Specifications

JO CLEW’S TIPS
FOR A TOP NOTCH CAMP KITCHEN
Then hit the op shops, they have amazing
collections of cutlery, containers and pots and
pans that cost very little and it won’t matter as
much if they get destroyed or lost.
Planning and preparation, oh I know they are
boring and conjure up images of Girl Scouts
and most of us like the romantic notion of
spontaneously jumping in the car and taking off
for a few days to get away from it all.
Sometimes the best laid plans can be no plans but
in some cases they can also be a bit of a disaster.
Lists, glorious lists can make the difference
between remembering the totally useless and
forgetting the absolute necessities and not just
one but multiple.
The tucker box list: this includes all foods that are
non-perishable and come in cans jars or packets.
The Engel list: food like dairy, eggs and meats
that cannot survive without being kept cold.
The dry icebox list: things like fruit and vegetables
that don’t require refrigeration but still require
a sturdy cool environment to extend their life,
potatoes, carrots, onions, apples and oranges all
make this list.
The cook ware and utensils list: includes things
like baking dishes, peeler, masher, gloves for the
camp fire, can opener, sharp knife, plates to eat
off, cutlery and all the other equipment you will
need to prepare and serve your food.
Finally the cooking equipment list: includes camp
oven, gas stove, gas bottle and hose, heat
beads or charcoal, fire lighters and matches and
anything else you will need to cook your food. I
have a sturdy fold up plastic table, a small metal
topped one for hot things and a couple of chairs
to make my camp kitchen comfortable.
Even when I am not catering for a mass of hungry
campers I find that menus are a must, even if you
are only heading off for a few days, being able
to lay your hands on all the right ingredients for
what you want to prepare and know exactly
what you will be eating during the day takes all
the stress out of feeding the mob. Menus should
be simple and above all they should be familiar
recipes that are as easy to replicate, with minimal
equipment in the bush, as they are at home with
a whole kitchen at your disposal.
Another tip that you may already know of is if
there is to be only one cook for your trip, and
this is sometimes just easier, then let them do their
job, chances are if they have put their hand up
to do the cooking then they probably enjoy doing
it and will make nice meals, so don’t complain
and be grateful someone else is happy to do the
cooking for you. By all means help with the clean-
up and always make yourself available to wash
dishes and be sure to keep the cook happy and
the camp will be happy.
As a matter of interest for those who might need
a bit of help in what temperatures are best suited
to different foods in your Engel here is a bit of a
rough guide to help you out.
2-4 degrees is fine for all refrigerated goods dairy
products, meat, cold meats, fruits and vegetables
and even the lettuce shouldn’t freeze.
One degree to minus one is perfect if the fridge is
being used strictly for drinks and if you are using
your Engel as a freezer then minus seven to minus
ten is great for red meat, fish and chicken.
Keeping a track on how the temperatures are
going is as easy as the next time you are near
an Engel distributor stop in and get one of their
battery operated temperature gauges.
Sometimes life can be sweet, have safe happy
travels and good times.
Jo Clews
27
Check out Jo’s Camp
Oven Cooking recipes
in her cookbook
available now.