Cooking in the Van

[SWbySWesty]

So I finally got a thread worth posting which has not been covered before (according to search). Anyways, many people disagree on cooking in the van (vehicle). I personally don't mind it.

So without revealing my own feelings, I'd like to get the debate started :ylsmoke:

Who cooks inside and why?

 

[Gooseberry]

I have but if givin the choice I would much rather do it outside. All the prep is done inside but when its time I just like being out doors.

 

[Errant]

I've got serious issues with food smells in living quarters. All cooking would be outside, unless there were a way to completely exhaust all odors outside the vehicle.

 

[southpier]

...issues with food smells in living quarters....


this!

 

[Meekerfam]

living in washington you have to do both. Wife does most the cooking, she really dislikes lp gas. so will only use it outside

 

[Roonie]

We always cook outside and if it is raining under our awning (live in WA). Food smell in living quarters don't mix. Unless it was a blizzard outside we cook exterior.

 

[SWbySWesty]

hmmm, with sufficient answers, I'll give my take: I prefer to not bring another stove since I have two burners built in to the van. Why else would they be there? Unless I'm going to grill/bbq something, the rest is done on the burners in the van with the windows open.

I don't have issues with smell in the van as I leave it open and eat outside and by the time it's time to wash the dishes in the sink, the smell is gone. A lot of Westy people are torn on this issue, so I thought I'd bring it over to Expo haha

 

[Chris]

I have cooked inside however always cook the majority of the time outside. Learned to cook inside when in the rain for almost a week straight.

 

[Patman]

I think it all matters what you're cooking.

I generally prefer to cook outside, but some things are fine inside. Definitely agree that living and smelling is a bad combo. I don't like to fry anything, or cook bacon inside my house, and always go cleaning crazy once done. Can't imagine doing that inside the van.

Pancakes, scrambled eggs, or heating up some chili, etc. would be fine though. But besides crazy inclement weather, the only reason I see to cook inside is Garrett's, that's where the stove is!:sombrero:

A say cooking outside under the awning is the way.

 

[FurthurOnTheFly]

One of the reasons we wanted to move to the Tiger set-up was the ability to cook inside. With the window open and the fantastic fan turned on I have yet to notice a lingering smell.

I would like to pick up a small BBQ for those times when you just want to grill outside, but no problems cooking inside here. :chef:

 

[dwh]

I cook mostly in the van, because that's where the 3-burner Wedgewood, the fridge and the sink are. But I don't use the oven because it has no vent to the outside and makes the van really hot. Grilling and/or dutch oven is of course outside.

I always have windows open no matter what, and I run the roof exhaust on low practically all the time to pull heat out anyway (mine just has a regular 14" vent - I added a 4" 3-speed computer fan in the corner of the vent - can't even hear it on low).

I smoke a pipe, and an occasional stogie (cigarettes are evil) - yes...even INSIDE the van - so lingering cooking odors are more or less overpowered by the smell of quality tobacco anyway.

I'm not a neat freak except when building engines or doing wiring or some such projects, so I couldn't care less about lingering food smells - unless something got burned...that smell does truly suck.



I do carry a backup cooking system. One of these:

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_CK%20S150_A_name_E_Flat-Fold%99+Folding+Stove

And a few 2 hour cans of gelled chafing dish fuel. Looks like this:

http://www.amazon.com/STEHF03008-Handy-Brand-Methanol-Chafing/dp/B000U28JQA

I get a flat (12 pack) of the fuel at Smart & Final for 12 bucks.


When I have a brain fart and run out of propane, I can bust out the little folding camp stove and make a nice hot cuppa to sip while I think about what a damned fool noob maneuver I pulled by forgetting to fill up the propane tank...

 

[Photog]

We heat water for coffee & hot cocoa in the van. We have cooked a Tuna Helper dish on occasion. No problem heating a can of soup or chili in the van. No frying and no popcorn cooked in the van.

Meats get cooked outside, on the BBQ.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I will cook mostly in my Van. The only lingering odors are from when I do not wash the dishes right away. I have enough ventilation that I can boil pasta inside and not fog the windows. Cooking outside, if there is wind, makes you use more fuel, and is harder to control the heat on the skillet.

 

[Accrete]

We do all our camping in the Pacific Northwest so rain is frequently part of the trip. We will cook under the awning if we expect rain. If clear weather we set up a Colman instant screen room, best $60 we've spent, it literally is up/down in ~3 minutes. We do boil water for morning beverages inside the van on occasion, especially if it is chilly and then we use the HeatMate 5200 alcohol stove/heater to boil water and heat the van interior. OH, i suppose we could "cook" inside too since all we need most meals is hot water for the Mt.House freeze dried meal-pouches we favor for most main meals.

 

[dsw4x4]

We cook both in and out. Mostly outside when the weather cooperates, if not we fix something simple in the van and save venison roast wrapped in bacon and marinated in italian dressing for a day when it is not raining. But we to have plenty of ventelation with the top and the windows down the smells escape right away.
Derek