Cooking on the road.

 

I often get asked if we have a stove in the Casita.  It usually goes something like this.  You have a stove in “there” and a refrigerator?

The answer to both questions is yes, but we don’t do a lot of cooking in the trailer.  I would rather cook outside.  We have an electric coffee maker, along with a percolator we use on the stove when boon docking.  Also, Wanda may boil water for pasta or rice on occasion,  and make short use of the microwave when power is available.  That pretty much sums up the inside cooking. 

Pictured above is the cooking gear I take with us when we travel.  There’s not much I can’t prepare with one or the other.

First up is a Coleman Road Trip grill.  This is the second one I’ve owned.  Just got a new one in March after having a propane leak on the original.  I informed Coleman of the problem and they sent me a new one free of charge.  There are still some companies that stand behind their products, even when the warranty had expired two years ago.

I find the one pound disposable bottles more convenient than a larger tank.  With this grill I can cook anything in a pot or skillet on the burner, and make pancakes or toast ,or cook vegetables wrapped in foil on the griddle. Though the grill came with folding legs and pullout side trays, I removed them.  There is always a table or tailgate to sit it on and I saved  space and weight by removing them.

My favorite method of cooking is grilling.  That’s the reason I carry one of these.

A cheap knockoff of the more expensive Weber mini grill.  It is available at Wal-Mart for about fifteen dollars.  I usually burn one out each year.  It is the perfect size for preparing a meal for two people.  I can cook just about anything on it.  Meat, fish, vegetables; whatever.

The third piece of cookware I take is a small Dutch oven.  With it I can prepare a roast, bake biscuits, or make a cobbler.

Many folks say that they don’t like using charcoal for cooking as it takes too long to get the coals ready, and it tastes bad.  That’s the reason I carry a charcoal chimney.

 

I just put the required number of briquettes in the chimney, light a starter block under it, and I’m ready to cook with hot coals within 10-12 minutes, Just dump them in the grill or place around the Dutch oven. No lighter fluid to deal with, or funny tastes in what was grilled.

I make my own starter blocks.  They’re made of paper egg cartons, dryer lint, small wood chips from my planer, and old candles which Wanda always has around the house.  I’ll take the egg carton, fill each compartment with dryer lint, along with the wood chips if I have them, and then pour melted wax into each cup till it’s full.  When it hardens, I tear the carton apart and put the pieces in zip lock bags.  Each one will burn fast and hot for about 10 minutes, which is more than long enough to start the charcoal.

I learned this fast and easy way of starting my charcoal from a fellow camper at last years Green Eggs & Ham Rally.  Before that, I was using newspaper which wasn’t  near as good.

Anyhow, that’s how we do most of our cooking; even though we have a stove in “there”.