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Old 03-26-2015, 04:01 PM   #1
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Tell me about your kitchen!

Please, don't hold back. I want to know all about your skoolie kitchen. Describe as in depth as you like. Size, cooking facilities, gas/elec, what kind of water pump, how is your water system tied in with your bathroom, how does it work for you, what would you do differently, etc.

I want to hear all about it! Thank you in advance.

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Old 03-26-2015, 04:13 PM   #2
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Welcome AGAIN
And everyone's is different, that is what is great about skoolies

Decide what you want to be able to do, and write it down and put it into your bus folder...you have one right?

Well go ahead and start one, you see something in a magazine you like? cut it out and stuff into folder

online bookmark or better yet save picture in a bus folder

do you cook or microwave?
coffee pot or french press
plastic spoons and paper plates
or regular type plates that need washing?

electric cooking because plugged in all the time?
or gas all the time?
or a combo?

do you only eat a certain way and need special equipment?

see what I mean?

this is the fun stage of conversion

We have:

Rotisserie

microwave oven

keureg

convection oven and broiler

2 regular electric 700watt eyes

1 bigger NUWAVE cook top (very nice)

Apartment fridge

a normal size cooler under (rotisserie oven) shelf for drinks w/o opening fridge ever 10 min.

full size very deep sink (pasta pots)

gas burner for wok/pasta pots

small grill for inside when storming(always attended)

fullsize charcoal webber

a 2x2x4 smoker


lololol I am probably missing things

Plenty of storage is a major plus!!!


list what you like to eat and start there
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Old 03-26-2015, 07:40 PM   #3
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Be sure to consider which way all your doors open and their clearance to other work areas. You don't want to access an open oven from the side, or have a fridge door swing into a person at the stove or an ill-positioned pan on the stove. Same goes for frequently used cabinets.

Keep in mind your work triangle. The most efficient kitchen spaces offer a triangle between sink, stove and fridge.

I prefer narrow cabinets under the counter for canned goods, and mason jars for dried good. The whole unit slides out on a track with an approprate stop mechanism. The shelves (width and height) are sized perfectly for the size cans and jars I use- two cans wide on the face of each cabinet, and running the depth of the under-counter space. Every can is visible when you pull the cabint out, but only one side at a time. My ex built them to my specs in our home, unfortunately I have no pics to share. I would love to have them in my RV someday. They will need a locking mechanism to keep them closed in transit, as well as adjustable spacers if the pantry is only partially full.

A bead of clear silicone on the bottoms of gass plates will help to prevent shifting and rattling.

With a hanging wineglass rack, new socks are a good padding. Slip one over each glass and block the channel so they can't slide out. I never broke a stemmed glass, even when traveling in 8-10 foot seas on a cabin-cruiser.

My first oven will be a great little multi-purpose thing I got years ago at a (Walmart?)

It is a countertop unit and a combination toaster oven, convection, rotisserie, and has a top that can be used for heating (like warming marinades are sauces) it has a built in timer too for auto shutoff plus it fits a standard 8" pan. It cost about $80/sale at the time, and has been well worth the money!
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Old 03-27-2015, 10:43 AM   #4
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Yes! This is exactly the kind of detail I want to hear. I'm interested in what is possible and works for other people while I'm designing what will work for us.

I do a lot of canning and definitely want to be able to make cookies or bread! On gas. I dream of rollling up for hunting camp to can/dry/freeze an elk haha. But not sure if a tiny chest freezer and solar dryer are feasible.

Thanks for the feedback! Looking forward to hearing more.
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Old 03-27-2015, 10:44 AM   #5
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Bansil, I love that you have a smoker! Trying to visualize how all that fits together.
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Old 03-27-2015, 02:59 PM   #6
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The smoker and big grill will be on the veranda this year....we use them outside
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Old 03-27-2015, 07:56 PM   #7
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We have a Weber & a Brinkmann smoker grill here at home. We are planning to leave the Weber and use the Brinkmann for smoking & grilling. We can't justify taking both with us when the Brinkmann will handle both.

Now, we have been faithful Weber grillers for years & years...I can't tell you how many we have gone through and the thought of not having one around will seem very strange. However; I have been using ONLY the Brinkmann for a few years now and are comfortable with the way it functions.

Clint of course, still uses the Weber for grilling. I'm not saying a word but I do feel sorry for him in advance when he has to learn these new gadgets in the bus (such as the Induction burner, the Nuwave oven and the Brinkmann grill).
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Old 03-28-2015, 05:53 AM   #8
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I am back to being a newbie on the Webber, I went to gas 20 yes ago thinking it was faster,it is not really.

I fill the chimney and lite it, then go prep food and grill is ready to go when food is ready

I have been pondering an idea for a cold smoker for the bus instead of our bigger one(it is breast for doing 3 hams or butts, I just don't think we need that capacity)

I have been experimenting smoking with Webber lately and am happy with results



Two best appliances are #2 a crock pot (we can cook on the road while traveling or when we are gone for the day) and the combo broiler/toaster/rotisserie/convection oven is #1 on the list, bread, cookies, muffins,pizza, Cornish game hens, etc. It runs on a 15amp 120v circuit

It takes a little longer than a home oven time wise, works great for us
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Old 03-28-2015, 06:17 PM   #9
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Our kitchen is very minimal. At first because it was a work in progress. But after a few years I have found it works for us, and don't plan on changing it now. We have fridge, sink, and counter top.

20150322_155220 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

Our bus is all electric, but for the majority of the time is generator ran. Our number one cooking device is a electric skillet. I never had one until the bus build, and now I use one in our house to. It's amazing how many things you can cook on a skillet.

Untitled by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

We also have a crock pot, toaster, and waffle maker. I do bring a very small cheap gas grill to set up on an outside table, for burgers and dogs. I built my own small smoker for home last year, and really enjoy it. So when I find time I have been thinking about making a very small one for the bus.

At this point I have no intention on adding propane to the bus. We just don't need it. I have a 20 gallon electric water heater that I turn on a day or so before we leave. It's amazing how long that water stays warm, and how little power it uses to keep temperature after its warmed up. I'm hoping to add a battery bank this spring, and hope to see how well it will keep the fridge cool. I'm thinking if I run the fridge like the water heater, it shouldn't have a huge draw on the battery bank. Load fridge and get things to temp while hooked up to my house power. Then on road let battery bank keep temp.
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Old 03-28-2015, 06:47 PM   #10
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4 ft counter top. As needed, I have in a cabinet:

2 burner portable propane stove.
1 burner elec. hot plate.
Toaster oven.
Hot air popcorn popper.
Small crock pot.
Toaster.
I'll get a micro. when I find the "just right" one.

4.5 cf elec. fridge running off inv. (600ah batts. Onan and solar)

Outside I have a table top propane Weber.

A couple small folding tables supplement the counter top.

6 g. elec. water heater feeds one sink and the shower. 40g. water tank.
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Old 03-29-2015, 09:12 AM   #11
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HvBuzz- keeping a fridge running and cold on battery power is a tricky thing. I can't help with details there without a lot more details, BUT I will say you are right in your thinking about getting it to temp and loaded before you go off electric!

A couple things to help you along in your quest to keep things cold 1. A full fridge will stay cooler than an empty fridge as does a closed fridge. 2. Set fridge to coldest temp before switching to batteries, don't forget to set to higher temp (but under 40*F) when you switch over to batteries - less cycling=less battery usage.

Bring a cooler for frequently used items, and items that don't have to be chilled below 40*F - beverages, mustard, pickles, ketchup etc.

If you anticipate opening up something that will need refrigeration during your trip (new jar of mayo etc) - chill it at home and store it in your beverage cooler. Less battery juice to bring it down to temp, plus it will help keep drinks cold.

Put a few gallons of frozen drinking water on the top-shelf of your fridge when you go on battery power, your fridge will cycle less. Consider a cardboard 'berm' for the bottom half of your fridge. It will help to keep cold air in the fridge.

Think of the cold air like water, when you open the door on a front load fridge, the water pours out from around everything in the fridge. A snug cardboard 'dam' for that cold air will help keep at least some of the already cold air in the fridge. (This isn't a great idea if you have a lot of door storage btw).I use this method off-grid and when power goes out. Things that need to be the coldest go on the bottom, and those that will be reached for most infrequently go behind the 'dam'. Things used most frequently and the fastest to be used up, go on the top shelf.

Freezing as much as possible before a trip is also helpful. I once made a freezer cooler. I duct-taped it shut so no-one could open it. Things were still frozen 5 days later. I pre-prepped food and froze everything flat (laying on a cookie sheet) in gallon or quart freezer bags. They pack tightly together standing up in a cooler that way. More ice in ziplocks to fill dead air and ta-da. These frozen bags of food also serve double duty as ice blocks when you put them in your other cooler/fridge to defrost before you cook them.

Those frozen drinking water jugs? Rotate extras in your freezer compartment when you're not on batteries. Be careful you don't bust the jugs- remember, water/ice expands as it freezes. Do not overfill jugs, and tip narrow-necked jugs to get as much surface area as possible to avoid container failure.
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Old 03-29-2015, 11:46 AM   #12
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We actually will freezes case of water, while plugged in at (and campground) for long days(8hr+) I grab the frozen bottles and put into fridge for trip, helps solar/batteries and alt. To Keep fridge running
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Old 03-29-2015, 12:03 PM   #13
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Oh, I forgot. My 12v cooler had the option of using it with a front door or a top door access. The door on top will save you lots of running time because the cold can't 'run out' the open door. This is also a consideration in your design plans should you opt for a top loader.
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Old 01-17-2017, 08:34 PM   #14
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Our minimalist skoolie kitchen

Hey guys,

I know this is a old thread, I thought I might contribute. We just completed a blog post on our minimist kitchen.

Happy to answer any questions.

Sorry if this is considered spam. If so, mods feel free to remove.

Cheers!
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