Outdoor cooking gear has come a long way since our parents and their mobile cast iron skillet.
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For all those folks that love to cook up a crowd-pleasing meal at the campground, we salute you.
Camp cooking my not be all that much different, but you're still going to need a cook set, camp grill, or some kind of collapsible stove to get your cooking done and it doesn't end there.
Since that camping trip meal you've been craving isn't going to be just hot dogs, hamburgs, and the occasional marshmallow, your going to want all the help you can get to make a dream meal come true for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
When we say outdoor cooking, some folks immediately think of the campsite, while others focus on their own backyard. No matter what level you're on, these implements will help you create your culinary masterpiece, or at least boil water for your dehydrated Mountain House meal.
Camp Chef Woodwind WiFi 36 with Sidekick Sear Attachment
If you're going to go big, you might as well go for the Camp Chef Woodwind with WiFi capability and the super-useful Sidekick Sear Attachment. There's no limit to what you can make with this bad boy, including the most delicious slow-smoked cuts of meat imaginable. It's the sort of thing that ever backyard needs, but it's not exactly portable for bringing along on a camping trip. For that, you'll want something like the...
Camp Chef Pursuit 20 Portable Pellet Grill
Here's your portable version, the Camp Chef Pursuit 20. It works for tailgates, RVing, hunting camp, and more, and still operates at the high standard set by all of Camp Chef's legendary cooking equipment. If you're on the move and want professional-level cooking to come with, this is the pellet smoker to go with.
Blackstone 4-Burner 36" Griddle Cooking Station
This one is kind of a brute at 192 pounds, but it has four wheels and a large 720-square-inch cooking area that will feed an army of your family when they come to visit. It comes with long life stainless steel tube burners and a thick cold rolled steel griddle cooking surface with a steel frame powder coated in protective black that will last forever.
Eureka SPRK Camp Stove
This one will pack away neatly and come out cooking at the campsite or on the trail. It uses a butane canister with auto ignition for up to 70 minutes straight of use.
This highly rated cooking stove will be a part of your gear for many years.
GasOne Propane Burner
The extremely durable GasOne burner has the highest BTU output in its class at an insane 270,000. It is fully compatible with 20-pound propane tanks and comes with a fully adjustable propane regulator that will allow users to go from a light sizzle to maximum output with the turn of a knob. Deep fry a turkey or fix up a Cajun crab boil with this and you'll win over any crowd.
Jet Boil Zip Cooking System
For a true backpacking stove, we suggest the Jet Boil Zip Camping Stove, which uses a minimalist design to attach itself to and be heated by a canister of cooking fuel. It's super compact and super efficient, two things desperately needed on a backcountry excursion. A camp kitchen that can fit in your fanny pack, imagine that!
BREEO Outpost Grill
Breeo
For those that prefer to use open fire, or are restricted to what a campsite can offer, this stake and grill gadget from BREEO (makers of some cool smokeless fire pits) works great. It's a little too heavy for backcountry hikes, but it will work for grilling burgers, steaks, and brats or serve as a stand to make coffee or tea right over your campfire. The Outpost Grill easily adjusts to your desired height and turns 360 degrees for easy offloading or unloading of your favorite foods while keeping yourself and others safe from the open flames.
Lodge Cast Iron Cook-It-All Kit
Here's a new take on the old classic of campfire cooking. This Dutch oven-style cast iron kit, made up of only two pieces, can be used a bunch of different ways and will last for years when treated correctly.
Other Cooking Gear
Everyone focuses on what food will sit in or on, but sometimes neglect good outdoor cooking utensils, BBQ tools, and dinnerware for your outdoor cooking needs. Camping cookware that's oft forgotten include coffee makers and percolators, cutting boards, and even bottle openers as a part of your camping kitchen.
You'll certainly need a good cooler to keep everything cold, and some food safe bags or bins to keep everything in. While not everything is made to be ultralight, it still needs to be resilient to the outdoors.
For those of us who can't go to the campground without dreaming of the tasty meals they'll serve and eat, these things can make the difference between cooking a good meal or a great one.
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