Tembo Tusk Skottle Explained: Why You Will Love This Camp Cooking System

Introduction

If you spend enough time around overlanders or vehicle-based campers, you’ll eventually notice a piece of gear that shows up at a lot of campsites: the Tembo Tusk Skottle. At our campsite, the Tembo Tusk Skottle has been a staple for nearly a decade.

New to the brand? Start with our complete Tembo Tusk Buyer’s Guide covering Skottles, camp cooking gear, and cargo slide systems.

At first glance, the Skottle looks a little unusual compared to traditional camp stoves. Instead of a small burner designed for pots and pans or a Jet Boil, the Skottle uses a large disc-shaped cooking surface mounted on legs with an attached burner. But once you see one in action or cook on it yourself, it becomes obvious why it has become so popular.

The Tembo Tusk Skottle makes outdoor cooking easier, more social, and far more versatile than most traditional camping setups. Cleanup is also easier with a Skottle. Whether you’re cooking breakfast for a group, preparing tacos at camp, or throwing together a quick stir fry after a long day on the trail, the Skottle turns camp cooking into one of the highlights of the trip.

In this guide, we’ll explain exactly what the Tembo Tusk Skottle is, how it works, and why so many campers and overlanders consider it one of the best outdoor cooking systems available. For a minimal investment, you might end up wondering how you have traveled so far and so often without a Skottle.

What Is the Tembo Tusk Skottle?

The Tembo Tusk Skottle is a portable cooking system built around a large, disc-shaped cooking surface that sits on three legs and is powered by a propane burner.

The cooking surface itself resembles a large shallow wok or pan. Because of its size and shape, it allows you to cook multiple ingredients at once while keeping everything contained on a single surface. It also allows you to cook different items at different temperatures given the burners location relative to the whole surface. For example, the burner sits directly in the middle of the cooking surface. Heat is often hotest there and as you go out to the edges the temperature generally decreases.

The concept is inspired by a South African cooking style that uses a “skottel” (meaning disc) over an open flame. Tembo Tusk adapted this traditional cooking method into a compact system designed specifically for camping and overland travel.

The result is a cooking platform that combines simplicity with impressive versatility.

Why the Tembo Tusk Skottle Is So Popular

The Skottle has quickly become and maintained its position as one of the most recognizable pieces of camp cooking gear in the overlanding world. There are several reasons why so many outdoor enthusiasts love it.

It Makes Cooking at Camp Easier

One of the biggest advantages of the Skottle is how simple it makes cooking.

Instead of juggling multiple pots and pans on a small camp stove, you can cook everything on one large surface. Eggs, bacon, vegetables, and potatoes can all cook at the same time without needing separate burners.

This makes meal preparation and cleanup faster and more enjoyable—especially when cooking for several people.

Perfect for Group Meals

The Skottle really shines when you’re cooking for a group. The days of serving two people at a time over the course of an hour is a thing of the past with a Skottle. 

For example, breakfast at camp might include scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns all cooking together. Later in the evening, you might use the same setup to cook fajitas or stir fry for everyone around camp.

Because the cooking surface is large and heated, it’s easy to prepare meals for multiple people without constantly rotating pans. We have served upwards of 8 adults with out Skottle at one time. Gone are the days of you cooking and everyone eating around the fire. You will be able to all eat at the same time around the fire.

Cooking Becomes Part of the Camp Experience

One of the unexpected things about the Skottle is how it changes the social aspect of cooking.

Instead of someone standing alone over a small stove, the Skottle naturally becomes a gathering point at camp. People tend to stand around it, chat, and help prepare food. It has this weird campfire effect or maybe people are just standing around quietly begging for samples...

For many campers, cooking on a Skottle becomes one of the most enjoyable and memorable parts of the trip. The Skottle stories we have are some of the best.

What Can You Cook on a Skottle?

The better question might be: what can’t you cook on a Skottle?

Because of its large cooking surface and unique heat distribution, the Skottle is extremely versatile.

Some of the most popular meals people cook on a Skottle include:

Camp Breakfast Favorites

• Eggs
• Bacon
• Sausage
• Hash browns
• Pancakes

Trail-Friendly Dinners

• Tacos and fajitas
• Stir fry
• Burgers and vegetables
• Fried rice
• One-pan pasta dishes

Many also use the Skottle for quick lunches while exploring trails. It only takes a few minutes to set up, which makes it perfect for cooking during mid-day stops. It also only takes a few minutes to cleanup which is a huge advantage over every other type of trail cooking method.

Setting Up the Tembo Tusk Skottle

One of the reasons the Skottle is so popular is how quickly it sets up.

Most systems follow a very simple process:

1. Attach the legs to the cooking disc
2. Connect the propane burner
3. Attach a small propane bottle
4. Preheat the cooking surface

Within just a few minutes, the Skottle is ready to start cooking.

Compared to setting up a full camp kitchen with multiple burners, pots, and pans, the Skottle keeps things refreshingly simple and enjoyable.

Why Overlanders Love the Skottle

Overlanders spend a lot of time living out of their vehicles while traveling through remote areas. Because of this, their gear needs to be efficient, durable, and easy to pack.

The Skottle checks all of those boxes and more.

Compact and Travel Friendly

Even though the cooking surface is large, the Skottle packs down surprisingly well. The legs detach and the cooking disc stores inside a carry bag.

This makes it easy to store in a truck bed drawer system, roof rack cargo box, or inside a vehicle.

Durable Construction

Tembo Tusk products are known for their rugged construction. The Skottle uses durable materials that hold up well to frequent use and rough environments. We have been using our Skottle for over 10 years and think we have at least another 10 years left with it if not more.

Many users report using their Skottle for years with minimal wear.

Fast Camp Setup

After a long day of driving trails or exploring remote areas, nobody wants to spend 30 minutes setting up cooking gear.

The Skottle can usually be assembled and ready to cook in just a few minutes.

Tips for Cooking on a Skottle

If you’re new to Skottle cooking, a few simple tips can help you get started with the best results.

Season the Cooking Surface

Actually, there is no seasoning required as the Skottle comes pre-seasoned and ready to use!

Preheat Before Cooking

Let the Skottle fully heat up before adding ingredients. This helps ensure even cooking and prevents food from sticking.

Cook with Oil

Because the Skottle surface is metal, cooking with oil helps maintain the seasoning layer and improves cooking performance.

Clean After Each Use

After cooking, wipe down the surface and apply a light coat of oil. This keeps the cooking surface protected and ready for the next trip.

Is the Tembo Tusk Skottle Worth It?

For many campers and overlanders, the answer is an easy yes. If it is a no, we aren't sure what they are cooking with and it surely is not as efficient or easy.

The Skottle combines portability, durability, and versatility in a way that few other camp cooking systems can match. It simplifies meal preparation while also making cooking more enjoyable.

Instead of struggling with small camp stoves and multiple pans, the Skottle provides a large cooking surface that makes preparing real meals outdoors easier than ever.

Final Thoughts

The Tembo Tusk Skottle has earned its reputation as one of the most popular camp cooking systems in the overlanding world for good reason.

Its simple design, large cooking surface, and quick setup/cleanup make it an ideal solution for anyone who enjoys preparing meals outdoors.

Whether you’re heading out for a weekend camping trip or a multi-day overland adventure, the Skottle is the kind of gear that quickly becomes a regular part of your camp setup.

Once you cook on one, it’s easy to understand why so many outdoor enthusiasts swear by it.