Choosing Cast Iron Cookware for Camping

Cast iron cookware for camping is the ideal solution for meal preparation! While there are many reasons camping is appealing, cooking over an open fire can be challenging when you are not used to it.

Using cast iron takes a lot of the guess work out of it and makes it easier to enjoy the foods you want while you're out in the environment you love.

Cast iron works well on an open campfire, creating even heating from the uneven fire. The pans will retain the heat for a long period of time after cooking as well, so if anyone goes back for seconds, it will still be warm.

Dutch Ovens

Dutch ovens, the mainstay of the pioneers and cattle drive cooks can do double duty when camping. While you're eating the delicious stew that just came out of it, you can quickly wipe out the oven and add some cake batter or the makings for a fruit cobbler. Put the oven back in the coals and place a few coals on the lid for all-over heat distribution to bake your dessert.

Lodge Logic 8 Quart Camp Dutch Oven

Cast Iron Griddles

Double-sided griddles allow you to cook pancakes and eggs in the morning and burgers or steaks at night. The even heating of the cast iron will create perfect food every time. Cast iron cookware for camping will make sure those trout you caught taste their best, too!

Lodge Logic Pro 20-by-10-7/16-Inch Cast-Iron Grill/Griddle

Skillets

Skillets are needed for lots of campfire cooking. There's nothing like crispy fried chicken or fish while you're out camping, and a cast iron skillet will deliver the best tasting dinner you've ever had. Make fry bread with a crisp crust and a soft interior or make Sloppy Joes or taco meat easily no matter where you're camping. Cast iron skillets can nestle right into the coals of your campfire without getting damaged.

For a fun lunch, have a few pie irons handy to make toasted cheese sandwiches or meat pies. If you're not familiar with a pie iron, it is a small cast iron pan on a long handle. The pan is hinged with a top and bottom. You fill it with a slice of bread or some dough, add the filling and put more bread or dough on top. Hold the pie iron over the campfire or barbecue to create tasty treats that everyone will love. You can also use them to cook a few hotdogs together with some vegetables for a quick meal. Cast iron cookware for camping is fun, too!

Cleaning and Maintaining Cast Iron Cookware

While cast iron can be heavy, it is also durable. It can take a lot of bumping and battering and still be able to deliver at mealtime. It is easy to clean, which is an important consideration when you're out in the wilderness. For most meals, all you'll need to do is scrape it out and wipe it clean with some hot water and a dishcloth. A nylon scrubbing pad can take care of anything that sticks. Dry the cookware thoroughly by returning it to the dying heat of the campfire.

If you only use your cookware for camping, before you leave home just do a quick onceover to check for any rust that may have occurred since its last use. If it was exposed to any dampness, you may find some rust. Just scrub off the rust and reseason your cast iron cookware before you leave on your camping trip. If you don't notice the rust until you're already out in the wilderness, don't despair, you can still season the pan at camp. Just remove the rust, apply a thin coating of vegetable oil and set the pan to season on your campfire. Before you know it, your cast iron cookware for camping will be as good as new and ready to serve your cooking needs again!

Choosing cast iron cookware for your camping trip will ensure that you get great tasting food for every meal, even if you are not used to cooking on a campfire. It will give you years of trouble-free use, even if you only use it a few times per year. And cast iron is virtually indestructible. You'll be able to prepare a wide variety of delicious foods under the most primitive of conditions, while giving your family memories they'll cherish the rest of their lives.