Whether camping in the cold or the hot days of summer, having a solid camp kitchen to fuel the crew is a must. So, it’s time to start thinking about upgrading your camping cooking gear.
Summer is a great time to roast hot dogs over a fire or heat a quick meal with the old camp stove. But when you are out snowshoeing, you burn many calories. These calories are the fuel you need to keep warm and keep going throughout those cold days.
It’s comforting to return to camp and have a hearty meal, like lasagna and French bread or a big hearty steak with baked potatoes and all the trimmings. But cooking in the wilderness is challenging without the right camp kitchen tools.
We have combed through the latest and greatest camp kitchen gear to provide six recommendations for improving your cooking. So, from French press coffee to a warm cast iron skillet apple pie, get ready to dine in style this camping season and impress your fellow campers with a fantastic meal.
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1. Omnia Stovetop Oven
The Omnia Stovetop Oven can expand your camp kitchen to make various tasty breakfast items, including cinnamon rolls. Photo: David Young
The Omnia uses a three-part system that lets heat in through holes in the base to the top lid, and then the heat circulates throughout the oven. Photo: David Young
One of the more considerable hindrances to cooking in the field is the limitations to cooking over a fire or burner. After all, there is only so much you can cook over an open flame, pan, or skillet. But with the Omnia Stovetop Oven, you can turn any stove into an oven.
Imagine the possibilities with an oven at your disposal as part of your cooking gear while camping. The Omnia is a lightweight, circular stovetop oven that unlocks various cooking options previously reserved for cooking at home. From calzones to chicken wings, cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and chocolate cake for dessert, the bright red Omnia opens up the palette.
You can bake anything you can make in an oven in the Omnia, a three-piece system, including a base, a container for cooking, and a lid. The contained heat circulates throughout the oven, going on any heat source from a burner to a stovetop.
Perhaps one of the best parts of this cooking tool is the ease of cleaning. No one wants to do dishes when they are camping. With the Omnia, you can simply toss a foil liner in the trash or use a silicone liner that comes out for easy cleaning.
There is even a muffin ring insert for making muffins! The Omina truly takes camp cooking to the next level.
Read More: Winter Camping Checklist: What To Bring on Your Trip
Shop the Omnia Stovetop Oven at Amazon
2. Breeo Outpost
The Breeo is sturdy enough to support a cast-iron skillet, tomahawk steak, or both. Whatever your crew cooks on it, the Breeo can handle it. Photo: Breeo
The Breeo is built with 304 stainless steel making it portable but solid and durable. It comes with a carry bag for easy transportation. Photo: Breeo
Sometimes a campfire is the only heat source available to cook on, but that can be challenging in the wild because no two fire pits are the same. We have all had that terrible moment of losing an expensive steak or burger to the fire pit while trying to balance a pan or grate over unpredictable flames.
The Breeo Outpost eliminates this dilemma with a rugged stainless steel platform, complete with a stake and anchor that extends over any fire pit. Drive the stake into the ground using the strong pole, insert the sturdy stabilizing rod, and then place the grill grate at the desired height over the flames.
The grate can easily be adjusted or rotated away from the fire as needed to add more sticks or logs to the pit. The system is sturdy enough to support a cast-iron skillet, tomahawk steak, or both. Whatever your crew throws on it, the Breeo can handle it.
The Outpost Grill is built with 304 stainless steel making it portable but solid and durable. Plus, the simplicity of cooking at the desired temperature allows you to kick back and nurse those sore muscles from a long day on the trail with a warm beverage.
Overall, the Breeo Outpost makes cooking over a fire a joy instead of a headache.
Read More: The Winter Campfire: A Primer for Snowshoers and Campers
Shop the Breeo Outpost at Amazon
3. Sea to Summit X Set 11
The Sea to Summit X-Brew Coffee Dripper, X-Kettle, and X-Mug Cool Grip is a lightweight seamless system. Make your favorite pour-over for any quick pick-me-up. Photo: David Young
The lightweight, compact system includes the X-Brew collapsible coffee dripper with a reusable mesh filter, which fits neatly inside the 44-ounce X-Kettle. Photo: David Young
During winter camping, a hot beverage is one of the most important parts of cooking. After a long day on the trail, sometimes the best medicine is a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea, so having the Sea to Summit X-Brew Coffee Dripper, X-Pot/ Kettle, and Cool Grip X-Mug is a must.
Ideal for any backcountry barista looking to brew a beverage, the lightweight and compact X-Set 11 includes the 44-ounce X-Kettle and two X-Mugs.
The X-Kettle’s solid anodized aluminum base can go directly on a heat source to boil water easily. Then, the X-Mug pops open with a unique Cool Grip design that keeps you from burning your hands. The X-Brew Coffee Dripper (not included in the kit) also fits neatly inside the X-Kettle, and nests nicely on the cup as you prepare your brew. Simply fill it with your favorite coffee, add hot water, and you are good to go.
In minutes, you can have a hot cup of fresh coffee or soothing tea warming your insides with this compact kit. It is small and light, making it a seamless addition to any camp kitchen kit for around $85 for all three components. In addition, this setup has the bonus of fitting in any backpack for the backcountry while adding minimal weight.
Read More: Drinks for the Apres Snowshoe Experience
Shop the Sea to Summit X-Set 11 at REI
4. Coleman RoadTrip 225
The new RoadTrip 225 has a cast iron grill grate that allows easy cooking with ideal accurate temperature control. Photo: David Young
The grill can trade out one or both cast iron grill grates with a griddle or stove grate. Photo: David Young
No camp kitchen is complete without a good grill, but finding a reliable camp stove can be difficult. They can be hard to start and finicky with wildly variable cooking temperatures.
That’s why the new Coleman RoadTrip 225 is a great grill to have in the kit this season. The tabletop propane gas grill is compact but has two adjustable burners under a cast iron grill grate. This setup provides easy cooking with accurate temperature control. In addition, the Instastart pushbutton system lights the grill without needing lighters or a match.
One great option with this grill is the ability to trade out one or both of the cast iron grill grates with a griddle or stove grate. Sold separately, these options make your cooking options even more versatile.
While the grill can handle any grilling needs you throw at it, it is still compact enough to use anywhere from the tailgate to a picnic table. The only drawback to this grill is the lid does not lock. But aside from that, it is an asset for any camper.
Perhaps the best part of the RoadTrip is how easy it is to clean. It includes a circular dish that catches the grease from cooking, minimizing flare-ups and making cleaning simple. The word can come out and be washed in camp without any hassle.
The RoadTrip brings up to 11,000 BTUs of grilling power to its 225 square-inch cooking surface.
Read More: Cold Weather Camping Tips and Destinations in the U.S.
Shop the Coleman RoadTrip 225 at Amazon
5. Primus Campfire Prep Set
Weighing in at just over 13 ounces, the Campfire Prep Set is compact and easy to transport. Photo: REI
Cooking gear for camping often includes trimming down the cooking utensils you use to just the basics or substituting cheap flimsy plastic tools that inevitably fail to deliver.
Meet the Campfire Prep Set by Primus – a well-organized roll of sturdy kitchen tools that make cooking outside a breeze. Weighing in at just over 13 ounces, about the weight of two beers, the Campfire Prep Set is compact and easy to transport.
Once ready to show off your chef skills, simply roll out the tools and get to cooking. The kit includes an oak spoon, oversized fork, and flat-edged scraper. It also has a flexible stainless steel knife and grater, ideal for slicing, dicing, and filleting. The utensils are naturally self-disinfecting and easy to clean.
Simple, convenient, and practical, the Primus Campfire Prep Set sells for $79.95. It will make cooking easier for any camping trip.
Read More: Tips for Camping First Aid: What To Bring and Do
Shop the Primus Campfire Pre Set at Amazon
6. Bru Trek BaseCamp Travel Press
The Bru Stop press technology delivers a rich, smooth brew free of coffee grounds. Photo: David Young
Sometimes you need more than just a cup of coffee or tea. If the only thing that will get you moving in the morning is an entire pot of French Press coffee and you have a moment to make a cup of joe, the Bru Trek BaseCamp Press is the way to go.
The BaseCamp is ideal for, as the name suggests, your base camp kitchen. The press, which comes in a 32 or 48-ounce size, will make enough coffee to take care of everyone in camp. Plus, any leftovers will stay hot for hours in the double-wall insulated steel vessel.
By looking at the BaseCamp, you can tell that the sturdy press is designed for brewing coffee outdoors. It includes the Bru Stop press technology, which delivers a rich, smooth brew free of coffee grounds. Also, it has a solid rubber grip handle and a padded rubber base. Finally, it is easy to disassemble for seamless cleaning, ready for fresh daily brews.
The double-wall, vacuum-insulated stainless steel body runs $45-$70 and will ensure you stay caffeinated all day long for your snowshoeing adventures.
Shop the Bru Trek Basecamp Press at Amazon
Overall
Upgrade your camping cooking gear this season and have a genuinely extraordinary eating experience with these items.
This article was first published on December 11, 2021, and most recently updated on June 29, 2023.
Read Next: Tips and Tricks for Cold-Weather Backpacking and Winter Camping
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