Camp Gourmet? Meet the ‘Skottle’

Easy to clean, fun to use, and viable for big groups, the Skottle may quickly become a camp kitchen staple.

Originally popularized in Africa, the large wok-like disc known as a Skottle was traditionally used straight over a fire. Overland gear company TemboTusk adds the convenience of gas canister cooking to its portable model.

TemboTusk Skottle ($275)

First Impressions: Heavy duty, made it to last.

Where to test it: Wrangle the crew, pack up the truck, toss it into four-wheel drive and head for the hills. Spend ample time bumping along back roads and splashing through mud puddles to ensure everyone arrives at camp tired and hungry. Proceed to whip out the Skottle and woo everyone with your camp chef ways. Slice up some veggies for a stir fry or go straight carnivore — this thing cooks up bacon, burgers and chops like a champ.

Off-roading not your thing? Don’t despair, you can still enjoy the magic of the Skottle. Pack it for a gourmet picnic in the park. Take it along as you car camp across America. Go ahead and fire it up from the comfort of your own backyard; one use and you’ll be tempted to throw out your grill forever.

Who it’s for: Overlanders, van lifers, car campers, and backyard barbecue enthusiasts. Perfect for a party, the 18-inch disc allows you to cook up large meals quickly and deliciously.

Who it’s not for: Thru-hikers, lightweight enthusiasts, adventure riders, and campers venturing great distances from the car. Even packed down, it’s not small, and heavy-duty means hefty — you don’t want to lug this thing very far.

Fabricated In: U.S.A.

Review: Tembo Tusk Skottle

Room for improvement: Everyone I talked to agreed — they love the Skottle. But surely, I begged and pleaded, there must be some way it could be improved. And finally after much consideration overland enthusiast Rich Ivey landed on this: adjustable legs. The one thing that would do away with uneven terrain concerns and take the Skottle from fantastic to perfect.

It’s also expensive for what is essentially a cast iron disk and simple $40 Coleman burner. Really, that is the burner used in the package. So you could pick up a Lodge 12-inch cast iron griddle and the burner for about $80, save yourself about $200, and do many of the same tasks.

But the made-in-USA Skottle is an investment that should work for years to come. Strong legs make a great cooking platform that will save knees and back. Big groups will appreciate the large surface area of the 18″ disk.

Awesome! The cleanup. Seriously. It’s quick and easy, letting you focus on enjoying your time in the outdoors. If you’ll be using it several more times throughout the weekend, just drizzle some oil on the warm disc and wipe off with a paper towel. When it’s time for a deep cleaning, warm a tablespoon or two of oil, toss on some coarse salt and scrub out with a paper towel. Like a good pre-seasoned cast iron skillet, the disc comes ready to use and gets even better with use.

Buy it if: You love multi-use tools — from pancakes to burgers and from Asian stir-fry to perfectly scrambled eggs the Skottle knows no bounds. You need to make enough food for the whole group, in the backyard or on the road. You want to take your over-landing kitchen game to new heights. You’re passionate about good food in the great outdoors.

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– Mallory Paige is a Storyteller and Adventurer. As creator of the popular Operation Moto Dog adventure, she is traveling and camping her way across North America on a motorcycle-sidecar with Baylor the Dog, proving you don’t need to be fearless or perfect to live your dreams.