Outdoor cooking: anything for the adventurous outdoor chef

Outdoor cooking: where do you start?

Cast iron makes all the difference to outdoor cooking. It distributes heat from an uneven fire, withstands flames and coals, and lasts for generations.

• Dutch oven or skillet. A Dutch oven is a pot with a flat lid you can put coals on, heating it from above and below at the same time: ideal for stews, baking and even bread. A skillet is the frying pan for quicker meals.
• Flat or round base. A flat base works on a fire plate or your hob at home; a round base with legs stands in the coals. If you cook both ways, then the flat version is more versatile.
• Seasoning is maintenance, not an optional extra. Season a new cast-iron pan with a layer of oil, and that layer improves each time you cook. A seasoned pan does not stick or rust.
• A fire bowl or a gas burner? A fire bowl is for atmosphere: light a fire where it is allowed, put a grate or tripod over it and you can cook on it too. A gas burner is the opposite: light, ready in seconds and made for trips.
• A wood stove or a tripod? A compact wood stove burns twigs and is ready in no time. A tripod over an open fire suits larger cookware and outdoor cooking with a group.

Petromax and Lodge together account for well over a third of this range, both in cast iron. You’ll also find wood stoves from Bushcraft Essentials, kettles from Kelly Kettle, gas burners from Primus and Optimus, and the small tools you really need for outdoor cooking: scrapers, lid lifters and pot holders.