If you have an outdoor cooking enthusiast in your life then this Holiday Gift Guide for the Outdoor Cook will help you with your shopping!
Can you believe it is December already and 2017 is almost over?! As my husband would say, the year has gone by in a blink of a eye. For me, this past year has been filled with lots of excitement. The biggest news is that I wrote and photographed another cookbook! This is old news if you follow me on Instagram, as I documented some of the behind-the-scenes work there. For those who follow the blog, you probably noticed I have been a little quiet this year. And now you know why!
What is the new cookbook about? Well, it called The Camp and Cabin Cookbook and it is all about cooking outdoors – the great outdoors, not just your backyard grill. If you follow my blog then you know that my family is quite involved in scouting. We camp a lot and enjoy preparing our meals over whatever we can: camp stoves, grills and even a roaring campfire.
No hot dog or burger recipes are found in this book, either. I am talking about full on gourmet food prepared in a number of different ways, outside, over fire: breakfast, appetizers, side dishes, meals, desserts and of course, drinks! Many of the techniques used are super low tech, so no fancy equipment needed.
Now, it is not available now for pre-order. The cookbook doesn’t come out until May, yes, that’s 6-months from now, but I thought I’d share the news with you in case you have an outdoor cook in your life who loves adventure and seriously good food!
The Camp and Cabin Cookbook
Which brings me to today’s post. After a year of cooking outdoors, over fire, in coals, ash and smoke, my husband and I have used a lot gizmos and gadgets and gadgets to get the job done. And I have put together this super handy holiday gift list for the outdoor cook. These peeps are actually pretty easy to shop for.
So what should you get the outdoor cooking enthusiast in your life? Well, my book for starters! Preorder it now!
Heat Resistant Cooking Gloves
Next on my list may seem boring considering it is a safety item. But these bbq grilling gloves are pretty awesome. When I started my cookbook, I wore my traditional oven mitts. We even had some sturdier bbq mitts. But it is challenging, needles to say, to cook, maneuver a Dutch oven, coals, shovels, etc… with giant, stiff mittens. These grilling gloves give your fingers, hands and forearms protection from temperatures of up to 932ºF. And with your fingers free and able to move, you can grab a hot Dutch oven lid very easily with these beauties, without fear of dropping it because your couldn’t get ahold of it properly. Order your pair here.
The Must Have T-Shirt
My eldest son has a passion for the classic funny t-shirt. In fact, he has so many funny shirts that his dresser can not close properly. I told him that means no more funny shirts. His response? Get another dresser. So you see, a funny t-shirt is a must for this list. Cooking low and slow and dealing with smoke and the obstacles of cooking outdoors attracts a fun-loving and unique crowd. And your special someone will fit right in with this hilarious shirt paying homage to smoked pork. Order your shirt here.
Grill Master Charm Necklace
Not every outdoor cook is a man. Women are quickly seeking solace outdoors and finding that cooking outdoors is equally gratifying. I think I need to get myself this bbq charm necklace, too, especially when the book comes out! Order your charm necklace here.
CyberQ Wifi BBQ Temperature Controller
I have already shared this next item with you before, but it does deserve to be on this list! For the serious smoker and griller, will truly appreciate this CyberQ Wifi BBQ Temperature Controller. My husband got one for our Big Steel Keg and it made grilling meats so much easier (here’s our review on the Big Steel Keg). Grilling with wood and charcoal means there are no knobs and dials adjusting your temperature. The CyberQ comes with a little fan that blows in air to adjust the temperature that you program in. There is one probe that tells you the temperature of your grill, and another probe gives you the temperature of the meat you are cooking. The beauty of this gizmo is that you receive updates and alerts to your phone as often as you want. When you are smoking a brisket or pork roast that takes several hours, this can be a true life saver, allowing you more freedom to get other things done. You can read my full review here. Click here to order your own CyberQ.
Special Series Cast Iron Pans
Cast Iron lovers have more than just one pan in their collection. We amassed a sever ourselves, in various sizes of pans, griddles and Dutch ovens. So why not gift a cast iron pan from Lodge’s Wildlife Series. They depict images of a deer, bear, moose, fish or duck on the bottom of the pan, depending on the size you choose. Aren’t these beautiful? Which one would you choose?
BBQ Branding Iron Set
This next item is not a necessity, but it definitely has a big cool factor! Anyone who enjoys a good steak will love their own branding iron set to either brand their name or fun messages on their finished product. This would be something that my husband would roll his eyes at me if I gave it to him, but I think it would be a provide lots of giggles for the kids and I. And for those who are more serious, why not brand the steaks rare, medium-rare and well done so there would be no confusion? Let’s get ya branded!
The Smoking Gun
You might be craving a smoky meal cooked outdoors, but time, the elements or even simple convenience can keep you indoors. With the smoking gun, you can give the foods you cook indoors a touch of the smoky outdoors. Your foods are cold smoked and infused with flavors like mesquite, hickory and cherry wood. I reviewed one years ago and loved it! From smoky guacamole to smoked rum, we’ve tried it all. Get smokin’ here!
BioLite Camp Stove
For those who like more adventure in cooking and want to take it to the trails, then I have a camp stove for you, and me. I want this stove!!! If you go camping or backpacking then you probably have those small portable stoves that burn using those small canisters of fuel. Well the BioLite Camp Stove burns just like those other portable camp stoves but it doesn’t require you to carry any fuel canisters. Instead it burns the twigs and sticks you find on the trail, producing a smokeless flame for clean burning. It includes a small light for cooking in the dark AND a USB charging station. WHAT?! Cool right? The whole camp kitchen weighs less than 5-pounds. Order your BioLite here!
One-Thumb Salt & Pepper Mill
So cooking outdoor can be chaotic, crazy and terrific fun. One thing I go into great detail in my book is how to pack your portable kitchen. Small-sized bottles of what you normally use is one of those tips. And these salt and pepper mills that only require ONE HAND and ONE THUMB to operate are a super life saver. I can guarantee that while outdoor cooking can be relaxing, your attention is on the fire, the heat, not burning the food, kids not burning themselves and such. Being able to season your food quickly is a great perk. And their smaller size make them portable and easy to pack. Check out the mills here!
So, there you go. I could go on and on and more items – shopping was never a problem for me. But these are just some highlighted items that caught my eye. Good luck with the gift giving and happy holidays!
This post was published in 2017. For more great gift ideas for the outdoor cook, check out my 2018 gift guide here!
Disclosure: This post does include affiliate links.
