If you don’t want to purchase (not haul) large amounts of firewood for cook fires on your next float trip, cooking on a gas camp stove is a great option. Available in white gas or propane-fueled varieties, lighting and cooking methods on Coleman gas stoves are as easy as cooking at home. Here are some tips and recipes for cooking with a Coleman Stove.
First, be sure to place you stove on a picnic table a safe distance from highly flammable areas or items like your tent or surrounding trees. One you have secured a safe cooking area, open the stove by pressing the center button. This will release the locking mechanism and open its cover. Open the arms of both sides of the stove and attach them to the outside of the stove using the clips. These arms act as a shield to prevent the wind from blowing out your burners.
Next, attach the fuel reservoir or canister. If you’re using white gas, slowly fill the tank using a funnel and be sure to safely store the remaining fuel, closing the lid tightly. With propane gas stoves you’ll attach the fuel arm to the stove, threading the canister to the opposite end of the fuel arm and positioning it on the table or ground next to the stove. Don’t let the canister hang from the stove as this is a safety hazard.
With the fuel in place you’re ready to light the stove by turning one of the burner knobs to the “on” position. You should be able to smell gas. At this point you can light a match, hold it close to the burner and ignite the gas. Turning the knob to the low position will help you conserve fuel and makes it easier to light the other burners you may need.
Now you’re ready to set your cookware on the stove’s grate. It’s best to use smaller size pots and pans on a gas camp stove and consider the amount of fuel you have available. Smaller pots will heat faster. You can adjust the heat the same way you would on your stove at home.
Once you’ve cooked your meal, turn the burners to the “off” position and allow the stove to cool completely. Be sure to remove the propane tank and fuel arm or any remaining liquid fuel into the fuel canister before you put your stove away. You can always clean the stove at home where you’ll have access to better light and cleaning products before you fold it and store it until your next float trip.
Of course knowing how to cook with a gas camp stove is only half the battle. You also need to know what’s good to cook on a gas camp stove. When it comes to breakfast, pre-packing your pancake or biscuit mix is best. Condiments like syrup, butter or spices should be in sturdy containers to avoid a mess. And if you can’t go without eggs for breakfast, make sure to use durable plastic egg containers. Cook any of these breakfast favorites like you would at home.
For lunch, many campers settle for trail mix, a quick energy bar or sandwich they made at home. But if you’re in the mood for something warm, you could have chicken-and-dumplings by mixing a can of chicken, two small pouches of dry soup mix, 1 cup of biscuit mix, 2 cups of water and ½ cup of mixed vegetables in a pot. Cook this on low heat for 10 minutes and you’ll have a warm meal that will hit the spot.
Wise campers, camp light and know that dinner in the great outdoors doesn’t have to be complicated. Boil a small box of pasta shells. Drain all but a small amount of the water and add 1 tsp. of basil, a can of smoked salmon and 1 cup dried corn.
Gas cooking stoves can also satisfy your sweet tooth for dessert. Bring 3 cups of water and boil them in a pot. Then add a 3 oz. box of instant chocolate pudding, 1 cup of rice and 1 cup of powdered milk. Simmer until your rice is soft. Let the mixture sit for five minutes and you’ll have delicious chocolate rice pudding.
