Cleaning up after cooking

[Smith28]

I've searched for a bit but can't find an existing thread on this, but please point me in the right direction if you know of one.

I'm interested in knowing how other people clean up their pots, pans and utensils in the bush when there is no running water in sight.. A bunch of leaves? Use your own precious water? Lick everything clean?

One thing that I am yet to come up with a satisfying resolution to.

Please give your 2 cents!

 

[lub0]

I avoid mess in the first place by only cooking stews and soups.

 

[beenn]

I always put food into pour and store bags and boil water with the bag in my cook pot so the only mess is on the outside and i leave that dirty if theres no water. If making a cup a soup i rinse the cup out after use and drink it, tastes like weak soup

 

[Teepee]

I use bio-degradable wet-wipes, haven't found anything they wont remove from the pan. A bit of meths gives them extra life for greasy stuff.

 

[Twodogs]

if no water I scoure with sand to remove scraps and wipe , when its time reuse the pan I heat it hot before cooking in it or boil a small amount of water in it before use .
Twodogs

 

[Puddock]

Here is the thread that I started some time ago http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68117&highlight=

 

[Large Sack]

I always put food into pour and store bags and boil water with the bag in my cook pot so the only mess is on the outside and i leave that dirty if theres no water. If making a cup a soup i rinse the cup out after use and drink it, tastes like weak soup

I second Beenn...I make my own pouch meals, then just boil and eat from pouch. Otherwise it's really just rinsing and I will use some of my water for that.

 

[Silverhill]

Cooled ash from the fire and a bit of grit with some water usually does the trick for me, or if there isn't a fire I just use a handful of earth and rinse well.

 

[lub0]

I second Beenn...I make my own pouch meals, then just boil and eat from pouch. Otherwise it's really just rinsing and I will use some of my water for that.

Estrogeon over-load. enjoy your man boobs!

 

[Andy T]

You could try putting some sand in the can/pot and using some long grass doubled over scrub it with that it works like a scourer

 

[Retired Member southey]

Just use your water to wash them in? it doesn't take a lot, i keep a scotch bright pad to clean with.

 

[garethw]

Hi there
I was introduced to the wet wipe thing this year and must say it is so easy and clean ... you can have a scourer for any burned bits, but usually a just bit of water in the pan and popped back on the fisre till it boils, you even get these spots off... then its just easy tyo wipe out...
I throw the wipes on the fire ... Saves water and is just so easy.
cheers
Gareth

 

[Chris the Cat]

Half a Scotch Bright works for me.
Chris.

 

[MikeLA]

Try and keep the inside of the pots as clean as possible, plan your cooking. To wash a lick of water and a cloth for the inside and a used tea bag for the outside works for me.

 

[treadlightly]

The dog is the best pot cleaner I know. Failing that wood ash mixed with a bit of oil/fat with a leaf or two to scour and then a rinse will generally do the trick.

 

[shaggystu]

I always put food into pour and store bags and boil water with the bag in my cook pot so the only mess is on the outside and i leave that dirty if theres no water. If making a cup a soup i rinse the cup out after use and drink it, tastes like weak soup

I second Beenn...I make my own pouch meals, then just boil and eat from pouch. Otherwise it's really just rinsing and I will use some of my water for that.

me too, i used to use tins in the same way but re-sealable freezer bags work a treat. i'd add that i tend to seal them back up after use and then take them home to wash out, you do sometimes get a bit of discolouration and slight tainting with strongly flavoured foods but the easy way round this is to label the bags and use them for the same types of food the next time.

if i'm going minimilist i.e. just a metal mug, then i'm more likely than not just cooking noodles or soup so a quick rinse will suffice, nice cup of coffee with a slight hint of chinese noodle isn't nearly as bad as you'd imagine

stuart

 

[ged]

If access to water for cleaning pans was a serious issue then I'd avoid using them, you can cook on stones washed by rain or on sticks stripped of their bark for example. My dogs know it's more than their lives are worth to eat from my pans!

For cooking meals when camping I use non-stick pans almost exclusively now. They're so good they almost don't need cleaning. They need no detergent, and a wipe with a soft tissue, or a cloth, or a used tea-bag or tea leaves will pick up any scraps if you really feel the need. There's always a stainless scouring pad in my stainless army Trangia, it takes very little water to clean it and as has been said you can drink that (as long as you haven't put any washing up liquid in it!) so it isn't wasted anyway. I don't use it much now that I'm converted to non-stick but I think I'd rather not clean it than use sand or ash. You'd probably use as much water getting rid of that as you would cleaning the food scraps off and you don't really know what contaminants you're introducing -- sand makes a good filter for all sorts of nasties and ash can contain many unhealthy substances. If you did use water it would be wasted even if the sand or ash was clean as you really couldn't then drink it.

 

[nuggets]

washin ups a womens job !!

 

[jackcbr]

washin ups a womens job !!

you're a very brave man

 

[Smith28]

washin ups a womens job !!

I would love to agree with you but I think wet wipes are a little more compact and viable than stuffing my lady in my backpack. They sure complain a lot less too..

Cheers for all the great ideas guys, I tend to use a stove for cooking so no open fire or ashes to clean my pots in. I love the wet wipes idea, I'm going to get some today.

Thanks again chaps