3 Unique Ways to Prepare a Camp Meal

A portable oven or stove can open up all sorts of cooking possibilities. (Camp Chef/)

Most folks think outdoor cooking is limited to grills, fire pits, and smokers. But there are a host of other options available to expand the repertoire of every backyard or fireside chef. From compact outdoor pizza ovens to baking with sunlight, any camp cook should be intrigued by these innovative options.

Outdoor Pizza Ovens

A small, gas-fueled pizza oven can cook a delicious meal while you’re sitting near a campfire. (Napoli/)

A full-size wood-burning oven is a major commitment of both money and space just to cook a pizza on the patio. A smaller, gas-fired outdoor pizza oven will do the job just fine. If you must have that true smoky flavor of your local pizzeria, look for a multi-fuel model, which will burn wood, charcoal, or pellets.

Solar Cookers

A solar oven can heat up to 400 degrees using nothing but the power of the sun. (Sun Ovens International/)

Solar cookers open a whole new horizon in off-grid cooking. They aren't going to produce the same even heating as your kitchen oven, but the fuel is free (on sunny days, anyway), and they'll handle any meal that can be prepared in a temperature range from 350 to 400 degrees. Great for baking bread or a casserole on a lazy afternoon at the off-grid cabin, camp, or boat.

Portable Ovens

For the best of both worlds, get a stove and oven combo for your outdoor cooking. (Camp Chef/)

For more traditional cooking, a portable stove with an integrated oven will handle anything from baked potatoes to birthday cakes. They're small enough to tote to camp and sit atop a picnic table or operate from the tailgate of a pick-up on game day.