Camping cookery - 5nts, no EHU

[DidntHaveTheLatin]

If you don't use an EHU, what's your preferred method of camp cookery for a tripod this length?

The last few times we've been away for 5nts+ we've had EHU and prior to that we've usually been somewhere with warm weather, where cold picnic-type meals have been the norm so we haven't been so reliant on quick and easy hot cooking.

Non-electrical-wise, we have/can borrow: a Kelly Kettle, a JetBoil, a two-ring gas stove with cylinder, and a one-ring gas stove with a canister.

We're 2 x adults and 2 x children so need to be able to make fairly substantial meals most nights and some breakfasts - we really we need two rings at a time so I'm leaving towards taking the JetBoil and the two-ring gas stove.

Friends have a Cadac stove (the round style) which they rave about but it just seems to be a gas BBQ, although perhaps I'm missing the appeal! I guess another option might be this kind of portable non-gas BBQ, which we'd probably get some use put of at home too.

What do other campers find to be the best combo of practicality/compactness/price?

What refrigeration do you have?
(Never used electric for cooking... we have meals like chilli, curry, bbq, odd takeaway etc.)

Do you have access to a freezer where you can freeze/replenish ice blocks? That would determine what I would take/store (and therefore cook).

My camping formula is
night 1 - something from home that just needs heating (chilli, spag bol etc)
other nights - BBQ at least 1 night (we take a camping BBQ and also have a cadac style gas one; fish & chips (if by the sea) 1 night, snacky stuff one night (if we've been out somewhere for the day and had lunch out). Fajitas if we still have another night (would only do this if I was sure the chicken had been properly refrigerated).

We don't need EHU to cook, but we do for our cool box. Where we have camped without EHU we make sure we can freeze ice blocks to try and keep things cold. But I do minimize meat eating on those trips, to be on the safe side.

In the past when we've had no EHU but have gas burners etc we done things like pasta, chilli and rice (brought the chilli with us from home, often frozen), BBQ type food, we've also taken things like the tinned curries you get from M&S - they're not bad and you don't have to keep them cold so perfect. (They also do things like bolognese, casserole, chilli etc). I believe in keeping it simple!

Thanks all - campers after my.own heart here! Tinned M&S curries is an excellent call.

In terms of fridge we'll have our toolbox, which we can plug into the car every now and then and we'll also have freezer blocks on rotation in the site freezer. But yes, very good call about minimising meat, @TheTripThatWasnt. (Also your meal plan is very similar to my usual!)

I think it's shaping up something like this:

• Chilli from home for first night (will defrost en route)
• takeaway or pub dinner one night
• simple veggie curry one night, maybe just with naans/rotis
• BBQ one night - maybe we'll buy a disposable one while we're these (if allowed) or perhaps I'll make a last-minute portable BBQ purchase
• breakfast for dinner one night (will buy sausages whilst there)

I have a Clare Thompson cookbook that isn't the actual camping one but has some good camping suggestions in - will have a look at that.

Will take back-up tinned curries, plus he usual spices and stock pots, potatoes, fruit, breakfast stuff etc. I also believe in keeping it simple!

Refrigeration is actually the biggest pain with no EHU. God knows how we used to manage years ago pre-kids, when all our camping was in Italian or French heat! Maybe we just drank a lot more and ate less?!

We find a tin of ham is a good back up. We chop it up, mix with a spicy rice pouch and some vegetables, takes a few minutes to heat through.

Weve just switched to making our own EHU with a leisure battery and solar panels... even on overcast days, its enough to keep the battery topped up

@DidntHaveTheLatin This is a great camping BBQ. Takes up no space in the car as it folds flat, and if you bung some wood on it after you've finished BBQing it acts as a firepit too. Great for toasting marshmallows. We've been known to light ours even when we're not BBQing just for something to sit around (and for warmth!

Ahh thanks @TheTripThatWasnt - that looks very similar to one I've been eyeing up on Amazon, but cheaper! https://amzn.eu/d/59YweVN

The campsite were at says no firepits/BBQs for cooking only, but that would certainly be it's primary purpose.

@PuttingDownRoots I'm intrigued to hear more about this...I remember on the DIBNY threads last year a lot of people were extolling their virtues but I didn't have the energy to investigate further! Do you mind me asking how much you spent on the battery?

We've used that one on plenty of sites that say 'no fires' (but where BBQs are allowed). Ours isn't actually the Halfords one, but it's remarkably similar - like the one in your link.

We have a caravan now but did camping for 50 yrs.

Agree with something like spaghetti bol for first night.

We usually buy a hot rotisserie chicken for one evening with crusty bread and butter - especially nice with pots of deli stuff.

We usually take a 2 ring burner and a trangia for hot drinks.
We rarely use a hook up and just buy fresh food as we need it. Bigger sites usually offer to freeze packs of some have little shops/honesty shops for milk & butter and bits and pieces.
If we feel extravagant I would eat a hot lunch out at a pub or cafe and have a light meal in the evening and not cook much.
I compromise by drinking red wine instead of white and have a little sugar in my coffee instead of milk.

fresh pasta and a pot of sauce is quick to cook. Add some ready cooked chicken on the side and some salad.
couscous only needs a kettle boiled and is quite filling

Ha I always drink red wine when camping!

Personally I think our camping fridge is worth it simply for the cold wine and cocktails!

M&S tinned stuff is really good.

We've combined those with rice/pasta/tinned veg to make lovely meals.

Off memory-

Tinned steak chunks in gravy- with tinned potatoes and carrots/peas

Tinned chilli and rice

Spag Bol.

Chicken casserole with tinned veg.

Curry/rice

We have a gas cadac safari chef which is only one ring but we manage fine.

We took 2 saucepans.
The tinned stuff only needs heating up so is quick, I think the longest thing to cook was the rice.

We did have the facility to keep stuff cold, so could also cook sausages/burgers/bacon on the griddle plate and with the other plate we could fry eggs or make pancakes etc.

This is a good thread! We normally fall back to pasta with veg and a jar of sauce.

Thanks so much everyone! I love preparing for this kind of trip 😀

I've been over my kitchen box today and have sorted my list of what we're taking, for anyone interested!:

Breakfasts

• bag of the small slightly weird Lidl croissants (good for frying up dipped on eggs croissant french toast)
• peanut butter
• mixed tub of bran flakes/hoops/granola plus Weetabix
• will buy eggs, bacon and sausages for a fry-up/butties whilst there, also bananas and other fruit

Dinners

• chilli with sweet potato and lots of beans for first night, plus wraps and packet rice - easy to reheat together
• will do Cajun (pan-fried) salmon one night, either with rice or boiled potatoes and whatever veg we buy
• pasta and jarred sauce for another night (I usually cook a veg like aubergine and add that in too)
• fish and chips!!

Snacks/lunches

• bags of dried mango
• dark choc
• biscuits
• cashews and peanuts for snacking with pre-dinner drinks!
• caramel waffles - very good camping pudding (melted slightly on top of a brew)
• crisps galore
• will buy hummus, cheese, maybe coleslaw for lunches whilst there, plus baguettes
• boatload of teabags
• oatnilk
• sachet hot choc and marshmallows for toasting (hopefully!) on our new foldable bbq 😁
• few tins of beans (always in the kitchen box for emergencies)

If we can stop at an M&S en route I'll pick up some of the nice tinned curries.

I've remembered that a camping staple for us many years ago used to be merguez-type sausages fried with garlic and lots of sliced apple, and potatoes fried in the sausage fat - planning to bring that one back into the rotation!

Campfire nachos? They’re a favourite with our DC and DGC when we go camping and can be made in a pan with tinfoil over the top.

Nachos
Cooked chicken/tinned ham or I often take home made beef chilli (tinned works well too)
Jar of salsa
Bag of shredded mixed cheese
Jalapeños
Guacamole (shop bought)
Soured cream

Layer up in pan slowly letting cheese melt between layers and serve.

You asked about our solar set up...

It all camp from the Go Outdoors winter sale last winter... battery, 4 fold out panels, and control panel. It was all cheaper as it was winter (plus we get Scout leader discount). It can't be used when its raining, but overcast gets some power. We had phones and camping fridge running off it, plus the pump for the paddleboard.

Weve also used it on days out! We camp a lot over the summer, but don't like crowded sites.