we will have a propane grill and a propane, two burner range, plus a micro. have many recipe books for sailing, but would like to hear from experience. thanks, Alice and Stew of "THE RESTLESS TWO"cooking while living aboard
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jaguar496
- Engineer
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:39 am
- Location: MESIC, NC, '08 26M 40hp suzuki "THE RESTLESS TWO" MACM2023L708
cooking while living aboard
Hi Y'all: need some comments from the cooks that live aboard for a couple of months cruise. Alice has "chef" in her genes, and talks of the many cusines that she will create we will have a propane grill and a propane, two burner range, plus a micro. have many recipe books for sailing, but would like to hear from experience. thanks, Alice and Stew of "THE RESTLESS TWO"
we will have a propane grill and a propane, two burner range, plus a micro. have many recipe books for sailing, but would like to hear from experience. thanks, Alice and Stew of "THE RESTLESS TWO"-
Chinook
- Admiral
- Posts: 1730
- Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:20 pm
- Location: LeavenworthWA 2002 26x, Suzuki DF60A
Memorable meals are among the best highlights of extended cruising. You're always guaranteed the best view location for dining.
Our approach to meals is grounded more on our backpacking and wilderness canoeing experience, rather than as cruising sailors. Our longest periods on board (10 weeks to SE Alaska and 8 weeks to Bahamas) have placed us in fairly remote places, without access to shore facilities much of the time. We don't have use for a microwave where we like to go. We use a Wallas single burner stove, a Magma barbq which can also be used as an outdoor stove burner, and a Coleman propane single burner camp stove. For our upcoming 9 week Sea of Cortez trip we've added a backpack collapsible oven (Backpacker's Pantry Outback Oven). It's really neat. We've tested it out at home, and it will work well for brownies, pizzas, small breads. It will be used on the Coleman propane stove.
One key factor with our meal planning is water capacity. On our previous extended trips we managed with only 9 gallons our main rigid tank, and 5 gallons more in the collapsible head faucet bag. We could go for 7 or 8 days before needing to refill. I installed a 31 gallon Plastimo tank for our Sea of Cortez trip, so we'll be in much better shape. With limited water, we opted for paper plates, to reduce dishwashing needs. You can also save dishwashing water by using a small spray bottle, filled with a weak vinegar solution, for rinsing. The vinegar cuts the emulsion of soap bubbles, and also helps disinfect. A few quick squirts from the spray bottle with cold vinegar water will rinse most anything off well.
We pay a lot of attention to food packaging, prior to the trip. We avoid glass almost totally (wine and thin sauce bottles like tobasco come to mind as exceptions). We also avoid canned goods (pain to open, prone to rust, need cleanup, and must be stowed as garbage). We buy the small individual sized plastic fruit tubs. For veggies, we get fresh when possible, and carry bags of freeze dried beans, peas, corn for times when out of fresh. Also, at home before leaving, we dry things like broccali and mushrooms in the oven and bag them up in ziplocs. For our upcoming trip the Admiral has even dried some sauces, like spaggheti sauce, to save space and weight. Dried stuff reconstitutes nicely, and adds good variety, interest and food value to some of those instant meal packages, which we also carry.
We always start out with several frozen meals, like steak, pork chops, chicken tenders, as well as homemade stew or chilli. We seal these with a vacuum seal a meal, which prevents leakage as they thaw. You can also drop the bag, in the case of a stew, into a pot of boiling water to heat. The water can be used for coffee and dishes, and no pot to clean.
When fresh meat or fish is unavailable, we fall back on our supply of freeze dried backpack dinners or those box instant dinners. To those we add chicken, salmon or tuna which is available in foil bags (no can and no need to refrigerate). Hormel also makes some nice stews in individual serving plastic trays, ready to heat and eat.
When we can find them, we stock up on individual serving sized salad dressing packets, which are handy for salads, and eliminate the need for taking up ice chest space with a big dressing bottle. We like to bring lots of snacky things like peanuts, pistachios, kinds of crackers that last and don't break easily, Pringles, and dips like salsa that don't need refrigeration. Also, fruit whenever possible. We have little nets slung like hammocks in the cabin for things like bread, citrus, banannas, apples, and onions. They last well in the open air.
We generally bring instant oatmeal, bagels, homemade granola, and pancake fixings for breakfasts. We just bought a container of dehydrated eggs to bake with on our backpack oven. We tested them as scrambled eggs, and they were surprisingly good, served with chopped onion, diced pepper (we also dry that), grated cheese and a dash of tobasco. We've fried up a lot of ground sausage and dried it. It should store well and will be good on our pizzas and in scrambled eggs.
There are lots of great ideas out there. My wife likes the book Lip Smackin Backpackin, and she's ordered a new one for cooking with the backpack oven.
One of the big limiting factors for extended cruising is garbage. We carry a small wastbasket under the sink, and, using paper plates and bowls, it fills every day or two. Since we don't use glass, and almost no metal containers, I go ashore whenever possible and make a small trash fire on the beach, below high tide line. The trash burns fairly quickly. I flatten the few cans (mostly beer or pop) and pull the bits of foil out. Our non burnable trash, crushed and virtually odor free, for 3 or 4 weeks can pretty much fit into a single plastic grocery bag, which we tie into the trailing dinghy.
Lots more to be said about extended cruising cookery, and others will have many great ideas and diffeernt approaches. This is basicly how we go about it.
Happy sailing, and eating - Chinook
Our approach to meals is grounded more on our backpacking and wilderness canoeing experience, rather than as cruising sailors. Our longest periods on board (10 weeks to SE Alaska and 8 weeks to Bahamas) have placed us in fairly remote places, without access to shore facilities much of the time. We don't have use for a microwave where we like to go. We use a Wallas single burner stove, a Magma barbq which can also be used as an outdoor stove burner, and a Coleman propane single burner camp stove. For our upcoming 9 week Sea of Cortez trip we've added a backpack collapsible oven (Backpacker's Pantry Outback Oven). It's really neat. We've tested it out at home, and it will work well for brownies, pizzas, small breads. It will be used on the Coleman propane stove.
One key factor with our meal planning is water capacity. On our previous extended trips we managed with only 9 gallons our main rigid tank, and 5 gallons more in the collapsible head faucet bag. We could go for 7 or 8 days before needing to refill. I installed a 31 gallon Plastimo tank for our Sea of Cortez trip, so we'll be in much better shape. With limited water, we opted for paper plates, to reduce dishwashing needs. You can also save dishwashing water by using a small spray bottle, filled with a weak vinegar solution, for rinsing. The vinegar cuts the emulsion of soap bubbles, and also helps disinfect. A few quick squirts from the spray bottle with cold vinegar water will rinse most anything off well.
We pay a lot of attention to food packaging, prior to the trip. We avoid glass almost totally (wine and thin sauce bottles like tobasco come to mind as exceptions). We also avoid canned goods (pain to open, prone to rust, need cleanup, and must be stowed as garbage). We buy the small individual sized plastic fruit tubs. For veggies, we get fresh when possible, and carry bags of freeze dried beans, peas, corn for times when out of fresh. Also, at home before leaving, we dry things like broccali and mushrooms in the oven and bag them up in ziplocs. For our upcoming trip the Admiral has even dried some sauces, like spaggheti sauce, to save space and weight. Dried stuff reconstitutes nicely, and adds good variety, interest and food value to some of those instant meal packages, which we also carry.
We always start out with several frozen meals, like steak, pork chops, chicken tenders, as well as homemade stew or chilli. We seal these with a vacuum seal a meal, which prevents leakage as they thaw. You can also drop the bag, in the case of a stew, into a pot of boiling water to heat. The water can be used for coffee and dishes, and no pot to clean.
When fresh meat or fish is unavailable, we fall back on our supply of freeze dried backpack dinners or those box instant dinners. To those we add chicken, salmon or tuna which is available in foil bags (no can and no need to refrigerate). Hormel also makes some nice stews in individual serving plastic trays, ready to heat and eat.
When we can find them, we stock up on individual serving sized salad dressing packets, which are handy for salads, and eliminate the need for taking up ice chest space with a big dressing bottle. We like to bring lots of snacky things like peanuts, pistachios, kinds of crackers that last and don't break easily, Pringles, and dips like salsa that don't need refrigeration. Also, fruit whenever possible. We have little nets slung like hammocks in the cabin for things like bread, citrus, banannas, apples, and onions. They last well in the open air.
We generally bring instant oatmeal, bagels, homemade granola, and pancake fixings for breakfasts. We just bought a container of dehydrated eggs to bake with on our backpack oven. We tested them as scrambled eggs, and they were surprisingly good, served with chopped onion, diced pepper (we also dry that), grated cheese and a dash of tobasco. We've fried up a lot of ground sausage and dried it. It should store well and will be good on our pizzas and in scrambled eggs.
There are lots of great ideas out there. My wife likes the book Lip Smackin Backpackin, and she's ordered a new one for cooking with the backpack oven.
One of the big limiting factors for extended cruising is garbage. We carry a small wastbasket under the sink, and, using paper plates and bowls, it fills every day or two. Since we don't use glass, and almost no metal containers, I go ashore whenever possible and make a small trash fire on the beach, below high tide line. The trash burns fairly quickly. I flatten the few cans (mostly beer or pop) and pull the bits of foil out. Our non burnable trash, crushed and virtually odor free, for 3 or 4 weeks can pretty much fit into a single plastic grocery bag, which we tie into the trailing dinghy.
Lots more to be said about extended cruising cookery, and others will have many great ideas and diffeernt approaches. This is basicly how we go about it.
Happy sailing, and eating - Chinook
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jaguar496
- Engineer
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:39 am
- Location: MESIC, NC, '08 26M 40hp suzuki "THE RESTLESS TWO" MACM2023L708
to CHINOOK: can't thank you both enough for the directions. we are finding this new 
way of living exciting my idea of "outdoorsman" is mowing the lawn 
and roughing it is a hyatt regency living in a small, BLUE condo will prove our mettle, and being seniors, the mere fact we got this far says we have a bit 
will pm a recipe for a trail snack that we picked up on the food channel; more like a dessert than trail food, but Alice says it is easy to make. thanks again, Alice and Stew, "THE RESTLESS TWO"
way of living exciting my idea of "outdoorsman" is mowing the lawn and roughing it is a hyatt regency living in a small, BLUE condo will prove our mettle, and being seniors, the mere fact we got this far says we have a bit will pm a recipe for a trail snack that we picked up on the food channel; more like a dessert than trail food, but Alice says it is easy to make. thanks again, Alice and Stew, "THE RESTLESS TWO"
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Night Sailor
- Admiral
- Posts: 1007
- Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 4:56 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: '98, MACX1780I798, '97 Merc 50hp Classic, Denton Co. TX "Duet"
There are several sites on the web which are the cruising logs of current liveaboards and some have dedicated a continuing space for both provisioning and cooking and even substitutions for important ingredients. They and the various cruiser forums are too numerous to mention here. Even those of powerboaters and big boaters can have some valuable info at times.
One thing that has been mentioned many, many times is that gas grills and ovens can be a big waster of gas if only a little food is cooked at one time. It's best to make larger quantities than needed for one meal, then save and use later.
Since going ashore is part of the fun and the experience of cruising or gunkholing in a beachable boat, plan on not only burning trash ashore when possible, but getting your grilling done on shore with a small folding grill and locally available wood sources where legal. And if you can spare the room or weight, a dutch oven can make just about anything you desire in less than an hour over hot coals. Stews, roasts, cakes, pizzas, cobblers, etc. etc. without using your precious and scarce propane. Of course, leave nothing but footprints at your site.
Another important thing to consider is not using a gas or stovetop oven but using a small pressure cooker for both rapid cooking with little gas consumption, but also baking when on the water.
And for liveaboards, a properly installed propane system with all safety features, a 20 lbs or 30lb bottle is arguably the way to go for most folks nowdays. Although there are still alcohol, diesel and kerosene systems still in use they are apprarently not as trouble free and in some places those fuels are higher priced than propane.
For living and cruising in an X, not only function and convenience should ne considered in shopping for galley items but size and weight. Weight and it's distribution will be considerably more for cruising than daysaililng and will affect performance to a greater degree in our lightly built, semiplaning hulls than in a similarly sized heavy keeled traditional boat.
I've proved that keeping our red wine supply in the bilge on our X for up to a year, does no harm to the wine even during TX summers and water temps of 84 F. It's only necessary to wrap the bottles in something soft to prevent breakage and to keep the bilge dry, or in dry part of the bilge if occasionally get some water. You want to avoid mildew or losing the labels.
It's a challenge to get just the right compromise, but that's part of the fun and adventure.
One final word is to remember the crusiing sailor's creed: everything on board has to have at least two functions to earn it's place.
Hope this helps. I didn't mean to write a book, but I enjoy cooking, and must stay within a restricted diet for health reasons, so make a fun game of eating well.
One thing that has been mentioned many, many times is that gas grills and ovens can be a big waster of gas if only a little food is cooked at one time. It's best to make larger quantities than needed for one meal, then save and use later.
Since going ashore is part of the fun and the experience of cruising or gunkholing in a beachable boat, plan on not only burning trash ashore when possible, but getting your grilling done on shore with a small folding grill and locally available wood sources where legal. And if you can spare the room or weight, a dutch oven can make just about anything you desire in less than an hour over hot coals. Stews, roasts, cakes, pizzas, cobblers, etc. etc. without using your precious and scarce propane. Of course, leave nothing but footprints at your site.
Another important thing to consider is not using a gas or stovetop oven but using a small pressure cooker for both rapid cooking with little gas consumption, but also baking when on the water.
And for liveaboards, a properly installed propane system with all safety features, a 20 lbs or 30lb bottle is arguably the way to go for most folks nowdays. Although there are still alcohol, diesel and kerosene systems still in use they are apprarently not as trouble free and in some places those fuels are higher priced than propane.
For living and cruising in an X, not only function and convenience should ne considered in shopping for galley items but size and weight. Weight and it's distribution will be considerably more for cruising than daysaililng and will affect performance to a greater degree in our lightly built, semiplaning hulls than in a similarly sized heavy keeled traditional boat.
I've proved that keeping our red wine supply in the bilge on our X for up to a year, does no harm to the wine even during TX summers and water temps of 84 F. It's only necessary to wrap the bottles in something soft to prevent breakage and to keep the bilge dry, or in dry part of the bilge if occasionally get some water. You want to avoid mildew or losing the labels.
It's a challenge to get just the right compromise, but that's part of the fun and adventure.
One final word is to remember the crusiing sailor's creed: everything on board has to have at least two functions to earn it's place.
Hope this helps. I didn't mean to write a book, but I enjoy cooking, and must stay within a restricted diet for health reasons, so make a fun game of eating well.
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jaguar496
- Engineer
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:39 am
- Location: MESIC, NC, '08 26M 40hp suzuki "THE RESTLESS TWO" MACM2023L708
thanks NIGHT SAILOR: we normally cook enough for 2-3 left-over meals, taste better as time goes on. have talked to the CHEF about a pressure cooker and dutch oven, so "RIGHT ON" will continue to look around on the net for sites re: "cooking at SEA" also looking towards beaching it and on occasion, a restaurant, as long as one does not have to wear shoes will keep you informed of our progress. Alice and Stew, "THE RESTLESS TWO"
about a pressure cooker and dutch oven, so "RIGHT ON" will continue to look around on the net for sites re: "cooking at SEA" also looking towards beaching it and on occasion, a restaurant, as long as one does not have to wear shoes will keep you informed of our progress. Alice and Stew, "THE RESTLESS TWO"-
Chinook
- Admiral
- Posts: 1730
- Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:20 pm
- Location: LeavenworthWA 2002 26x, Suzuki DF60A
My vision of heaven is swinging at anchor off Saddlebag Island near Anacortes, sitting in the cockpit about 45 minutes before sunset, cracking Dungeness crab claws and legs I trapped that afternoon and fresh out of the steamer. Precede with a little rum & coke/chip and artichoke dip, accompany with a light piloff and crisp white wine. Toss the shell over your shoulder and into the drink.
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Don T
- Admiral
- Posts: 1084
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:13 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: 95 2600 "SS OTTER" - Portland OR - Tohatsu 50 - Hull#64 (May 95)
Hello,
After doing the galley mods I have been enjoying incredible meals aboard. Eg: Me and my honey hanging on a bouy in Shallow Bay Sucia with our grand daughter, daughter and her fiance' we had just picked up in Friday Harbor. Eating bouillabaisse with fresh seafood and crab just caught, garlic bread, ceasar salad and Margaret River wine. One of the best anniversary dinners ever. Naturally, the sunset was especially colorfull that evening with a 30+ kt windstorm coming in. What a ride.
Memories.......can be beautiful and yet................
Sorry for the B.S. reference!
Don (spoiled rotten) T
After doing the galley mods I have been enjoying incredible meals aboard. Eg: Me and my honey hanging on a bouy in Shallow Bay Sucia with our grand daughter, daughter and her fiance' we had just picked up in Friday Harbor. Eating bouillabaisse with fresh seafood and crab just caught, garlic bread, ceasar salad and Margaret River wine. One of the best anniversary dinners ever. Naturally, the sunset was especially colorfull that evening with a 30+ kt windstorm coming in. What a ride.
Memories.......can be beautiful and yet................
Sorry for the B.S. reference!
Don (spoiled rotten) T
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pokerrick1
- Admiral
- Posts: 2269
- Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:20 pm
- Sailboat: Venture 23
- Location: Las Vegas, NV (Henderson, near Lake Mead)
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Catigale
- Site Admin
- Posts: 10421
- Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 5:59 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Admiral .............Catigale 2002X.......Lots of Harpoon Hobie 16 Skiffs....Island 17
- Contact:
First time I talked the Admiral into summer week on the Cape we ate all our meals out. I was still trying to sort out the galley mods so a good thing we didnt try to cook. I will say we had a memorable meal on Barnstable Harbor under a full moon, with two exhausted kiddies asleep below.
When the Admiral joined us on Cuttyhunk for a week, I did hot dinners every night with a bagged rice product that just dips into boiling water, then serves from the bag. Same water then used for mashed potatoes and then cleanup.
When the Admiral joined us on Cuttyhunk for a week, I did hot dinners every night with a bagged rice product that just dips into boiling water, then serves from the bag. Same water then used for mashed potatoes and then cleanup.
non-refrigerated foods
I started following the Nutrisystem plan a few years ago to lose a few pounds, but once I got hold of the foods I realized I'd be buying some each year for sailing purposes..
Now granted this is not fresh-caught crab with gourmet fixins - but it's a LOT better than my old standby (hot dogs).
Their foods taste good, but the best thing is they require no refrigeration - even for packaged entrees like Lasagna. The foods are not dehydrated, either - they are packed in single-serving sized packages and I guess they use a nitrogen replacement process, where all oxygen is purged and replaced by nitrogen so that the food will not go bad, even if not kept cold. The entrees can be reheated using a microwave or by sitting them in a pan of boiling water.
They also have a lot of lunch type meals that are dehydrated - just add boiling water. And powdered egg breakfast entrees that fry up nice and fluffy and really taste good.
I also like the fact that you can follow the plan they give you to ensure a well-rounded diet - just add your own veggies and fruits.
I imagine you can also buy these types of foods elsewhere, not sure how the costs stack up.
Initially I thought the Nutrisystem stuff was pretty pricey - until I looked at the shocking price tags on backpacking freeze-dried meals.
- Andy
Now granted this is not fresh-caught crab with gourmet fixins - but it's a LOT better than my old standby (hot dogs).
Their foods taste good, but the best thing is they require no refrigeration - even for packaged entrees like Lasagna. The foods are not dehydrated, either - they are packed in single-serving sized packages and I guess they use a nitrogen replacement process, where all oxygen is purged and replaced by nitrogen so that the food will not go bad, even if not kept cold. The entrees can be reheated using a microwave or by sitting them in a pan of boiling water.
They also have a lot of lunch type meals that are dehydrated - just add boiling water. And powdered egg breakfast entrees that fry up nice and fluffy and really taste good.
I also like the fact that you can follow the plan they give you to ensure a well-rounded diet - just add your own veggies and fruits.
I imagine you can also buy these types of foods elsewhere, not sure how the costs stack up.
Initially I thought the Nutrisystem stuff was pretty pricey - until I looked at the shocking price tags on backpacking freeze-dried meals.
- Andy