I'm looking for one pan,any ideas?

[winewolfhowls]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could recommend one pan that could be used for all camping cooking. E.g frying, pasta, one pot meals. Currently we take one medium saucepan and one frying pan. I wanted one for everything really?

Also need camping mugs that are quite large yet stack (trying to save space in car).

[winewolfhowls]

Thanks for the reply

[hillbilly]

I don't have a one pan solution but we have an outwell set of pans that all slot into each other. 3 pans, 3 lids and a universal handle. The lids can be used as frying/sauté pans. There is a newer version which is cream coloured but I much prefer the old one which is blue and can still probably be found on eBay somewhere. It's about £40. Newer version has a different handle attachment which is not very strong or easy to use.

[lavendersun]

What about a trangia which fits in their billy can which is all you need to buy separately (the billy can that is).

Our entire cooking set fits in this, frying pan, two small pans, kettle and meths burner with windshields.

The main byproduct of meths is carbon dioxide unlike gas where the byproduct is carbon monoxide. We cook inside if the weather is bad, even in our tent with a SIG, just opening the vents. The stove fits on one of those tiny aluminium backpacker type tables with room to spare.

We much prefer cooking with meths but it probably isn't for everyone.

Billy can
www.millets.co.uk/equipment/62031620-trangia-4-5l-billy-can-with-lid-multi.html/555367/&cm_mmc=googleshop--shopping--feed-_-all&mkwid=srKKU3SDl_dc&pcrid=66903515317&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=CN2i07Ooq8cCFa-WtAodoTEHRw?gclid=CN2i07Ooq8cCFa-WtAodoTEHRw

Trangia
www.millets.co.uk/equipment/101487-trangia-25-6-non-stick-cooker-kettle-set.html

You can get them cheaper if you shop around. You then just need a meths bottle for about £12-15.

[winewolfhowls]

Interesting lavender thanks. Two questions, is it difficult to clean and how long does one meths bottle last if you were cooking say breakfast dinner and a few hot drinks in between?

[lavendersun]

Not difficult to clean at all, we have the non stick version. It must be 10 years old at least, no signs of anything wearing out/coming off etc., etc..

Meths is best bought from chandleries or decorating shops, we tend to pay about £12-15 for 5ltr depending on where we buy it. We decant it into a couple of these

www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/trangia-fuel-bottle-1l-97220007?channel_code=110&id_colour=180&product_code=73492019&utm_source=google&_$ja=tsid:45886&gclid=CLGF2OjWq8cCFXQatAodYJgHxQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

We have just been away for two weeks and used about 5ltrs but that includes using a heat pal like this

www.tauntonleisure.com/tentipi-heat-pal-5100-spirit-heater-and-cooker/p1840#tdesc_9

It is basically a massive trangia that heats our tent, we cook on it when using a pressure cooker or making something in one pot like risotto and leave it on all night if it is cold to warm us up a bit. The heat pal takes a ltr at a time.

I reckon 2-3 ltrs would easily be enough for two weeks of dinner, drinks and breakfasts.

Because we use so much with the heat pal we take the 5ltr bottle and fill up the trangia bottles.

I love it, I made two curries, rice and warmed naan last week at the same time, just with a trangia and heat pal by putting the pans that had finished cooking on a wooden chopping board while I cooked the rice and naan.

We do have campingaz stove(s) as well, one of them is 25 years old, just have used them less and less over the last few years as we have come to prefer the meths burners..

Even better is that the trangia, in its billy can, fits inside my pressure cooker, so I have one pan with lots of options.

We do have two (or three or four) tiny meths burners that we seem to have acquired over the years, keep one in the car for tea on the road, the others are usually with us ...... just in case.

[winewolfhowls]

Very thorough information thanks, you're selling it well! Perhaps something to go on my Xmas list or may treat myself in end of season sales

[lavendersun]

It was backpacking DH's thing tbh wine, mine was campingaz but over the last 10 years or so I have come to love it. I was a bit scared of the meths to begin with as the flame can be bigger than the regulated gas flame but as long as you don't refill the burner when it is hot all is well. It is just so simple.

We have a very classy small tin - smaller than a small baked bean tin that we put over the burner to extinguish the flame, saves on the rubber seals on the trangia burner lids which can melt if you don't manage to put it out first go.

[Monkey533]

We have the trangia and while I do love it, it suits our family which is two hungry adults and 2 smallish boys. It's not great when we camp with another family and want to cook bigger meals. But maybe lavender has some more advice?

There are tricks like get your water boiling for pasta but it in and bring it back to a boil and then take it off the heat, wrap it in a bunch of towels/bedding to keep the heat from escaping, and then heat your sauce on another pot on the flame.

Which sounds sort of ludicrous but it does work. Its certainly not the same as cooking at home though, but that's part of what I like.

[lavendersun]

I have only ever cooked for four - is yours the big one monkey?

I try not to eat much pasta tbh but when I cook it I cook it last when we are camping, cooking whatever sauce is going with it first.

Toast is good (in a camping sort of way ) in the frying pan, pressed down with a spatula!

[Lucycat]

I agree that you would probably need 2 pans but the one I use most is a large glass lidded fairly deep frying pan where the handles screws off for transport.
All sauces are done in this and rice (bib of course) and pasta are done in an aluminium type large pan with double handles for lifting off the stove. Ours is a pasta pan with an insert from IKEA I think which also doubles as a drainer / salad washer/ bib rice strainer and fruit bowl :)

[winewolfhowls]

Sounds like a good pan from ikea and I like the idea of a handle that screws off

[Lucycat]

Just look underneath all the suitable sized frying pans in TKMaxx to see if the handle unscrews - just don't forget to pack a small screwdriver in your camping kit to reassemble on site.

I put the handle ( & screws) inside the pan & pack around it with J cloths, a small washing up liquid, a green scrubby thing & a tea towel - all held together with a strong elastic band