What do you cook with?

[Joe11688]

The last Thread that I entered on cooking on a small boat has been languishing. So I offer a question and also no possible answers. You fill in the blanks. What do you use for cooking on your trailer-sailer? Do any of you use a Turbo Cooker, pressure cooker, or stove-top oven on board? I'm just curious.

 

[Ross]

I really don't belong here because I have a three burner propane stove with an oven and broiler. But I must recommend that a propane stove is better in every regard when compared with an alcohol stove. I have cooked on electric, gas, alcohol, solid fuel and for convenience, speed and control gas is by far the best.

 

[Joe11688]

I really don't belong here because I have a three burner propane stove with an oven and broiler. But I must recommend that a propane stove is better in every regard when compared with an alcohol stove. I have cooked on electric, gas, alcohol, solid fuel and for convenience, speed and control gas is by far the best.

I'm inclined to agree with you about a propane stove. Alcohol stoves really don't put out the heat as well, but I've learned to get around that and still be able to use mine with good results. Have you used a Turbo Cooker or a pressure cooker on your boat Ross?

 

[Ross]

I am not familar with the turbo cooker. And I do all my pressure cooking at home and process the food into canning jars. During Hurricane Isobel we lost electrical power for 4 days I made soup, stew and canned meat from everything in my freezer. I didn't loose anything. I keep canned beef, pork and turkey on the boat during the season, also canned stock, fresh carrots, potatoes, celery, and onions and of course pasta in many forms.

 

[walt]

I recently bought a little butane burner that we use to cook "Hot Pot" at home. Hot pot is cooked right at the table while you eat which is why you use a butane burner. Im thinking it might work well on the boat..

FYI, with Hot Pot, you have a large pan of water with pork (for example) bullion and spicy hot pot sauce (from an Asian market). Into the boiling water, you put thinly sliced meats (shubu shabu), different vegitables such as corn on the cob and cabbage, meat or fish balls, tofu, ect. As the food is cooking, you sit around the pot and pull out whatever seems to be "done". Each person has a dippiing bowl with garlic, chopped green onions, seseme oil, vinegar, ect and dips what they pulled out of the pot.

Real good, healthy and social meal. Also might be fun on the boat.

 

[Ross]

Walt, That will work in a calm anchorage and be very pleasant. Watch out for power boat wakes.

 

[greenminnow]

I use a portable Butane stove as supplied with most Potter 19s. It is an excellent stove equiped with built in ignitor. High heat with a large footprint, you'd have to turtle the boat almost to tip this stove. To top it off, I bought it on-line somewhere for about $25.00. Regards, Brian

 

[Ross]

I use a portable Butane stove as supplied with most Potter 19s. It is an excellent stove equiped with built in ignitor. High heat with a large footprint, you'd have to turtle the boat almost to tip this stove. To top it off, I bought it on-line somewhere for about $25.00. Regards, Brian

That rocks!! post a link if you can find it.

 

[Steve Dion]

Actually the Origo stoves work quite well. We cooked on one that had an oven and we have had many pleasurable meals using one of these stoves. The butane stoves also work fine.

One thing you need to consider is the anchoring conditions. If you are in an area that has a lot of surge or boat traffic some of these other options may not be very good. The single or double burner Origo stoves and be bolted down and the stove has provisions for pot holders.

I would not think you would be interested in spending $2k or more for a propane setup not to mention the space needed to store the tank and box.

PS: I think that there is a single burner Origo in the Gear Wanted section on SBO.

Good luck.

 

[Shooter II]

I have an old Origo 6000 alcohol stove. I lit the burners for the first time this week. The right burner burns mostly blue. The left burns mostly yellow. They had quite a stink too. Never used an alcohol stove. Do they usually stink? I figure to burn them a bit to clean them. Hope something just spilled on 'em and when it burns off, they'll stop stinking. What do you think?

 

[Joe11688]

Actually the Origo stoves work quite well. We cooked on one that had an oven and we have had many pleasurable meals using one of these stoves. The butane stoves also work fine.

One thing you need to consider is the anchoring conditions. If you are in an area that has a lot of surge or boat traffic some of these other options may not be very good. The single or double burner Origo stoves and be bolted down and the stove has provisions for pot holders.

I would not think you would be interested in spending $2k or more for a propane setup not to mention the space needed to store the tank and box.

PS: I think that there is a single burner Origo in the Gear Wanted section on SBO.

Good luck.

What I've always done Steve, is place a rubber non-slip mat under my stove. The pot holders were the first thing that I bought when I purchased my double burner Origo. I agree with you. A lot of times you get some fool that comes by raising a large wake. My stove always stays put, but I've had pots or pans almost tip over on me. I cook while I'm sailing most of the time and I try to take a route to avoid water traffic out in the bay. I was very fortunate to find an Origo single burner stove in a thrift shop not too far from my house years ago. I asked the guy behind the counter how much he was asking for it, and he said, "Ah,--give me $5.00 and it's yours." I nearly fell over! I grabbed my wallet faster than a hobo on a hot dog, and gave him the money. I had a big grin on my face as I walked out of there. :dance: Evidently, he didn't know that these stoves were selling for $190.00 new at Worst Marine, and I wasn't about to tell him either. The thing was like new and all that it needed was the rubber gasket and the flame deflector Flame deflectors are free for the asking. I still have this single burner stove, and I use it for tail gate cooking, or as an extra stove at the house. I've had pressurized alcohol stoves, and I really don't like them. The Origo really suits my needs. I've even got to where I kind of like the smell of that stove when I boil water for my favorite Orange Cappuccino.
Trinkky

 

[greenminnow]

Deluxe Butane Stove

That rocks!! post a link if you can find it.

Ross, I found one just like mine at www.amazon.com type in "deluxe butane stove". Comes with carry case as does mine for $15 bucks. I've used mine for 3 years and love it! Brian

 

[captain cajun]

I have been read about using a pressure cooker this year. I like the idea about a rubber mat. But how do I protect the cockpit and combing from the heat? I have a small propane stove, still not sure about the heat...

 

[Rick D]

Pressure Cooker

I have been read about using a pressure cooker this year. I like the idea about a rubber mat. But how do I protect the cockpit and combing from the heat? I have a small propane stove, still not sure about the heat...

We use a pressure cooker on the boat, a small one. Stainless steel. It really speeds up the cooking and saves a lot of fuel. We also use one at home because of our altitude. We have become used to them and wouldn't be without one now. Highly recommended. For the boat, we purchased one on e-bay and saved a ton. (I say 'we' but really mean the Admiral!)

 

[sailingdog]

One caveat to people using a portable butane stove below decks, in the cabin.

This is dangerous, since a portable stove doesn't have the same safety interlocks that many of the marine stoves do, like shutting off the gas if the flame goes out, etc. Also, butane is far more dangerous a fuel, as it has a lower explosion threshold by volume.

Propane has flammability limits in air (STP conditions) of 2.2-9.5 vol%, where Butane has flammability limits in air (STP conditions) of 1.5-8.5 vol%. The difference between 1.5% and 2.2% may not sound like much, but it takes 47% more propane by volume to become an explosion hazard.

 

[Jim Kolstoe]

We use the Origo single burner alchohol stove that came with the boat, and have made many excellent meals with it. As with any single burner stove, you have to plan carefully, but it works fine.
ShooterII : it sounds like you've spilled something on your stove. When we start ours, there is an odor of the alcohol fuel, because it has to vaporize to burn, and there is a slight astringent odor from the burning fuel, easily overwhelmed by food smells. It should have a blue flame. The yellow flame on one of your burners indicates you've got something else burning. Assuming the same fuel in each burner, it eliminates the fuel as the source of the problem so take a look to see if something spilled or fell onto the burner.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo

 

[David in Sandusky]

Two alcohol burners and a propane grill

on the back rail.

The alcohol is slower than the propane one most of the boats we have chartered, but life slows down when we are cruising, and we don't really notice the slower cooking time.

We probably grill dinner half the time while cruising. Of course, the grill is really just a propane burner, so we have used it when we run out of alcohol. With the companionway open, we only notice the odor when we light the stove, or when we run the reservoir dry.

 

[dancing bear]

Previous owner provided me with a suitcase style Coleman 2 burner propane stove, the kind that uses the little green propane tanks. He built a nice wood tray on the top of the galley to hold the thing steady.

It is a nice stove, for camping and all, but I am wary of using those green propane cans in the cabin. For this reason, I have only cooked at the slip. The past few years this has been no big deal, but I do plan on doing multi-day trips this year. Is the Coleman propane stove simply the wrong appliance, should I donate it to the scouts?

 

[Ross]

Previous owner provided me with a Coleman propane stove, the kind that uses the little green propane tanks. He built a nice wood tray on the top of the galley to hold the thing steady. It is a nice stove, for camping and all, but I am wary of using those green propane cans in the cabin. For this reason, I have only cooked at the slip. The past few years this has been no big deal, but I do plan on doing multi-day trips this year. Is the Coleman propane stove simply the wrong appliance, should I donate it to the scouts?

Allowing the cautions that Dog voiced about the lack of safety burner valves the propane would be fine below deck. Plumbers use propane torches with the same fuel tanks in all manner of places with never any problems. just be certain that the tank screws easily into the connector and seats completely and sniff around before you light up.

 

[sailingdog]

BTW, if you're going to use the small butane or propane tanks, don't remove them from the appliance, as they often leak a bit once opened. The sealing mechanism on them is not the best for repeated use.

BTW, I have a two-burner stove with broiler in the galley, that is fed from a large propane tank in a cockpit propane locker, and a Magma Newport BBQ grill on the stern rail. I use the grill far more often than the stove, at least during the summer. It helps keep the heat out of the cabin.