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Poll: What type of cooking pot do you backpack with?

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Thread: The Cooking Pot

  1. #1

    Default The Cooking Pot

    At least I don't think this poll has been around yet - what type of pot do you use for cooking?

  2. #2
    2005 Camino de santiago
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    Default POT???

    MSR Titan Titanium kettle, w/lid, 0.85 L capacity, 0.27 pound, {4.32 oz} works (almost) for me.

    It is tall and narrow. I wish it were shorter, wider,"squatter" [more surface area to heat, making boil faster?] and with a wee bit more capacity so a 7 oz package of Zatarains or whatever didn't almost fill it up, making stirring with cold fingers so darned difficult!

    That distinctive titanium sheen is long gone from it and instead is now dark grey-brownish somewhat, blackish mostly on outside, some black burned spots on inside when I forgot to stir. In other words, my wife would have thrown it out of her kitchen long ago. But for me it's just now "coming of age"!

  3. #3
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Default

    Here is what I have been using now for almost two years. The 720 ml size is perfect for ever meal I've ever made. The size keeps you efficnet, the titanum makes it light, built in handles means you don't need a seperate grabber, the price makes it affordable ($39.95), and the curved wide bottom makes it fuel efficient. I only carry the frying pan lid and 720 ml pot:

    http://www.snowpeak.com/gear/stw001t.html

    Weight with carry sack and without the 570ml pot/cup is 5.4 ounces.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  4. #4
    2005 Camino de santiago
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    Default Save a couple ounces?

    Rock:

    Hate to mention the obvious but here is a suggestion to save at least two ounces...

    Ditch the carry sack
    Ditch the fry pan[unless you are frying trout...Yummmmmm...!]
    Ditch that pot

    get the lighter and larger MSR kettle,with lid, no carry sack. While hiking, your stove nestles well-protected inside it, along with the lighter to start the stove and the next meal you are going to cook. Now there is no fumbling around wasting time when you get to camp or for breakfast next morning! It's all there, ready to cook!And its simple, just two well-designed pieces.

    The pot, with handles is also your bowl and coffee cup. Heat water for grits or oatmeal or cous cous or whatever in AM and eat; heat a little more water for coffee afterwards and viola...good coffee and pot is now clean to boot!

    Also, if you rely on store-purchased tasty items to eat like pasta Roni which requires you add 2 2/3 cups water (700 ml) your pot is to small to then add the pasta and flavor packet. Even if you did force it all in you could not stir it. Zatarains, requiring 2 3/4 cups pushes you over the top. Even if you just boil water and then add whatever to re-hydrate, you still save weight and can be more versatile if you ever need to cook, instead.

    Just a suggestion...Darn, I have got to go hiking...Wonder how HH is doing out there....?

  5. #5
    Registered User Peaks's Avatar
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    Default

    How about a poll on pot size?

    Myself, I carry a 2 liter pot. Probably larger than most, but all my cooking gear and clean up gear fits inside it, except the fuel bottle.

  6. #6
    2005 Camino de santiago
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    Default Bath in it?

    My God, Peaks, that pot certainly qualifies for multiple use...you can bathe in it after cooking, or do a load of wash!

    My cleanup gear is index finger of right hand [or left hand, if left-handed]!

  7. #7
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Default

    On the contrary, I have found that almost every recipe requires more water than is actually needed. I always use 2 cups with everything, and some packages that have larger portions are better suited for two meals. I don't like the narrow bottom straight side pots, I prefer the low wide pot with curved bottom for more ever heating, expecially with Ti which often develops hot spots because of thin walls.

    I have thought of ditching the pan, but so far I have used it for omlets, steak, fried cornbread, fried sausage, and making tea while cooking in the main pot - turn the pan upside down to serve as a lid and fill it with water.

    If I only carried the pot - it is just 2.8 oz, the pan is 2.2 oz, and the bag is 0.4 ounces or so. I could get rid of the carry sack, but it is where I keep my spoon, fuel bottle, and pot with lighter, scrubber, stove, windscreen, bandana, and pot cozy nested inside.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  8. #8
    2005 Camino de santiago
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    Default Jeep?

    I guess that is why they make Fords & Chevrolets........for those who havn't yet learned the joy of driving a Jeep!

    But the fried cornbread you mentioned really just got my attention because my pot just will not do it...to narrow, alcohol stove to hot, even on simmer...and I have really tried because I love it! In fact, that is one staple that our forbears relied so much on. When they had their crop of corn, with no refrigeration, they could only dry it for meal or make whiskey-two perfectly good uses, in my estimation.

    How did you keep the cornbread batter from burning with a thin-walled pot of whatever construction. I can do it in thick-walled cast iron but have been unsuccessful with any of the thin-walled camping pans I own. I have felt I would need a double pan, one below getting the heat and one above browning[not quickly burning]the batter

  9. #9
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Default

    I have a Jeep, but got rid of my Ford after the third engine.

    I really did fry conebread in my pan, but it was a while ago so I don't remember a lot of details other than it crumbled faily easily. I did it on a Cat Stove with the simmer attachments, sort of like making a thick pancake as I remember. Seems like Earl Shaffer talked about making them in his book, but I haven't read it in a while.

    I do have the recipe at my site, but for the benifit of keeping forums straight, I'll post it in the food section.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  10. #10
    2005 Camino de santiago
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    Default Fried Breads

    I tried a couple of times but burned the batter each time. I assume to thin the titanium and to high the heat, even on simmer as the trangia simmer attachment reduces area of flame to just a small area and it burns there. If it can be done, it is one high energy product, hoe cakes of cornbread; havn't heard that name in a long time.

    The other reason for doing it is I wanted to make a bread I first discovered in the real arctic tundra of the upper regions of the North West Territories, along the Arctic Circle,about a two-hour bush float plane ride north of Yellowknife. There the water is so fresh and pure, you just dip your cup into it beside the boat if you want a drink...But I digress.

    The Inuit there make a fried bread called Bannock bread and it is even tastier than corn bread, and more simple to make,made from wheat flour, lard...recipes are below for both. Barry Taylor is my friend who runs a caribou hunting camp so remote the closest two-legged critter is hundreds of miles away, and you take your rifle with you when you go outside to pee; the tundra browns there hunt for a living and anything moving is edible to them. The key is to stay out of their way!

    Barry Taylor’s fry pan bread: 2 c flour, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ c dried milk, 1 tsp sugar, 1 c warm water. Mix together to make thick dough that isn’t sticky. Roll into ½” thick circle; cut into wedges, fry in hot (not smoking) oil until golden brown both sides
    Barry Taylor’s Bannock bread: 2 c flour, 4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ c shortening, ½ c water. Mix, cut in shortening, flour & knead for 15 min. grease bottom of 10” cast iron fry pan, press in dough & cook uncovered over low heat for 10 min each side. Watch to make sure sides don’t burn before center is cooked thoroughly.

    Same problem here, though...the pot is to thin and little flame concntrated in to narrow a location. But use cast iron and it works great.

    Oh, and about the lard in their diet, it is so damn cold there that your body requires it as it burns serious quantities just staying warm...much as a thru-hiker does walking, so...

  11. #11
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    Default

    I use a 1.3 liter titanium pot...it's perfect for me.

  12. #12
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    Default

    A lot of folk use the WalMart Grease Pot - it has no handle or bail. How do they lift it after the water boils?

  13. #13
    Registered User Sparky!'s Avatar
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    Default

    I have the Backpackers Pantry Aluminum non stick pots. I only bring one with me and that is the 1.5 liter pot. If I go with my hiking partner I will usually bring the 1.5 and the 1 liter pots that nest together. Like others, mine has my spices, spork, camp towel, matches and other odds and ends I use to set up my kitchen.

    I have notha problems with it at all.... very durable and I love the clean up!!!!!!!! Just rinse and wipe....

    Sparky!

  14. #14
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    Default

    With the WalMart Grease Pot you can carry a separate aluminum pot lifter or simply use a bandana to lift it.

  15. #15

    Default

    Thumper - see the first post in the Hints from Here thread under the Ultra-light hikers forum - it details how to use a bandana to lift a hot grease pot quickly and safely

  16. #16

    Default

    Highway, great post! I've tried similar recipes (the Native American fry bread) and they are great in the house. But I haven't had any luck doing them in titanium either.

    If anyone figures out a way to make it work in a camp pot (titanium, aluminum or stainless steel) I'd love to hear about it!

  17. #17

    Default Bannock Bread Success

    Sharon,
    My husband LOVES to eat Bannock Bread/Fry Breads when backpacking and it is easy to make when I pack the Trangia 27 because the frypan sits very high in a three pin nest and the flame is easy to control and can be kept VERY low. Keeping the heat and flame low is the KEY to making bread that does NOT burn. I use the non-stick frypan that comes with the set.

    http://randomdeals.cc/trangia_27_5_.html

    The problem with this setup is that it weighs A LOT...as in 1 lb. 14 oz. PLUS fuel, spatulas, etc.. I personally would NEVER consider taking it on an extended trip unless I had to BRIBE my husband with food.

    PS...I have NEVER had luck cooking the bread without burning it on the mini trangia or cooking it on Titanium...forget about it!!!!

  18. #18

    Default

    I will use titainium(just got it), but I had been using a 1 quart pot from Kmart. I like the titainium cause it has folding handles and is larger (1.3 ltr) yet much lighter.

    One thing about titainium is you can't bake in it- its way too thin for that so I make biscuits and coffee cake in my aluminium pot. Both turned out great but they took almost 45 minutes to bake out in the cold(about 10* at the time I was standing outside trying to look intelegent while freezing my butt off )
    hooah!

  19. #19
    Yes, I know I mis-spelled "Hamster"...
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    Default

    I've cooked cornbread on top of chili in my titanium pot. Same thing with biscuit/dumpling/carbo-mounds in turkey gravy. I also use the lid/frypan/plate of my MSR Titan cookset as a toaster. Just press an english muffin down on it and you can toast it. Add peanut-butter and apples, or bananas. Throw raisins on too. Don't forget to sprinkle with cinnamon & nutmeg!
    "A man builds a fine house; and now he has a master, and a task for life; he is to furnish, watch, show it, and keep it in repair, the rest of his days".
    ...Ralph Waldo Emerson


    GA-ME Someday (Maybe '06?)
    Many Miles in Massachusetts & Vermont...

  20. #20
    Registered User Jaybird's Avatar
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    Default pot(s)

    i use a Titanium 1.5.ltr pot w/ lid.

    when not cooking...i carry my MSR PocketRocket stove, matches, cooking accessories (titanium spork)& coffee inside the pot...packed away in the ol' backpack!

    never had any probs with my Ti pot. & it heats water quicker.


    ****UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***


    i recently bought a .9 liter pot w/ lid (Snowpeak) Ti, of course...
    will be my ONLY piece of cookware for my 2005 section-hike. :
    D





    see ya'll UP the trail in 2004!
    Last edited by Jaybird; 04-05-2005 at 05:15.
    see ya'll UP the trail!

    "Jaybird"

    GA-ME...
    "on-the-20-year-plan"

    www.trailjournals.com/Jaybird2013

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