
            Cooking on Stoves      Propane vs. Gasoline 

Adapted from  Camp & Trail Cooking Techniques  by Jim Capossela  

I only wish I could have a 16-inch trout for every camp meal that's ever been prepared on a trusty old
two-burner camp stove. But the question arises: why even bring a stove when the woods are full of fuel
and a wood fire seems so appropriate in a camp setting? I'm very enthusiastic about cooking over wood
coals, but I almost always consider wood an alternative cooking fuel when I go camping. The reasons
are many. 

Some parts of the country wood may be scarce, or at least suitable burning wood may be scarce.
Sometimes the campground owners or the park proprietor simply won't let you pick any wood. Or, they
may only allow you to scrounge what's on the ground, dead wood that's likely to be wet. If the weather
has been dry there may well be a moratorium on open fires in the neck of the woods where you're
camping. 

If your hiking schedule is an ambitious one, there just may not be time in the morning to cook the
decent breakfast you need over a wood fire. If it's wet weather, fire building may be very difficult,
especially without an axe, or the fireplace at the campground you've chosen may be inadequate or
missing altogether, and there may be no feasible or quick way of devising one. 

The pioneers burned wood to cook on the trail because they had to. You have better choices. By all
means, become an expert at fire building and cooking over coals. But bring along a modern, portable
stove for those times when nature, or man's rules, make fire building untenable. 

Whatever brand stove you elect to buy, you'll quickly find that you have two primary types to choose
from: gasoline-fueled and propane-fueled. There are other types, but in general camp cooking they
place a distant third. Gasoline and propane stoves cost about the same, but they are different in many
ways. It's worth taking a look at those differences. 

Traditional gasoline-fueled stoves can operate on what was once called "white gas," sold at certain gas
stations, and even (less ideally) on unleaded gasoline. However, makers of these stoves recommend that
you use their own fuel, claiming it will provide better and more trouble-free performance. Although
there are a couple of others, Coleman Fuel is the only one of these specialty fuels I've personally used.
To quote the Coleman Company: 

All fuels are not the same. While Coleman lanterns and stoves will perform well with ordinary white
gasoline, they will perform better, last longer, and maintain greater efficiency with Coleman Fuel.
That's because Coleman Fuel is specially blended for Coleman products and Coleman products are
specially calibrated to burn Coleman Fuel. Unlike ordinary fuels, the Coleman brand guards against
clogging and corrosion and other damaging effects with extra high purity and special additives. 

The most significant development in camp appliances in recent years is the introduction of stoves and
lanterns that can run on ordinary unleaded gas. Because unleaded fuel is so much cheaper, these
appliances should become very popular as time goes by. On the other hand, because traditional camp
stoves last almost indefinitely, they aren't about to be replaced too quickly. 
The biggest problem that can arise by using ordinary gas, assuming you have a traditional unit, is that
the generator in your appliance will clog more quickly. On one trip I took with a professional guide, I
was somewhat surprised to see him using Coleman Fuel as he was the frugal sort. I would have thought
he'd take his chances with unleaded gas. But he explained to me that he felt the extra cost of the
Coleman Fuel was compensated for by the time and money saved in replacing generators, each one of
which can cost about 10 bucks. 

If you choose to use fuel made just for camp appliances, keep in mind that the price can vary widely. At
the campground it is likely to be marked way up. At a sporting goods store it might be just as high or a
little less. At a big department store it is almost certain to cost less, and it will be found on sale at times. 

Gasoline camp stoves of two burners or more usually have a detachable gas tank. When the stove is not
in use, the tank is stored inside the appliance and the appliance then folds up into a box. When in use,
the generator housing or long metal arm of the gas tank is inserted into the burner assembly which is
permanently fixed to the stove. The tank is pressurized via a pump located on the end of the. tank. Once
under pressure, fuel from the tank is forced in a tiny liquid stream into the generator. Since the
generator sits right over the flame, the fuel passing through the generator is vaporized, and that highly
flammable gas then travels through the intake chamber and around to the burning port. 

There are pluses and minuses to this design, but before we get to them let's look at the other main type
of camp stove, the propane stove. 

Propane is the familiar bottled gas still used as a cooking, heating, and refrigeration fuel source in rural
areas and even in many suburban and urban areas. The type of camp stove that uses this fuel looks
fairly similar to a gasoline stove, but contemporary models are sleeker and more compact. With a
propane stove, neither pumping nor vaporization are necessary. That's because the burnable gas rises
naturally from the liquid stored in the tank or canister, which is pressurized. With its simple design,
many find propane easier to use than gas stoves. 

Which of the two types of stoves is better for general campground use? Propane has some drawbacks,
but in my opinion it is far superior to gasoline models. Thus, while I own a gasoline model I will
probably switch one day to propane. 

Cooking on Stoves   Advantages of Propane vs. Gasoline 

Adapted from Camp & Trail Cooking Techniques  by Jim Capossela  
 
1. No pumping necessary. Saves time and effort, and in general makes the cooking go more smoothly. 

2. A constant heat source. Because the pressure is not user-regulated (yes, the flame is) propane stoves
provide a much more constant heat level. Make sure the propane stove you buy is "regulated," in that it
provides constant pressure. 

3. Cleaner and easier to refuel. Instead of adding a liquid gasoline which could overflow onto your
hands or something else, with a propane stove you merely change a coupling. 

4. Can be hooked up to a bulk system. There is no convenient way to do this with a gasoline-fueled
stove. 

5. No changing generators. With a propane stove, there is never any generator to change; if the
generator goes on your gasoline stove you better have a spare, and the tools to change it. (However,
generators last a long time.) 

Safety and Tips for Using Propane 

1. Read and follow instructions that come with stove and propane cylinder. 
2. All stoves consume oxygen. Do not use in unventilated areas. 

3. Use a stove as a cooking appliance only. Never alter a stove in any way. Never use stove as a space
heater. Never leave stove unattended while it is burning. 

4. Never allow tents, sleeping bags, clothing, or any flammable material to come close to a stove that is
operating. 

5. Never install or remove propane cylinder while stove is lit, near flame, pilot lights, other ignition
source or while stove is hot to touch. 

6. Never store propane near flame, other ignition sources, or where temperatures exceed 120 F. 

7. Keep all connections and fittings clean. 

8. Propane is heavier than air and will accumulate in low places. 

Cooking on Stoves Disadvantages of Propane vs. Gasoline 

Adapted from  Camp & Trail Cooking Techniques  by Jim Capossela  
 
1. Greater fuel bulk. Propane is typically sold in disposable canisters, and these canisters -- regardless
of their size -- take up more room per hour of cooking time yielded than does liquid gasoline fuel. This
should only be a problem in wilderness or backpacking situations where most professional outdoor
people do use the gasoline models. 

2. Higher cost per hour. Propane is more expensive to run per hour. However, if you camp only a few
times a year, the overall convenience should overshadow the small extra cost. Then, too, if you hook up
a bulk propane system, the running cost becomes considerably less than with gasoline. In fact, I it
becomes extremely economical. 

3. Poorer fuel availability in rural areas. You will find it easier to buy a gallon of Coleman Fuel than a
two-pound canister of propane in most rural areas. Also, the sizes of the coupling that join gas canister
to stove are not universal among all manufacturers. 

With a gasoline stove, more attention must be paid to safety. This is mainly because of the possibilities
of spilled fuel and flare-ups. If the generator is good and you know how to use your gasoline stove
perfectly, flare-ups should not occur. But the fact is that flare-ups do occur -- I witness them every year
in campgrounds. If you'll just locate your stove far enough away from tent, dining fly, clothing, etc., the
occasional flare-up you might get will be unlikely to hurt anything. But it would be even better to learn
how to use your gasoline stove precisely so that flare-ups don't occur. This just takes practice, and the
common sense to read and follow the manufacturer's directions carefully. 

Safety and Tips for Using Gas 

1. Read and follow the instructions that come with the appliance. 

2. Use appropriate fuels. 

3. Refuel outdoors and away from any ignition source. 

4. Avoid spillage of fuel (the leading cause of accidents). Use funnel to fill tank. 

5. Never refuel tank when stove or lantern is lit or even hot. 

6. Check fuel carefully-be certain about contents of fuel can before using. Kerosene cannot be
substituted. 

7. Use in ventilated area away from flammable objects. Allow one foot of clearance all around and
three feet above appliances. 

8. Don't use as a heat source; use as intended. 

9. Inspect for extreme corrosion and leaks. If appliance has been sitting around for long periods of time,
a few drops of oil on the pump shaft or pump gasket may be necessary to ensure a tight seal. 

Cooking on Stoves  Safety Tips 

Adapted from Camp & Trail Cooking Techniques  by Jim Capossela  

Perhaps the foregoing will help you choose a camp stove if you don't already have one. But if you do
already own a stove, here are some tips for using it. 

By my observation, the most common cause of flare-ups is I the operator pumping the unit vigorously
when the flame is flickering, as opposed to burning steadily. This causes liquid fuel to accumulate in
the basin beneath the burning port, which in turn can cause a flare-up when the flame finally catches. 

Don't over-pump the appliance when it is not burning correctly, for example if it's a little bit cold.  If
you do get a bad flare-up, turn off the stove, let it cool down, detach the gas tank. then-away from the
table and food-turn the appliance upside down. You may well see a fair amount of liquid fuel come
pouring off. Alternatively, after the stove has cooled you could try to use a paper towel to sop up the
bulk of the accumulated fuel; what little you don't get should evaporate quickly. 

As obvious as it may sound, one of the most important things is to avoid running out of fuel in the
middle of the meal. A typical tank of two pints will burn for at least two hours at medium-high flame,
so you should never have a problem if you'll just make it a point to fill the tank before each meal no
matter how close to full it may be. If you do run out while cooking, you have to let the stove cool down,
refill the tank, and get it going again. If darkness is approaching, or it's raining, this can be especially
troublesome. 

It seems to me that a camp stove burns somewhat hotter in the center than does a home stove. This may
be because a gasoline camp stove puts out somewhat more BTUs than a typical home-range burner. At
a high setting, a camp-stove burner can burn your food quickly, so it's important to adjust the flame as
necessary and stir that food around more than you normally would. 

As the pressure goes down, you'll start opening the valve to get more flame. Also, if you open the valve
to the second (or third) burner, the flame on the first burner will naturally go down and this will require
another adjustment. Then of course after you periodically pump the gas tank, the flame initially shoots
up higher. It's true that if the generator and all gaskets on the stove are in perfect shape, the amount of
adjusting will he minimal. But you still must pay close attention to what you're doing. With the
thinner-than-usual cookware many campers use, burned foods become more common. This is why I so
highly recommend cast iron: Its heaviness helps to compensate for the vagaries of camp cooking. 

As a result of the frequent regulating you will do, a burner will sometimes go out. If the stove has been
on for more than a few moments it will be very hot and if you try to gingerly sneak a little match under
a pushed-aside pot you will burn your hand. Get a fire starter with the long wand for applying the
flame. Keep it in your kitchen box, and it will provide thousands of lights without the burned fingers
and the resulting fiery epithets. 

To change a generator on a camp stove, you will probably need both a box or open-end wrench of the
correct size and a pair of ordinary adjustable pliers. Be sure to have the tools you need, along with a
spare generator, since a stove will not operate properly if at all with a clogged or damaged generator.
Since this can be a slightly tricky task, I suggest that you change your generator at home. I've found that
a generator can last a few seasons with normal use. In that span of time you might forget how you
changed it the previous time. 

Camp stoves will get dirty and messy from spilled food. Don't let this build up -- get right after it each
day or at least after each camping trip. I like soap pads for cleaning my camp stove. They're usually
abrasive enough to clean, but not hard enough to scratch the paint to any degree. 

Stoves will get scratched, though, and then they'll start to rust quickly since they are made of ordinary
steel. As necessary, touch up your camp stoves or lanterns with red primer; add the paint later, in a
matching color. 

If you buy a new stove, it will come in a nice, sturdy cardboard box. It makes a good storage case, so
unless you have a better container save the box. 

Gasoline should not be left in lanterns or stoves over the winter. If it happens, by all means dump it and
replace it with fresh fuel in the spring. Also, manufacturers advise that if a can of fuel has been opened
for a year, it's best to dump it and start the season with a fresh can. I admit, I don't do this. Be
conscientious about where you dump the fuel, if you do. Your friend at the local gas station may shave
a large tank into which you can drain the old fuel. 

Butane stoves are very much a part of the camping scene, mainly in backpacking, but they're far less
popular than the other two types. Illustrative of this popularity gap is a camper's supply catalog I have in
front of me. It lists seven gasoline models, six propane models, but only one butane model. The butane
stove shown is a one-burner job. Suffice it to say here that butane is rarely used in general campground
settings. Note, too, that propane and butane are not interchangeable, so if you purchased any kind of
butane appliance you couldn't use a propane canister in a pinch, and you couldn't include your butane
appliance in a bulk propane hookup. 

The good old simple Sterno can has warmed many a dish, and it will continue to do so. They even make
little stoves that house the Sterno can. Comprised of jellied alcohol, a seven-ounce Sterno can will burn
for approximately two hours. While it is more than adequate for heating up a can of beans, it should
certainly not be considered a primary cooking implement. Recently, I saw a folding "stove" for the
seven-ounce Sterno can and its cost was a modest $7.50. 

The wood-burning shepherd stove is still a functional, important part of the camp cooking scene,
especially in pack-in camps in the Rocky Mountains. This semi-collapsible sheet-metal stove lets you
avoid altogether the need to bring fuel into the hinterland with you; you burn the wood you find on
location. A typical shepherd stove will weigh about 30 pounds so it's rarely used for backpacking
(though with a group of people one person could easily pack the stove). But it is used often on
pack-horse trips, where outdoor lovers bivouac in ridgepole tents. The pipe of the shepherd stove runs
right up through the roof of the tent, the tent section around the pipe being insulated with special
material. The stove not only heats -- its primary function -- but, with some models, does a fine job as a
supplementary cooking stove. Some shepherd stoves can even be used for baking. 

There are a great many ways to create your own "stove" out of what's on hand. Cinder blocks, coffee
cans, truck wheels, and many more objects can be used as cooking stoves through the use of a little
ingenuity. 

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 Cooking on Stoves is available from the Adventurous Traveler Bookstore.
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  Article copyright Countryman Press. All rights reserved. 

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