Camp Kitchen planning

[Geoffphrye123456]

I am wondering how elaborate folks get with their kitchen area. I have 8 guys in camp for 14 days. 1000 miles from home.
I brought too much crap last year.
Last year I brought a camp chef 2 burner stove. 3 large pots for soup/chili in a camp box. A single 17" cast iron for steak/chicken. A 12" dutch oven (didn't use it) .I had a large wooden camp box that held the breads, and another camp box held canned goods.


I am thinking about changing it up this year by building a camp kitchen similar to the  BSA style that holds a Coleman stove, some utensils, and cups/plates etc.
I am also thinking about bringing a lightweight shelf unit from a greenhouse to keep the dry good on so we don't have to dig thru the camp box each time. This little shelf should hold all dry goods, canned goods, and boxes of snacks.

What does your kitchen look like at camp?

[lastmk8]

I'll have plenty to share with you, but lets have a little more of the specifics.  Is everyone hunting?  Is there a "kitchen witch" or is that a shared responsibility?  How many meals a day is being cooked?, breakfast and dinner or just once a day? What weather conditions are you camped in?  What is your kitchen tent setup?  Do you bring all the food with you or is there a mid-week resupply?  What are the basic things you are making, especially for dinner? 

not to run you off, but we have been dialing in our "kitchen for 12 years, and yes, we started out with way to much, we are much more efficient now.....  standing by...   

[Geoffphrye123456]

All great questions:
I do all the cooking in camp. Bring 90% of the food with us. Beer and local vegetables purchased in town. COLD Montana Novembers, -10 at night, with maybe 30degree days. Last year I setup the kitchen outside the main tent in a soccer mom pop up tent. Right now, I am planning on having the kitchen inside main tent (16'x32' GP Medium Army tent) I have already cut/sewn up a canvas wall to separate the space from main tent area. It will have its own door to the outside, with possible door to main tent area. Smells... smoke... I know... so no hamburgers to be cooked this year for sure .

[ghosthunter]

Camp chef to big.
We bring two three burner propane stoves like I your RV.
One stove cooking ,one just for water and coffee spaced apart so the coffee drinkers are out of the cooks way.
Wood stove in cook shack too. With lRge pot of water on 24 hrs.
Dutch oven
Grill
Assorted pans and fry pans.
Hang some of that web barrier stuff from the ceiling and make a overhead storage for bread,buns and such.

8-15 people shared cooking.
Everybody hunts
Separate cook shack

[Stein]

It really depends on what kind of trip you want.  Make it as elaborate as you want or minimal, there is no right answer.


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[lastmk8]

Ghosthunter, I'm pretty sure dialed in also, yet to each his own.  First we only have 4 guys in camp so much smaller.  I'm of different thinking about camp chef, I run a three burner, the camp chef is just to useful for us.  We cook on it, have a hot water pot with spigot and also use a folding Coleman Oven over a burner and it works great.  I'll follow up with some pics a little later. 

First off, my kitchen tent is a 10' X 20 Shelter Logic portable garage type setup.  This year will make 11 years with it, been a great $200 investment.  I have a stove jack flashed in an run a wood stove for heat.  If you have a secondary fly on the top that tent has no problem holding around 60 degrees, our normal lowest temp at camp is about teens at night. 

Figuring out the cooking gear is critical, there can be a lot of wasted space and weight and time there.  Not to sure about shelf system, more space and setup, and in the end, what all do you really need out every day?  Key is packing and knowing where everything is stowed.  Breads, candy, snack, yes, must figure out how to keep the mice out of them, or bring plenty of mouse traps and set up secondary hanging pole, keeping a body count is good info in case you have a yearly pass down log with stupid "stuff" that happens each year, but a reason to become great mouse trappers and break previous year records. 

I cani't seem to find them anymore, but I have a gadget called "Gear Pockets".  Hanging mesh pockets that hold many things for a kitchen set up.  I'll make sure I find a pic, vertical stowage is nice, but again, I'm not a fan of "shelves".  More to follow, but I'll post his now for something to chew on and see if I can find some pics....     

[jackelope]

Ghosthunter has the most dialed in camp I’ve ever seen in person. It’s super impressive.

[lastmk8]

Some pics coming, should see most of the different gear we use....

[Mark Brenckle]

I have a friend who sets up his horse trailer pretty much how those kitchens look, might be an option since you're bringing stuff for 6 to 10 people.

[Alchase]

Those Costco tables 6ft, folds in 1/2, that Ghosthunter and Lastmk8 show in their pics, are what I use as well.
They are great tables. I have paired my kitchen down a bit. I use a common Coleman two burner propane stove and a Char-Broil Portable Gas Grill 240 (last one lasted 12 years). Both are inexpensive and can be replaced almost anywhere. These two cover my complete cooking options.
I got rid of my flat iron grills and all my cast iron. I go with a cheap non-stick frying pan and one pan with lid.
Most of what I cook is on the BBQ. And coffee (Starbucks Via) on the stove.
I use a propane tree on top of a five gallon propane bottle, with a Coleman propane light on top. Last season, I dropped my Coleman propane light while unpacking. I drove to the nearest gas station, and they had a replacement.
All the rest is utensils, LOL

PS: do not bring what you can't replace easily. Of repair easily. The fanciest gear is no good if you forgot the custom propane cable for it.

[Colville]

Between 6 and 8 of us live and cook in one 14 x 32 tent.  One table, one set of shelves holding all the kitchen food and wares. One "camp box" holding all miscellaneous items a kitchen or camp would need.  We cook 2 meals a day. Some will come home mid day and they usually make a quick re-heat of a prior meal or they make sandwiches.  We pre-plan the meals and some come frozen.  Tacos, Stroganoff, curry, stew etc.  They are mostly re-heat with anything that calls for venison getting fresh cooked on the spot.  We would need a separate Kitchen tent to do the big propane number in addition to the table and shelving.  We aren't as fast as some might be but it's one trailer load for the whole camp.  2 frying pans, 2 percolators, 1 small pot, one stew pot.

[ghosthunter]

We got rid of the propane lights two years ago. Guys would always break them on the pack up.
Went battery lanterns ,very happy with those.
We have one 3ftx2.5 ft box with all pots and pans ,basics. One trunk with can goods and stuff like noodles, two flat propane stoves, five tables, four dog wood stove.
Dish washing outside under tarp. Two weeks min. 4-15 people.
Breakfast together ,lunch each person choice, dinner together.

Two to three man turkey hunts. No cook shack just wall tent 10x12 and cook under tarp.
scouting trips two guys, tent cots, fry pan ,pot one cooler.

One guy Scouting trip, tent cot, cook on tailgate with Biolite stove, lawn chair. Lots of guns.

[Blacktail135]

We got rid of the propane lights two years ago. Guys would always break them on the pack up.
Went battery lanterns ,very happy with those.
We have one 3ftx2.5 ft box with all pots and pans ,basics. One trunk with can goods and stuff like noodles, two flat propane stoves, five tables, four dog wood stove.
Dish washing outside under tarp. Two weeks min. 4-15 people.
Breakfast together ,lunch each person choice, dinner together.

Two to three man turkey hunts. No cook shack just wall tent 10x12 and cook under tarp.
scouting trips two guys, tent cots, fry pan ,pot one cooler.

One guy Scouting trip, tent cot, cook on tailgate with Biolite stove, lawn chair. Lots of guns.

Is that Moody in that first pic?

[ghosthunter]

We got rid of the propane lights two years ago. Guys would always break them on the pack up.
Went battery lanterns ,very happy with those.
We have one 3ftx2.5 ft box with all pots and pans ,basics. One trunk with can goods and stuff like noodles, two flat propane stoves, five tables, four dog wood stove.
Dish washing outside under tarp. Two weeks min. 4-15 people.
Breakfast together ,lunch each person choice, dinner together.

Two to three man turkey hunts. No cook shack just wall tent 10x12 and cook under tarp.
scouting trips two guys, tent cots, fry pan ,pot one cooler.

One guy Scouting trip, tent cot, cook on tailgate with Biolite stove, lawn chair. Lots of guns.

Is that Moody in that first pic?

Yes sir, Mr. Idaho to you now. 

Here’s a better shot of him.

[Blacktail135]

 Thought so. Heard he moved to Idaho. Used to work with him. Bought his Hewescraft SeaRunner years ago. Small world.

[lastmk8]

Only because I saw the topic in the active zone again I've got a couple more "tips" for those kitchens and backwoods living...  I do have the Costco 6' tables, but those are 5' tables in my pics.  The important thing between the two are the legs.  The 6' tables are a curved short peg type of leg whereas the 5' tables have the long peg leg type.  This is very important to the ultimate process at hunting camp.  I cut some conduit pipes that just fit over the legs of the table and then raises my table up to about mid-stomach area vice below the waist.  I can't tell you the level of comfort this provides while quarter up meat and when butchering up meat back at home.  It is truly a life saver for the lower back not being bent over for those processes.  Once you do it you'll never be without them again.

OK, now the most important piece of kitchen gear that you can never be without, it can make for some pretty cranky dudes.  That little glass screw in thing in the top of your perk coffee pot.  Yep, we've broke one, not sure how but we sure a hell did, what a buzz kill that it.  Lucky for us the sporting goods store in town happened to have spares, and I happened to buy three of them. That shall never happen again!!!

[Geoffphrye123456]

great comments all the way around!! I picked up a wall tent to use for a kitchen!!! Its old, but in great shape. its stamped C&C #220 on it. the only website I found is a Civil War re-enactment site that sells tents just like this one, but I cant find mine on their page with the same dimensions. The size closest to this one was called a sutlery tent. It was a provision tent staffed by civilians I guess... anyway fast forward and now its a cook tent with provisions .

It does not have a metal frame, its old school side poles and ridge pole. Does anyone have a place to get custom angle kits so I can make a frame from EMT?

thanks

[Geoffphrye123456]

Its DIRTY AF with some rust stains and looks like a crime scene on the inside BUT ITS MINE!!!

[pianoman9701]

For 4 of us, we had a 20x10 car port. Half was used for the kitchen, half for a sitting area, equipment, ect. 2-burner camp chef stove and a smaller two-burner, portable propane BBQ grill, set of three cheap Bi-Mart non-stick pans, tea kettle, 1 large 8 qt stock pot and 1 medium 4 qt stock pot, 2 ea 5 ft folding tables, folding camp kitchen, lamp on top of a propane can and extension with the stove plugged into the extension. FYI: the Bud Light in the picture was consumed by those more deplorable than I.

[Geoffphrye123456]

For 4 of us, we had a 20x10 car port. Half was used for the kitchen, half for a sitting area, equipment, ect. 2-burner camp chef stove and a smaller two-burner, portable propane BBQ grill, set of three cheap Bi-Mart non-stick pans, tea kettle, 1 large 8 qt stock pot and 1 medium 4 qt stock pot, 2 ea 5 ft folding tables, folding camp kitchen, lamp on top of a propane can and extension with the stove plugged into the extension. FYI: the Bud Light in the picture was consumed by those more deplorable than I.

I figured the bud light was for cooking since its mostly water anyway but does not freeze at 32d.

[pianoman9701]

 

[Stein]

It also is a theft deterrent as a guy can't carry a case of beer and a generator at the same time.

[ghosthunter]

Thought so. Heard he moved to Idaho. Used to work with him. Bought his Hewescraft SeaRunner years ago. Small world.

Yeah just saw him end of May when he came to help rescue my buddy and I at Chewelah.
Moved to Rathdrum.

[Night goat]

Pat moody??

[Geoffphrye123456]

Getting excited about this upcoming season. Spent some time staring at my plain old Camp Chef 2 burner stove...
It needs some additions to maximize space and usage. I added wings on each side with some aluminum angle and homemade channel. Plywood tables. Under it, I used the existing holes in the legs to suspend a shelf. The wire is bent into the holes, goes down 8" then 12" under shelf, then back up the other side. It is attached to the shelf bottom with wire clips to keep the shelf in place.

I love these additions to the stove! I cant wait for this seasons meals!!!

[OutHouse]

Cool thread. After seeing those steaks next to the green beans I'm calling it a day and heading home for dinner.