Therese Elgquist
Outdoor cooking

What you need

As with all cooking, the right gadgets make cooking much easier and more fun. There are several smart gadgets that are perfect for the outdoor kitchen and outdoor cooking. Whether you're on a long hike or you’ve taken the car to a beautiful spot to set up your stove, the set-up may look a little different for practical reasons. I’m usually out on shorter trips, and here's what I always have with me.

Knife
A good, handy knife - with a sheath - is a must. I have one for cooking and a carving knife for other things that may need cutting; for example, if you're cooking over an open fire and need to peel wood chips from logs to start the fire.

Chopping board
Choose a small, light one in wood or plastic. It doesn’t take up much space but meets all requirements - and can also be used as an extra serving dish!

Wooden utensils
A handy set of smaller wooden utensils is perfect for stirring pots and turning steaks. Choose wood so you don’t damage the coating on pots and pans.

Gas
If you’re using an expedition stove, storm stove or camping stove, gas is needed. If you cook in very cold temperatures, there is a special gas for this (winter gas), to make cooking and fuel consumption as efficient and resource-saving as possible.

Cooking pots
With a set of 1-2 saucepans and a frying pan you can cook almost anything. If you are cooking over an open fire, it is convenient to use an open fire pan with legs that you place over the fire (like a griddle pan) or a cast iron pan that you can place directly in the fire.

Grill glove
If you cook directly over an open fire, an oven glove, or a thick kitchen towel, is a must as the pots/pans get very hot - and sooty!

Smart jars
To save space and weight, I always carry small packs of basic ingredients such as salt and oil, so invest in small, lightweight jars that can be refilled.

Rubbish bag
One of the most important things to have, because of course we don't want to leave any traces behind. Also a good place to put dirty plates etc. if there is no water to rinse off what you used.

Box for leftover food
I always take a lunch box with me in case there is any food left over. I do this because it doesn’t feel great to throw food away - and more importantly because we shouldn't leave food scraps in the wild as, among other things, they risk spreading diseases between different animals.

Reusable zip lock bags
I have a bunch of reusable silicone bags that are perfect for filling with ingredients and taking on a trip. They hardly weigh anything and are an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable bags.

Plates and cutlery
Choose plates and cutlery in lightweight materials such as stainless steel. They hardly weigh anything and are designed to take up as little space as possible.

February 07 2022