My friends over at SHTFBlog.com recently published a campfire cooking kit list. I have to say, they hit the list right on the money. This was especially so when they mentioned that “any outdoor enthusiast knows the value of a cast iron skillet”. They are exactly right. If you are looking to build up your campfire cooking equipment, then start with a cast iron skillet.
A cast iron skillet is so vital to your campfire cooking kit because of its versatility. There isn’t a time that I am cooking in my overlanding rig that I don’t end up putting my cast iron skillet to use. Bacon and eggs in the morning and typically a steak in the evening is my go-to menu for overnighters. The skillet cooks them all with relative ease.
It is easy and simple to use. If you are camping without a stove you just build a hot fire and then place the skillet in the center of it. From there the only two challenges you have is not burning yourself as you cook and not overheating the frying pan. However, with some practice and a pair of gloves, this becomes easy to manage.
One drawback of the cast iron skillet in your campfire cooking equipment is the care that has to go into them. First, you can’t just wash it like a normal skillet. There is a whole library written on how to season a cast iron skillet so I won’t repeat it here. Suffice it to say, you need to leave some grease on the skillet so that you can fill its pores and prevent oxidation. Yet, you want it to remain sanitary. This can prove to be challenging given that you are cooking in the backcountry and don’t have running water.
The way I solve this problem is a two-part process. First, I simply wipe down my skillet at the end of the trip with an antibacterial wipe. I keep them in my truck so it’s very handy when I stow the skillet for long-term storage. From there I place it in a plastic bag, Walmart-type, and then stick it in the decked system on the truck. When I go to use it again, I let the skillet sit in the fire for a few minutes until all the old grease is liquid. This keeps the skillet from rusting, maintains its seasoning, and prevents any weird bacterial growth.
I don’t know if that is the right way to do it. However, that is my own method based on my current understanding. I haven’t managed to contract any sort of crazy disease or had my skillet rust away. If anything, some of my favorite meals are cooked on my skillet that rides around in the drawers in the back of my truck. All of them cooked on the same cast iron skillet.
One thing I would caution against is not cooking over a pine knot. Now, pine knots, fat wood, fat lighter, or whatever your preferred nomenclature, is a fine source of heat. However, it puts off a lot of creosote that will pile up on your skillet. That means after all is said and done, your skillet will be full of black soot that are hard to come off. Don’t make that mistake as I did.