Cooking

On outdoor trips in Aotearoa, cooking is often done on a stove in a hut. Some huts, such as on Great Walks, have permanent gas stoves, with an LPG tank outside. However, most huts do not provide cooking facilities, so you need to take your own portable stove. Check what facilities are provided by searching for the hut on Plan My Walk.

Before using any stove in a hut, ensure a window is open or there is some airflow to prevent the build-up of carbon monoxide – a poisonous and flammable byproduct of burning gas.

When using your own portable stove, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Ensure that your stove is stable before lighting it and throughout the cooking process.

• Take care when placing pots on the stove, especially if using a screw-on canister, as they can easily tip over.

• Don’t overfill pots as this can increase the instability of the stove.

• To avoid burns, let the stove cool down completely before packing it away. If you need to move it, for instance to allow space for others to cook, carefully slide it to a safe place while keeping your hands away from the top of the stove. While you wait, you can enjoy your meal!

If you are expedition camping and there isn’t a suitable table or bench to cook on, you’ll need to use your stove on the ground. A few basic rules can help prevent the stove from being knocked over or starting a fire. 

• Find a flat surface, free of flammable vegetation such as dry sticks and leaves.

• Ensure that only the person cooking is near the stove, to avoid others knocking it over.

• Don’t pack the stove away until it is completely cold.

Who doesn’t have fond memories of roasting marshmallows over an open fire? It’s a great experience and never gets tired. In areas where fires are permitted, this can be a fun way not only to roast marshmallows but to cook your entire meal. An open fire, however, comes with an increased risk of burns and damage to the environment.

• Keep the fire small. There’s no need to create a roaring bonfire – especially when you want to be able to get close enough to cook without getting too hot! Check out our page on Lighting fires for further guidance, including how to check fires are permitted.

• As with all cooking in the outdoors, make one person responsible to minimise the activity near the fire.

• Create a level platform for your pot, billy or fry pan by carefully arranging a flat bed of hot coals to the side of the fire.

• For even cooking, keep the flames away from the cooking area. It can help to have a second person keeping the fire going, so you can add new coals as the old ones cool down.