{"id":3026,"date":"2024-04-17T15:51:13","date_gmt":"2024-04-17T15:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skilledcamper.com\/?p=3026"},"modified":"2024-04-17T15:51:33","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T15:51:33","slug":"is-it-safe-to-cook-inside-camping-tent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/is-it-safe-to-cook-inside-camping-tent\/","title":{"rendered":"Is it Safe to Cook Inside of a Tent?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The air is fresh, the scent of trees is invigorating, and you\u2019re ready to begin your next adventure outdoors with your tent as shelter. Whether you see yourself as an established outdoor chef or a minimalist just looking for sustenance, you have probably thought to yourself whether or not it is safe to cook in your tent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer is simple: it is never safe to cook anything in your tent! Beyond that, it is not a good idea to store food or anything with a scent within your tent at any time during your camping trip.<\/a> In all National Parks and forests, they will consistently warn you about these practices, and require you to adhere to their rules against them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is always safe to cook outside of your tent, typically (at least ) 10 yards away and on a flat surface- as long as everything you have used is properly stored in a locked car or bear box after you are done.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Why it\u2019s Not Safe to Cook in a Tent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While you are out camping, safety should always be a primary concern. It is especially imperative that you know certain \u201cdos and don\u2019ts\u201d of camping safety… turns out cooking in your tent is a definite \u201cdon\u2019t\u201d for many reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild animals<\/strong> – While majestic and exciting to see, they can be very dangerous under camping malpractices. Bears, raccoons, squirrels and more will do whatever it takes to grab a bite. Bears are dangerous for obvious reasons, but even if you are not in bear country, raccoons can be equally dangerous: they can carry a multitude of diseases and, being the cutest jerks you\u2019ll come across, are very confident and aren\u2019t afraid to bite. Squirrels and other rodents are found in nearly every ecosystem, and can also carry diseases that can be passed on to humans. You do not want to mess with wild animals!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fire Safety<\/strong> – The last thing you want is to catch your tent (or yourself) on fire. Cooking meals in such a small vicinity is clearly a hazard, and many things that you require in your tent are not flame retardant. Besides, an avid outdoors-person would never want to be the source of a forest fire!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbon Monoxide<\/strong> – When you cook any food, you\u2019re releasing carbon into the atmosphere, but when that carbon isn\u2019t allowed to be released properly, you will feel the deadly effects. Even your rain fly will allow the holding of carbon within your tent. This is why you\u2019ll always want to cook in an open environment, or with plenty of ventilation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do You Cook When The Weather is Bad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you are a seasoned camper, then you know that the weather doesn\u2019t always cooperate. If you are a newbie, keep this in mind when planning your camping trips. Just because the weatherman calls for sunny skies, doesn\u2019t always mean that\u2019s what you\u2019re gonna get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why it\u2019s always a good idea to have a back-up plan when it comes to meal planning. Sure, a grilled steak with a baked potato sounds much better than a ham and cheese sandwich, but when it\u2019s pouring cats and dogs outside, grilling just isn\u2019t possible. Especially now that you now know that cooking inside a tent is not safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My wife always has a few easy-to-make meals ready just in case we need something to eat in a pinch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually, some deli meats, as well as some chips and other dried goods, is all you\u2019ll need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you want something a little fancier, then check out his website<\/a> I found. They give you a ton of different recipes that you can pre-make for your camping trips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safety Tips for Cooking at a Campsite<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While there are plenty of ways to cook at your site, there are many ways to do it all safely so everyone can enjoy their time and their meal. If you\u2019re cooking with a stove:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Double-check everything<\/strong> – Make sure all hoses and tanks are in pristine condition and that the exterior (hood, wings, etc) of the stove are tightened and secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never leave unattended<\/strong> – Enough said! Once your stove is on, always make sure at least one adult is supervising. Also, always have enough water by just in case the stove decides to act up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clean Spills<\/strong> – It happens. Just make sure to completely clean any spilled flammable liquids. Starter fuel, butane or propane, anything that says \u201cflammable\u201d needs to be handled with extreme delicacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re cooking over an open flame, like a fire pit, keep in mind that you cannot control it the same way that you can a regular stove- there are no dials this time! Here are some tips when cooking over an open flame:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Build the right fire<\/strong> – There are so many creative and sustainable ways to build a fire, but a great one for cooking is the \u201chunter\u2019s fire\u201d: Place two logs in a \u201cV\u201d position, place tinder in the cent of the V, and build a teepee using smaller wood over the tinder. The fire can be regulated easier this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be patient<\/strong> – Don\u2019t throw all of your logs in at once for a giant fire, especially if you\u2019re cooking. You\u2019ll want a small fire that won\u2019t burn your food right away. If you\u2019re getting the help of coals, be extra patient. Managing heat is difficult and can be very inconsistent so always make sure you\u2019re food (especially if it\u2019s raw meats) are cooked thoroughly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put it out properly<\/strong> – With ay open fire, make sure to extinguish it completely. Let the wood burn until it is ash and drown the fire in water, or dirt and sand- as long as all of the material is cool enough to touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing the Right Cookware for Camping<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are so many products to use when outdoor cooking, and while we won\u2019t attest that one product is better than the other, there are a few key factors in choosing the right materials:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cast Iron<\/strong>– Very tough and can withstand higher levels of heat, but its heavyweight could pose risks; make sure you can handle cast iron properly. Sometimes, looks can be very deceiving and it can weigh much more than you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Titanium<\/strong> – Very lightweight without sacrificing sturdiness and offers rapid heat up times. However, it can be easily overheated, especially when under an open flame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aluminum<\/strong> – Also lightweight and commonly the most affordable option, but that is because it is typically prone to damages. Scratches and dents are okay, but keep an eye out for more serious damages that could potentially make its use dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stainless Steel<\/strong> – Tougher than aluminum, but similar to titanium in that its heat conduction is usually less even, causing hot spots or uncooked areas within your food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the best parts of camping is the food- everything tastes better when it\u2019s made with love, at a campsite. However, when you are camping sometimes you have to expect the unexpected and there are many preemptive practices that will ensure you have a great time all while keeping you safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there is anything you should learn after reading this, it is to never cook inside of a tent- it is not safe and could lead to a ton of dangerous scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides, who wants to be cooped up in a tent when you\u2019re enjoying the outdoors, right?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The air is fresh, the scent of trees is invigorating, and you\u2019re ready to begin your next adventure outdoors with your tent as shelter. Whether you see yourself as an established outdoor chef or a minimalist just looking for sustenance, you have probably thought to yourself whether or not it is safe to cook in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8767,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":4,"label":"Camping"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/is-it-safe-to-cook-inside-a-tent-1.jpg",750,404,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"Peter","author_link":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/author\/outdoorskills\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":4,"name":"Camping","slug":"camping","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":4,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":49,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":4,"category_count":49,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Camping","category_nicename":"camping","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3026"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3026"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3026\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9677,"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3026\/revisions\/9677"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skilledoutdoors.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}