There’s nothing quite as satisfying as settling into a nice comfy camp chair and finally getting to enjoy your campsite.
The rig is finally level, the awning is out and nobody is pointing out something else you need to do.

Yes, this is the moment we remember why we bought the RV. When I think of this, I imagine looking over a babbling brook in the redwoods at Lime Kiln Creek State Campground in Big Sur, Calif. But it could be anywhere just so long as it’s in the Great Outdoors.
We all have our favorite camping haunts, those dream locations that find us returning like starlings year after year. But once you have the rig level and the load of the road is behind you, what can you do to enhance this dream state?

Get With the Grill
After a long day on the road, a can of warm soup from the galley just isn’t going to fit into my dream campground. I like to start thinking about the grill drill.
Diving into the basement storage compartment that includes all of the cooking gear, out comes the grill and associated gear.
Most campsites include a fire pit of some sort – s’mores are a nightly treat and a traditional wood fire is the only way to go – but my RV is packed and prepared for all kinds of cooking conditions. Would you believe two propane grills, a mini charcoal grill and a tabletop electric unit? Before you start shouting “overkill,” let me defend this eccentricity.
One grill, the Thermos Grill 2 Go, is the main cooker. With 310 square inches of cooking space, this is the one that takes care of the serious meals when really camping. It cleans up easy and, with the optional carrying case, neatly tucks away in the RV basement until the next trip.
The next cooker is part of my grilling gear selection just because it’s cool. The Toolbox Grill Pro offers about half the cooking area as the bigger unit (172 square inches), but – and this is the cool part – when closed it looks like a typical toolbox. It was a gift (along with the optional tray that includes the barbecue tools) and is the perfect table-top cooker when the kids need to do some quick grilling. It’s also popular when we tailgate prior to attending college football games.
We also keep a tabletop electric grill on board in case we need to do a little grilling when the weather is wet outside. We just set it on the table inside the coach and cook away. The close-down cover keeps things neat and tidy, so clean up is easy.
Now, all of this talk about propane and electricity might be setting off a few purists that demand hickory-flavored fun. That’s when the little CW Gear Portable Charcoal Grill comes out of the storage bay. It takes a little longer to get it up to the proper temperature, but once the coals are glowing, we add some wood chips for flavor and enjoy.
If you love the subtle bite of a little smoked flavoring, consider the new Flavorwood Bar-B-Q Grilling Smoke reusable wood pellets. You get six flavors to play with and, like I said, they’re reusable.
To keep things neat and organized, all of the barbecue tools – basting brushes, corn cob roasters, grill toppers and my trusty Redi-Fork Pro with a built-in thermometer and light – reside in a semi-transparent modular storage box with a snap-latch hood. If you haven’t tried this modular attack on camping gear organization, give it a try ASAP. Consider one box for cooking gear, one for dirty plumbing gear, another for toys and inflatables and yet another for all of the leveling blocks.

Pre-Cook Prep
Before you fire up the flame, think about what you’re about to do. To do it right, you have to plan this production and, by all means, take every precaution to make it safe.
Start your planning by assessing your existing equipment. You may be looking forward to cooking outdoors, but remember, that valuable grill space is reserved only for the prime cuts and special sides. You can always utilize the three-burner stove and the microwave inside the RV for the chili, beans and baked potatoes.
Next, figure out what kind of heat you’ll need for the outdoor cooking. For your meat to taste right, it should have all of the tasty juices seared inside – and that calls for a lot of heat. Btus (British thermal units) of this magnitude can be generated in two ways, and what you’re planning to do after you finish eating – as in cleanup – might have a lot to do with what kind of fuel you plan on using.
If you like to eat and then shut down before taking an after-dinner hike, then you might want to stick with the RVers’ staple fuel of choice, propane. But if you like the basics, there are always charcoal briquettes. This may seem primitive to some, but many wouldn’t heat their meat any other way.
The problem with the red-hot coals is that those briquettes can take quite a while to cool down enough to walk away from them. And since we’re talking cooking safety here, choose accordingly.

Tools of The Trade
Always think basic safety first. There may not be a fire department near your campsite, so always make sure there’s a fire extinguisher easily accessible to the cook. You should have a minimum of two extinguishers in your RV anyway: One in the galley and one located outside of the living quarters, but easily accessible in case of emergency.
Next up is a good barbecue. Remember that versatility is a good thing. There are any number of good propane-fired grills available (Camping World offers at least eight variations at last count), so evaluate your needs and choose wisely.
One accessory that ensured a multi-family group of happy campers plenty of hot food during a recent camping trip was a good gas supply system. Nobody wants to run out of propane, and if you’re trusting a single, little one-pound LP-cylinder to sear your steaks, you might find yourself running out of gas.
You might consider a Coleman Propane Distribution Tree that plumbs up to three propane-powered items off a single 20-pound propane tank, or a Mr. Heater Stay-Flow Plus system that will allow you to hook your outdoor grill and lights up to the RV propane tanks. Both systems are available from Camping World and will keep everybody happy come grilling time.
Another good component to keep on hand is a spare propane gas regulator. You won’t be cooking anything if your original unit breaks down, so keep that spare regulator packed away in your cooking storage box just in case.
You can also set yourself up with a refillable long-reach butane lighter. You’ll find it also comes in handy when starting the bonfire for those s’mores.

Settle While Simmering
Now we have the grill going and the food is inside the coach bubbling. Sit down for a little while and let things simmer.
While sitting on a rock alongside a flickering campfire may be fine for roasting marshmallows, times like these call for comfort, and that means comfortable chairs with just enough cushioning to make me forget about the drive to the campground.
After checking out the wide selection of foldable recliners on display at the local Camping World, we were able to make a well-researched purchase. I ended up with two of the Big-Wide Recliners. Why? These folding recliner/chairs offer an additional 4H-inches of width and rival my home recliners for comfort. Yet they fold up to a manageable 6H-inches deep.
Being a good host, a couple of comfy recliner-in-a-bag chairs were also added to the seating selection along with an ample assortment of snap-on snack and drink caddies to keep everything within reach.

Tricks with Tables
During that same trip to Camping World, we also investigated the various folding tables in hopes of finding the perfect one to act as a serving station and support all of the condiments and spices. We found the Folding Camp Table with Grilling Rack. It offered a tabletop measuring 24-inches deep by 42-inches wide, in addition to the grilling rack on the side: another 24-inch by 14-inch area that is usually dedicated to my “toolbox” grill. This way, as the hot dogs and hamburgers reach perfection, the serving table is right next door along with all of the buns and fixings.
The nice thing about all of these camping accessories is that they all fold up for easy storage, and we can leave the campground with a minimal amount of time spent repacking the RV.
After all, the more time you can spend enjoying the Great Outdoors, the better.