Try Using A Wok Instead Of Your Grill For Creative Outdoor Cooking

Aug 04, 2023

The grill is often considered the cooking staple when it comes to camping. Most campsites offer a charcoal grill, or if you prefer, you could cook over an open flame and a grill grate. But outdoor cooking doesn't have to be limited to grilling. Did you know that you're able to cook unique outdoor meals in a traditional wok? Guy Fieri himself even recommends the wok as an excellent tool for camp cooking. "The wok is one of my favorite things to work with when I'm camping," he told Food Network. "Outdoor cooking is not just about hot dogs and hamburgers. There are so many styles of food you can make."

A wok is a deep, rounded frying pan typically used in Chinese cuisine. The sloping, curved walls of the wok allow for the pan to trap more heat and quickly cook your meal. This makes it an ideal choice to bring camping since it ensures a quicker meal, as well as being user-friendly and durable when used on direct heat. Today, a majority of woks are made from carbon steel, making them durable and versatile pieces of cooking equipment to bring on the road. Woks are best known for stir-frying but are also excellent for braising, steaming, and shallow-frying.

Woks are generally campfire friendly and easy to use. The best ones for campfires have a long handle, to avoid burning your hands. There are just a few steps to take to get the best results for your meals. Start by ensuring your wok is made with a campfire-safe material. Carbon steel, stainless steel, and cast iron are all common wok materials and safe for outdoor cooking. Prepare your wok for cooking by coating it in your oil or fat of choice. You can use butter, olive oil, or cooking spray, whatever you prefer. Once you coat your wok it's time to heat up the pan. Be sure to evenly apply heat from your campfire on all sides, so that the wok gets hot in just a couple of minutes.

Once heated, you can cook almost anything you want in your wok. They are best used for Chinese dishes but you can prepare a variety of meals. Popular wok dishes include stir fry, fried potatoes, drunken noodles, beef and broccoli, and more. Feel free to get creative with what you cook. When you're done, and your wok is cool, it's easy to wipe out and rinse to make for easy packing or use for your next meal. Cooking with a wok is a great way to diversify your next camp meals and have a fun time doing it.