Cooking the One Burner Way
Gear for the Outdoor Kitchen
As every cook and carpenter know, one of the big secrets of a great product is using the right tool for the job. In the backcountry, gourmet meals can be prepared with a minimum of simple cooking gear, but it should be thoughtfully chosen for maximum chef-ness.
Pots and Pans
We’ve read stories about how aluminum flakes off into food, but not enough would ever flake off your outdoor pots to cause a health problem. Aluminum is a good choice: it’s light, it’s inexpensive, it’s available, and it works.
Depending on the length of the trip and the number of people, you’ll probably want to own a set of pots ranging in size from one to four quarts. You’ll decide what you need and carry those pots you’ll need to do the job for a particular trip. Even when it’s just the two for us, we carry two pots: one to boil water and one to cook in, or one to mix in and one to cook in. Buy sets that nest together for packability. Some people prefer pots with handles, but we find the handles get so hot that we end up using potgrips anyway. It is important that all pots have a lid that fits well. Lids make cooking faster, hold in heat while you’re waiting, and reduce the amount of pine needles and grit in you food. Make sure you choose pots with a very limited number of plastic parts.
One pan of approximately 10 inches diameter, the deeper the better (say two inches), with a non-stick surface, is a must for fine cooking. Choose one with a lid. Once again, some people like pans with a folding handle, but we use potgrips for a handleless pan, too. Our favorite is the Banks Fry-Bake Pan, an aluminum pan with an anodized hardcoat for easy cleaning and great durability. The snug-fitting lid allows you to build a twiggy fire on top if baking requires one…