Three Bug Out Location Cooking Options
Kevin Felts 04.12.17
Let’s start out by defining what a bug out location is. It is a place away from home where the family is safe. It could be a family members house away from the affected area. It could be a deer camp, RV park, or somewhere else.
In my case, I had people evacuate to my home when a hurricane was approaching southeast Texas. We had people sleeping in every room of the house except the bathrooms and kitchen.
The problem was, how do you cook for so many people and the possibly without power?
Propane Stove
The good thing abut propane, it has an infinite shelf life. You could buy a couple of 20 pound tanks, put them in a storage shed at the bug out location, and the propane will never go bad.
In rural areas all over the United States people have either a 150 or 250 gallon propane tank. This allows them to cook when the main power goes out. One of the problem with cooking inside, it heats the house up.
Instead of cooking inside, maybe opt for an outdoor gas grill? A lot of people already have gas grills in the backyard. These provide an excellent option for cooking outside..
Smoker
Several years ago I took the time to build a smoker out of a 250 butane tank and a 150 gallon water tank. The main cooking surface is around six feet three inches long and around thirty inches wide. The smoker section has two 24 inch trays.
Since I live in a rural area I expect my home to be a bug out location for friends and family. The smoker was built so I could cook for a large number of people at one time. It also works great for family events.
As long as someone has a supply of wood they can cook pretty much forever.
One reason why I prefer the smoker over propane is because I live in a rural area and have an vast amount of oak and wild cherry tree at hand.
My smoker is a little bit over overkill. Someone does not need a 6 foot long smoker to cook. A family commercial grade smoker found at most big box marts will do.
Fire Ring
These are usually found at parks and camping sites. The fire ring may have an adjustable rack built on where food can be cooked. The rack can be rather small and are suitable for small groups.
The fire ring also provides light, warmth, and a place for people to gather, which in turn provides emotional support.
While on camping trips to a local park I found the fire ring a nice setting to sit back and relax. Talk among friends and family, and let off some steam.
Fire rings can be purchased from websites such as Amazon. The ones with a cooking grate are priced around $150 or so.
Other Bug Out Location Cooking Options
There are a great number of cooking options, such as using a Coleman stove or a charcoal grill.
However, I wanted to focus on bug out location cooking options that have a long lasting fuel source. When kept dry, wood can be stored for years, and propane never goes bad.
