7 Camping Kitchen Essentials - What Every Camp Cook Needs

If you cooking at your campsite, you need the right gear. That list of gear doesn't have to be lengthy. A few key pieces go a long way. I have seven things that I use to make most meals we enjoy at our campsite.

1. Two Burner Stove
Our camper came equipped with a 2 burner propane stove. This is our base for camping meals. I can easily make coffee in the morning while making eggs or pancakes. It is also how I heat soup or grilled cheese sandwiches. While I could use this indoors, I choose to cook outside. The reason I camp is to take a break from everyday life. I cook inside at home. Cooking outdoors is something I love!

Our two burner stove is the best! It uses propane and stores in the bench in our pop up camper.

2. Percolator

Camp coffee is the best coffee. I like to get up before everyone else and my make coffee. There is nothing like the solitude of the first cup of coffee outside. It is a way to start the day without fussy routines or a rush to get my day started. My inexpensive coffee pot came from Walmart and works just fine. Ozark Trail Stainless Steel 8-Cup Coffee Pot - Walmart.com

Ozark Trails Coffee Pot

3. Small Non-Stick Skillet

A small nonstick skillet is practical and easy to store. Clean up is also simple. I use my skillet to make grilled cheese, eggs, or pancakes. You can also heat up a can of soup with this one piece. I don't think it is necessary to purchase an entire set of pans to make a good meal on the road. I use my skillet on every trip we take. I purchased this skillet from a local bargain store for less than $10. It is just a T-Fal non-stick small skillet.

4. Dutch Oven

I opted for a Dutch Oven at our campsite to use for baking and stewing. It is simple to use and will last forever. I don't want another gadget to plug in. This works for us to make biscuits or pizza. I can cook with charcoal. I'm still amazed at how little is required to Dutch Oven cook. If you are going to have a Dutch Oven, you are going to need a few more pieces of gear. Items 5, 6 and 7 are the additional pieces that I use for Dutch Oven cooking.

Learn more about how I Dutch Oven Cook from my post about this style of cooking. This is an investment that you will have for a long time and can use for multiple meals. My Campfire Cooking board on Pinterest has several Dutch Oven recipes as well as others for camping.

Make sure you buy a Dutch Oven large enough to place a pie pan inside for cooking.

5. Heat Resistant Gloves

To protect your hands, buy yourself a set of Pit Paws or heat resistant gloves. The Pit Paws gloves that I have to allow me to move my hands more easily than with stiffer gloves that you might find. If you are going to Dutch Oven cook, these gloves are a must have. I also use these for grilling at times too.

Pit Paws are well made and heat resistant up to 450 degrees.

6. Charcoal Chimney Starter

Having a charcoal chimney starter allows you to heat and dump out coals for under and over the Dutch Oven. I also use this piece of equipment for grilling while camping too. So, it serves dual duty. Weber makes a compact chimney starter that might be helpful for small spaces. Out of all the ones I looked at, I like how this one was made the best.

7. Lid Lifter

I don't think you could use a Dutch Oven without a lid lifter. I use the lid lifter to check on food as well as turn the lid for even heat distribution while cooking. It is a safety feature that you will need.

Aside from these 7 items, I use our campsite grill. I didn't include this in my list of seven since I don't have to physically transport this item. Finally, a bag of charcoal rounds out everything that I use. I'm actually playing around with the kind of charcoal that we use to cook. I'll be sharing some more information about this soon.

Between all of these items, I can cook a variety of meals. All of these items store under the seat of our bench inside of our small pop up. I like planning our camping meals and cooking while at our site. There is no rush and hurry to get to any one place. So, it is much more enjoyable that weeknight meals or breakfast during the week.

Choose your camping gear wisely and your time on the road will be much easier. To see some of my Camping Meals and Menus, visit my page for more ideas. Feel free to comment and share a camping meal, recipe or piece of gear that you use. I'd love to hear from other campers about their camping experiences.