Part 6. Light cooking pot lid/frying pan from the opportunity shop
This post describes opportunity shop items that can make an alternative pot lid and frying pan. They can be cheap, versatile, and light. They make a strong cover for light backpacking pots and also double as a frying pan for those who like shallow fried foods and pancakes.
For the other post in this series, please see Part 1. Unusual light cooking gear.
Aluminium sponge tray as a pot lid and frying pan
Small aluminium sponge trays make excellent lids for pots. They come in many sizes and are abundantly available from opportunity shops (Thrift shops for those across the big ditch). “Luckily, they are not collector items, so they are very cheap.
When the tray/lid/pan is appropriately closely sized relative to the outermost pot in the kit, it makes a versatile lid that can cover the cooking kit and can be used as a nice frying pan.
When packed, the strong bottom of the pan will provide crush protection for the top of the pots. The pot wall will also provide crush protection for the rim of the pan. “They mutually protect each other’s weaknesses while backpacking.”
[Add a photo of sponge pan covering multiple pots for safe backpacking]
The humble biscuit tin lid as a pot lid and frying pan
Another, simple and effective lid from opportunity shops is the biscuit or toffee tin lid. I select very plain lids without embossing or raised rings or rebates in corners. “Luckily, these are not desirable to collectors and are the cheap ones!”
I burn off the paint and the tin coating and wash off the residues of both before conditioning the bare steel surface with cooking oil and heat. Cleaning after use should be followed by wiping with a trace of oil to prevent rusting.
“Cooking a pancake or two is a good way to get this conditioning just right, and while your at it you may as well have a nice cup of coffee.”
Tin oxide is apparently not toxic but I prefer to remove the tin and go to the pharmacist if I think I am becoming the Tin Man and need a tin supplement.
Conventional lids are usually secured in place by protruding a little bit into the pot or overhanging the side of the pot. I like to carry at least two pots, one for drinks/water boiling and another for preparing a dehydrated dinner in. Consequently, conventional lids are often not backpacking friendly and rather limit options to efficiently carry multiple lids for a series of nested pots.
In a cooking kit with multiple nested pots, one final, strong and ‘secured lid’ can be used on the largest pot to secure all the pots and content during backpacking. The rest of the lids can be ultra-ultralight and flimsy and can be carried safely within or on the bottom of the rigid pot/stove bundle.
An example of this efficient lid packing is shown below, where the strong tin lid is covering the flimsy foil lid for backpacking.
With the two pot, nesting pot set below, the 7g foil lid can be used in the inverted position on the larger pot (left) or in the normal position on the smaller pot (right). The tin lid can be used on either pot in either position.
To facilitate easy use of the foil lid in normal or inverted positions it has a small stainless steel ‘lay-flat’ handle on both sides.
When using the foil lid outside of the tent and in wind, I find it useful to put a clean pebble or stick on the lid to hold it down.
When it comes to packing, the foil lid can be packed on the outside of the bottom of the largest pot or under the tin lid as shown in the above photo. The tin lid can cover the opening of the nested pots with the stove and fittings packed inside. Please see lids for light cooking gear for more detail on foil lids.
The tin lid also has a bonus. It makes a superb shallow fry pan for cooking toasted sandwiches, bacon, felafels, pancakes and alike. The rolled rim that is formed on most lids provides excellent grip for pancake flipping with regular camping pot lifters.
For the other post in this series, please see Part 1. Unusual light cooking gear.
Tim
Addendum
While searching for biscuit tin lids, you may come across one that may make a nice entry-level tent stove. Please see the post below if this interests you.
