Tips for cooking with 12v ovens

[theksmith]

A lot of members at Offroad Passport use the 12v "lunch box" style ovens for hot lunches (or other meals). I recently converted from an engine oven (manifold cooker) to one of these handly little things and so I wanted to cross-post my thread on experiences/tips for them:

Which one & where to get it

Both the RoadPro and Koolatron get good reviews. I went with the RoadPro simply because it has an integrated cord storage area. You can find them at Amazon (RoadPro or Koolatron), or many truck stops.

The RoadPro Slow Cooker and the Max Burton Digital 12v Stove also get good reviews, but I think their odd shapes would make them more difficult to use (since you can't use a loaf pans).





Pans & such

Standard 2 lb (8.5" x 4.5" x 2.5") disposable loaf pans work perfect in these stoves with quite a bit of room left over so you can even heap in a tall portion. Note that the larger 9" x 5" pans will NOT fit.

You can simply cover the pan with aluminum foil and pinch down the edges so things don't slosh out.

What to cook & for how long?

I'd really like to hear more on this topic from our members... so far everything I've cooked needed about 45 to 90 mins depending on the portion size. With my old engine (manifold) warmer, I would just leave a meal in it for the entire morning and it would be good for lunch - these little 12v ovens get much warmer!

They are rated for 300* F, mine will get just shy of that at 293*. I've only reheated stuff so far - I don't trust it to actually handle raw meat. Usually frozen pre-made meals at the grocery store will say somewhere "fully cooked" if they are, or of course homemade casseroles are a great option. What have you cooked?

Use a spacer to prevent scorching

Sometimes the food in the bottom of the pan would get burnt by the time the rest was completely warm. I first tried a silicone trivet rated at 400* to allow some air between the foil pan and the bottom of the oven - that took forever to cook though.

What did work was taking a loaf pan and folding it loosely into a flat shape to use as a spacer. This still conducts some heat directly into the pan holding the food, but also allows a bit of air underneath - same theory as a hollow cookie sheet. This might add 10 or 15 minutes to your cook time, but your food will be more evenly heated. I have to credit this tip to Offroad Passport member defectivemonk; he suggested using crumpled up aluminum foil.

Power concerns

The RoadPro version specifies a current usage of 12 amps... Keep in mind that is continuous usage the entire time it's plugged in. One of these stoves could kill an already weak battery if used with the vehicle not running.

If you're battery is in good shape then it should be fine to cook a meal with the rig off - however, I wouldn't try to cook multiple times without starting it up for a bit to re-charge.

Cigarette lighter style plugs don't make the best connectors in the world, so you might consider wiring in something like a Hella socket or the small (30 amp) Anderson PowerPole connectors. If you've already run a large gauge wire from the battery for a fridge, then just tap into that for your new connector.

Bonus tip for JK Unlimited owners!

These stoves wedge perfectly under the middle of the rear seat so that they don't go bouncing around if you're cooking on the trail!

So, what's your experience with these handy little stoves?

(The full original thread can be found here: https://offroadpassport.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4715):chef:

 

[mires]

Subscribed for tips. I don't think many people on this site use it but I use one for work. I'm a plumber and keep it in between the front seats of my van. I have only used it for reheating as well but it works great. I usually just put my lunch in small glass containers in my lunch bag in the morning with a cool pack and around noon or so, remove the lid and put the glass container in the oven. The food on the bottom can get burned a bit if you don't stir it a time or two but I've not found it to be a huge problem. Sometimes I'll make burritos the night before and wrap them in foil. Toss them in the oven and they're steaming hot in 45 minutes. Hot dogs work pretty well the same way. Put it in the bun, wrap it in foil and toss it in the oven. Love that thing!

 

[theksmith]

Subscribed for tips. I don't think many people on this site use it but I use one for work. I'm a plumber and keep it in between the front seats of my van. I have only used it for reheating as well but it works great. I usually just put my lunch in small glass containers in my lunch bag in the morning with a cool pack and around noon or so, remove the lid and put the glass container in the oven. The food on the bottom can get burned a bit if you don't stir it a time or two but I've not found it to be a huge problem. Sometimes I'll make burritos the night before and wrap them in foil. Toss them in the oven and they're steaming hot in 45 minutes. Hot dogs work pretty well the same way. Put it in the bun, wrap it in foil and toss it in the oven. Love that thing!

thanks for adding your experiences. agreed that many here may not use these, i hesitated to even post this in a sub-forum with the word "Chef" as part of the title!

 

[mires]

thanks for adding your experiences. agreed that many here may not use these, i hesitated to even post this in a sub-forum with the word "Chef" as part of the title!

Haha I hear ya. I haven't gotten too adventurous with mine just yet but have watched a lot of Youtube videos of guys making all kinds of stuff in it. Also, read through the Amazon reviews of the stove for lots of ideas of how people use it. The possibilities are endless.

 

[TTRaptor]

I've got a roadpro for work. Its great for heating up leftovers. Loaf pans work great as previously mentioned. One thing I find that fits perfectly is a can of progresso brand soup. Perfect for those cold winter rides.

 

[toyotech]

I use one for work as well. I wrap hotdogs in the bun in foil and throw it in there. I love it


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[ChsBrgr]

I use the heck out of the road pro. I always use it while the engine is running. At home, before a trip, I make extra when cooking a meal. One of the best is scrambled eggs, sliced potatoes, and sliced sausage. Pour the cooked meal into some aluminum foil, fold and seal it flat about the size of the oven, and freeze it in a zip lock bag. Pack it in the ice chest frozen. Defrost before cooking, remove the baggie, open the oven and turn it over every 15 minutes, and 45 minutes later it's ready. All cooked, not burned. Actually about the time you begin to smell the food, it's ready. An easy one to eat while driving is hot-dog-on-a-stick, or actually chicken-dog-on-a-stick. At home, wrap a couple of them in foil, and put them in a freezer zip lock. They usually end up getting eaten on one of those stretches where you keep driving longer than planned.

It's so handy for pre-cooked food! That, and a Kelly Kettle works for me.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

You can cook raw meats in them but only the meat itself, a buddy swears by cooking fresh fish in his all the time.

 

[basing110]

Default
As long as you dont have anything that would get soggy (breads) use the meatloaf pan or aluminum foil folded into a bowl shape and then put small amount of water into the bottom of the oven and close the oven lid. It will steam your food and it seems to heat everything more evenly if your portions are thicker in the pan

 

[RKRatto]

You can also use crock pot bags to cook things like whole chickens and porkloins. This is an awesome piece of equipment.

 

[99Discovery]

I've ran my RoadPro now through an entire season of off-roading.

A few observations from me:

1) I was worried about power consumption. I have a 20A fuse to the rear of the D2, but not sure what guage of wire it has. It has been fine, and the socket doesn't feel hot. So I'm just going off of the stock wiring.

2) The trick is to give it at least 30-40 minutes of driving time before your lunch stop to warm up your food. I've never run the RoadPro with the car off...always under alternator power. It just has too much Amp draw. It's the most power consuming device on my rig next to the winch, and I'd never winch with the engine off either.

3) cleanup is easy with a bread-tin and tinfoil wrapped around the top.

4) I've never cooked raw foods. But I have warmed up Chinese, various mexican/bean/meat dishes, french fries, dutch oven potatoes, and cobblers. Even pizza. The 30-40 minute minimum rule seems to work good for most foods. One of our favorites is left over mexican food. We just load the bread tin with a mix of sweet pork or beef, refried beans, and cheese. top it with the tinfoil and cook until the rig smells like a burrito or a taco. Then at lunch we find that it can make tacos/burritos for 4-5 adults.

The RoadPro has probably been the best $30 "mod" we've done for four wheeling.

Ironically, I was looking to see if anybody made a nice manifold cooker when someone suggested the RoadPro on this site. I love it!

 

[Kerensky97]

I was inspired to get one based off all the info on this thread. I have all the food bought, now the hard part I'm finding is planning a bunch of 1 hour road trips to test it out in the late season...

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I've ran my RoadPro now through an entire season of off-roading.

A few observations from me:

1) I was worried about power consumption. I have a 20A fuse to the rear of the D2, but not sure what guage of wire it has. It has been fine, and the socket doesn't feel hot. So I'm just going off of the stock wiring.

2) The trick is to give it at least 30-40 minutes of driving time before your lunch stop to warm up your food. I've never run the RoadPro with the car off...always under alternator power. It just has too much Amp draw. It's the most power consuming device on my rig next to the winch, and I'd never winch with the engine off either.

3) cleanup is easy with a bread-tin and tinfoil wrapped around the top.

4) I've never cooked raw foods. But I have warmed up Chinese, various mexican/bean/meat dishes, french fries, dutch oven potatoes, and cobblers. Even pizza. The 30-40 minute minimum rule seems to work good for most foods. One of our favorites is left over mexican food. We just load the bread tin with a mix of sweet pork or beef, refried beans, and cheese. top it with the tinfoil and cook until the rig smells like a burrito or a taco. Then at lunch we find that it can make tacos/burritos for 4-5 adults.

The RoadPro has probably been the best $30 "mod" we've done for four wheeling.

Ironically, I was looking to see if anybody made a nice manifold cooker when someone suggested the RoadPro on this site. I love it!

They are also more consistent with temps that the manifold cooker as well.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I was inspired to get one based off all the info on this thread. I have all the food bought, now the hard part I'm finding is planning a bunch of 1 hour road trips to test it out in the late season...

Fall fishing is in full swing, pick a spot and drive.

 

[Kerensky97]

I went out exploring a WW2 Bomber crew gunnery range in the desert and put some pulled pork in the cooker for lunch.
I got out to take pictures for "just a few minutes" and just a few minutes became an hour.
I thought the 12v port it was plugged into was only active when the ACC was on, but I was wrong.
And a heating element pulling off battery for an hour really makes an impact. The Truck wouldn't start back up.

After about 30 minutes of fussing with my portable jumpstart pack I was able to get the engine going again, but for a while I was freaked-out that I would be stranded in the mountains waiting for AAA to send out a truck that had 4WD to jumpstart me.

P.S. The Pulled pork sandwiches were delicious. The cooker is great as long as it's on an outlet that shuts off when the engine is off.