cooking on the boat (without or without a galley)...what's easy and works well?

[MRFISH]

I thought I'd fish for ideas about what you like to cook when you're on the boat. I have a 24' wooldridge Alaskan II, so no galley but I bring along my portable propane grill or coleman 2-burner. Usually, we're making most of our food while camped on shore, but sometimes you gotta cook something on the boat, especially for lunch while out on water. If it's cold and wet outside a warm meal makes the day much more enjoyable.

Since you gotta be on the hook early for kings on the Deshka, last year I brought along frozen Jimmy Dean egg mcmuffins. Wrap them in foil and toss them into the bbq on low flame (rotate and flip while warming) and they're ready to go in about 10-15 minutes. Handheld breakfast with no dishes!

Of course, those big hot dogs from costco (kirkland brand, the same that they sell in the concession up front) always hit the spot and are easy to grill. Perfect for lunch (or breakfast or dinner...)

Please share your ideas and experiences. I'm planning my summer trips, including a 5-day PWS trip with my boys and nephew in June and I'd love to try some new things.

 

[Ak Bird Brain]

When I cook on the boat I try to keep it simple. Can of stew or chili just something fast and only one pan to clean. But when we've got a shore camp set up we go all out!

 

[potbuilder]

For all the years i spent gillnetting the sound i cooked all my meals on a coleman 2 burner propane camp stove even though i had a dickinson oil stove on board the only time i used that to cook anything was for cooking in the oven it had. I did add a inverter and a microwave and that was great for quick burgers(from costco) or to heat up a cold sandwich.

 

[DMan]

Cooking and eating on the boat is one of my favorite things. We like eggs and sausage for breakfast, whether in a tortilla wrap or just scrambled with hash browns. Also like English muffin egg sandwiches for breakfast. Lunch is usually something easy like sandwiches or soups. Dinner, well, that's when we throw down, the grill gets lots of use. Steaks, shrimp, potatoes, and asparagus is a common sight!

 

[kodiakrain]

I've done a lot of, "Quick Cooking, preferring minimal dishes later," style cooking onboard

I think Cans of Chili, or good ole Dinty Moore stew, has always amazed me in how good it goes down,...
easy to prep and clean up after,...one pot, a few bowls,...quick rinse and everybody's happy

Now, I do have to add,....for some reason,..."My boys,.. Absolutely Love Ramen Noodles,"...no joke,...
they ask for it, and Cheer when I start making some,...(!?!?!?)
I do buy the high end type, "Sapporo Ichiban," ( about twice the cost, of normal Top Ramen..which is still not much)

talk about an easy meal, warms 'em up to the core, and plenty of energy, etc.
(health food nuts will scream, Mom included,...I guess,) but, man, that's an easy meal, to make 'em happy
always wise to have a few around, just in case,....
seriously, I have MANY times been glad I threw twenty or more of those under the galley bench

and a Big bag of Peanuts, to work on shelling and eating,...seems to be a good one for the little ones,...
Keep 'em busy, and they'll fill their stomach's to the brim with those,
which is always a good thing on a boat,...full tummies I mean,...(including my own, for long drives,..."peanuts Rock")

 

[spoiled one]

Well, any fool can rough it, right? We eat better on the boat than at home.

LFBs

sashimi shrimp

prime rib

rock fish tacos

fresh oysters

 

[thewhop2000]

Mrfish, What I do is cook at home and vacuum pack and freeze. All it takes is a two burner stove to boil the bags and viola, a homecooked meal. I cook strangonoffs(?), stews, or anything else you desire and it is a done deal. Heck, you can even use salt water to heat them up, just bring a big pot and a cooler. The prep time is the killer but well worth it. Just make sure your Vacuum bags are up to the boiling temperature. Done deal and throw in a few sixpacks good to go.

 

[JR2]

I've done a lot of, "Quick Cooking, preferring minimal dishes later," style cooking onboard

I think Cans of Chili, or good ole Dinty Moore stew, has always amazed me in how good it goes down,...
easy to prep and clean up after,...one pot, a few bowls,...quick rinse and everybody's happy

Now, I do have to add,....for some reason,..."My boys,.. Absolutely Love Ramen Noodles,"...no joke,...
they ask for it, and Cheer when I start making some,...(!?!?!?)
I do buy the high end type, "Sapporo Ichiban," ( about twice the cost, of normal Top Ramen..which is still not much)

talk about an easy meal, warms 'em up to the core, and plenty of energy, etc.
(health food nuts will scream, Mom included,...I guess,) but, man, that's an easy meal, to make 'em happy
always wise to have a few around, just in case,....
seriously, I have MANY times been glad I threw twenty or more of those under the galley bench

and a Big bag of Peanuts, to work on shelling and eating,...seems to be a good one for the little ones,...
Keep 'em busy, and they'll fill their stomach's to the brim with those,
which is always a good thing on a boat,...full tummies I mean,...(including my own, for long drives,..."peanuts Rock")

My boys love top ramen as well and honestly so do I. We always have a dozen on board.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

 

[titobandito]

butane stove

butane stove

Go to Sportsman's warehouse and buy a single burner butane stove for about $25.
They come in a plastic case and are basically a single burner stove top unit (not a backpacker stove)
Fuel canisters cost about $4 each and will last through several days use.
These things are cheap, work great, produce no toxic fumes, weigh nothing, and have good burner control at high or low flame
we use it in our van for camping also..........

 

[Daved]

During last year winter king derby, by buddy cooked suasage egg bagels and then hash brown while piloting the boat trolling. He was cold, an it kept him warm. Kept us fishing and fed.

I have grilled up salmon, sausage, hooligan, eggs, you name it on the bow of my boat on the deska with a protable grill.

I have grilled salmon caught 15 minutes ago while on anchor in my drift boat on the Kasilof, same grill.

My go to move is to put on Piles of bacon, fry it up and then put something else with it. Pink Salmon tastes quite good when fried with bacon.

My new to me ocean boat does not have a galley, on purpose. I plan to use the same $35 grill and/or a camp stove.

The only thing I can't do is bake bread or cook a turkey. Roughing it, I know.

 

[Ebbtide]

Coleman 2 burner propane camp stove on the bait cutting station. Put some non-skid under the stove to cook then out of the way after meal is done. Usually we just boil water for mountain house meals and make hot chocolate and coffee though. Don't want to take time away from hunting and fishing to really cook and do dishes. Have also done the single serve boil bag approach. Works good if you have time to prepare the stuff.

 

[yanert]

I'm with Spoiled One.

We eat as well on the boat as we do at home. I like taking the time to prepare food. We usually eat what we catch for the day, with lots of fresh vegies and fruit. This year we'll be able to bake. With the 12V fridge, a chest freezer and a large produce hold built into the back deck floor the possibilities are limitless. Fresh salad 10 days out.

Irish oatmeal for breakfast or maybe eggs benedict
Shrimp Salad or fish taco's for lunch
Wasabi Grilled Rock Fish or Grilled vegies with home-made andouille moose sausage for dinner
A glass of 20yr old Port with a little Belgian chocolate or a slice of that dense chocolate tort

Eating for us is fun and social, it's an important part of the day.

Of course a glass of cold beer after dropping anchor for the day, I'm thinking a beer tap for next year, for the home brewed IPA's, just saw a SS keg that will fit in the cold hold.

Fishing and shrimping are great but there are other things, beside it makes it more fun for my partner, she likes the time together.

 

[chico99645]

I would rather go on shore for a shore lunch to get out and stretch the legs, but when its not possible nor convienant, I cook 1 of 4 ways depending on the weather and what I am eating. I have a 2000 watt power inverter that I plug 1 things in. a Sunbeam Hot Pot for boiling water to make coffee, boil water and make Ramen with Chicken meat chunks in it which is awesome on a cold wet day. Takes about 10 minutes for a double batch. Or better yet, boil up some Maine Red Hotdogs, natural casing Jordans. Best hotdog on the planet. I also have a hot plate singe burner that I can put down onthe back deck folding table in the cabin and cook with when on Anchor. I have a Road Pro Oven that is 12 volt that looks like a lunch box. It warms to 300 degrees. Great for warming up left overs or it will cook a meat loaf in about 1.5 hours. I use Tinfoil bread loaf pans as a liner for easy clean up. Its the cats meow. Just plug it into your cigarette lighter. I use it also with my wifes ranger when we go hunting. Prepare a meat loaf and put it under the seat in the storage box. About 2 hours before we want to eat, plug it in. Voila, warm meatloaf. http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Cooking-Lunch-Stove-Cooker/dp/B0037A3Y58 Road Pro makes a coffee pot, toaster oven as well as a frying pan to plug in. Last but not least I have a coleman stove to sit up on the transome fish box with non slip padding for when its nice out and want to cook a big meal.

 

[JR2]

We try to precook a few meals for our trips. Some good homemade burritos warmed up on the grill are a favorite, often eat what we catch, always eating shrimp, rockfish, salmon or whatever. Last few trips of the year last year we hit the oyster farm for a treat. This year we will be bringing more pre-cooked stuff in vac-pack bags, lots of good sandwich makings, etc. My wife likes to pre-cook a couple pounds of bacon and then re heat it on the grill, works great. A little prep ahead of time can make for some good eating on the boat.

We use paper plates on the boat, makes quite a bit of trash, but the tradeoff is easy cleanup.

 

[gpaul99]

Had some pretty good meals on this ole trusty....! Preseasoning is the way to go: steaks, chicken, pork chops, etc.. Can of green beans or any veggie and some taters cooked in tinfoil will make any mariner heat up and dry out.. Barbeque takes a rusty pounding but keeps on tickin'

 

[spoiled one]

Of course a glass of cold beer after dropping anchor for the day, I'm thinking a beer tap for next year, for the home brewed IPA's, just saw a SS keg that will fit in the cold hold.

Yanert, we do think alike. It is hard to beat a cold, draught microbrew while sitting on the hook. I use the stainless cornelius kegs. They sell portable CO2 so you do not have to pack the big tank and the regulator. I will attach a couple of pics. Cheers!

 

[patrickL]

Yanert, we do think alike. It is hard to beat a cold, draught microbrew while sitting on the hook. I use the stainless cornelius kegs. They sell portable CO2 so you do not have to pack the big tank and the regulator. I will attach a couple of pics. Cheers!

Ahhh you beat me to it. I keep strategizing where to mount a keg and keep in cold. Guess it's something we'll have to discuss while on the hook this summer.

 

[MRFISH]

Wow! Keg beer...and, is that prime rib in another one of your photots? You're killing me!

Yanert, we do think alike. It is hard to beat a cold, draught microbrew while sitting on the hook. I use the stainless cornelius kegs. They sell portable CO2 so you do not have to pack the big tank and the regulator. I will attach a couple of pics. Cheers!

 

[spoiled one]

Wow! Keg beer...and, is that prime rib in another one of your photots? You're killing me!

Like I said previously: Any fool can rough it!:topjob:

Prime rib and LFBs are a favorite on the boat. I generally have a couple kegs in the beverage fridge, so pulling one off the big CO2 tank and making it portable is really no big deal. Since it is pressurized it won't go flat. A hand charger and a couple of cartridges will more be more than sufficient to push a 5 gallon cornelius keg.

 

[yanert]

This is what I have in mind. 18" tall. 3gal just a shorter version. I have a spot, since I lengthened the boat, were I can strap a couple of these vertically next to the bottom and insulate the space. I'd probably run lines to a tap or two on the rear bulk head. The beer I keep in my produce hold stays nice and cold.