Cooking setup

[accrete]

except for warming up a kettle for tea/coffee on a heatmate 5200 alcohol stove in the mornings (that doubles for a room heater) we cook outside on either a two burner stove or in our favorite cast iron dutch oven.

[LenS]

We cook out side 99% of the time on a Coleman two burner. Only thing we "cook" inside is what we can warm in a 1 quart hot pot. Zip Lock bag scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, canned soup, etc. Only do that when the weather is really bad outside. Goes back to our tent days...food smell, bears, etc.

[daveb]

The microwave doesn't get used on every trip but with certain foods it's a great tool IMO. With twin 210AH batteries I can heat something that doesn't need too much run time without starting the vehicle but in the field I usually try to run the engine if there is nobody to hear it. Another way I use the microwave is to set it at a low state and slowly warm something on the way to camp.

I would like to have an inside propane setup but the butane stove can sit on the countertop and be used W/O damage to the top. For the few times it's necessary to cook inside, I'm somewhat satisfied with it and having to pack fuel is the worst part.

Most of the cooking I do is outside on a small propane burner and Weber Gas grill neither of which needs much of a cleanup. I carry a couple of 1 gallon propane tanks, as a rule which run my lantern, stoves and the BBQ plus a good sized table that resists the heat of the BBQ for a cooking stand. I have an SMB trailer and carry a larger Coleman stove for base camp type setups and heavier cooking needs.

My pots are more suited towards backpacking except for a large stock pot I keep on board called the Thermos Nissan Cook N' Carry. I can vacuum pack all kinds of food and then drop them in as a boiling bag. The Thermos keeps stuff warm until I’m ready to eat.

I carry enough cookware to sit 4 people but have never needed to use that much and will probably clean house one of these days. Most of my utensils and commonly used cookware is kept in a small bag I can grab and take outside.

[stiggs]

While camping I bring my coleman grills / stove, its a grill and one burner stove. For cooking inside the butane burner is used, it is always kept in the smb. I do have a microwave rarely use it as I don't have an inverter to run it. I like the butane for cooking up veggie burgers or eggs at the beach when just out for the day.

[stephenmgleason]

I appreciate the responses from everyone. I feel I have learned what I need to make a decision on cooking setups. I actually am leaning more towards the microwave option with no inside cook stove. I will most likely be purchasing a pre owned SMB so i can lived with a setup that has a cookstove inside.
Thanks again.

[jage]

I'm a dual-wielding portable butane, no microwave. However with most any decent invertor setup, you can add a microwave. The SMB size microwave fits in place of the "big drawer" in some builds, that drawer is a standard size for SMB, so you can fit your microwave instead of the drawer in most builds, and you can spot the drawer (or lack thereof) in most interior shots.

At wife's knees in my van:


An example from another build**:



**Behind 3rd chair arm

[Greg In Austin]

Sorry .... late to the party here... been MIA...

Here is our setup:

We did not get a built in cooktop because we did not want to give up the counter space; we did have the heat-shield installed above.

We bought a portable propane stove and in almost 3 years have never used it. (we already had a coleman white gas stove, and we have not used it on a SMB trip either).

We bought a small George Foreman grill that we use all the time.

We later added an Xpress Redi Set Go, and we use it all the time. Very versatile!

We still later added a small crock-pot (that fits nicely in the sink) and we use it on occasion.

We do have a microwave that gets lots of use also (we do have a dual house battery build).

We have been on the lookout for just the right grill this entire time, ... and may have just finally found it. (more on that later and elsewhere)

[louie]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

I don't 'cook'. I reheat. All my gourmet meals are pre cooked and all I have to do is reheat them in my microwave. The best appliance you could have in a camper van!

Wondering about your power set up for your microwave. I am trying to figure out a way to get my microwave to run without a generator, shore power or hard wiring in an inverter. Have this temporary idea of running a 1000 watt inverter with alligator clips that connects to a 100amp battery with a male to male extension cord that connects the inverter to my GFI 110 outlet that the microwave is wired into. Can I do this without blowing something up?

L

[Chimneyman]

I am putting in a flush mount cook top oven pizza oven. In My build.Because my wife loves to cook so if she can cook we get to stay running round the county longer.

http://s1127.photobucket.com/albums/l62 ... 19463d.jpg

[daveb]

Originally Posted by louie

Wondering about your power set up for your microwave. I am trying to figure out a way to get my microwave to run without a generator, shore power or hard wiring in an inverter. Have this temporary idea of running a 1000 watt inverter with alligator clips that connects to a 100amp battery with a male to male extension cord that connects the inverter to my GFI 110 outlet that the microwave is wired into. Can I do this without blowing something up?

L

Louie, it's not a good idea to power large load items that way. It's best to take a straight forward move and use an inverter that is hard wired into the AC system. At a minimum, hard wire the inverter to the house battery system and plug the microwave into the inverter itself. There is a reason why plugs are isolated with no exposed prongs. Clipping an inverter on to a battery post with aligator clips to power such a heavy load is also not a good idea. I understand you're trying to save money but you might be asking for trouble even though your method can be done.