A Complete Guide to Cooking at Camp: Stoves, Griddles, Fire and Dutch Ovens
There are essentially four main ways to cook a meal at a campsite: a camp stove, an open fire, a flat-top griddle, or a Dutch oven. Each one has a different strength, a different learning curve, and a different place in a car camper's setup.
This guide breaks down all four methods. The reality is that most experienced car campers use a combination of all four depending on the meal, the weather, the campsite, and how much energy they have at the end of the day.
By the end, the question to ask isn't "which method is best?" It's "which method is right for the meal I'm trying to cook right now?"
How to choose a camp cooking method
Before getting into the specifics, here's a quick decision framework you can use:
For speed and reliability: camp stove
Slow cooking, and overnight meals: Dutch oven on coals
For breakfast, group meals, and high-volume cooking: flat-top griddle
For ambiance, simple meals, and really feeling part of nature: open fire
Most campsites benefit from at least two of these methods. A stove plus a Dutch oven covers most three-day trips. A griddle replaces the stove for groups. The open fire is rarely the only cooking source, but it's almost always part of the experience.
Camp stove cooking
The camp stove is the default cooking method for most car campers, and for good reason. It's fast, reliable, predictable, and works in conditions where other methods don't.
A typical two-burner propane stove can boil water in about 3-5 minutes, simmer reliably, and handle everything from coffee in the morning to sautéing at dinner. Most stoves run on 1-lb propane bottles or refillable tanks and output between 7,000 and 30,000 BTU per burner.
When a camp stove is the right choice
Mornings: Coffee, oatmeal, eggs, and bacon all happen faster on a stove than over coals.
Bad weather: Rain, high wind, and damp wood make fire cooking miserable. A stove keeps working.
Fire bans: Most of the western US imposes seasonal fire bans. A propane stove is almost always still legal under "Stage 1" or "Stage 2" restrictions, though local rules vary.
Simmering and precise temperature control: Sauces, pasta water, soups, and anything that needs to hold a steady temperature.
The trade-offs
A camp stove requires fuel, which adds weight and a logistics step (most car campers carry 2-3 spare propane canisters per trip). It's also better for cooking on than cooking in. Large roasts, whole chickens, and slow-simmered stews are awkward on a burner. And while a stove handles a wide range of meals, it doesn't necessarily deliver the char, smoke, or sear that fire and griddle cooking can.
What to know about choosing a camp stove
The key variables are BTU output per burner (higher is better for boiling, less critical for simmering), windscreen quality (a stove that can't handle wind isn't very helpful), and fuel compatibility with the rest of the kit. For most car campers, a two-burner propane stove in the 20,000-30,000 BTU range hits the sweet spot.
For a deeper look at stoves that integrate well with a modular camp kitchen setup, this post on the best camp stoves to use with the Chuk Kitchen Box has you covered.
Campfire cooking
Cooking over an open fire is a method as old as time, and the one that can be the most fun and feel the most natural. It's also the most variable. A campfire can be the highlight of a trip or can often be frustrating depending on the wood, the weather, and the cook's experience with it.
There are two distinct styles within campfire cooking: cooking over flames (faster, hotter, less controlled) and cooking over coals (slower, more even, much more controllable). Most serious campfire cooking happens over coals, not flames.
When a campfire is the right choice
Evenings: when you're in no rush. Fire cooking takes time. The reward is the experience, not just the meal.
Simple, foil-wrapped meals: Potatoes, fish, vegetables, and cobblers wrap in foil and cook beautifully in the coals.
Searing, blackening, and char: A grate over hot coals delivers a sear no propane burner can match.
Cast iron and Dutch oven work: Coals are the traditional heat source for both.
The trade-offs
Fire cooking is slower, harder to control, and dependent on conditions you might not control. Wet wood, high wind, fire bans, and altitude all degrade or eliminate fire cooking as an option. Cleanup is also messier, since soot covers any pan that touches the fire directly. And there is a bit more of a learning curve. The first 10 fire-cooked meals are an education in patience and disappointment more often than not.
What to know about campfire cooking
The single most important skill is learning to build a nice bed of coals to cook on. Building a fire 60-90 minutes before the meal, letting it burn down to red-and-gray embers, and raking those embers into a flat bed is what separates frustrating fire cooking from rewarding fire cooking.
For the full breakdown of fire technique, fuel types, and meal ideas, this complete guide to cooking over a fire goes deeper than this section can. And for a head-to-head on when to choose fire versus a stove, campfire vs. camp stove makes the case for both.
Griddle cooking
Flat-top griddles have become one of the most popular cooking setups in car camping over the last few years, driven largely by the rise of Blackstone and similar brands. The appeal is simple: a single surface that makes it easy to cook for a whole group at once without juggling a bunch of pans.
When a griddle is the right choice
Group breakfasts: Pancakes, eggs, hash browns, bacon, and French toast can all happen at once on the same surface.
Smash burgers and quesadillas: The flat surface delivers the sear that defines both.
High-volume cooking: Feeding more than four people from a two-burner stove is slow. A griddle solves that problem.
Easy cleanup: A well-seasoned griddle wipes clean with a scraper and a paper towel.
The trade-offs
Griddles can be bulky. A 22-inch griddle plus its stand is a serious commitment of vehicle space, and most setups need their own dedicated table or surface. They also need a real seasoning routine, the way cast iron does, which means upkeep between trips. And while griddles are great for cooking on top of, they can't boil water for coffee or pasta, so a griddle rarely replaces a stove entirely. Most griddle owners run a stove alongside it.
What to know about choosing a griddle
The key variables are surface area (17-inch is portable, 22-inch is the group-cook sweet spot, 28-inch is built for basecamps), BTU output, and whether the griddle has hood and side-shelf options. A removable griddle top that converts back to an open burner adds versatility for campers who don't want to run a stove and a griddle in parallel.
Dutch oven cooking
The Dutch oven is the most patient cooking method on this list, and arguably the most rewarding. It's a heavy cast iron pot with a tight-fitting lid, designed to cook with coals on top and underneath, which turns it into a true outdoor oven capable of roasting, braising, baking, and slow-cooking in ways no other camp tool can match.
A typical camp Dutch oven is 10 to 14 inches across with a flat, rimmed lid (so coals can sit on top without sliding off). The classic sizes are 10-inch (4 quarts, feeds 4-6), 12-inch (6 quarts, feeds 6-8), and 14-inch (8 quarts, feeds 10+).
When a Dutch oven is the right choice
Slow-cooked dinners: Chili, stew, pulled pork, braised short ribs, and any meal where time and low heat do the work.
Baking at camp: Cornbread, biscuits, cobblers, and you can actually bake a pie in a Dutch oven.
Multi-day trips where one big meal feeds two nights: A Dutch oven's volume makes batch cooking a lot easier.
Cooking unattended: Once the coals are set, a Dutch oven mostly cooks itself for 60-90 minutes or more, depending on what you're cooking.
The trade-offs
Dutch ovens are heavy. A 12-inch Dutch oven empty weighs around 20 lbs, and full of food, it's significantly more. They also require coals, which means either a campfire managed long enough to produce them or a separate charcoal source. The learning curve on coal placement (typically twice as many coals on top as on the bottom for baking) takes a few trips to sort out. And a Dutch oven is a single-purpose tool. It's the wrong choice for breakfast, the wrong choice for a quick lunch, and the wrong choice for any quick meals.
What to know about choosing a Dutch oven
The 12-inch size is the most versatile starter. Choose one with a flat, rimmed lid (for coals on top) rather than a kitchen-style smooth lid. Pre-seasoned cast iron is standard. Re-season it regularly to keep the surface protected.
How to combine cooking methods on a trip
In reality, if you camp long enough, you'll end up experimenting with all of these and slowly figure out what works best for you. On some trips, you'll bring the Dutch oven and bake fresh bread in the morning. Other trips, you'll leave it behind because it's too much of a hassle for one night out. The fun part is figuring out what you like.
A pretty common 3-day weekend setup for a couple or small family might look like:
- Camp stove for morning coffee, oatmeal, and a quick lunch
- Dutch oven for one slow-cooked dinner that doubles as leftovers the next night
- Campfire for ambiance and a foil-wrapped side dish or dessert
Take that same trip and bump it up to a 4-day group trip with 6-8 people, and it might look more like:
- Griddle as the main cooking surface for breakfasts and one big dinner
- Camp stove for coffee, boiling water, and side dishes
- Dutch oven for one batch-cooked main that feeds everyone
- Campfire for s'mores and atmosphere, not the actual cooking
After a few trips, patterns start to show up. The bigger the group, the more the griddle starts to earn its spot. The longer the trip, the more it makes sense to bring the Dutch oven. The worse the weather, the more you'll thank yourself for packing the stove. And the fire is almost always part of the night, even if it's not doing any of the real cooking.
How a camp kitchen system holds it all together
The reason this matters: four cooking methods can mean a lot of gear. Stove, fuel, griddle, Dutch oven, cast iron, utensils, oil, seasonings, prep boards, and the dozen other small things each method requires. The setup-and-teardown friction of running all four out of plastic bins or off the tailgate is real, and it's the thing that quietly turns cooking on a fun camping trip into a chore.
This is where an integrated camp kitchen earns its weight. The Chuk Kitchen Box is designed to hold a two-burner stove, the cookware that supports it, and the utensils and prep gear that span all four methods, in one organized case that deploys in under 30 seconds.
For a closer look at how to dial in your camp kitchen setup, the ultimate camp kitchen setup guide walks through it in detail.
Camp cooking FAQ
What's the best way to cook while camping?
There's no single best method. Camp stoves are best for speed, reliability, and bad weather. Campfires are best for ambiance and slow, simple meals. Griddles are best for groups and high-volume cooking. Dutch ovens are best for slow-cooked, baked, and batch meals. Most experienced car campers use a combination of two or three methods on a typical trip.
Is a camp stove better than a campfire for cooking?
A camp stove is faster, more reliable, and works in conditions where a campfire doesn't (rain, wind, fire bans). A campfire delivers ambiance and a connection to nature that no stove can match. Most car campers use both: a stove for mornings and bad weather, and a fire for evening cooking and atmosphere.
Do I need a griddle if I already have a camp stove?
No, but a griddle adds capacity. A two-burner stove can feed 2-4 people comfortably. A griddle can feed 6-8 people at once and handles meals (smash burgers, pancakes for a group, fajitas) that a small skillet on a burner can't. Solo and couple campers usually don't need one. Group campers and families with kids often find a griddle worth the bulk. You can also get a griddle to put on top of your two-burner stove for something in between.
What's the best Dutch oven size for camping?
A 12-inch Dutch oven (6-quart capacity) is the most versatile size for car camping. It feeds 6-8 people and handles everything from chili to baked cornbread. The 10-inch is better for couples and small families; the 14-inch is for large groups or batch cooking across multiple meals.
Can I cook on a campfire without a grate?
Yes, but most campfire cooking benefits from a grate. A grate gives a stable surface for pots and pans, separates the food from direct flame contact (which scorches the outside before the inside cooks), and allows precise control over the cooking temperature by adjusting the height above the coals. Foil-wrapped meals are the main exception since they cook directly in the coals.
What's the easiest cooking method for beginner campers?
A two-burner camp stove. The learning curve is essentially zero (anyone who can cook on a kitchen stove can cook on a camp stove), the fuel is widely available, and the cooking process is predictable. Most experienced car campers recommend starting with a stove and adding one additional method (fire, griddle, or Dutch oven) whenever you might need it!
Pulling it all together
The four camp cooking methods aren't competitors. They're different tools for different meals, different conditions, and different moments in a trip. A skilled car camper picks the right one for the situation, the same way a kitchen cook reaches for a sauté pan, a Dutch oven, a sheet pan, or a slow cooker depending on what's being made.
The shortest version of this guide: start with a camp stove. Add a Dutch oven when ready to slow down and cook well. Add a griddle when the group gets bigger. Use the fire for atmosphere, foil meals, and the kind of cooking that doesn't need to happen fast. Run them in combination, not in isolation. That's how camp cooking actually works.
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