you end up with mush. Also FD stuff is very expensive. I really do not find that cooking while backpacking that difficult. Yes, you do have to keep an eye on what you are cooking and stir occasionally. Regular dry food is also more like what I eat daily, so I have less digestive issues.
My cook stuff (all titanium) for a week is 1.6 pounds; medium pot and lid, cozies, sporke, Sno-Peak stove, 12.8-oz medium fuel can (7.8 oz of fuel in the can). Of course, the fuel weight goes down each day. Cannister fuel is heavier but very convenient.
If my husband goes with me, I bring the next size titanium pot and we communally eat out of the one pot.
I got the tip here on this forum, and it works, to wrap fish, oil and spices in foil and then steam it in a pot with a tiny bit of water and simmer.