Lets talk cooking

kloudie1 · Sep 23, 2023

I used to cook a good bit when my boys were aboard. I sometimes make gumbo and freeze it in "seal-a-meal" type boiling bags in two-serving portions. Easy to put into boiling water and re-warm and not much mess. The bags act as ice in the icebox.. You can do that with pot roasts, and other stuff like stew and soup.. I have a vegetable steamer that I use to do the healthy stuff, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, etc. I've made a bunch of jambalaya over the years.. once in a marina, I had people on the pier sniffing and telling me how great it smelled.. .. had plenty for them and my crew. Burger patties and or sausages can be grilled for po--boys (hoagies?) .. grilled chicken and veggies .. Make up pancake batter in advance (or buy it in cartons) .. that avoids the mess of flour.. I use "egg beaters" to make omelets.. You can carry the shelf storage milk if ya like cereals.. I enjoy cooking..

BigEasy · Sep 23, 2023

kloudie1 said:
I enjoy cooking..

All good ideas! Was planning to cook jambalaya today, before the game; however, too much stuff to do. Maybe next weekend. Can't imagine cooking jambalaya onboard!! Too much to prep & fry; perhaps on the dock with a propane burner & black cast iron pot!

kloudie1 · Sep 23, 2023

I prep stuff at home then load into zip bags so from there, it is not too much of a mess.. Has to be a day when its cool enough to open the boat so ya don't get overwhelmed by the onions sauteing in the sausage oil!!

JBP-PA · Sep 25, 2023

Pan bread: I put 1 cup flour, 1 tsp yeast in a ziploc bag. Add salt & dried herbs to taste. On the boat, mix flour in a bowl with just enough water to make the dough. Let it rise a couple hours, then form a round loaf to fit a frying pan. Cook with cover until one side is light brown then flip & do the other side.

I don't like the mountain house stuff either, but I will take rice mixes that you can get in the grocery store.

If you have kids, Mac & cheese is always popular. Add a small can of peas to add some veggies.

Soup cups are very handy, come in a lot of variety, and are nice on chilly days.

In addition to tuna, you can get canned or packets of chicken or beef. I keep some on board to add to dishes to change things up.

A small set of spices, some olive oil, some Tabasco, etc... gives you more options for variety.

I also keep some of the packets of ketchup and mayonnaise on board. I don't use them enough to warrant a big jar. I do keep a big jar of mustard because I like it (which does not need to be in the fridge BTW).

Pop-tart or Belvita breakfast bars are a quick breakfast.

I admit I do keep a selection of chips, doritos, etc. I also like meat snacks and cheese snacks.

I have a small fridge that fills up fast with fresh milk, fresh fruit & veggies, salad mix, fresh meat & cheese.

JBP-PA · Sep 25, 2023

I've not used the Omnia. It's aluminum and I don't like to cook in aluminum. I know there is a non stick version, but I've not had that much need. I can pan bake most things. If I had shore power, I'd get a used little toaster oven maybe from goodwill for the price of an Omnia.

JBP-PA · Sep 25, 2023

This stove top Coleman oven looks interesting, but I haven't tried it either.

Stove Top Portable Oven

Folds into a small square for carrying and storage so it's great for camping. Fits neatly over one burner. Door has built-in thermometer 11-5/8 sq x 12-1/2H Folds to just 11-5/8 x 12-1/2 x 2 Aluminized steel 9 lb Imported

www.lehmans.com

Gene Neill · Sep 25, 2023

morbidfollower said:
Currently have a 2 burner origo alcohol non pressurized stove and a magma propane kettle grill on the stern rail. Thinking of getting one of those Omnia stovetop circular ovens to do some baking. Really looking for what you guys use especially for long weekends and bigger trips. Not really trying to eat mountain house meals for 2 weeks on my Puget Sound trip, nor cold cut sandwiches/trail mix every time I get hungry. Meal plan ideas would be good too as well as anything you use to prep food. I do have a small refrigerator/freezer on board as well as a ice cooler for beverages. Small family of 3. Thanks.

Two weeks, wow, that's ambitious!! Is resupply an option, or are you headed for the boondocks?

tfox2069 · Sep 25, 2023

I haven't used the Omnia, but I've used the original Bakepacker for many years. Same concept - steam baking. I think the Bakepacker went out of production years ago, but you can still Google it.

The concept actually works really well, but you'll have to have a burner that can really simmer low, and you have to cook for an extended period so bring extra fuel. The non-pressurized alcohol stove might do well, given that it doesn't burn as hot as propane or butane. You mostly want to get the water boiling, and have it just stay there. I've made everything from bread to biscuits to frittatas to pizza to birthday cakes in that thing. I remember some pretty amazed fellow Marines in Desert Storm when I came into the tent with a pizza after eating MREs for a month (the original MREs, not the culinary delight they've comparatively become these days). Mind you, it can't replicate a crispy crust that only a "dry" oven can make (at least the Bakepacker couldn't), but it will definitely make some pretty palatable "close enough" dishes. And you can make a pizza on a grill

I'd definitely give the Omnia a try!!

Any Sea · Sep 26, 2023

AaronD has been through there a couple of times. Search San Juans in this forum and Member AaronD. His posts are entertaining and I'm sure he would have good advise.

AaronD · Sep 26, 2023

Any Sea said:
AaronD has been through there a couple of times. Search San Juans in this forum and Member AaronD. His posts are entertaining and I'm sure he would have good advise.

Yes, we've cruised the South Sound, and done 4 trips to the San Juans + Gulf Islands - about 2 weeks each (family of 4). Here are links to the first post for each year.

You can resupply in:

Friday Harbor
Roche Harbor
Lopez Island (2 stores in the village; ~1 mile walk from Fisherman's Bay; and Lopez Islanders are a very nice bunch - you might be able to hitch a ride)
Shaw Island General Store - small, but a worthwhile stop - the county dock has short-term moorage.
Sidney BC, if you decide to make the hop across Haro Strait (take passports and prep ahead of time with the ArriveCan and CBP ROAM apps on your phone)

Probably somewhere in East or West Sound on Orcas too, although I don't have any recommendations there. All of those I listed except Shaw have full marinas. If you don't have enough solar to completely keep up with your refrigeration, you may be wanting a night on shore power to recharge anyway.

I'll follow up with my own cooking thoughts sometime soon.

AaronD · Sep 26, 2023

You've gotten good advice from others who cook + bake more agressively than we do.

We carry a JetBoil for hot water and cook exclusively on our pulpit-mounted Magma grill; with a cast griddle that fits on the grill. I think this is it: http://www.magmaproducts.com/Produc...iddle/Griddles_Rect_Home/A10-195/a10-195.html.

As others have said, we sometimes pre-cook and package meals. That might cover the first 2-4 days. I'll skip those, and list the things we often make completely onboard:

Egg or Tofu scrambles (zucchini, onions, peppers, etc. We mounted a couple small fruit hammocks in the cabin; produce keeps better onboard with that bit of airflow)
- We get unwashed eggs from neighbors; I've not tested side-by-side, but they supposedly last longer unrefrigerated than store-bought eggs
Tasty-Bite Indian meals (lentils, etc.) will cook directly in the bag, in water in the Jetboil (double-boiler style). That avoids scorched food in the Jetboil pot and makes cleanup easy. Same for bagged or boxed soups.
Mac-and-cheese - again, cook in a plastic or silicone bag in the Jetboil
- It's even better the second time when reheated and crisped on the griddle
Bagged cabbage or broccoli salad (we find these last longer in the cooler than lettuce or spinach salads)
BLTs - fresh or precooked bacon
- Bread molds pretty quickly in a moist environment. We usually need to buy more in a resupply stop.
Pop-tarts (grilled). A standard vacation treat in our family. Don't judge
Pancakes or crepes (we use Pamela's gluten-free mix; when mixed extra-thin, it makes a very passable crepe)
Sausages and burger patties (often veggie ones for the mostly-veggie parents, but your choice).
Quesadillas and burritos
Oatmeal - breakfast + coffee requiring only hot water can be key for early mornings to catch a tide.
Lunches are often cheese + crackers + veggies + fruit.
- Somewhere I have a picture of my ~9-year-old daughter on the dock in Reid Harbor, with her breakfast of 1) A cup of coffee + 2) A tube of goat cheese (eaten push-pop style).

When we've stopped for restaurant food, we find that the griddle reheats leftover Mexican, Indian, etc. quite nicely.

And yes, some freeze-dried meals can be good backups just in case. There are much better options than Mountain House now. See Packit Gourmet, Outdoor Herbivore, and all the cottage brands sold at Garage Grown Gear.

One other recommendation: Don't scrimp on foul weather gear. October in the SJs will be cold and rain is likely; on a small boat, once you get wet, you're likely never to get dry. We have full offshore setups from Musto + Helly Hansen; that seems like overkill for inshore cruising, but I don't regret those $$ at all.

Feel free to ask any more questions or PM me. I don't claim all the answers, but we've survived some C-22 cruising in those waters - and we're still married and our kids don't hate us too much; I'm counting that as success.

Benny17441 · Sep 27, 2023

I get more enjoyment cooking at home with the larger appliances, utensils, ample space and a full assortment of spices and condiments. For the boat we will prepare a menu, precook and freeze so all we have to do is defrost, heat and serve. We do have a rail mounted grill for cooking steaks and burgers when at a protected anchorage. I have found that bakery purchased artisan breads keep much better than breads we bake at the house. On day sails we may take a cold dish prepared at the house or buy Subway Subs with chips. Gave up long ago sweating it up in a galley while dealing with gimbals to keep the pots on the burners and grabbing a handhold to keep myself up. Much better sitting in the cockpit sipping a neat Scotch while the food heats up in the stove's oven.

Rasselas36 · Nov 12, 2023

Need help. I can’t seem to find a way to cook biscuits pizza cinnamon rolls in the oven without burning the bottom. I use the top rack. I used aluminum foil on the bottom. I’ve used a lower temperature. Please tell me the secret to turning out oven baked food without scorching the bottoms. Thank you.

...3TacksontheWater · Nov 14, 2023

Rasselas36 said:
Need help. I can’t seem to find a way to cook biscuits pizza cinnamon rolls in the oven without burning the bottom. I use the top rack. I used aluminum foil on the bottom. I’ve used a lower temperature. Please tell me the secret to turning out oven baked food without scorching the bottoms. Thank you.

You might try using the middle or bottom rack. The top of the oven is where the hottest temperatures hang out.

Geroge