Floating kitchens

[gregc]

We removed our Keurig. Didn't use it, and we've made a small joke about collecting instant coffee from around the world.

I have a very small rice cooker that is really awesome. It gets used when the family doesn't come and I am alone. I can set it, and rice is ready when I arrive at the dock.
I want to get bread maker but can't find anything that passes the size / usefulness tradeoff. This really vexes me. I might use it as an excuse to get a bigger boat.
I know one family that has an instapot -- a solid choice if you're on shore power.

Anyone have any culinary improvement tips?

 

[Mike and Sarah]

our Solara 310 SB is all electric and 900 amp hours of lithium. The convection microwave has an air fryer setting but it uses a lot of power to get it heated up. So on longer trips without shore power we bring along a small air fryer. Heats quick and it consumes much less power than the convection microwave oven.
We also changed out the Kenyon electric cooktop for an induction cooktop. So far my math comes out to 25-30 percent less amps consumed than the stock Kenyon traditional glass cook top. Other benefits are. Heats up much quicker and cools down very fast. Other bonus is it has a large and small burner compared to 2 small burners on the Kenyon.
We use a jet boil to heat water for French press coffee.
Also use jet boil to heat hot water for dishes. Only do it this way when we are conserving power on anchor for more than 4 day.
One more hack but not kitchen related. Is an electric throw blanket for the cool evenings when we don’t want to run the heat pump.

We don’t have a diesel heater.

We also now have the factory 220 watt solar panel plus added 220 watts more.

 

[Maggie Anne]

We just use the oven for bread making. It's a bit rustic but very simple. makes two baguettes
4 cups flour, two cups water, two tsp salt, two tsp sugar, package instant yeast, mix together, no kneading required
let rise in warm area with wet towel on top of bowl for 90 minutes.
We typically heat up the oven briefly, so that it's just barely warm, not hot, and put the bowl in there to rise.
After 90 minutes, punch down, divide in half and put each half in one side of a two piece non-stick baguette pan and let rise another 20 minutes on countertop
Heat oven to 375 and Bake 30-35 minutes
You can add lots of variety by mixing in other ingredients, I often use roasted, salted, sunflower seeds

 

[Rocky Lou]

I find there is barely enough room for pots, pans, dishes, utensils and other essentials. I'd focus on utilization of the existing: BBQ, Range, Microwave and convection oven. Single cup drip coffer makers or aeropress work very well or you could go with a French Press, if you drink a lot of coffee. In Calif., we grill year round and if it's raining, you can sear a steak in a cast iron skillet, then finish in the oven. I do have to use the, plug and pray Westerbeke, generator when not in harbor. Less is more IMO>

 

[n8baller01]

We removed our Keurig. Didn't use it, and we've made a small joke about collecting instant coffee from around the world.

Towards the end of our season this year, we decided to do away with our Keurig too. We found a suitable SS camp style tea kettle and similar french press, which is all around a better choice for coffee and tea. We have and LOVE our Force 10 propane marine stove.

Also recommend the 7 piece SS Magna nesting cookware and adding the strainer.

 

[rheimb1]

Those are some great questions, and there’s no one right setup, it really depends on how you like to cruise. Personally, I don’t have an oven or electric stove, and for me that’s been a good thing. It keeps things simple and avoids having to rely on shore power, a generator, extra fuel, or more solar. Fewer systems usually mean fewer headaches.

I’ve been really happy with a basic gas cooktop and grill on the rail. You can do more with a grill than people think, and a small pizza stone opens up a lot of options. It’s fun to experiment and see how far you can push it.

I haven’t tried an Omnia Oven yet, but it looks like a clever solution for a stovetop oven. It’s small, but for two people it seems like it would work just fine.

As for coffee, I use both, a French press sometimes or a pour-over into a one-quart or larger thermos has worked great for me for decades, long before Starbucks made it fashionable. Simple, reliable, and it still makes excellent coffee.

 

[serendipity]

On our 2023 R27 LE we use the oven a lot, but we scale down the size of what is cooked. We also use an Omvia and have for years on all of our boats: works very well. To keep clean up to a dull roar, we do foil cooking, as well.

We find the keurig handy, but we also have a teapot. We use a Nutribullet as both a smoothie maker and blender, but we “toast” by grilling in a pan.

Our microwave is usually a breadbox, but it has been used a few times for its designed function. Thanks to Salty Mitten’s comments / experience we will add a Presto travel slow cooker for our longer cruises.

With just the two of us, we try to keep cooking simple, but the R27 OB galley does not discourage us from cooking creatively.

 

[OverTime]

Towards the end of our season this year, we decided to do away with our Keurig too. We found a suitable SS camp style tea kettle and similar french press, which is all around a better choice for coffee and tea. We have and LOVE our Force 10 propane marine stove.

Also recommend the 7 piece SS Magna nesting cookware and adding the strainer.

We like our Force Ten also. The Magma cookware is very nice and VERY heavy.

 

[gregc]

I did get a magma bbq, and plumbed it into the LPG locker. Works wonderfully.

Will probably full on remove the electric grill top - I've never once used it.

 

[William Sanborn]

We are "Old School"... use the 2 burner propane cook top, and oven, have a rail mounted Magnam BBQ, and do potatoes and instant coffee in the mircowave. Morning coffee is made on propane cooktop in a prulacotor Coffee pots we have hauled around for 50 years, and have a set of nesting Stainless Cookware.
But the hit at the Summer time rafts up at Happy Hour is our Hand Cranked Ice Cream maker, we have worn out a couple.

 

[gregc]

I floated the idea of ditching the microwave and turning it into utility / storage, but my 9 year old's popcorn addiction will not allow for it.

 

[OverTime]

I did get a magma bbq, and plumbed it into the LPG locker. Works wonderfully.


I like that idea! Do you happen to have any pictures? I'm interested in doing something similar. Thanks.

 

[gregc]

No pictures on the phone, but I will be up this weekend. I also have the full part list somewhere. I will dig up the receipts and post.

 

[serendipity]

We did add a Magma BBQ. We store the electric BBQ in the center cockpit area for use in marinas. I made a starboard lid for the live well and with open legs on the Magma and a separate 10# tank we are in business. The Magma resides in the center cockpit area when not in use.

The lid flips over so that we can close the cover. Since we don’t fish we use the live well for trash storage.

 

[OverTime]

We did add a Magma BBQ. We store the electric BBQ in the center cockpit area for use in marinas. I made a starboard lid for the live well and with open legs on the Magma and a separate 10# tank we are in business. The Magma resides in the center cockpit area when not in use.

The lid flips over so that we can close the cover. Since we don’t fish we use the live well for trash storage.View attachment 26737
View attachment 26736

Wow! That's a great idea. Thanks!