Part Dutch oven, frying pan and skillet, the Banks Fry-Bake will take care of all your cooking whims in the backcountry.
Used on expeditions as far-flung as the Arctic and the Polynesian Islands, it’s equally appropriate for a weekend trip on a paddle close to home if you have a baker or chef in the group. Made of lightweight anodized aluminum, you can expect years of durability from this mini oven. Pizzas, breads and desserts present no problem for the Fry-Bake. Neither do stir-frys, omelettes and hashbrowns. A stick-resistant coating means you can make quick work of clean ups.
The Banks Fry-Bake was created in 1979 by National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) instructor Pam Banks, who’d grown tired of carrying a cast iron skillet in the backcountry. Since it’s inception, Banks’ Fry-Bakes have accompanied NOLS students on more than 6,500 courses and countless others on personal trips.
I first used the Fry-Bake on a two-week alpine hiking trip. Though not ultra lightweight—the expedition model weighs in at 29 ounces—it was well worth its weight in chocolate-covered almonds. Measuring in at 10.5 inches in diameter and at two inches deep, it was more than up to the challenge to cook big meals for our group. Mac and cheese, shepherd’s pie and gado-gado yielded portions big enough to feed a hungry foursome and have leftovers for lunch the next day. It was easy to pair with our simple alpine model stoves, though baking with only the stove as a heat source certainly proved to be a slower process.
A northern river trip provided the opportunity to try proper baking with the Fry-Bake. Peach cobblers, pineapple cakes and graham-cracker-encrusted chocolate squares were par for the course. To get an even temperature perfect for baking, start a small fire on a gravel bar and, when good and hot, balance the Fry-Bake on top of the coals, transferring some of the hot coals to the lid of the Fry-Bake and lining it evenly. Backcountry cooking never tasted so good.
This article appeared in Paddling Magazine, August 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
