Crock pot in tent...am I brilliant or an idiot?

[batt01]

Hi,
We are tenting for the first time. On previous trips at BWV I have brought pre-cooked and frozen entrees to WDW in a cooler. Then, as they thaw (I let one thaw on the drive down and keep the rest on ice and they thaw during the week) I place them in a crock pot in the morning and have come home from a day at the parks to a meal all ready to go. This works well with chili, stew, macaroni & beef, pork and beans, etc.

Since we are camping in a tent for the first time I am wondering if I could just set my crock pot on a wooden board and plug it into my extnesion cord and let my crock cook in our tent. Now that they make disposable crock pot liners, clean up is super easy.

Do you think the smell of a meal might attract critters?

I am either brilliant or a complete idiot ....help me decide.

 

[jennobrn01]

I was wondering if anyone had done this to cut food costs. We plan to "crock-pot it" on our wdw trip. Though I really am not too sure about using it in a tent. It could attract animals. ug: Yet, I would be the type to certainly try.

 

[mom2boys]

We tent camped this past summer. I wouldn't be comfortable doing this unless it the crockpot were sitting on a sturdy table outside of my sleeping tent. It will attract critters. And I would worry about the tent catching fire. Can you pick up a dining tent somewhere, place the tent over your picnic table & place the crockpot on the picnic table?

 

[Memph1s]

You might get away with it at FW because they have so few raccoons but I would put it on the picnic table under a dinning canopy or screen room. You could bungy cord a milk crate upside down over it to keep out the critters.

 

[rapriebe]

I would definately go with using a dining canopy. Placing it on a picnic table under the tarp would be much safer than putting it in a tent. I don't think you would have a problem with critters but the plastic crate posted by Memph1s was a great idea.

 

[batt01]

OK what is a dining canopy? Tell me more about the plastic bottle..why does it ward against critters?

 

[LegoMom3]

OK what is a dining canopy? Tell me more about the plastic bottle..why does it ward against critters?

A dining canopy is nothing more than one of those screen houses without the screen. Like a roof with poles that goes over your picnic table/dining area. We happen to use the full screen house when we camp since summer in NH is full of either Black flies, or mosquitoes, or deer flies (or all 3!!! ).

The plastic crate is simply one of those milk crates (you can get them at Walmart or Target, etc.). Often college kids use them for shelves, storage, and such. If you put one upside down over the crockpot, and used bungee cords to secure it down, as suggested above, it couldn't be easily knocked over and would keep the lid on the pot.

By the way to the others who have posted here, I LOVE this idea!!!!!

 

[LegoMom3]

.... Now that they make disposable crock pot liners, clean up is super easy....

Where do you get these??!! I've never heard of them but MUST get them!

TIA!

 

[Gillian]

Yes, where do you get disposable crock pot liners???

We have a pop up and I had asked the same question about where to put it. I don't think I got an answer, so I was glad to see this. Although you can cook in a popup, I'm not sure I feel comfortable having it run all day while we aren't there. The table in our screen room sounds like it will work!

The list for camping grows longer (DH is going to kill me!):
-milk crate
-crockpot
-even more bungee cords than I thought we needed
-tow vehicle

 

[LegoMom3]

I just saw an ad in my latest "Woman's Day" magazine for these!!! They are from Reynold's so I would imagine they are available right in the grocery store alongside aluminum foil and such. Gotta get me some of these!

 

[LegoMom3]

The list for camping grows longer (DH is going to kill me!):
-milk crate
-crockpot
-even more bungee cords than I thought we needed
-tow vehicle

By the way, one can never have too many bungee cords when camping!!

 

[mom2boys]

The crock pot liners are available in the grocery stores - might need to go to a larger store. I got some at Walmart & some at Weis. I LOVE them. My crock pot has a removable crock but it still doesn't fit in my diswasher. I do still have to wipe it down from condensation but there is no scrubbing!

They are in the asile with the plastic wrap, baggies & aluminum foil.

 

[loriandmatt]

gillian - we also have a pop up and never go camping (at FW or otherwise) without our crock pot. i always plug it in inside the camper and keep it on one of the countertops inside the camper. keeps the critters off of it.

now we keep a very clean camper on the inside. no stuff sitting around on the counters - so there is nothing anywhere near the crockpot that could catch fire. you wouldn't want it on the counter with clothes, paper and stuff right near it.

i have to agree, that i wouldn't put one in the tent, for no other reason than not having a hard surface that wouldn't easily get knocked over. Totally agree with the screen room over the picknic table idea. i got a nice screen room from walmart.com a few years back for 50 bucks. totally worth it, stay in the popup when cranked down - use it all the time. great for keeping the bugs off your pasta salad! (and the burning sun off your back at a motocross race!)

- lori

 

[Gillian]

Our pop up is small, with just one counter area. I was thinking of putting some plastic drawer units up there with the kids clothing, but have to figure out exactly how much space we have. Would putting it on the stove cover work? There is a 2 (or 3?) burner stove with a while metal cover. We really need to get in there and check things out.

DH is now totally addicted to pulled pork made in the crockpot, so I think he'll be okay bringing one. But when he seems the mega pile of bungee cords, I'm not sure what will happen...

 

[Rhonda]

...when he seems the mega pile of bungee cords, I'm not sure what will happen...

ROFL!

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

You might get away with it at FW because they have so few raccoons but I would put it on the picnic table under a dinning canopy or screen room. You could bungy cord a milk crate upside down over it to keep out the critters.

I think that is the best idea I have seen on any of these boards! I love it!

 

[We4mickey]

I have to say I have done the crockpot thing many times outside on the picnic table. Nothing covering it except the awning for rain. I have never had anything get into it. I do not cook inside my pop up. Everything is outside, but the crate thing is a good idea if your in an area with coons.

 

[msbegin]

You can also use oven roasting bags to line your crockpot. Reynolds makes them. (the kind you would but a turkey or a roast in) they sell them in the aisle w/ foil & saran wrap, etc. I've been using these for years. I actually like them better than the liners because they are big enough that if you have left overs you can twist tie the top & stick it in the fridge then just plop it back in the crockpot to reheat the next day.

 

[loriandmatt]

ohhhh - that is a slick idea. never thought of that, but if those bags can stand being in a metal pan in the oven for a few hours they can stand up to the crockpot for the day. that was always my one and only lament about my crockpot and camping - i hate to do dishes while on vaca.

this would be great - and the leftover think is a good idea to. tie it off, put the entire thing in a ziplock (to avoid a mess if my tie job leaks) toss it in the cooler or mini fridge and have later in the trip.

thanks for the great tip. i am giddy! (sad what little it takes to make me giddy - i know.)

- lori

 

[lovethemouse]

I too have used the crock pot many times outside of the camper with no particular precautions -guess we were lucky!