Cast Iron Cooking at Campsite?

BuzzyBud

Curious regarding campers who cook with cast iron. Lessons learned? Skill and stove used?

Although I have a collection of camp stoves; Jetboil, WhisperLite, PocketRocket, they are not well suited to cast iron cooking. Although cooking over a campfire is wonderful, more and more states are restricting open flames at your campsite. As I transition to car camping out of my Bronco, I want to test a new stove with a cast iron skillet. I like the looks of the stove in the link below. Also, like the looks of the skill in the other link below. Thoughts?

Amazon.com: Gas ONE GS-4000P - Camp Stove - Premium Propane or Butane Stove with Convenient Carrying Case, Great for Camp Stove and Portable Butane Stove for All Cooking Application Hurricane Supplies: Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com: Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet (10-Inch) with Handle Cover Oven Safe Cookware - Heat-Resistant Holder - Indoor and Outdoor Use - Grill, Stovetop, Induction Safe: Kitchen & Dining

The stove I have no experience with, but the skillet from what I read should be great. Mine are old second hand ones so I don't feel bad using them for camping. We dont do much of it anymore sad to say.

I cook almost exclusively with cast iron, both in the home and at camp. I have a half-dozen Dutch ovens of various sizes, and significantly more cast iron pans.

Anything that can be cooked can be cooked in cast iron, probably with better results. I have a gas range in the house, and it translates well to the camp when using a propane stove. Any heat source will work, and (can) work well. The only real "issue", if there is one, is baking when there are fire restrictions.

If you want to bake, you need to have heat on the lid, which is easiest with charcoal. It's very easy to regulate the temperature when using charcoal brickets because you can keep pretty good track of the number; hence the heat source. A ring along the edge of the lid, then half as many on the bottom will put you at just about right for most things.

I used to cook a couple of times a week, outside, using wood or charcoal. It's became pretty much second-nature. With a little practice you can have a roasted chicken, biscuits, and baked potatoes all cooking at the same time and when you lift the lid every body camping within a hundred yards will come walking by asking what you've got cooking and how you did it.

Edited to add: I use Lodge for my black pans and Dutch ovens. I find them to be very consistent. I use French-made porcelain-coated.

I cook with cast iron at home and feel like it does a great job. I guess my only concerns are weight, clean up, and maintenance. Cast Iron is heavy duty stuff and thus heavy, though it’s probably not as big a deal with vehicle based camping. Clean up can be a pain but a good scrapper and some chain mail work if you’ve got them. I always feel like I need to oil it after each use too just to keep the rust away, I might over do it though.

love cast iron. It retains heat extremely well and is perfect for the "low and slow" cooking method associated with campfire cooking. I use it at home for everything .. even in the electric range it rocks. I have not added cast iron to my camping gear …. sorry the weight ratio is a deal breaker. I did have a buddy hike in a cast iron skillet on a 12 mile rigorous backpacking trip ….. The energy required to carry in something that heavy nearly caused him to litter.

Even car camping I'm very aware of weight. I have two plastic totes that contain everything you would ever need for car camping. They are easy to load and unload .. and carry around the camp site. When i buy gear for camping a have two question I ask myself

1) first is always " How much does it weigh …. and is it worth the weight"
2) The gear must have at least two uses. A hiking pole can be also used a tent pole... flashlight must also be a tent light or cooking light. Convertible hiking pants that zip into shorts...Sometimes the item is used for about the same thing. Camp site shoes (sandals) are also water shoes … jacket is also pillow .. you get the idea.

I guess a cast iron skillet could also be used as a weapon to beat down a bear …. but I will stick to the pepper spray

Loud noises usually will keep a bear away. I hope i never get close enough to use pepper spray! Good idea to have it though!

I know it isn't as sexy as some of the more expensive kits out there, but for one or two people, an 8" Dutch oven serves as a pot, a pan and an oven. In the morning, I use the pot to fry sausage or bacon. When the bacon is done, I pour off some of the grease and add the potatoes, brown them just a bit and add the lid. Just as the potatoes are done, I use the lid, flipped upside down as a pan to fry an egg or two. Or, of course you can combine ingredients and put a couple scrambled eggs on top of the bacon/sausage/potato mixture, put the lid on with a ring of coals and make a one pot breakfast. Don't forget to sprinkle some cheese on top. You'll have a camp frittata that can't be beat. For "car" camping, I always have a DO.

Anyway, my point is, a DO is heavy, no doubt, but it's three things in one. They're certainly versatile if you know how to use them.

Oh, and you need to know to buy a "camp" DO.

Cast iron is great to cook with at home or on the trail. A well used, well seasoned pan is a beautiful thing. Second hand is better than brand new. Over a grill, direct fire or camp stove. Actually health for you also

TK1215

Cast iron is great to cook with at home or on the trail. A well used, well seasoned pan is a beautiful thing. Second hand is better than brand new. Over a grill, direct fire or camp stove. Actually health for you also

Love my cast iron at home!!

I am enjoying all the insights from BN members on this thread. Thank you!
I love camping for it seems to warm the spirit.

My marine based camping always had many restrictions. Weight was a main limiting factor, so no cast iron. For many of us, food simply became fuel. Many days our travels became a real slog and energy levels were low during mealtime. Although we did seem to have enough energy to enjoy a great sunset and perhaps some wine in a box.

Now that car camping will become a new activity for me, cooking great meals can become a new skill. :)

Plenty of resources online, but if you get a Lodge cookbook, that should start things:

https://www.lodgecastiron.com/discover/recipes
and for $5.95

https://www.lodgecastiron.com/product/camp-dutch-oven-cooking-101?sku=CB101

I love this topic. I cook with cast iron all the time.
2 things I've solved.
I use a muti-purpose lodge pot and lid that can act as a pan.

For cleanup I use the ringer chain mail and a brush.

AcesandEights

Plenty of resources online, but if you get a Lodge cookbook, that should start things:

https://www.lodgecastiron.com/discover/recipes
and for $5.95

https://www.lodgecastiron.com/product/camp-dutch-oven-cooking-101?sku=CB101

I am right there with AcesandEights. I will also recommend the Blacklock series from Lodge. They are named after their original foundry. They are triple seasoned and are lighter than the standards. This will help save weight out on the trail.

https://www.lodgecastiron.com/product/blacklock-skillet?sku=BL96SK
I also recently bought the Eureka SPRK camp stove. It should fit the purpose nicely.

https://www.eurekacamping.com/SPRKC...VCoODBx1XkQWbEAAYASAAEgK9fvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Excellent recommendations! Thank you!

I ordered a Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven, cookbook, and a butane stove. Attempting to gear up for my first tent camping trip of the season in Acadia National Park on May 21. Since I enjoy camping in different locations, all kinds of weather and all seasons, my stove and cooking decisions will need to adapt. Time will tell if my decisions work for me.

Becoming a good Bronco camp cook is a real stretch goal, but I have time until my Badlands arrives. So, if my Bronco off-road driving skills stink, at least I can eat well! ;)

I am getting the FE so weight restrictions are keeping me from cast iron.;)

BuzzyBud

Excellent recommendations! Thank you!

I ordered a Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven, cookbook, and a butane stove. Attempting to gear up for my first tent camping trip of the season in Acadia National Park on May 21. Since I enjoy camping in different locations, all kinds of weather and all seasons, my stove and cooking decisions will need to adapt. Time will tell if my decisions work for me.

Becoming a good Bronco camp cook is a real stretch goal, but I have time until my Badlands arrives. So, if my Bronco off-road driving skills stink, at least I can eat well! ;)

Keep an eye out at stores like Ace Hardware, grocery stores, thrift stores, garage sales and of course anywhere on the internet. I find that if I keep one eye open, I stumble across some really good deals. People purchase and rarely use

I think it's pronounced AcesandEights hardware...j/k.

I use several cast iron pans daily. In the teardrop I would travel with at least one 12” DO with legs and my two 10” pans one is deep the other shallow and you can use them as a lid for each other. I have had good luck with Logic but even if you get preseasoned pans you should add a few layers of seasoning on them. The fourth time I used my 10” deep I made spaghetti sauce and let it sit while we ate by the time I got back to put dinner up it ate through the seasoning. Now that it’s been well used I think I could cook battery acid and it would survive. Remember after you wash it dry it well and put a light layer of oil on it. It will last you several generations. And don’t worry about trying to be a good cook the cast iron will actually help with that.

I see stoves mentioned, I'm all for stoves, no fire wood hassles etc. How about a small hibachi? you need those for making kabobs or Polynesian pork skewers.

BuzzyBud

Excellent recommendations! Thank you!

I ordered a Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven, cookbook, and a butane stove. Attempting to gear up for my first tent camping trip of the season in Acadia National Park on May 21. Since I enjoy camping in different locations, all kinds of weather and all seasons, my stove and cooking decisions will need to adapt. Time will tell if my decisions work for me.

Becoming a good Bronco camp cook is a real stretch goal, but I have time until my Badlands arrives. So, if my Bronco off-road driving skills stink, at least I can eat well! ;)

Dutch oven cobbler made right in a camp fire is the best. Pick your fruit