Cooking: Interior, Exterior, or Portable?

[rkbeasley]

I would like to replace my oven with a air fryer and use an electric skillet when I can.

[happy2rv]

Originally Posted by rkbeasley

I would like to replace my oven with a air fryer and use an electric skillet when I can.

Not a bad idea. I've considered pulling our oven and cook top out ever since we bought our TT. We've probably used our interior cook top twice in 4 years and we tried to use the oven a few times. Even with a pizza stone in the oven, it cooks EXTREMELY unevenly.


We keep a toaster oven on top of the builtin cook top while setup and use it for all of our baking. It does a fantastic job. I'd love to permanently install it or something similar. We've had convection microwave combos in the past, but I'm not a fan of them. We use our microwave a lot for things like melting butter or heating water while we're cooking. Having it tied up as a regular oven is less than ideal.



As for the cook top inside, we almost exclusively use an induction hot plate. I'd love to have one of those permanently installed as well. I was watching one of the RV shows on TV a couple of nights ago and saw an RV, can't remember if it was a 5th wheel or motor home, that had a combination cook top. One or two induction "burners" and one gas burner. Not sure who made it, but that seems like the best option to me. I'm not sure why more coaches don't have that. On second thought, I think I do know. It would cost more...

[karensay]

We have used our TT for 8 trips in the past year now. Have not used the oven. I think we have used the burners once. We mostly use the outdoor grill and the microwave.

[SLAJMARTIN]

I see a lot of people setting up outside kitchens with a folding table a portable grills. I personally rarely cook outside. I use things like my ninja grill/air fryer/oven combo or a crock pot. Takes up much less space and just need an electrical plug to get grilled steaks etc. It is a personal choice. I would much rather have a nice inside kitchen and scrap the outdoor.

[Canoso]

I’ve been in too many campsite where the outside kitchen would have 6 feet of the ground. Dot think I’d care to pay for one or lose the space. We already have a propane Coleman two burner stove and electric hot plate. If you really need hot water outside get a pump type coffee thermos .

[Chippie]

Originally Posted by NCPearlie

You are wise to ask this question before settling on an rv model. We have a 22" Blackstone and use it at least half the time for dinner. You just have to decide how much you would actually use an outdoor kitchen. I do a lot of cooking inside either for the whole meal or portions of the meal. For me the outdoor kitchen would not be a plus and would not get used.

I use my gas range about a quarter of the time but use my single burner induction Duxtop just as much, especially because it has a timer and better control of temperature on certain foods. I have never used my oven. I don't leave the pilot light on for an oven and hate having to stand on my head to light it every time. The oven is replaced by a NuWave oven. It takes a little while to learn how to use it for various foods, but we use it about 5 days a week for some purpose or another. I don't need a toaster, either, with the NuWave.

induction is awesome better heat control for cooling but does not heat up the rv.

[1stimerveer]

We have an Aspen trail 1900 RB, with just an inside kitchen. Typically we use a 17" Blackstone griddle along with a portable induction cooktop, set up on a roll top table and small folding table respectively, under our awning for outdoor cooking.

The roll top gives us room for food prep along side of the blackstone and the induction cooktop is great for boiling, veggies/kolbasi etc, or re-heating frozen soups or even a frypan. They require very little storage space, or setup/break-down time.

That setup suits us well with the interior oven, stove and microwave.. I do think that I would like to have the convenience of the refrig and sink in the outdoor kitchen..
Just my two cents.

[Gralley]

We do most all of our cooking outside of our motor home .we use a Coleman road trip grill and a 2 burner a amp chef 2 burner stove . My wife prefers to keep the mess outside .Our mountain aire has a conversation oven and two burner cook top that we use very seldom . I think the out door kitchens look very nice but from what I have seen you give up a lot of room inside the RV to have an outdoor kitchen .

[garywilson]

My wife and I do one trip per year that is around six weeks and several shorter trips year round.

I think we may have cooked an entire meal inside once, maybe twice (in the oven) in the last nine years. Things like pot roast, oatmeal, veggie. We seldom 'eat out'.

I like my biscuits, so an oven is a must. Cake, pie, etc.

Outdoor kitchen is used almost exclusively. Sink, stove, and refrigerator. The only time I use the outside refrigerator for cooling is if we are going to be in the same place for a week or more. Otherwise it is storage for drinks without turning it on.

The cover for the outdoor kitchen hinges upward, so rain isn't an issue. The bumper grill is next to it.
I recently added a Camp Chef single burner 30,000 BTU with legs for things I want to heat up more quickly than the camper stove will. On windy days I add a baffle around it for a wind block.

Outside cooking keeps cooking smells, moisture, grease, and HEAT out of the trailer.

To each his own... I really can't tell that I'm losing any storage, probably just have a smaller bathroom than it would have been.

Something to ponder before purchase.

[LargeMarge]

Portable!
.
We use induction hot-plates and an electric pressure-cooker.
Between uses, they store out-of-sight.
.
We use pressurized five-gallon kegs for water.
We generally travel with the weather -- south and low elevation for winters, north and mountain lakes for summers.

Our cooking is usually outside.
Our dish worshing is outside.
Our showers are outside.
.
We go inside to sleep.
.
I hope this helps!

*****

2003, we converted a 1997 Ford CF8000 commercial truck to our concept of an ExpeditionVehicle.
In less than a week -- while selling everything -- we completed our conversion, and hit the road.
.
Nearly two decades full-time live-aboard, we value relationships over stuff.

[JaimesBeam]

When you have/need two kitchens, I think your RV is too big!
How many people have two kitchens at your house? Sure, you may have a deck and a grill, but a whole outdoor kitchen? What’s the point of getting away from it all, if you. Take it all with you? What’s next? Two bathrooms? Heck, I think two bathrooms on a boat are a waste of limited space. ( Yes, I am aware that there are many ships that have multiple heads. An outdoor shower can be useful, though, and many people have them.

In my shuttle bus I can’t even think of cutting a hole for a sink in the butcher lock counter I made. We have a portable propane camp stove and a tabletop charcoal grill. I decided not to go without building because I realized I’d want to cook outside sometimes.

IMHO

[TampaDave]

Originally Posted by Martian

Depending on which Weber you have, you just may be able to unscrew the regulator and go to a propane supplier and have them put a quick connect on it and supply a hose to hook into the quick connect that is on your trailer. Also have them put the mating part on the regulator so you can use a tank at home. Been working for me for five years now.

This. Plumb in a 4-port connector and you can either hook up your grill or an external propane tank; the latter comes in real handy in cool weather camping. Absolutely worth doing imo.

External kitchen strikes me as one of those things that seems like a great idea on the showroom floor, but doesn't necessarily work out on the big road. Like "sleeps eleven."

Depends. If you mainly bought your rig for going to the football game, I could see how an external refrigerator (if not a full bar) would go with an external TV (and an airhorn that plays the "Go Gators" song).

We are on the road a lot, mostly in RV campgrounds, and I've only ever seen one dude watching TV outside (all by hisself) and have yet to see anybody actually cooking outside. A style of travel that tends to favor having the extra storage space.

As for actual legit camping, there are parts of the country where I wouldn't advertise the fact I had food available. Just sayin. Maybe you could put a gun rack in there. Now that would be cool.

[NeilV]

I had a built in outdoor kitchen in one trailer and found while convenient at first I ended up not liking it for a few reasons.

Heat close to the fiberglass skin of the trailer was one and the other was cleanup. I cook anything that tends to splatter or give off greasy fumes outside to prevent grease from accumulating inside on the walls, cabinets and ceiling however with the outdoor kitchen built in any such accumulation is happening on the sidewalls, awning and potentially in the storage bay.

A portable grill unit that can be setup away from the body of the trailer or motor home is easier to keep clean and when it comes time is easier and cheaper to service or replace.

So while it's convenient at first as you start to live with it that can start to fade away. Grease fumes or drippings especially with salt in it is a great paint remover too and can be just as bad for steel frames as road salt.

Outside sink and counter for prep and cleanup is nice however for me cooking appliances mounted to the side of the coach are not that great a thing especially if you plan on keeping a trailer or motor home for a long time.

[Spacecadet]

Wow, I'm surprised to learn that so many hate their outdoor kitchen! I have an outdoor kitchen with a small fridge and small cooktop. We also have a portable Blackstone griddle that I cook just about everything on. We have a caddy with spices that we stick in the refrigerator at the end of the trip to make sure bugs don't get into it. We keep eggs, bacon, butter and condiments in the outdoor refrigerator and also our wine/beer and drinks for the kids. We rarely use the stovetop outside unless I am making crawfish bisque or doing a shrimp boil. Stinky but delicious cajun food and the like. We keep paper towels, paper plates and plastic utensils outside. We also have aluminum crawfish trays that we keep out there. We prep everything inside and throw it on the trays to bring out. Then another tray for the cooked food to deliver to the picnic table. Unless it is raining, we spend about 90% of our time outside. Now, I could definitely do without an INDOOR kitchen. I have used the oven twice and once we upgrade in a few years I will be ripping that out first thing to replace with a convection oven. Just for use when it is raining.

I wish I had a sink outside since I am constantly having to go inside to wash my hands. I am slightly paranoid about cleanliness when I am cooking. I don't think I could live without the fridge outside. Having to run inside every time I need my wine refilled? No thanks. I do all the cooking and my husband does all the dishes. That means we would be stuck inside while everyone else is outside listening to music, telling jokes playing with the dogs, and having a good time by the fire. It really depends on how you plan to camp. We stay hooked up in state parks. You can't boondock when you live is South Louisiana. It's just not feasible to go without AC. But if you live in a milder climate then I can see how boondocking is feasible and an outdoor kitchen useless.

Also, as another person mentioned, will you be wet? We use the pool and go to the beach from April to September since we live in a warm climate an hour from the Gulf Coast. We bring the dogs to the beach too and then they get the sand hosed off and we all dry out in the sun. I couldn't imagine going inside for drinks and snacks with wet dogs and wet kids. Yuck. Like others have said, think about how you plan to camp, what types of foods you like to cook, and whether you will be hooked up to power most of the time or boondocking.