Just wondering what do you cook in your oven, we are not very adventurer's when it comes to cooking but we are hoping to make better use of the oven in our caravan. Does anyone do a Sunday roast if so what meat is best to cook. We don't want to carry loads of ingredients and spend all day cooking a meal but we would like to make some nice meals.
------------- its our imperfections that makes us perfect
We cook exactly the same as at home. We were away for Christmas and did Xmas dinner roast and on Boxing Day as well. We use the van all year round and cook what ever we want for dinner. Any dish that you do at home on your standard cooker can be done in the van.
I would say that for speed using chicken breasts for roast chicken is quicker than cooking a whole chicken (and uses less gas).
I tend to cook everything from scratch at home then put it in the freezer box and get a meal out daily. I usually make a curry, a chilli, a cottage pie and then go out for dinner one night when we do a 4 nighter then you just have to reheat in microwave, use oven for heating naan and do veggies on cooker. I have done a roast dinner but used the type of roast that comes in a foil tray that you just cook for an hour. I dont find it difficult using oven for cooking its the lack of space for prep especially in the winter with no awning up.
Just the same as we cook at home.
And generally all bought locally whilst we are away. Normally only take enough food for that evening and breakfast the first day.
It all depends how many meat tins and saucepans you have on board as we carry less in the caravan than what we have in the kitchen cupboards at home. However, we more or less cook very much the same as we do at home so we use one meat tin for the roast potatoes and one for the meat but we tend to opt for pork or lamb chops rather than a meat joint as it takes less time to cook with no carving involved. We also use lard in the caravan rather than cooking oil as we do at home as it is easier to store in the fridge and less chance of any spillages plus we can tip it into a ceramic mug afterwards and reuse the set lard for bacon and eggs etc. For the vegetables we always use fresh at home but opt for the easy option in the caravan by using tin carrots and peas because they have long dates on the tins and easy to store and transport. Although we make gravy at home in the microwave we don't have one in the caravan so simply make it in a small saucepan with water. As we only have 2 saucepans in the caravan we chuck the peas and carrots in the one saucepan and the other is reserved for the gravy.
Cook same as home, I will freeze at least one meal which I defrost in fridge to have. Have cooked chickens and other roasts (use those roasting bags to cut down on mess)
Usually one fish dish whilst away too. My oven is virtually the same size as mine at home and treat it the same...including plate warming. Just keep an eye on the gas situation although never been a problem for us.
Mainly BBQ in France as its easy and weather lends itself to this type of cooking.
------------- 2026
Various weekends, weather and time permitting
April - Yorkshire and Yorkshire
June - Wiltshire and Oxfordshire
Autumn - North and Scotland
We cook mostly the same as what we have at home, fresh local meat and fish, and either fresh or frozen veg, which we sometimes cook in the microwave by steaming in a microwave meal box, available from Wilko stores and most large supermarkets at just a pound for six.
We carry a George Forman grill to save on gas, and use the oven for roasts or oven chips, garlic bread or pizza ect. We use a three tier steamer pan for veg on the hob, and use the stock that collects in the base pan to make gravy, mostly by cheating and using the Bisto granuales with any meat juices we have added to the mix. The steamer pan is very versatile, the base can be used as a mixing bowl, ordinary saucepan, or dish for making a cottage pie or lasagne, as long as you buy one with metal handles and not the plastic type so that it can go in the oven. The steam baskets make ideal caulinders for washing salad, fruits and veg ect, and the whole lot can be bought from places like Argos for under a tenner, which is soon recouped by the savings in gas as you only need one ring on the hob to cook the Veg for dinner.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
Thanks everyone for the great responces. just wondering do oven chips cook nice as I find they are not that great at home.
Great idea about the steamer I will have to get one of them, Thankyou
Fantastic picture of your Christmas lunch Octavia 4x4 how long did it take to cook ?
Good idea about roasting bags too I will have to get some
Thanks everyone
------------- its our imperfections that makes us perfect
I forgot to say, we use one of those crisp mesh mats ontop of a shallow oven tray to create crispy oven chips and matchstick type french fries from McCain, they are worth the money, and can often be bought in the pound shops.
You can also use them to cook the ready breaded/battered foods such as fish, chicken varieties, hash browns ect and get a crispy bottom every time!
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: what do you cook in your caravan
