Cooking in Van what would you spec now? (1 Viewer)

[Otter Spotter]

Now that Air Fryers are becoming mainstream in the home, do you really need a Thetford style cooker in your van taking up a big cupboard space, not very well insulated so inefficient and mostly used as storage.

In an ideal world I am thinking Induction hob and Air Fryer would take up much less room and be less moisture producing, cleaner and healthier.
What would you cook with ? And are Motorhome manufacturers behind the curve yet ?

 

[97243]

I'm looking at ways to increase payload, so maybe slinging out the oven isn't a bad idea. I quite like the look of those electric crock pot things - cant remember what they are called.

 

[VXman]

Depends whether you are on EHU or have lots of power. I'd still go for gas as I try not to go to places with EHU.

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[Richard n Ann]

Gas is a great way to cook for off grid, it also heats the van in the evening and the oven is a good cupboard when not being used. Keeping mine

 

[Mikeco]

Im thinking about taking my gas oven out but might keep it as storage for an air fryer.

 

[Orion]

A three burner gas hob in the van, decent sized (double burner) Napoleon TravelQ gas BBQ, single outside gas hob, charcoal Cobb. We cook en plein aire whenever possible.

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[Lenny HB]

Can never see the point of those cookers they fit in some vans with 3 gas burners and an electric ring. Last 3 vans we have had TecTower ovens suit our needs.

Van on order couldn't have a TecTower so ordered without an oven. Will probably get an air fryer and maybe an induction hob. Plan to fit at least 460ah of lithium and as much solar as I can get on the roof

 

[Jays2]

Never used an air fryer, did not use an oven in the van, two ring induction. Even does toast!

 

[dunnah01]

Gas hob for frying and boiling, oven for baking and air fryer when on hook up for heating and making toast. Cadac for burning anything - job jobbed

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[Brains]

errrr, exactly what we have got now.

1 x Electric plate on top for when we have free EHU
3 x gas burners on top for main cooking
Gas Grill (OK, so does not get a lot of use, but it also does not take up much room and warms plates)
Gas Oven (Get a lot of use)

And Cadac Safari Chef 2 for outside use (In summer we do all frying outside)

 

[Abacist]

Our N & B has a Tec Tower with a small gas oven at the top. It is fine for me to use but the wife is too short and it is positively dangerous for her to use in case she spills hot fat or whatever on herself getting something out of the oven.

We use the gas hob and a BBQ and I use the oven so we have just bought a small 3.8litre Ninja air fryer for £149. It had its first outing tonight at home and cooked us Chicken Thighs, roast potatoes and roasted carrots. I was well impressed!

I can see myself fixing it on the kitchen worktop with a strap from the side wall around the air fryer and back to the side wall so its readily available for use. I have to say that I quite often don't feel like getting the BBQ out after a days driving to cook the meal and then have to clean it all afterwards and the air fryer will be an easy option for my wife to handle.

 

[Abacist]

Our N & B has a Tec Tower with a small gas oven at the top. It is fine for me to use but the wife is too short and it is positively dangerous for her to use in case she spills hot fat or whatever on herself getting something out of the oven.

We use the gas hob and a BBQ and I use the oven so we have just bought a small 3.8litre Ninja air fryer for £149. It had its first outing tonight at home and cooked us Chicken Thighs, roast potatoes and roasted carrots. I was well impressed!

I can see myself fixing it on the kitchen worktop with a strap from the side wall around the air fryer and back to the side wall so its readily available for use. I have to say that I quite often don't feel like getting the BBQ out after a days driving to cook the meal and then have to clean it all afterwards and the air fryer will be an easy option for my wife to handle.

I should add that its about 1500 watts and we have a 3kW Victron Inverter with Lithium batteries, a high power B2B and solar panels so are not reliant on EHU.

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[Minxy]

We have a 3 ring gas hob which hubby likes, certainly in preference to the 2 ring ones in our previous campers - he was ecstatic when he found out the Carthago had 3 rings and I'm sure that and the larger fridge freezer persuaded him he must have the MH!

We also have a Dometic gas oven and grill combo which I have to say works extremely well, certainly a vast improvement on the previous Smev offerings that just 'worried' the bread rather than making toast.

We use the oven every now and then for pizzas but the grill is used almost daily for toast and occasionally for browning omelettes, safer than the mini blow torch.

We don't use EHU so we'd need to spend a silly amount on solar and batteries to have enough power for electric alternatives so we're sticking to gas and are quite happy to do so.

 

[Lenny HB]

occasionally for browning omelettes, safer than the mini blow torch.

What on earth do you do to your omelettes? Must be a Hull thing certainly doesn't sound like anything a normal person would do.

 

[L' Hobo]

I have a cast iron hob plate with raised edges, on the gas for seering meat, eggs and toast but mostly live on salads in Summer.

Pressure cooker & Wok for winter, again over gas.

Only use EHU for boiling kettle, heating and charging batteries etc.

I find, after years of practice, I can do most things, from Chinese to poaching eggs, on the cast iron hob plate.

I find that just using the gas for cooking, it lasts for several weeks.

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[Abacist]

I find that just using the gas for cooking, it lasts for several weeks.

When the fridge won't work on EHU and you have to use gas for that as well the gas does not last so long but one can still cope!

 

[Littlewheels]

We use the oven every now and then for pizzas but the grill is used almost daily for toast and occasionally for browning omelettes, safer than the mini blow torch.

As a qualified Chef l have to advise you that a brown Omelette is a burnt Omelette,there should in fact be no colouring in the perfect Omelette. Of course l accept people have different tastes.

 

[robnchris]

We have a 3 induction Hob, Slow Cooker, Air Fryer, a Grand Remoska and a Lotus BBQ. Proper Plates and drink out of Crystal Glasses, why would you cook, eat or drink any differently whilst away than you do when at home.?

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[Richard n Ann]

As a qualified Chef l have to advise you that a brown Omelette is a burnt Omelette,there should in fact be no colouring in the perfect Omelette. Of course l accept people have different tastes.

Wow I always brown mine, in fact I know when to turn it over because I can smell it browning

 

[Otter Spotter]

As a qualified Chef l have to advise you that a brown Omelette is a burnt Omelette,there should in fact be no colouring in the perfect Omelette. Of course l accept people have different tastes.

I thought the brown bits on an Omelette were the tastiest bit of it

 

[L' Hobo]

When the fridge won't work on EHU and you have to use gas for that as well the gas does not last so long but one can still cope!

Mine does, but I suppose it depends on how big your fridge is.
I did a 7week summer trip to Sweden without EHU or Solar, cooking and fridge on gas and still had some left in my Gaslow bottle.

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[Richard n Ann]

I thought the brown bits on an Omelette were the tastiest bit of it

We'd better rename our eggy creations if they aren't omelettes

 

[Otter Spotter]

I forgot to mention that I would still have our Wallas xcDuo diesel hob/heater for alternative to Induction for when EHU too expensive or batteries running low. I like to have options.
The Cadac only travels with us in summer.

 

[Lenny HB]

Wow I always brown mine, in fact I know when to turn it over because I can smell it browning

Turn it over! Yuck, you should fold it over and it should still be runny in the middle. It's a French dish so cook it properly don't cremate it.

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[Littlewheels]

thought the brown bits on an Omelette were the tastiest bit of it

You should consider adding additions, go beyond eggs and burnt offerings.

 

[Lenny HB]

Mine does, but I suppose it depends on how big your fridge is.
I did a 7week summer trip to Sweden without EHU or Solar, cooking and fridge on gas and still had some left in my Gaslow bottle.

Our fridge uses a litre a day.

 

[Guigsy]

If I were designing my own van, I'd go with diesel heating and lots of battery and solar for a compressor fridge. I'm not sure about cooking though. You wouldn't need a large gas bottle to run a hob. Maybe one induction, one gas?

We use the oven a fair amount. But it's often pizzas or ready meals. I think we could live without.

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[Otter Spotter]

You should consider adding additions, go beyond eggs and burnt offerings.

Oh we do, peppers, spring onion, mushrooms, spuds but then we call it a Frittata

 

[Littlewheels]

Oh we do, peppers, spring onion, mushrooms, spuds but then we call it a Frittata

Interesting and then you burn it and kill the taste of the ingredients and the last time l looked Potato’s went in a Tortilla.
Enjoy your offerings

 

[Minxy]

As a qualified Chef l have to advise you that a brown Omelette is a burnt Omelette,there should in fact be no colouring in the perfect Omelette. Of course l accept people have different tastes.

Which is why I prefer properly cooked Yorkshire versions with a nice bit of browning on them and a bit thicker than the skimpy restaurant offerings.

Turn it over! Yuck, you should fold it over and it should still be runny in the middle. It's a French dish so cook it properly don't cremate it.

Runny omelette... No ta, can't even stand the whites on eggs to be slightly runny, reminds me of the type of snot you get with a cold!

You should consider adding additions, go beyond eggs and burnt offerings.

Yes I often do, adding cheese, bacon, peppers etc, sometimes I do a Spanish version 1cm or more thick with spuds thrown in. This is where using the grill comes into play to fully cook/brown the top to save having to turn it over ... basically a crustless quiche. A very tasty and easy meal with a bit of crispy bread and salad.

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