Basic kitchen & food stuff list

[Mrs Possum]

Hi everyone,

I would love a basic list of essential food stuffs and kitchen items to pack in the camper trailer. Just what can't you do without:confused:? I do know I need a stainless coffee maker to go on the gas as not sure the Bodum would cut it through the rough:wasntme: .

I am waiting with interest to see what all you gals & guys think is essential!:D :D

[100I]

Coffee, tobacco, meat, beer and..
no that's it

[Mick-Kelly]

This is a fantastic idea for a thread. Keep it coming oh wise ones. I allways end up eating sausages and using the foam tray as a plate. Doh

[Mud_Bogger6]

Spam, bread, yeast flour, Beer, and other damper ingredients

[Bushie]

Spam, bread, yeast flour, Beer, and other damper ingredients

You need to go away for a month in the desert - You'll soon add to that list :):)


Martyn

[Mud_Bogger6]

Maybe, wont be doin that to soon tho

[Bushie]

Basic fire irons for us include

2 lengths of star picket (around 500mm)
a billy post and hangers

pic says a thousand words

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/01/263.jpg

Jaffle iron.



Martyn

[Mud_Bogger6]

OOps forgot the billy and a few jerry cans if water

[Mrs Possum]

I do suppose I was being a bit blonde asking a froum with mostly guys on it for advice on essentialy "womens business";) :eek: ;) what was I thinking:eek: Thanks though for the list so far. I have started writing out one myself of things I know I will have to have just because of the type of cooking we like. We do eat a lot of asian so a Wok is essential. I suppose most things need to be unbreakable for the :eek: rough stuff.

Kettle/billy
Wok
stainless steel Coffee maker (just have to have my real coffee)
saucepan with steamer insert
cork screw/can opener
spatula
tongs
wooden spoons
frypan
2 wine glasses
2 thermal coffee mugs
4 plates
4 bowls
4 Knives/forks/spoons/teaspoons and 1 tablespoon

will refine this as I do more 4x4 and camping.
Maybe the guys dare I say it :twisted: :twisted: might learn a thing or two;) about packing for a trip.
My husband happens to be a very dab hand in the kitchen and we usually share the cooking even at home. So he will certainly have a say in what gets packed and not leave it just to me.:D :D Obviously he must be a rare one;) ;)

[Bigbjorn]

Rum, in case of fever, or snakebite, or need for anaesthesia, or measuring distance (Davenport is two bottles of rum from Winton), measuring severity of wet seasons (every time you get bogged on the mail run, you open a bottle of rum, a fifteen bottler is a big wet), or just for rum.

[WilliamB]

coffee. Thing to make coffee in. stuff to add to coffee. heaty thing for coffee.
medicare card for too much coffee.

[Mick-Kelly]

Lots and lots of eggs, then you wont need a porta loo. Just watch out after about three days :eek:

[100I]

Ok Mrs Possum, a meaningful contribution.
As I see you too like to cook in a wok; I have a cast iron wok I bought from I think Target for $40 a few years back. It is heavy but...
It takes some serious stupidity to burn your meal so no big hassle to clean it. It can be used straight on the coals. It can be used on gas of course including safe use on one of those handy butane cookers due to the shape of a wok not trapping heat. Yet it is a big vessel so can cook a BIG feed and less chance of spillage.
And it can handle a mean steak, one of those big b*****d rumps you take 3 days to digest:twisted:

[waynep]

Hmm ...agree with the wok. We bought a cheap one years ago and now always throw it in to go camping.

Our kit has decreased over the years. We use to carry so much stuff it was ridiculous. I got worried about carrying gas bottles in the car after a few horror stories, so now we are totally gas free.

We carry only this kit now :

2 X Coleman portable camping stoves - the small round ones. These use Shellite or can use unleaded petrol. These do all the cooking.
2 X stainless steel billies. The camping stoves fit inside these to save space.
1 X small Wok does all the frying and can be used as a bigg suacepan if needed.
One of those picnic backpacks with all the cutlery, plates, knives cups etc init - most of the original stuff has been replaced with better quality stuff.
Round plastic basin for washing up etc.
Plastic sieve thing.
Gauze toaster
Camp oven

For food, it varies but we always have pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes, tinned tuna because those basics can make a meal anywhere. We pick up fresh stuff whenever we can.

As for a quick meal when nothing else is available, cook a bit of pasta in one billy. In another billy fry some onions ( and garlic if you have it ), throw in a tin of tomatoes, small tin of tuna if you want, dried herbs, cook for ten minutes, throw it over top of the pasta and you're ready to eat. If you have cheese to grate over top, even better.

I like my meat too, but making something tasty when you're down to tins or packets is a challenge.

[loanrangie]

Coffee, tobacco, meat, beer and..
no that's it

I would add just a few more items to your diverse list - bourbon/scotch for those cold nights, bacon, eggs, bread.
Now that is a balanced list including all the food groups :p

[Bigbjorn]

Well, I made my tongue-in-cheek recommendation regarding the old outback cure-all, rum. Now this one is for real. Take rice, and the makings of damper. Tins of meat. Corned beef, camp pie, luncheon beef, ham, tinned pies, tinned veges. tinned fruit, all good emergency rations if bogged or broken down. We used to take this stuff on the more remote mail runs. Also take long life hard veges. of the sort that dont need refrigeration. Curry powder, salt, pepper, mustard powder, pickles, sauces,tomato soup, tomato paste, cooking oil, tea, coffee, long life milk if you use it. Can you still get butter in tins? Above all, think heavy. Dont take light bulky stuff, or stuff that falls into crumbs with the bouncing and shaking. A couple of nests of billys, camp oven, coffee pot, the iron wok and a lid sounds good to me, iron frying pan and/or grill plate for the fire/stove. Enamel plates and mugs live well and are easy to clean. Tripod or similar for hanging a pot over the fire. If you are getting really serious, go to a TAFE course and learn to kill and dress a sheep. If you have to acquire a sheep, then leave the skin on a fence. This is traditional. Few cockies got cranky about someone taking a sheep for food as long as they took it all, and left the skin.

[cartm58]

when planning a prolonged trip this is what l do

work out the number of days going to be away
work out the number of meals per day
make up a plastic bag for each meal containing the non perishable contents for that meal
label each bag for meal type and day
pack the plastic bags into a box in the order that the meals are going to be consumed
pack the perishable contents for each meal in labelled bag and stacked in freezer/fridge in order of consumption

Have found that by doing this you can plan your meal variety, your not looking or rummaging through boxes for ingredients when preparing meal you dont have problem of travel removing identifying labels from cans etc and you know for certain all you need is in the bag you removed from box

Besides that the coleman 3 burner duel fuel stove, bbq hot plate which covers 2 burners leaving 1 burner free for pots tos team/boil vegs or make coffee, coleman stove for burner for baking and roasting.

Varies size pots which fit inside one another wok

2 Cutting boards, sharp knifes assorted kitchen gadets

Plates Bowls cups knifes forrks etc ina ccordance with number of people in trip

Buy fresh veg and fruit according to trip eg if travelling across state borders only buy when in new state and only for number of days in that state avoids the fruit fly quarantine regulations

[Bigbjorn]

I based my recommendations on the assumption of remote area/outback travel, and from experience living and working in & around Winton. The tinned stuff would go in a sugar bag, and behind or under a truck seat. The spuds, onions, pumpkin, turnips, could go in another bag and be slung under the truck's tray or the wagonette in the case of the droving plant.These are the sort of provisions that were found in our trucks and in my grandfather's droving plant. No stoves, only camp fires. No refrigeration. Maybe a kerosene light, and a couple of flashlights for moving around in the dark. A drover's cook who could make good damper and tasty meals with this equipment and provisions was a treasure. In a LR station wagon you could sling bags of the roof inside with a few hooks and holes.

[DEFENDERZOOK]

i pre-cut and prepare my salads and store them in plastic containers.....or the wifes tupperware when shes not looking........:angel:
the size of each serve depends on how many people will be eating......

as long as there is no dressing on it.....these will last a week in the fridge.....the conatiner serves as a salad bowl....just add dressing on top......


with my meats....same thing.....into containers.....
if im gonna need beef strips...they are cut up at home and put into a container......

if im gonna cook some chicken nuggets/schnitzels....these are cut up and crumbed at home.....and placed into a container.....ready for the frypan....

another container will have the sausages.....one for the steaks....a small one for the mustard......bacon.....mince meat....rissoles.....you get the picture.....

of course i have some idea of what i will be cooking for each meal.....so i just have all the cutting and preparing done at home.....
in the kitchen with all the space and comfort i need.......and without the flies and bugs.....

basically....all i do at camp is mix and cook......and rinse a few containers.....

these are better in the fridge and dont break or puncture like the foam trays of meat with the gladwrap.....or leak......
i have no rubbish as all the packaging is taken care of at home.....and the empty containers are great for any leftovers........

also.....if you need to stop things from bouncing around in the fridge as it empties.....the containers can be put back in....
even though they are empty....just to take up some space.....and best of all.....they stack neatly.......

[Bytemrk]

Mrs Possum, you don't really expect to get a sensible answer on this from any of the men do you? the ones that are in charge of the food usually live on cremated meat and the others leave it to their wife, so wouldn't have a clue :D :D

OUCH! :eek::eek::eek:

That's a bit harsh.... I think I better get mrs Bytemrk on here to defend us guys...:mad:

Some of us can actually cook you know...

No marinated lamb back straps for you I think:p :p


Mark..

[Bytemrk]

Mark,

You'd know what I mean if you read back on some of the older threads on camp eating :)

I don't mind about the backstraps....not all that keen on lamb anyway :D

Its nice to hear that some of you blokes do actually take part in camp cooking other than the cremations :p :p :p

Haha...

When we go away as a family I have this rule about the catering...

Mrs Bytemrk does nearly all the cooking at home....

So when we go bush - I cook... kids clean up.... that way she gets a break too. Lots of variety... as Defenderzook says.. if you plan a bit before hand and do a reasonable amount of preparation at home it's easy...

But then when it's just me and my boy.... I must admit the 3 main food groups are Meat, Spuds and Beer... boys will be boys...:D:D

Mark

[George130]

Mark,

You'd know what I mean if you read back on some of the older threads on camp eating :)

I don't mind about the backstraps....not all that keen on lamb anyway :D

Its nice to hear that some of you blokes do actually take part in camp cooking other than the cremations :p :p :p

I'm not a great cook but when it comes to meat I like it to still fight back so only cremate by accident. You should have to wrestle your steak to the ground when eating it:twisted:

[olbod]

Spent years driving in the bush and sleeping under or beside the vehicles.
Drove the the mail runs in a semi, around the Bourke area etc.
Had no frig or anything fancy. We all used to carry a tucker box with tinned stuff and onions and potato's init ( plus a bottle of Red Mill Rum ). If we wanted fresh meat we
would either shoot it or get a bit from the cocky if they had just had a kill.
Only utensiles carried were a billy, frypan, tin mug and knife fork and spoon. Everything would just go into the pan and cooked in the coals.
The pan would be our plate.
Carried water in 12 gallon, cleaned out, oil drums and a canvas waterbag
on the front of the wagon.
When your driving the mail or carting wool, you dont have time to cook
lavish meals in camp ovens or the like and at the end of the day we were usually to buggered anyway.
I wouldn,t have it any other way, so when I travell alone in the scrub, I
still do it the same way, except that now I carry water in a gerry can
My wife used to drive the second semi and cart wool in the season, but
she is not up to that anymore, so I bought the old caravan so she would
be comfortable.
By the way I do all of the cooking at home too, basic but filling !
Cheers.

[numpty]

Spent years driving in the bush and sleeping under or beside the vehicles.
Drove the the mail runs in a semi, around the Bourke area etc.
Had no frig or anything fancy. We all used to carry a tucker box with tinned stuff and onions and potato's init ( plus a bottle of Red Mill Rum ). If we wanted fresh meat we
would either shoot it or get a bit from the cocky if they had just had a kill.
Only utensiles carried were a billy, frypan, tin mug and knife fork and spoon. Everything would just go into the pan and cooked in the coals.
The pan would be our plate.
Carried water in 12 gallon, cleaned out, oil drums and a canvas waterbag
on the front of the wagon.
When your driving the mail or carting wool, you dont have time to cook
lavish meals in camp ovens or the like and at the end of the day we were usually to buggered anyway.
I wouldn,t have it any other way, so when I travell alone in the scrub, I
still do it the same way, except that now I carry water in a gerry can
My wife used to drive the second semi and cart wool in the season, but
she is not up to that anymore, so I bought the old caravan so she would
be comfortable.
By the way I do all of the cooking at home too, basic but filling !
Cheers.

I'm afraid Missus and I like our food and especially tasty and spicy stuff. Just ask her, It doesn't require much extra effort and there is no end to what you can prepare. that's why we bought a dehydrator and a vaccuum packer before the last trip. Meat stays good for 5 weeks without freezing in fridge. The Hay River trip we took just about everything we needed from home and only bought bread and milk when needed.

[DEFENDERZOOK]

I'm not a great cook but when it comes to meat I like it to still fight back so only cremate by accident. You should have to wrestle your steak to the ground when eating it:twisted:




you are not alone.......

in aces words....when asked how he would like his steak cooked.....



warm it up both sides....stick an apple in its mouth...give a slap on the ass and send it out.......



sounds to me like the perfect steak.......i like mine with mustard........

[olbod]

Numpty,
that dehydrator and vacuum packer sounds like it might be good gear.
I,ll have to check it out.
Any secret to it or do you just follow the instructions ?

Never used to worry about milk and bread but used to carry a big bag of
sugar, hated tea without it.
Nowadays tho, when I travel, I have to take the Lorikeet and she likes her tucker.
Pea's and mashed potato every night, multigrain bread and honey, lettuce,
grapes and all of the usuall chook food. The little bag wont eat out of a
frypan but insists on a dish !

When we were on the road and working we didn't have time to be too
flash, so I guess it just carried over into our day to day life.
Come to think of it, I havent been out to lunch or dinner for over ten years ! Dont think I'll bother, now.
My wife goes out with her craft mates fairly often, so she's happy.

Five weeks without freezing, cripes.
Cheers.

[George130]

you are not alone.......

in aces words....when asked how he would like his steak cooked.....



warm it up both sides....stick an apple in its mouth...give a slap on the ass and send it out.......



sounds to me like the perfect steak.......i like mine with mustard........



Good to hear.
I think if I could get away with it I could just charge the paddock with a knife and fork!

[Utemad]

Geez after reading through this lot I feel a little under prepared :D

If it is just me in my car I throw the fridge in the back and put a bbq chicken in it and some bread and drink. Perhaps some bacon and eggs for breakfast.

If my wife comes we'll have as much precooked stuff as possible (i.e. leftovers) or easy stuff like spag bog. Along with cereal and sandwich stuff.

When I go camping I tend to do as little food prep as possible as that leaves more time for socialising.

We bought a camp oven but have yet to use it or even pre oil it.

[olbod]

I reckon we'll give that dehydrator and vacuum packer a go.
In the caravan there is lots of room in the frig but only a small freezer.
I was thinking that I may have to also put a frig in the disco to increase freezer space, but now, maybe not ?
Have to go to town next week so we will have a sticky and probably buy it.
Betty is a Diabetic, so I have to be careful with allowable portions of
food and free food that she can snack on. Between her and the Chicken
it takes some planning. As I said earlier, basic but filling is the way to go
for us.
Cheers.

[Mick-Kelly]

Knock its horns off, wipe its **** and send it in.













maybe with some garlic button mushrooms???????????

[MT]

Hi All,

Have to swear by the jaffle iron - ideal for brekkies and lunches. The meal hasn't been invented yet that can't be 'jafflled'. Takes away the hassle of stale bread as well. On that, as lame as the taste is when it if fresh, 'Factory' sliced bread lasts the longest when travelling / jaffling (must be all the preservatives:o ).

Deep sided large frypan , old fasioned kettle (will not ding up as bad as a billy and easier to pour and keep soot etc oot of). 1x large pot with lid, grate w/ legs for fire / coals and one of those 'screw on' gas rings that go on a 4.5kg gas bottle. (balance it anywhere to brew up or cook).

Must not forget lighting - have found it very hard to cook by braille if late into camp. Head torch is the go.

Other item that is 'the ducks guts' - our 40l Engel. Dual battery, on a slide for easy access. Keeps the marg, meat and appropriate beverages cool.

For the Tucker:

Get your Butcher to cryvac your meat. The good ones do it for free. Use micne and things with bones first (do not last quite as well as fillets). Do not be put off by the smell when you first open the packet - it will quickly dissapate.

Veges - like on of the earlier posts - find a place in veh to stow root veges - as long as they are dry most will have a good, long life. Avoid canned veg - very heavy, bulky and rubbish problem generated. Dehyd peas, corn etc are the good.

Get a spice pantry together, keep them in those little zip lock bags and keep the bags in one of those lunch boxes with a clip lid.

Carry good olive oil and vinegar in strong containers.

Tuna , salmon etc - buy the foil packs rather than cans. Salami / mettwurst avoid the need for refridgeration if you get a good stick.

Dry biscuits for lunch - filling, long lasting.

Milk - UHT is stacks better than powdered (taste) and if you buy the 1 l bottles with lid can be kept easily in the Engel once opened. Stow the warm, unopened bottles in nooks and crannys as per the veges.

Trap, fish , kill you own protein where practicable and appropriate. Its fresh, can be fun, saves transportation! Avoid endangered species!

Keep the tucker in a 40 - 50l plastic tucker box with clip on lid (keeps critters out and you can just carry it to wherever you are cooking) . Buy one at Kmart.

Bottom line - Our Philosophy : any fool can eat in the bush. A bit of thought and you can have good tucker, all day, every day.

Cheers,

MT

[numpty]

Mark,

We are generallly not big drinkers but 6 weeks away with friends = 6 weeks of socialising really. So we took 2x30 can slabs of beer, 16litres of wine, 1.25litres green ginger wine and a bottle of vodka and along the way bought drinks in pubs and a couple of extra slabs.

And most of that was for Pat, even had to buy a couple of extra slabs while away. When she says socialise, she means socialise.:D :D

[Bigbjorn]

Pretty reasonable initial stock, but what did you drink the other 5 weeks?

[cornerofthegalaxy]

We also have recently purchased a 'Fowler' Dehydrator. I think they are great things, well worth the money. I can see now that i'll need a vacuum thing too.

We love bushwalking (esp. extended walks) so we totally saw the need to keep the weight down when it comes to carrying food. Canned food or pre-made meals that only require heating ARE NOT THE WAY TO GO when bushwalking (unless water is scarse!)

The dehydrator will be useful for trips we take with the Defender as we can take our own (healthy) snacks like Numpty's Missus said and will help me to prep parts of main meals. I am nervous, but keen to prep some meat and dehydrate it - i think i'll also try mince first.

So far we have only dried some apples, bananas and tomatoes- they were all YUM! Good, but i will get them better next time!

The booklet that comes with the dehydrator gives heaps of good hints and recipes.

My aim - to make my own tomato paste on the road/lack of! A simple aim, i know.

WOW - meat 5 weeks in fridge only. Scary, but impressive.

Happy food thoughts!

[cartm58]

WA quaratine officers will seize any fruit boxes waxed or not and give you a small plain cardboard ox as replacement

They say the risk of contamination by virus, bugs is the reason why they do it.

[100I]

yes that reminds me - no fresh food will be accepted on the boat to Tassie

[Bushie]

Pretty reasonable initial stock, but what did you drink the other 5 weeks?

They got me to deliver more to them before they got home.


Martyn

[Bushie]

WA quaratine officers will seize any fruit boxes waxed or not and give you a small plain cardboard ox as replacement

They say the risk of contamination by virus, bugs is the reason why they do it.

Errr -what are you supposed to do with a cardboard ox ??? :):)


Martyn

[MT]

Thinking of the five weeks drink storage problem ... now, if we could take the skills that some of the folks around this forum obviously have with their dehydrators and apply it to Bundy, Beer and Port somehow....:eek:

Just a pipe dream.... but a good one!

[Mrs Possum]

I am so impressed with the replies:D :D I am learning so much and can't wait to put it into action:cool: . Just hope the lad gets his back sorted out soon so we can enjoy our camper trailer:mad: .

[Miss Behaving]

this has been a fantastic read... thanks everyone :D

[EchiDna]

....I want to get semi-dried and pack in oil. I did one lot in olive oil but it goes solid in the fridge....

there is a trick to this :)

try heating the oil to about 60 degrees and filling similarly pre-heated jars up, slap the lid on and the cooling down produces a vacuum... no need for fridge storage then :)

same can be done for jams, chutneys etc etc

those little pop-up buttons on jam jar lids indicate if the seal was sucessful or not.

[JamesH]

We love cooking properly when camping. We start discussing menus on the UHF at about 10am and don't tend to stop until we pull in and set up camp. Sad but true.

My Must Have list:

Peugeot pepper grinder. - Ive heard of people living without them but they can't be happy. I take this everywhere, not just camping but to restaurants, friend's houses, holiday shacks etc. Sad but true.

Kiwi Brand cooks knife from, Thailand. Cost $3.95. Put your Wusthoff Trident knives away, you no longer need them.

A handy thing we have is a cook rack a mate made which folds up for travel (pic attached). Provides and shelf over the fire for pots and pans. Camp ovens can go on top in in the coals at the side

[mcrover]

I dont worry about glasses as I never seem to pack them properly and they break so I bought a backpac picnic kit which all our cooking stuff other than billy, camp oven and frypan which goes in the box with the fold out grill which the hotplate sits on as well.

I also add my mate Jeff to cook the steaks and chops because they allways taste better when he does and the kids to do the washing up.

As for food, I get the butcher to vac pack meat in meal sizes for me at $1 extra per pkt and freeze it flat as I can so when I pack it in the weaco it doesnt take up extra space than what it needs to.

As for the weaco, I separate the top non frozen stuff and the bottom frozen stuff with a thin piece of poly styrene foam so it doesnt have to be working so hard and drawing a lot of power.

I try to pack as much tinned stuff as we will need to keep away from fresh fruit and veg that goes off quick unless were not away for long and I buy all the canned stuff when I get to the last place that I can so that Im not carrying it for hundreds of kms before I need it.

1 thing I have come accross that was a good idea was water purification tablets that you can get at places like Aussie Disposals or the like, they make water taste terrible but in a stretch it's better than getting sick from drinking contaminated water.

Water proof matches and some news paper and dry kindling I normaly put in the box of tools/parts etc just incase you have to get a fire going and there is nothing dry enough to start it.

The list is never ending and you allways change it depending on where you go and how many people are coming or how long your away for and if its summer or winter.

Great thread

[Ken]

Its the same with Coca Cola Im glad they have reintroduced the glass bottle Bit on the exxy side but tastes damn good with a burger n chips mmmm Burgers:p

[timaus13]

;)Thankyou ladies u r correct:D we men can be a little remiss :owhen it comes to bush tucker and how to process the meat not incinerate it.:angel::wasntme:
When I pack to go camping I allways win points by packing the following secretly.:nazilock:
Powdered Milk.
Custard powder.
4 cans of either mixed fruit, pears,rice cream or apricots.
Also pack mixed nuts,dates,;)chocolate,milo,dried fruit.
Wheat bix, porridge.
Sometimes when I remmember I also pack curry powder,cinamin for cinamin toast oops nearly forgot fruit loaf to toast,:p
Well I hope u all have a sweat tooth?:D:):D:)

[tony]

Coffee, tobacco, meat, beer and..
no that's it

Hear hear!!

[landyfromanuthaland]

With many years of outback living and camping under my hat u really need to have a good think, Read all the lists these guys and gals will offer, then think real hard will I use it?, I tend to carry only the absolute essentials and we never go with out, I personally am a very basic eater and I dont carry an Engel, I carry and old insulated tuckerbox esky for my tinnys, I carry enamel plates, bowls, mugs, dutch oven, cast iron pan, teapot billy, tripod, KFC sets a butchers roll with the essential knives and steel, army tin openers referred to a Freddys which is ****en rediculous eating device, some common utensils like egg flippers, long handled tongs etc I carry an old army hotbox which also doubles as a very good esky for keeping stuff cold for short periods and another big esky to pack the odds and sodds, dont forget tea towels, scourers, cooking spray or oil, detergent, a washing basin, dont clean your kit in the rivers,
Dont forget plenty of matches, firestarters and a bottle of kero for the stubborn fires, dunny paper, paper towel.
Tucker wise everyone packs differently, some like to eat 3 course meals under the stars, others not so adventurous and then theres me who eats everything out of tins,
But for some essentials I carry and this is all tinned stuff first , braised steak and onions, spag, beans, shoulder ham, spam, soups, butter, cheese, yes u can get tinned butter and cheese if u look hard, jam, golden syrup, condensed milk and coffee milk, there is a huge range of tinned food around u can eat quiet well, for the first couple days I have bacon, steak , snags, once the eskys wont cool it good enuff t keep I eat, I should really get an engel one day, I carry alotof flour I am talking a a new 20 litre paint drum with a airtight lock ring lid lined with a plastic garbag and full of bags of four, yeast, sugar, tea, coffeeif u drink it, I always carry lots of staminade for the water, I also carry plenty of powdered milk and some uht milk, I also have a smaller tin with bickys both sweet and dry, they will keep for a while , I dont mind stale bickys myself, I dont mind fried spam on fresh bread with sauce either, dont forget lots and lots of water, U will at least get an idea of what we carry, after each trip I work out what we didnt use and dont take it again, its always hard with kids to cater for them, let alone the missus, U will no doubt already have your own ideas of what u will take but theres always something that gets forgotten or just not thought about until u need it, far as actually cooking I always use woodfires where I can otherwise good old gas portable stove.

[landyfromanuthaland]

Who said we males incinerate everything? I will let u know I am a very good chef both at home and in the scrub, my missus and kids cringe and run off when I am defluffing rabbits or a goat etc, its gotta be done, My missus rarely cooks I do the lot, they come from miles around for my golden syrup pudding.

[Disco Steve]

Meat, Beer and.....



















.....More Beer:D:wasntme:

[Scallops]

.....we were only discussing this the other day while supping wine out of a couple of glass tumblers we got as engagement presents.
27yrs old and have been travelling in our camping gear for over 20 years. The only 2 of the set left, all the others broken. These 2 have bounced their way over the Simpson, up the Cape and sundry other places over the years. We hate drinking wine out of anything but glass.

That's so true. A good red (or white) demands glass - God, I almost need crystal!

And that's a lovely story - 27 yr old well traveled wine glasses and loving husband and wife. Congratulations!:)

[numpty]

When she says "glasses" Scallops, they are only a couple of glass tumblers,:p but they do the job admirably.

[Scallops]

When she says "glasses" Scallops, they are only a couple of glass tumblers,:p but they do the job admirably.

Tumblers are perfect - you can use them for your Gin and Tonic too.:D

[Phantum]

G'day
Well the only thing I can add is a real mug (china) for tea and coffee with the word LANDROVER on the side, blue in colour to match "Rhitel". Just got one for christmas and it will live in the defender in its own special place and box.

regards

[Ken]

Its like having a mixer with a single malt scotch :eek:

Or coke in a plastic bottle:eek: Im glad they re introduced the glass bottle :p

[Bushwanderer]

One of the best investments we made. The vacu-packer a small Sunbeam FoodSaver model...I think they are about $170. We thought it would be handy...as Numpty said the meat stayed fresh and nice for 5 weeks just in the fridge without freezing. We are not big meat eaters anyway and I had planned fresh meat only 2 days of the week but we ended up having it almost every night as it turned out when we all started pooling roasts, and a bit of fresh caught fish, yabbies and camel.

Where the dehydrator was best was fruit. We love fruit and try to have a couple of pieces every day. I dehydrated a heap of apple and pear, vacu-packed it in serves to last a couple of days and it was wonderful.
The other really successful things was tomatoes...lunch was often dry tomatoes, salami, marinated olives, cheese and crackers.

You can do beef jerky and stuff like that in the dehydrator. The only meat I tried was mince. I fried the mince at home with onion till cooked then whacked it it the dehydrator. Then I used it while away and the resulting meal tasted just like fresh.

Both items easy to use. Dehydrator comes with pretty comprehensive instructions and ideas for use.

NM,
Surely you dehydrate mango, bananas, strawberries & even water melon. Yum.:D

Regarding dehydrated meat, mince is the best, but it doesn't have to be beef. Consider chicken, veal etc.

If slicing/dicing meat make sure that it is in very small pieces so that it will more readily rehydrate.

If you don't have a vacuum packer, many butchers will vacuum pack your meat for you (for about 50c a pop).

Now I just HAVE to get out there.
Best Wishes,

[Bushwanderer]

Thinking of the five weeks drink storage problem ... now, if we could take the skills that some of the folks around this forum obviously have with their dehydrators and apply it to Bundy, Beer and Port somehow....:eek:

Just a pipe dream.... but a good one!

Yes. My partner and her lady friend often do overnight walks of 5 or so days (if that makes sense :D) Their constant aim is to produced dehydrated wine. :p The physics of the problem means that the alcohol evaporates before the water. Bummer:mad:

[thebeast]

Great advice from everyone...madly taking notes and have a long list now in ready for our Simpson trip in August.

Has anyone ever used a Cobb Oven and also a Thermalite kettle (similar to the Kelley Kettle)? If so, can you give some good advice, I'm thinking of buying these products.

[thebeast]

Oops! The above post spelling of the kettle is Thermette. I would also consider buying one of either the dehydrator or the vaccuum sealer to prepare food for our 3 week trip to the Simpson, but which would be more of an advantage to purchase first?? Any advice would be appreciated.

[The ho har's]

I have a cobb have had it for years, we don't take our camp ovens with us any more as they are too heavy and take up too much room and so many place you cant' have fires. You can cook everything in a cobb that you can cook in a camp oven. Pizza is very good and so is scones. I also have a vaccuum sealer which is great. We take it with us as when cook currys, spag bog, etc I cook enough for 2 meals and seal the other meal and throw it in the fridge that way you don't have to containers that are bulky and also take too much room.
Pantry mmmmm you can't go past these
Tin tomatoes
Tin mixed veges (great in currys)
tomato paste
long life cream
curry powder
herbs & spices
Plain flour
Rice
pasta
stock
anything packed in plastic
SR flour
etc etc all packed in thoese little screw top plastic containers you buy fruit in to put on your cereal
I will probably think of more later
Mrs Ho Har

[Disco_owner]

Mrs Possum, you don't really expect to get a sensible answer on this from any of the men do you? the ones that are in charge of the food usually live on cremated meat and the others leave it to their wife, so wouldn't have a clue :D :D

As for food I think its a matter if personal choice as to what food you like, but I would be more than happy to swap food ideas with you.

As for cooking gear...well I'll gradually list (by editing this post every so often as I won't be able to remember it all at once)what I carry as standard on any camping trip, and I know some of it is pretty obvious, but I'll still include at anyway

We carry a couple of boxes with stuff in

Box 1 contains eating stuff

ie 4 plates, 4 platters, 4 small bowls, 4 larger bowls, my colander (purely because it fits here better than the other box) a small stainless bowl, 2 stubby coolers, 2 beer glasses, 2 coffee mugs
These days its mostly the 2 of us that go camping and the grown up kids stay at home to go to work etc but I still keep the 4 of everything because I can

Box 2 contains the cooking stuff
2 billies
billy teapot
an icecream container with 2 glasses in it
tea towels
dish cloth
dish washing detergent
clothes line and pegs
a bar of sunlight soap
liquid laundry detergent
a container containing kitchen utensils
ie 2 knives, forks, dessert spoons, teaspoons
veg peeler
large and small sharp knives
ladel
wooden spoon
egg lifter
Barbie Mate
nail brush for scrubbing vegies
egg cups
egg rings
measuring cups
can opener
Tongs

We also take a stove of course, a frying pan, 1 or 2 camp ovens (with trivets and baking tin that fit inside the largest for baking bread), a BBQ plate, Fire spike (see Bushies pic further down, his is exactly the same as ours or vice versa, our BBQ plate has short legs but we are toying with doing the star picket bit also)

NM

you say Sunlight Soap , is it because it's bio-degradable ?