Jetboil Flash + 1.5L Pot - Something's missing!

Hey Team,

first, let me thank everyone for all of the great advice they've shared with me on Trailspace.  This forum has been a Godsend as I plan my trip to Yosemite (NEXT WEEK!) with my 13 year old son.  I'm stoked...can you tell?

We did a trial run camp with our Jetboil.  and while it was AMAZING at boiling water, I was 99.9% sure that I was screwing up when I cooked bacon and scrambled eggs in the 1.5L pot.

What would you add to my cook gear to do some simple bacon & Eggs, or maybe a burger?

See you on the trail!

Rango

Doh!  Maybe the Jetboil fry pan is what I'm missing.
Sorry for the knucklehead post!

While a frying pan will make it easier to fry bacon or do flapjacks, the Jetboil was intended for boiling water, and is a mediocre cooking stove at best.  You might consider a different stove if you really want to do cooking.

There are two design factors that affect a stove’s ability as a cooking stove: The burner head size, and flame adjustment capability. 

It is easier to cook when the cooking surface is evenly heated across its surface.  Basically a smaller burner head produces a more focused region of heat generated.  This creates a hot spot on a frying pan, leading to uneven heating, and possibly scorching the pan itself.  A good cooking stove usually has a relatively wide burner head to more evenly distribute heat over the entire cooking surface.  

Some stoves have flames that have a wide range of adjustment, from a candle to a blasting jet.  Some don’t.  Good cooking stoves permit precise control of the flame though out this range. 

If you want a cooking stove you might consider borrowing one that meets these performance criteria.

Ed

I'm impressed that you were able to cook bacon and eggs in a JB
tall pot at all...were they edible?

My two cents FWIW (and really Ed already spelled it out quite well):

I have the JB flash, but only use it for boiling. Even with other
pots I've never been able to get even close to a simmer...full boil or nothing.

My Jet Boil anecdote: I never really wanted that stove but when I
was replacing my old cheap Coleman canister burner, the salesman was such a good guy and gave me such a passionate sales pitch about the Jetboil I just couldn't bear to not buy it. He was so into it, he demonstrated it right there at the counter for me while fully disassembling and reassembling it several times. :)

I'm too easy sometimes...but I don't really care to cook much
anyway and I've gotten a lot of reliable use out of it.

Aw, don't sell the ole JB too short. Check out some of these recipes!

http://www.jetboil.com/recipes

Ed, Pat, Klocker - Once again, my confidence is boosted with the sage advice.  Pat, with the JB on the lowest possible setting, I was able to move the bacon around enough so that the fat made cooking possible.  Scrambled the eggs and wiped it all down with a tortilla.  But it was a real bummer and won't be tried again!  I picked up the JB frying pan last night and cooked some bacon and eggs this morning.  While it's much better, it's still a chore. 

In thinking about dealing with bacon grease in a high bear-density area, I'm thinking I'll be in Pat's camp (metaphorically speaking) and keep the cooking to a minimum.  After all, I'll be in Yosemite.  Why waste time cooking!?

On the clean-up point, what is the safest way to deal with high-scent waste like bacon grease without creating soapy waste water and a possible bear hazard?

Callahan - LOL.

Rango

Bacon fat on the trail is the equivalent of a "Yogi's 24 hour diner" sign. IMO, it's prob best to avoid it altogether.

Rango,

I've never personally cooked bacon on the trail but I have seen folks let it cool and then bag it up and pack it out.

FRYING PAN

FLUX RING

DAH

DOESNT THAT COME WITH 2L POT?

ISNT THE 1.5 ACCESSORY?

On the oldie stoves, like the MSR 9, GK etc. they used a heat diffuser, actually the lid off of a large tin can, about the size of the pots diameter, or the ones I have, about 4" in diameter.  I'm away from home, so cannot measure one.  I've fixed bacon in the back country a few times, would be an issue in places like Yosemite dumping the grease, better to pack it out after wiping out with a paper towel.  Oily stuff is a pita.  Fix the bacon on a weekend trip, but it tastes so good with egg and a grilled english muffin. :)

Duane

Hey Guys,

Our trip to Yosemite was AMAZING, in no small part to the great advice I received from y'all while I was planning.  I'll post more in the other section.

The JetBoil kicks butt for boiling water and simmering veggies in the pot.  But the frying pan and bacon was a pain.  The bacon was yummy in a tortilla with eggs, but not worth the effort, clean up and bear worry.  I won't do it next time. 

Thanks again for everyone's help and advice!

Rango

The only bacon I take in the woods is the little pieces in a bag. It doesnt need to be cold, I take a tomato, lettuce and wraps. Makes a great lunch you can eat on the go if you want. I have scrambled it into eggs, but I live in the east. Im not sure I would cook with it oit west as the smell is much stronger. It has very little smell until you heat it up and comes in a resealable bag. Its also real good added to most boiled water meals, mashed potatoes or pasta espescially. Sorry I wandered off topic but everybody loves bacon.

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