Stinky Sullivan
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- Jan 19, 2014
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I'm a truck driver so I live similarly to you RV and van dwellers. Although I'm an owner/operator and have a 1500w inverter, I cook exclusively with my 12 volt oven.
I've figured out how to cook some tasty meals in my little oven. It's a RoadPro and I call it my lunch box cooker because it looks like a lunch box. I have developed 4 different cooking methods for the cooker. I'll eventually discuss them all. Most of the things I've fixed are single item dishes that don't constitute a recipe as much as utilize one of the cooking methods. I am working on some full fledged recipes for some one dish meals. I'll start by discussing my favorite dish, Chicken and Rice with Vegetables.
The RoadPro uses standard size foil loaf pans. I buy my replacement pans at Walmart.
If you simply put your food in the pan and close up the oven, you'll get a hot spot on the bottom and you'll burn the food on the bottom unless you tend to it constantly. There is an alternative. I use the "water bath" method. By putting water around the foil pan, the cooking temp is kept at 212° and the bottom of the pan never gets hot enough to burn the food. I use this method for slow cook recipes as well as steaming vegetables.
Here's the chicken and rice recipe. This will feed 2 people. This is not a quick meal if you do everything from scratch but there is a shortcut.
I use chicken leg quarters because I can get a 10# bag for $6. It helps that I prefer dark meat.
Put a leg quarter in a foil pan. I prefer to separate the leg from the thigh because the chicken will fit in the pan easier. I also prefer to cover the pan with a piece of foil. Cleaning the cooker is easier if all the fat stays in the pan.
Pour water around the foil pan until it's about half way up the side of the pan. Set the oven on a towel or several pieces of paper towel on a level surface. There is no vent hole so steam will push out around the seal and a puddle with form under the cooker.
Cook the chicken for 2 1/2 hours. The chicken will be falling off the bone. Bone the chicken. Toss out anything you don't want to eat: skin, bone, gristle, etc.
Although you could use the liquid in the bottom of the foil pan for cooking the rice, I prefer not to because I don't like the greasy taste you'll get. Save it for another dish if you like. I just toss it.
At this point, you could bag the chicken for later use. Cook your chicken ahead of time and you can make this dish in much less time.
Put 1 cup parboiled rice and 1 1/4 cup water in the foil pan. Add 1 cup of vegetables of your choice. I prefer a mix of peas and carrots. Put the chicken on top. Pour water around the pan 1/2 way up and cook for 45 min to 1 hour. Covering with foil is not necessary for this part.
I use parboiled rice because it doesn't stick together. Another name for it is converted rice.
After cooking for 1 hr, it's ready to eat. All you have to do is pick your seasoning. I prefer a little fish sauce with some Chinese black beans or a little Sambal Oelek. Sometimes I just use fine granular chicken bouillon.
I have used a variety of vegetables.
Canned bean sprouts
Corn
Green beans
Veg-all
Bamboo shoots
Water chestnuts
Broccoli
Using the water bath method, I have fixed steamed broccoli, steamed cauliflower, steamed asparagus, and corn on the cob. I've also steamed potatoes to eat like a baked potato. I've used steamed potatoes to make mashed potatoes.
I've used other methods to make biscuits, meatloaf, and poached fish. I'll discuss those methods if there is interest.
I've figured out how to cook some tasty meals in my little oven. It's a RoadPro and I call it my lunch box cooker because it looks like a lunch box. I have developed 4 different cooking methods for the cooker. I'll eventually discuss them all. Most of the things I've fixed are single item dishes that don't constitute a recipe as much as utilize one of the cooking methods. I am working on some full fledged recipes for some one dish meals. I'll start by discussing my favorite dish, Chicken and Rice with Vegetables.
The RoadPro uses standard size foil loaf pans. I buy my replacement pans at Walmart.
If you simply put your food in the pan and close up the oven, you'll get a hot spot on the bottom and you'll burn the food on the bottom unless you tend to it constantly. There is an alternative. I use the "water bath" method. By putting water around the foil pan, the cooking temp is kept at 212° and the bottom of the pan never gets hot enough to burn the food. I use this method for slow cook recipes as well as steaming vegetables.
Here's the chicken and rice recipe. This will feed 2 people. This is not a quick meal if you do everything from scratch but there is a shortcut.
I use chicken leg quarters because I can get a 10# bag for $6. It helps that I prefer dark meat.
Put a leg quarter in a foil pan. I prefer to separate the leg from the thigh because the chicken will fit in the pan easier. I also prefer to cover the pan with a piece of foil. Cleaning the cooker is easier if all the fat stays in the pan.
Pour water around the foil pan until it's about half way up the side of the pan. Set the oven on a towel or several pieces of paper towel on a level surface. There is no vent hole so steam will push out around the seal and a puddle with form under the cooker.
Cook the chicken for 2 1/2 hours. The chicken will be falling off the bone. Bone the chicken. Toss out anything you don't want to eat: skin, bone, gristle, etc.
Although you could use the liquid in the bottom of the foil pan for cooking the rice, I prefer not to because I don't like the greasy taste you'll get. Save it for another dish if you like. I just toss it.
At this point, you could bag the chicken for later use. Cook your chicken ahead of time and you can make this dish in much less time.
Put 1 cup parboiled rice and 1 1/4 cup water in the foil pan. Add 1 cup of vegetables of your choice. I prefer a mix of peas and carrots. Put the chicken on top. Pour water around the pan 1/2 way up and cook for 45 min to 1 hour. Covering with foil is not necessary for this part.
I use parboiled rice because it doesn't stick together. Another name for it is converted rice.
After cooking for 1 hr, it's ready to eat. All you have to do is pick your seasoning. I prefer a little fish sauce with some Chinese black beans or a little Sambal Oelek. Sometimes I just use fine granular chicken bouillon.
I have used a variety of vegetables.
Canned bean sprouts
Corn
Green beans
Veg-all
Bamboo shoots
Water chestnuts
Broccoli
Using the water bath method, I have fixed steamed broccoli, steamed cauliflower, steamed asparagus, and corn on the cob. I've also steamed potatoes to eat like a baked potato. I've used steamed potatoes to make mashed potatoes.
I've used other methods to make biscuits, meatloaf, and poached fish. I'll discuss those methods if there is interest.
