Kitchen Configurations:

[Scott Brady]

Most of us use an SUV or pick-up without a slide in camper, so cooking requires a lot of set-up and teardown.

One of my spring projects is to work on the cooking equipment and kitchen set-up in my truck. I have a few ideas floating around, but would love feedback from the rest of the group on what they have used successfuly:

From another thread (thanks Outbackamper):
"Great question and one that I still need to address. I am evaluating a few options, including having the stove on a slide so that it will slide out from the platform. I would also hard mount a 3lb. propane bottle in the storage area so that the stove was always connected.

I have addressed water, with the rear spout, but I need to get a basin configured. I will probably weld a frame that will mount to the rear demello bumper 1/4 panel protection.

I also intend to make a drop-down panel that mounts to the rear swing-out and will make an L shaped food prep station.

I am not sold on a stove yet, as most seem to destruct in short order. I do like my little Markel stove and use it for almost every meal."


Outback Kitchen Equipment Sites:

Outdoor Cooking (outdoorcooking.com)

Snow Peak: Light weight, high quality, expedition grade equipment

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I have a picture from the Moab vendor show of a killer "kitchen" setup... Not my cup of tea but a great effort & execution... Let me see if I can dig it up.

 

[OutbacKamper]

OutbacKamper Kitchen

This is the configuration we use for 2 or more days in one spot:

We usually set it up under a 10'x10' screen house/gazebo
For quick meals, overnight stops, etc we just put the stove, cooler and one food box on a folding table under the camper awning, the other boxes are accessable from the back drivers side door.
This is the kitchen boxes in their stowed position where the back seat used to be:

This kitchen did not get much testing prior to our trip and although it works well when set up, it is a real pain to continually assemble and dismantle. OutbacKamper 2.0 will have a fold out or slide out exterior kitchen. I am looking for good ideas, suggestions and links.
Thanks
Mark

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Here they are...

 

[Scott Brady]

Kurt,

Those units were at SEMA, and were very impressive. Not sure of their ability to withstand the rigors of off-highway use. They are also 400lbs., which is much less of an issue for Mark than it is me.

I did like the unit though. Very cool ideas to incorporate...

 

[Brian McVickers]

I'm going to the Outdoor Retailer Show at the end of the month. They always have a ton of this stuff so I'll keep my eye out and let you know if there is anything notable.

 

[Ursidae69]

Great topic idea. My kitchen is a currently a mess of crap in a large box. Not very efficient. I plan to make or buy a nice kitchen box that holds everything I need and that will hopefully open up that I can sit on the tailgate while I cook on the camp table. The old coleman stove I have works okay, but I'm always looking for better stove ideas.

A buddy of mine has an old disc off a plow that he welded legs onto. It works supurb for frying anything over an open fire. I plan to get one of those too. Grind it to clean bare metal, then season it properly, and it works as well as any cast iron skillet. The legs are removable too, so it stores compactly.

 

[BajaTaco]

Great topic. I hope to get some ideas and learn some tricks from others.

As many of you know, I work on a small scale when it comes to the mobile kitchen. I don't even usually bring a camp table on trips. I use a little "micro" table that only stands about 4" tall, along with a collapsable foot stool that doubles as a tiny table. The tailgate and a small cutting board is usually used for food prep. I use a backpack stove and small pots/pans. The upside to this is that it is much less weight to carry. The downside is that I have much less to work with. (which can be an upside too I guess) We still manage to have some pretty deluxe meals (the fridge helps a lot).

I guess the thing I would like to improve on the most at this point, is a nice storage box solution for some of my kitchen stuff. I keep the stove, utensils, bowls, condiments, and a few other things in the white/clear plastic drawer in the photo below - which keeps quite a bit of stuff handy on short notice. But I still have a kettle, pots, and pans, and misc. stuff that is kept in a soft-sided gear box, and some of it is a pain to get to. I want to make a better gear box for this particular stuff - that will keep all of the pieces more organized and easy to pull out. I am thinking about a Storm Case or similar.

 

[awalter]

Scott,

On the next trip, you may want to look closer at my "camp box" that sits in my bed, right rear. It contains everything for simple easy use. Gormet meals require a little more gear.:box:

 

[Scott Brady]

Al,

You also have a very cool pot kit. Numerous sizes and even a stock pot for the unlucky lobster that crosses our path

I also really liked the single burner you were using. How long do those canisters last you?

 

[goodtimes]

Scott, I still think you need a service or utility bed on your truck. It would solve many of your storage needs. I am still considering one for my Dodge. On the service bed, replace the swing out doors with drop down doors that are sturdy enough to serve as a work counter, you could mount your gear in a easy to access manner (imagine Al's box mounted in the bedside, instead of inside the bed). setup/teardown would be virtually non-existant....just like cooking at home (without the walls and ceiling).

 

[awalter]

Al,

You also have a very cool pot kit. Numerous sizes and even a stock pot for the unlucky lobster that crosses our path

I also really liked the single burner you were using. How long do those canisters last you?

I really have no idea. I've had that stove for 3-4 years & have only gone thru 1 cannister. I also have rarely used it.

That camp box was originally made for my 69 Scout, which is in kind of retirement.

 

[GeoRoss]

My 'kitchen' consists of a 48qt Action Packer, ice cooler and one of those dinky roll up tables, 2 7 gal water jugs, and a small tupperware container.

Action Packer: two burner Coleman propane stove, gas canisters, propane lamp, nested pot set, stove top espresso do-hinkus, paper towels and dry goods.

small tupperware: All cooking utensils, small bowls, matches, soap and sponge. The tupperware does double duty as a small basin for washing dishes.

Ice cooler: Beer, duh!

The action packer, cooler, water jugs and tupperware container fit in tightly in the back of the cruiser w/ the upright spare tire. They form the basal layer in packing. All other camping gear is in duffle bags on top of this basal layer.

When getting to camp I unload the gear bags, pull out the 'kitchen' and table. I use the rear gate of the cruiser for the water jugs. I can have the kitchen set up and running in <10 minutes. Assuming everything is clean and the food put away, I can pack everything up equally quick. I also have access to several custom built 'chuck boxes' that holds all kitchen goods but no food and serves as a platform for the stove. I use this when I lead >4 people on a multi vehicle field trip. It is too big for just me alone.

The key is quick and easy access for loading and unloading. Much like a backpack on a backpacking trip, everything has its place and space is not wasted.

If I still had a truck, I would look for a way to incorporate the tail gate & maybe a long drawer that is ~1/3 the width of the truck bed that could be pulled out beyond the tail gate where the overhang is supported by legs. With in it all the necessary dry goods, stoves, pots/pans etc are stored. You then have an easy access, L-shaped kitchen. Throw in a tarp and it is all weather .
Ross

 

[DaktariEd]

Hey, Scott,

Santa was good to me this year and surprised (?) me with a Horizon Adventure Trailer for Christmas!

I've only had it out once so far, but I think it's been very well designed for offroad use.

Here's an image with some notations of a number of key features of the kitchen side as I see them. Oh, and there's an ARB freezer/fridge inside the trailer compartment!

There are many others as well. You'll just have to check them out in person sometime!


Ed

 

[goodtimes]

Ed's kitchen built into the side of a truck would be cool. But for now, I think we should just have Ed do the cooking for the rest of us who apparently weren't as good as he was (I sure the heck didn't get anything that nice for Christmas---I must have been on the "naughty list").