by Todd Pheifer

Created on: July 08, 2009

Cooking pancakes in the great outdoors can be one of the most satisfying experiences of camping. People wake up in their tents to the smell of hotcakes cooking on the camp stove. Of course, there is no guarantee that pancakes will taste just like home, particularly if people do not plan ahead. Here are a few tips on how to make good pancakes in camp.

Consistently hot

Just like when people are home, the key to pancakes is having a hot enough surface. There can be great variance of cooking surface when people are camping. If people have a camp stove, they may be able to regulate the heat more easily, though camp stoves have hot spots as well. People can usually purchase griddles that fit over the burners of a camp stove, though there may be a cooler spot in the middle. Otherwise, they may be stuck cooking one pancake at a time. If people are cooking over a fire, making pancakes is going to be a challenge no matter what because regulating heat will be difficult.

Measuring

Another key to cooking good pancakes is measuring ingredients. Along with batter, people should probably bring measuring cups so that they get amounts right. Some people measure the right amounts at home, but the problem is that they might put too much or too little water into the mix initially. This may require a bit more dry mix, which will be a problem if they didn't bring any extra.

Mixing ahead

Some people may try to get the batter correct by mixing the powder and water ahead of time and putting the mix in bags. This can work, but people have to keep in mind that the consistency may change if the batter is not used quickly. In addition, people have to make sure that the batter is sealed well and that people remember to compensate for bumps during travel and changes in altitude.

Don't forget the fixings

Finally, people have to remember that they need more than just batter to make pancakes. It is possible to make pancakes on a dry griddle or pan, but it often works much better if there is some butter or cooking spray. A small can of cooking spray or a plastic tub of butter or margarine is crucial ingredients for making good pancakes.

Overall, making pancakes in camp are not complicated if people have the proper ingredients and equipment. Again, pancakes can start off the new day of camping with a good breakfast so people want to make sure that they are ready to feed their hungry campers.

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