One of the main drawbacks of cast iron, however, is that food can be burned on, and washing cast iron cookware with soap and water isn’t an option. Enameled cast iron cookware has successfully solved this catch-22. Now you can have all of the unparalleled cooking qualities of cast iron cookware while enjoying the quick cleanup and easy maintenance of an enameled set.

Most people are probably assuming I will be touting some product like the Foreman Grill, but in my opinion, this product does an inadequate job of creating an authentic grill flavor. I prefer to use grill pans on my stovetop when I grill indoors. This effectively simulates the open grill cooking and allows me to cook scrumptious steak, burgers and chick anytime of the year.

One of the most interesting parts of camping is making yourself aware of all the creature comforts that you miss at home. But with the right camping cookware, you can bring some of that comfort into your campsite. Out in the wilderness, things become much more simplified. The only things that truly matter are food, water, and shelter. Help get the best out of the food aspect with the best in cooking gear.

Today’s modern cast iron Dutch ovens require a bit of modification before use in the wilderness. It’s important to scour the inside of the pot with soap and warm water in order to remove the wax coating. Following this cleaning, cover the inside surface with vegetable oil. Heat the oven to allow the oil to bond with the metal. This process effectively protects a Dutch oven from rust.

Learning how to cook is not that difficult. There are so many dishes that even non-cooking experts can easily create. For instance, with easy hamburger recipes, you can prepare food for yourself and your roommates in no time at all. Here’s one basic recipe:

1. Wash hands and remove rings before touching any food. Prepare one of your fry pans and spatula.
2. Put ½ pound ground meat in a bowl; add a few shakes of salt and pepper and some chopped onion.
3. Mix the meat and spices thoroughly using your hands then make a ball with enough meat to make the size of patty you want
4. Toss the meat from one hand to the other a few times to get the air out then squeeze the meat and form into a patty. Repeat until you finish all the meat in the bowl.
5. Set aside the patties on a flat, clean surface. Heat your pan by turning on the stove to medium heat,
6. Put a small amount of oil, butter or margarine in the pan, heat for a minute then put one or two patties in.
7. Let cook for about 5 minutes, then flip them over using the spatula. To check if the burger is cooked, poke it with a fork then press down on the meat. The liquid should come out clear, not reddish.
8. Prepare lettuce and tomatoes on buns. Place one burger on each piece of bread and enjoy them with catsup, mustard or mayo.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of ground beef, veal and pork mixture
2 eggs
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
1 cup bread crumbs
salt, to taste
splash of milk

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except garlic in a large mixing bowl. Shape into meatballs.
2. Fry until browned in one of your skillets with olive oil and garlic. Add to tomato sauce, allow to simmer there for at least 3 hours.

It’s also crucial that your baking pan is the right size for the recipe. Otherwise you might end up with an overflowing desert. If your dish is too small to accommodate a recipe, don’t despair. You can pare down the ingredients and the cooking time, ending up with fewer servings but just as fulfilling of an experience. Some recipes will call for greasing your pan, but this might not be necessary if you have cast iron baking pans.

~2 eggs
~2 ripe bananas (mashed)
~1 cup of buttermilk
~1 stick of butter (softened)
~2 cups of flour
~½ cup of chopped pecans
~1 cup of granulated sugar
~1 teaspoon of vanilla
~1 teaspoon of salt
~1 teaspoon of baking powder
~½ teaspoon of baking soda

Preheat the oven to 400 F and prepare one of your cast iron muffin pans.

Beat together butter and sugar, then add eggs and beat thoroughly, then beat in bananas until the mixture is smooth.

Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and then stir the flour mixture and buttermilk into the egg mixture.

Stir in the chopped pecans and vanilla.

Spoon batter into the muffin pan, filling each tin about 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Hot plates are great for keeping food warm when it’s fresh out of the oven, and can also be used to cook on the side when the stovetop is occupied. Griddles are ideal for all kinds of breakfast foods, and can also be used to cook hamburgers, porkchops, and even stirfry. While a rice cooker might seem like it has a singular purpose, most rice cookers can also function well as steamers for cooking fresh vegetables and even freezer vegetables. In addition, there are so many dishes that require rice, a rice cooker is overall great to have around the kitchen.

Ingredients:
6 ounces crab meat
1 egg, whipped with water
2 Tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tsp. margarine
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup flour
½ cup skim milk
1 tsp. sherry
1 tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
flour (additional)
bread crumbs

Directions:
1. Cook green pepper and garlic in margarine and EVOO in saucepan until tender. Add milk, stirring until thick.
2. Shred crab, adding sherry, cayenne pepper, and meat to pan. Allow 2 hours for chilling.
3. Form crab into small balls with a 1-Tsp. scoop. Roll them in flour and dip in mixture of egg and water. Roll in crumbs and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Fry 3 or 4 balls at a time in one of your cast iron deep fry pans until they are browned to satisfaction, and enjoy.