There’s a whole lot of trial and error that goes into serving up a kick-ass camp meal. For L.A.-based chef Brian Lee, that’s a part of the enjoyable. Lee has spent a few years working in eating places in L.A., and he’s hung out tenting for many of his life.
So, it was solely pure to mix the 2 and hone his abilities on the earth of camp cooking. Lee’s secret sauce? Prioritizing high quality elements and easy but scrumptious recipes. However even with all of his know-how, it may be daunting to arrange an enormous meal at camp
Lately, Lee traveled round Southern California with Gerber’s ComplEAT Assortment on a mission to prepare dinner up camp meals for whole strangers. Sturdy, sturdy, and designed to effectively nest in your cellular camp package, the Gerber ComplEAT assortment proved invaluable to Lee for prepping and serving meals to his new buddies.
Nonetheless, even with the very best package, issues don’t all the time go in response to plan. We chatted with the plein air cooking connoisseur to be taught what not to do when making ready a meal exterior.
1. Don’t wait till you’re at camp to prep your provides
Prepping elements and sorting meals at house will make an enormous distinction when dinnertime rolls round. As an alternative of buying in your solution to camp, hit the shop a day earlier than and kind your elements at house earlier than you pack up the cooler.
“I’m tremendous meticulous about having precise measurements and parts,” mentioned Lee. “As an alternative of bringing your entire 750mL bottle of olive oil, I attempt to assume prematurely to see how a lot I really want for the journey and put that right into a smaller squeeze bottle.”
Dividing up your elements forward of time will depart you extra space within the cooler or pantry field — already super-organized through the Gerber ComplEAT Assortment — conserving your camp organized for a full rotation of meals.
2. Extra kitchen gear isn’t essentially higher — the Gerber ComplEAT Assortment ranges up your package
4 pans, two pots, a dutch oven … it may be tempting to pack up the entire kitchen sink when considering what sort of provides you’ll must make your meal come to life.
“For my part, much less is extra,” mentioned Lee. “The primary couple occasions I cooked at camp, I introduced a ton of substances that I didn’t contact.”
Lee recommends ensuring you’ve received a very good knife, spatula, tongs, a number of spoons, forks and a pan. “That’s what’s cool about this new Gerber ComplEAT Assortment. It’s tremendous stable and also you’ve received all the pieces you want.”
When planning out your meal at house, make a remark of what sort of cookware you’ll want to arrange it. Will you want two saucepans directly? Or can the identical pan be used twice? Much less gear within the camp kitchen means extra desk house to prep (or serve up cocktails).
3. Don’t skimp on desk house
Counter house is the holy grail of cooking, whether or not you’re at house or camp. When you’re fortunate, your campsite may need a number of picnic benches you could make the most of for prepping, however a camp desk (or two) will be good to have as backup.
All the things all the time takes up more room than you assume! However the ComplEAT Assortment is constructed to be ergonomic and make the most of house effectively.
“It’s really easy to drop one thing or spill elements. You’re usually working with restricted house, so do what you may to provide your self a snug working atmosphere,” beneficial Lee.
Lee additionally likes to deliver half and quarter sheet trays for group whereas cooking at camp. Form of like including further counter house.
“To lots of people, this isn’t apparent, however they pack down tremendous simply, they usually assist you to get tremendous organized,” he mentioned. “As an alternative of transferring all of your particular person elements when you’ll want to make house, should you put them on a sheet tray, you may shift issues round shortly and extra effectively.”
4. Don’t go overboard with elements
Typically, the best recipes are the tastiest. Embracing fewer, high-quality elements will make your life simpler when getting dinner on the desk.
“I don’t say this to discourage anybody from getting loopy within the camp kitchen, however I attempt to maintain issues easy,” mentioned Lee. “The extra you’ve got in your record, the simpler it’s to depart one thing out. Easy doesn’t imply missing taste!”
5. When you’re a brand new camp chef, don’t begin with probably the most difficult meal you may consider
Certain, all of us need to wow our buddies. However chances are high, what you’ve received in thoughts is already going to really feel fairly darn particular whereas consuming underneath a rosy desert sundown or alongside the rocky banks of a close-by creek.
Certainly one of Lee’s favourite camp meals is pan-seared roasted veggies, potatoes, and steak or fish. It makes use of high-quality elements, minimal cooking provides, and simply wants salt, pepper, and spices to deliver it to life.
Conserving issues easy is less complicated with the Gerber ComplEAT Assortment — the model thought by way of the design so you may prepare dinner up any camp meal simply, and with much less muddle.
6. Don’t be afraid to mess up
Take possibilities! Bear in mind the out of doors meals consumption issue. No matter you make might be going to style scrumptious, so if there’s one thing enjoyable you’ve received in thoughts however you’re undecided the way it’s going to prove, give it a whirl.
Camp cooking takes tons of trial and error, and it’s a continuing course of to determine what works for you. Dial in your setup, and the world is your oyster!
This text was sponsored by Gerber.