Microwave_what do u cook?

[MikeRuth]

So just for kicks I have a 1200Watt small MW and I plugged it into my HF 1500/3000 Watt inverter and it worked great although I did support it by having the engine running and the alternator feeding back to the house batteries. Never dropped below 12.4 volts. 

I have a fridge as well but it has a very small freezer. So not much room for frozen goods in there. 

So my question for those of you who do have a MW and use it, what kind of foods are you using it for? Are you maybe buying at the store and then cooking that same day? Ideas

Frankly I'm thinking I really don't need it but I got it, at no cost. 


Thanks

Mike R

 

[B and C]

I have a convection/microwave. The microwave is used the most. I cook larger meals and have leftovers. The leftovers go in the microwave as well as popcorn. I can't say I have ever cooked with a microwave but have reheated frozen meals here in the S&B. I will sometimes make two larger (4 serving) meals the same day and freeze some of it. I can alternate what I have so as not to burn out on the same leftover. It's a week of eating for cooking one day.

I run mine off the generator.

 

[WalkaboutTed]

700 watt microwave here in the van is used to rewarm food and reheat coffee. That's all folks. Between the 800w coffeepot and that, I don't take the 450ah of batteries below 70-75%. I also use the 310w ricemaker on sunny afternoons with the spare electricity. Cloudy days or anything more complicated than that, the microwave doesn't get used at all. The coffee is the last thing to go.

The microwave is an $60 old type dial one and the batteries will drop down to 12v or so. I don't think a fancy digital one would put up with the voltage going that low.

The travel trailer's microwave takes 1.35kw input which would be too much stress on the trailer's 400ah of batteries. But the stove and the oven are easier to access vs pulling out the Coleman propane stove in the van.
Ted

 

[Dingfelder]

Hooked up to a house, not on the road. Use it all the time. Not a fair comparison to those out in the wild, of course. Mine is weak, but it's still a huge draw I'm sure.

 

[rayrey]

I use mine for potatoes, heating up foods, making frozen burritos, hot pockets, pot pie and microwave meals. It's a $35 700 watt special from Walmart that pulls just over 1000 watts running. The solar and bank support extended runs during the day and a 4 minute run for murritos at midnight isn't a problem.

Contrary to popular belief there is a lot of real cooking that can be done in a microwave.

 

[jimindenver]

I use mine for potatoes, heating up foods, making frozen burritos, hot pockets, pot pie and microwave meals. It's a $35 700 watt special from Walmart that pulls just over 1000 watts running. The solar and bank support extended runs during the day and a 4 minute run for murritos at midnight isn't a problem.

Contrary to popular belief there is a lot of real cooking that can be done in a microwave.

 

[vanbrat]

It might be easier for me to list what I don't make in the microwave.... I cook gravy, sauces, pudding, rice, soups,(from scratch), veggies, eggs, bacon, canned goods, can do cup of cakes and brownies, and of course reheat foods and heat water for what ever.... we have one in the van now and would not think of being with out it. But when it is running it is the only thing going on the generator. even when plugged in at a camp sight I have learned to let it be the only thing running at any given time. Just don't bake breads/biscuits or fry foods like salmon or fried chicken. Some things just need that crispy grill taste. I'm still working on the biscuits I don't have any other oven.

 

[mpruet]

I have a convection microwave.  I was in Alaska this summer.  I normally dry camp either by boondocking or staying in a BLM/NF/Provincial campground, but will stay in a private campground maybe once a week so that I can dump/get fresh water/wash clothes, etc.  The main thing that I want in the private campgrounds is 30 Amp Power so that I can run my convection oven.  While I have power hookups, I bake a lot of stuff and then freeze it in my freezer.  Then during the week I can turn on my generator for a few minutes and heat up some of my frozen meals.  This way I can minimize the time that I have to run my genny - which I suspect is appreciated by my neighbors.   

So I cook a lot in my microwave - either in convection oven mode or in microwave mode.  ;-)

 

[XERTYX]

I havent used a microwave or convection oven in months. I'd love to use a convection oven in a vehicle but mainly I like the the rotisserie in mine and the length of time I ran it wouldnt be feasible without shore power or a long ass time running the generator.

The absolute easiest real food I've ever made in a microwave is scrambled eggs.

Using a ceramic bowl preferably whisk together 4 or 5 eggs and throw in about 6 or more slices of that cheap cheese u get for 99 cents. Ya know the "pasteurized processed cheese food".

Put it on high for 45 seconds at a time stirring between each heating. Once it starts to get a sort of dryer texture they're ready. You can leave them runnier if you like but I want eggs to be thoroughly cooked. Anyway about 4 to 5 minutes later you have cheesy eggs similar the ones from waffle house.

A few minutes of run time is very doable according to most folks on here. And cheesy eggs are great and can be made VERY cheaply. Win win.

 

[frankgibbons]

I use Microwave for various cooking purposes but among all, I find grilling interesting in Microwave.

I don't cook all that I bought from the market. I use my refrigerator to store some fresh foods to cook the other day.

 

[maki2]

today for lunch hot flour tortilla ham and cheese sandwich. Quesadilla time, easy hot lunch from scratch.

 

[janeontheroad]

I use mine for almost everything. And I love to bake using microwave. It's simple, it's fast and you don't have to worry about controlling the whole process.
Dozens of recipes available, just google whatever you want. I don't use frozen "ready meals" and prefer to make one myself. It's muuuch cheaper. The only thing - you should be extremely careful when cooking eggs in your microwave, but that's usually mentioned in instructions.

 

[Matlock]

It's a $35 700 watt special from Walmart that pulls just over 1000 watts running.

I've got the same 700 watt'er. I don't have enough solar/battery so I run the micro on generator once or twice a week during my planned charge-up of the house batteries.

I'm in the boonies so a few local critters hear the Honda an only occasionally do they complain..
Only thing I don't use it for is cooking meat. Unless it's a reheat then anything goes.