Camping Cooking Tips – A sense of nostalgia hits us when it comes to spending the night around the campfire to see who can roast the best marshmallows.
Unfortunately, that cozy, flannel-covered feeling tends to fade after the second day in a row of cold hot dogs and leftover marshmallows for breakfast.
Camping food is surprisingly delicious, but it’s hard to come up with ideas in an unfamiliar environment where you have to do without the luxury of a stove.
Fortunately, people don’t have to live on packaged sausages alone when they’re in the great outdoors.
In this article, you’ll find out how to properly prepare for a camping trip with a roof tent, what you need to bear in mind and which techniques are the best for the perfect dinner.
We also take you into the world of practical equipment for a successful camping weekend.
If you’re looking for recipes, read our XXL camping recipes article.
Camping Ratgeber:
The ultimate cooking tips for campers
Whether it’s your first trip with your girlfriend or a vacation for experienced campers, everyone wonders at some point while camping how to fix the problem now.
Whether it’s the preparation, the cooking itself, simple recipes or gadgets that could make camping easier and therefore sweeter.
Here you will find 6 valuable tips that offer incredible help when camping.
Before camping: prepare food in advance
You’ll save an incredible amount of time on site and on unmotivated days you’ll be thankful you’ve prepared everything in advance.
It’s hard enough to chop onions in a proper kitchen, let alone with a blunt knife on a rickety picnic table.
Make it easy on yourself and prepare your ingredients, or even better, your whole meals in advance.
How much you should prepare depends on the length of your stay.
If you’re staying for two weeks, it will be difficult for the Bolognese to cope.
If you’re only traveling for a weekend.
you can prepare all the vegetables, sauces and soups at home.
Take stews with ribs and hearty chilies in storage-friendly Ziplocs or stackable deli containers, and when the sun goes down, all you have to do is heat them up.
Prepare from home:
- Time-saving and efficient
- Makes things easier
- Packing in Ziplocs / delicatessen containers
- Just warm up when camping
Keep it simple: Grilling instead of a 5-star menu
Keep the meals as simple as possible.
As much as we love to show off our 5 star chef skills, culinary theatrics should be left at home as soon as you pull out of the driveway.
Your family won’t judge you for sticking to simple one-pot meals like braised chicken thighs.
They’re more likely to judge you for making them eat trail mix for dinner after your campfire soufflé experiment went awry.
That’s why it’s important to cook dishes that routinely sit in the palm of your hand.
This saves time, bad moods and stomach upsets.
Especially at a place like a campsite, which is supposed to offer relaxation and doesn’t have the best sanitary facilities, you should think twice about whether it’s worth it.
You can cook quickly and easily at the campsite with easy recipes.
Guaranteed something for everyone!
Advantages of simple cooking:
- Do without sophisticated recipes = time-saving
- No unknown experiments when camping
- Consequences: Stomach ache, bad mood, hunger
- The best recipes for camping
Ready meals camping: quick & filling
You don’t need to cook every day, if you look around properly you’ll have enough on your plate.
Before you set off, pack a selection of foods that are suitable for immediate consumption, such as cold meats and a few pieces of hard cheese.
It is important that these survive in a dry environment, i.e. outside the fridge.
Add a bottle of wine and the gourmet party can begin!
Snacks should also not be missing on the trip.
Yes, of course, pretzel sticks don’t fill you up, but sometimes it’s not the big hunger that calls us.
Most of the time it’s boredom that wants us to keep our fingers and mouths busy.
That’s why it’s good to have a few salty or sweet snacks between meals that will keep for a long time and don’t necessarily need to be kept in the cooler.
Satisfy hunger quickly:
- Takeaway ready meals and snacks
- Small snacks in between
- Take meals with you that can be stored outside the cool box
- Wine provides the noble touch
Packing list: Only the essentials are allowed!
Really only bring the essentials.
Unlike your favorite non-stick skillet, a high-sided cast iron skillet needs no coddling, making it the perfect companion for outdoor cooking.
It can fry bacon in the morning, reheat pot roast in the evening and, yes, sear hot dogs, and when you’re done, all you have to do is wipe it clean.
So try not to tick off the long packing list, but sort your things properly in advance, then you’ll save on unnecessary weight, have less to worry about and less to clean.
- Prepare a packing list for the essentials
- Think efficiently: Don’t take your favorite devices with you
- Saves unnecessary weight
- Saves time when cleaning
Cool box: Clever & practical
When camping, you spend most of your time outdoors in nature.
Sitting together around the campfire, enjoying the peace and quiet and drinking a cold drink or two are all part of the experience.
This alone makes it worth buying a cool box for your camping trip.
You can also conveniently take all the food and cooking ingredients with you that normally need to be refrigerated.
This means you don’t have to do without anything on your camping vacation and can enjoy a carefree but eventful and unforgettable time.
Read more about the cool box here! Pack the contents of your cool box cleverly.
Freezing all the meats you plan to cook will keep your cooler frosty once packed and with a little planning, they’ll be perfectly defrosted by the time you’re ready to munch on them.
You can also consider defrosting them in advance.
For one thing, they’ll be more stable, you won’t have to worry about packing them with raw ingredients, and they’ll only need to be reheated briefly at dinner.
Either way, it’s never a bad idea to have a thermometer on hand just to make sure your ice chest is at a fridge-worthy temperature.
Cooler is a must:
- Temperature in the cool box is important
- Defrosted meat: quicker to prepare
- Frosty meat: keeps the cool box cold for longer
- Thermometer: An important tool
Plan B: Have an emergency kit to hand
Dusk is not the best time to realize that you are completely incapable of making a fire.
Take the portable butane stove with you just in case, then you won’t have to eat jerky for dinner.
You shouldn’t have to do without a gas stove or espresso maker for your morning coffee in your immediate vicinity either.
Especially for long journeys, the notorious coffee in the morning is a must for every trip.
The necessary crockery set and knives should not be forgotten either.
If you only have your plastic knives to hand, it will be difficult to cut the steaks or lift the meat from the grill.
The most important emergency kit that you should always have with you when traveling by car is the first aid kit.
Be sure, the little white box has more in it than you might think.
When camping, it is also important to have various sprays with you in addition to the obligatory first aid material.
Depending on the region, a pepper spray for self-protection or against animals would be very useful.
For mosquito and insect pets, insect and mosquito spray offers peaceful nights without annoying scratching.
A tick spray also has its advantages in wooded regions, but does not completely replace a check-up after the trip.
Important gadgets when camping:
- Butane stove for fire
- Gas stove for cooking
- Espresso maker for coffee
- Tableware set and sharp knives
- First aid kit for accidents
- Additional pepper, insect, mosquito & tick spray
Cooking on the campsite: from fitted kitchens to campfires
Before setting off on a camping trip, there is often one question: “How are we going to cook there?”.
If your stomach isn’t full, then the trip can be oh so nice, but the mood will go down the drain.
That’s why it’s important to plan in advance what cooking utensils you need to take with you.
- Fitted kitchen in motorhome
- Fitted kitchen in the van
- Hotplate
- Grill
- Campfire
Tip! If you don’t necessarily have an integrated kitchen in your caravan, you should definitely get a camping kitchen so that you can cook something tasty at the campsite and enjoy your vacation to the fullest.
Hotplate: a piece of home in nature
When you are far away from home, you can get homesick.
Not only can you satisfy your longing with a hotplate like at home, but it’s also a big advantage over natural ways of cooking like a campfire.
Here is a list of the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of a hotplate:
- Easy to light with a match or lighter
- Can also be turned on in wet and windy conditions
- Cooks food evenly, nothing burns quickly
- Variable heat: it’s easy to change the heat
Disadvantages of a hotplate:
- You have to bring gas canisters everywhere you camp
- Gas canisters run out quickly
- Larger camping stoves can take up quite a lot of space
- Sometimes be broken or difficult to operate
- Leaking gas fuel = completely destroys your cooking experience
- Types of fuel canisters are not always tailored to your camping stove
- Camping stoves cost between 15 euros and 200 euros
Barbecue: a must-have in summer
Barbecuing is as much a part of summer as the annual visit to the swimming pool, sunbathing or a delicious ice cream.
As soon as the temperature rises a little, many Germans can be seen barbecuing in their small gardens or allotments, in parks or on their balconies.
But what many people often forget is how to clean them thoroughly to keep them tasting good.
Here you will find important tips to keep your Grilllooks like a new purchase:
Cleaning: Important cleaning tips
A ready-to-cook barbecue must be two things: clean and hot.
Always clean your barbecue with a suitable brush before and after cooking.
After cooking, clean the grill with a brush and then “season” it with a paper towel dabbed with cooking oil.
Buy a new, stiff metal brush every few months during the barbecue season to keep the brush fresh and effective.
Old brushes can be dangerous.
If they become overused and worn, the bristles can come out and end up in the grill or food.
- Clean before and after cooking
- With a suitable brush (metal sponge)
- Dab with cooking oil paper towel and clean
- A new, stiff metal brush every few months
Campfire: A fiery affair
You need to bring less equipment, can do everything from grilling to roasting and steaming to baking, and feel more comfortable when you’ve cooked over a fire.
Disadvantages: Longer to set up, can darken pots, harder to control and regulate heat, more prone to burning food/hands.
Advantages of a campfire:
- Bring less equipment
- Everything from grilling, roasting and steaming to baking
- Close to nature when camping
Disadvantages of a campfire:
- Longer installation
- Can darken pots
- More difficult to control
- More difficult to regulate heat
- More susceptible to burning food
Barbecue: Top techniques for meat like from the chef
A barbecue is definitely part of every camping trip!
Barbecuing together after a long, exhausting and eventful day not only brings people together, but also fills the stomachs of hungry campers.
But which barbecue is the best?
- Read all about the charcoal barbecue and the gas barbecue here!
Barbecue season is just around the corner, so dust off the tongs quickly and start cleaning the grates before you get started on the meat!
Every meat has its own way of being prepared, cooked and eaten.
That’s why we’ve put together the most important techniques for red meat, chicken and fish that you need to follow.
Finally, there are also tips on cleaning the barbecue – after all, a clean barbecue is the be-all and end-all!
Red meat: How to grill red meat – medium or rare
The best cuts of meat, such as rib eye, strip steak or filet mignon, have the highest marbled fat content, which makes them tastier, more tender and rich in meaty goodness.
But they’re also the most expensive.
You can get more bang for your buck with less expensive cuts like hanger steak, skirt steak and sirloin steak, which are flavorful and delicious when grilled.
Here’s the secret: marinating the less expensive cuts makes them more tender, flavorful and helps them retain moisture while cooking.
The right temperature for grilling red meat
Always preheat your barbecue.
Whether you’re cooking over gas or charcoal briquettes, the grill needs to be fully preheated before cooking.
Starting the grill 10 to 20 minutes ahead of time will help ensure proper cooking temperatures, which in turn will help prevent sticking or undercooking.
Buy a cheap meat thermometer.
The temperature gauge will then tell you with great accuracy whether the meat is rare, medium-rare, medium or well done.
The position of your meat on the grill is also important.
Steaks should be cooked quickly over the hotter area of the grill to get a good char.
Searing the surface of the food at a high temperature leads to the formation of a caramelized crust and is crucial for flavor development!
Preparation for tender red meat:
- Rib-eye, strip steak and filet mignon = expensive, high fat content
- Hanger steak, skirt steak and sirloin steak = cheaper, perfect for the barbecue
- Always preheat the grill completely
- Meat thermometer = perfect tool (medium-rare, medium or well-done)
- Steaks should be cooked over the hotter area of the grill
- Leads to a caramelized crust
Fish: How to grill the perfect fish
Don’t be afraid of grilled fish!
Many types of fish can be grilled very well.
Salmon, tuna and swordfish are all excellent grilled fish.
Prawns are also perfect for cooking on the barbecue.
You can put them all directly on the grill without them falling apart.
But other fish that are more on the flaky side are not suitable for grilling on the barbecue (cod, perch, haddock, snapper, etc.).
Fortunately, there is a solution.
Grill baskets are widely available, affordable and allow you to cook all types of fish on the grill.
They help keep the fish together while giving it all the smoky, charred goodness of cooking over the flames.
They are also great for grilling whole fish.
Cooking fish is a matter of taste.
Some people like salmon and tuna grilled medium-rare, others prefer their seafood well done.
As with chicken and steak, a thermometer will help you determine your preferred level of doneness without cutting into the meat.
Fish cooks better when placed on a hot grill surface.
This will prevent it from sticking to the grill grates and it will cook very quickly in this location.
- Salmon, tuna and swordfish = grilled fish
- Cod, perch, haddock, snapper = unsuitable as they fall apart
- Grill baskets are the solution
- Meat thermometer = perfect tool (medium-rare, medium or well-done)
- Hot grilling surface ensures better preparation
Chicken: How to grill your tender chicken
Boneless chicken thighs are, in my opinion, the juiciest and most delicious part of the bird.
But the breast can be just as tasty when prepared properly.
Chicken breast tends to dry out if you don’t know what you’re doing.
I also like to leave the skin on the breast, which makes the bird juicier and gives it more flavor.
You would think a few degrees Celsius wouldn’t make a difference to the moisture and flavor of the chicken.
You’re wrong, there is a difference, especially between the bone and the breast fillet.
In general, the perfect temperature for chicken:
- Boneless chicken breast = 165°
- Chicken breast halves with bone = 170°
- Boneless thigh = 170°
- Thigh or leg quarter with bone = 170-175°
Steak: a must-have on the barbecue
How do you grill a perfect steak?
It’s an art, if it’s not the taste, it’s the time when you take the steak off the grill.
It should not be too dry, but also well done – a real challenge!
Here are 5 tips for grilling your perfect steak.
- Salt the steak early for a more intense flavor
- Defrost the steak before grilling it
- Fry to intensify the flavor
- Cut thicker steaks in half
- You can’t save a dry steak
Salt the steak early for a juicy taste
There is a belief that salting meat too far before cooking can draw out moisture.
While it’s true that salt can draw out moisture on its own, it’s also true that over the course of 20 or 30 minutes, this can actually be a good thing as the salt begins to dissolve into the little bit of moisture that has been drawn out of it.
So when you drop the steak onto the hot grill grate, all the sugars and proteins in the moisture mix with the salt and any other seasonings you’ve added to create a perfectly crispy crust.
The flavor of that delicious crust is worth any moisture you might lose.
- Salt begins to dissolve after 30 minutes
- Promotes a crispy crust
- Provides a juicy taste
Defrost the steak before grilling it
The goal is to grill steaks until they are brown, with a slight charring on the surface while making sure the inside is cooked to perfection and juicy, right?
However, if the steak is too cold, it can take so long for the inside to reach perfect juiciness that the steak will overcook and turn gray and dry.
To remedy this, leave the steaks at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling them.
This will help them cook to the center faster and keep them juicier.
- Preparation of cold steak takes a long time
- The inside reaches perfect juiciness after hours
- Defrosting for 30 minutes at room temperature helps
Fry for intense flavor
One rule of thumb that sets professional chefs apart from many home cooks is that chefs sear their steaks longer.
That’s because professionals know that you can capture aromas and flavors on the surface of steaks by searing them, so they let their steaks sizzle over direct heat until the surface is dark, dark brown.
Don’t believe that searing “traps the juices”.
That’s a myth.
But searing definitely makes a steak much more flavorful.
- Frying for longer creates a more intense flavor
- Aromas and flavors can be captured on the surface
- Dark brown surface = perfect
Cut thicker steaks in half: Enjoy twice
Most steaks can only be grilled to perfection at high heat.
When your grill fires up, that’s the only time you really need to move the steak around on the grill.
Some pieces of steak are so thick that grilling them over direct heat alone would burn the outside and not achieve the desired internal firmness.
Therefore, for steaks thicker than one centimeter, consider cutting them in half vertically.
Once you have seared both sides nicely on both sides over direct high heat, move the steaks to a less hot part of the grill, ideally over indirect heat, and finish the grilling process there.
- Vertical halving makes for better steaks
- Steaks thicker than 1 cm are difficult to grill
- Only when grilling over direct heat does the outside burn
You can’t save a dry steak!
Steaks that are grilled at high heat lose moisture.
This means that the fat and juices are literally squeezed out of the meat.
Over time, as we’ve made steaks easier to digest, this is an unfortunate reality.
Perhaps the most important part of preserving that moisture when grilling a steak is to remove it from the fire before it gets too dry.
Usually you only have a minute or two to do this.
When steaks go from medium rare to medium or medium to medium, it can happen quickly.
You have to be vigilant to catch this window.
Never walk away from a steak on the grill.
Be careful because it’s always better to remove a steak when it’s undercooked than to let it overcook because you can always put it back on the grill.
- Steaks that are grilled at high heat lose moisture
- Fat and juices are pressed out of the meat
- Remove from the fire before it is too dry
- Time between medium rare to medium: 1-2 minutes
Mobile devices for the camping weekend
You want to go camping soon and have no idea what kitchen utensils you need to take with you to be able to cater for yourself?
Here you will find the important appliances that you absolutely must have with you on a successful camping trip:
If you want to know how to use the devices and what the respective advantages are, you can find out everything about each of the above terms in our camping lexicon.
Simply click on the term and you will find out what you need to look out for when buying.