Why did no one ever tell me about this major problem with crock pots!?!?!

[hedgehog]

The stuff you put in smells so good cooking all day long!

[ZombieHorde]

1. Ha! So true. nt

[cbayer]

2. I bought one but can't use it, sniffle.

Takes way too much electricity.

I've been thinking what I really need is a pressure cooker, but they take up so much room.

[elleng]

3. and don't smell so good,

and result doesn't do what 'pots' do, imo, flavor-wise.

[cbayer]

4. I know. Those are some of the other reasons I haven't made the investment.

I have a large dutch over, but I have to be thoughtful about my propane, so long, long cooking times become a problem.

[Lars39]

10. Have you heard of thermal cookers?

They're kinda pricy, but sound really fuel efficient. http://www.thermalcookware.com/main.php?mod=Dynamic&id=43

[cbayer]

11. Interesting, but way pricey.

Have you used these? Besides keeping food hot for a really long time, did you find any advantages?

[Lars39]

12. I don't have one, but from what I can

understand, they function as a crock pot. I stumbled onto them by reading a blog about someone's RV, and they were cooking with it.

[cbayer]

13. Too expensive to experiment with but I will inquire of other boaters who like to cook.

Not sure that they would provide any advantages over a pressure cooker.

Thanks for the info!

[Lars39]

14. Glad to help!

[MADem]

15. Get a small pressure cooker --we have one from Italy that's less than half the

size of a "standard" one. The name escapes me, but it was something Italian-sounding!

Prestige makes a 2 liter one (that's small--think about a 2 liter bottle of soda) that is popular with the Indian community....

http://www.amazon.com/Prestige-Popular-Aluminium-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B002RL8X90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365054055&sr=8-1&keywords=small+pressure+cooker+1+liter

I've seen a liter and a half sized one, but I think 2 liters is small enough...!

[cbayer]

16. I've been putting it off, but I think I will start shopping around.

The propane savings alone would pay for it pretty quickly.

Thanks for the info.

[MADem]

17. You could also buy or build a "solar oven" that would

work pretty much like a crock pot--and the propane savings would be 100 percent in that case! Many of the manufactured models are bulky/pricy, but a home-made one could be made to be more portable.

You'd want to build one that could fold up completely and stow easily, and could be readily secured, but if you can meet those criteria, that might be a fun solution.

They work really well--I've had a meal or two from a friend's solar oven, and it's amazing how nicely they cook.

[cbayer]

18. We have looked at these, but the space requirements have outweighed the practicality.

We are often moving around at anchor, so they are hard to manage or keep pointed in the right direction. Right now it's gusting to about 25, so it would most likely just fly off the boat, lol.

I think a small pressure cooker is my best bet.

What I really want is a new stove, which would be much more efficient. But boat stoves are really pricey.

I have to give it to myself though... I put out some spectacular meals under very unusual circumstances!

[MADem]

19. Maybe you could try the pressure cooker and a little solar hot pot, like these folks...

http://www.cruisingworld.com/people/people-and-food/keep-on-the-sunny-side

I think the trick is finding a place on deck that stays sunny for most of the day if you can't check on your food and orient it just so, and finding a place to sort of "wedge" the cooker so it doesn't go flying away.

[cbayer]

20. I like it, but note that she also talks about the challenges of being at

anchor and the wind. I would like to see one, because the concept is very attractive to me, but I don't want something I have to tend constantly.

We already use solar for most of our electrical needs and use a solar shower in the summer. The less we can use our propane and small generator, the more I am liking it.

Being off the grid is stunningly wonderful.

[MADem]

21. You could try building your own--maybe using something that could be a

dual purpose sort of use (storage underway, a cooker in port)?

Here's a link--some of these are so easy to make, it would be worth it just for the scientific amusement (the inflated black tire--that could double as a water toy, black pot and piece of glass--what could be easier? I'm betting plexiglass would do the trick, too... I like the "minimum" one, also)!


http://solarcooking.org/plans/

I agree it is probably not the best use of cash to spend money if you aren't sure it would work well, but some of these are cheap and will cost not much more than a bit of time and farting about!

[cbayer]

22. I like the windshield shade one. It would roll up and be quite inexpensive to try.

I am always trying to find new ways of becoming more self-sufficient. You know, with armageddon coming any time now, one can not be too prepared.

[JHB]

5. Because we wanted you to find out the hard way!

[Warpy]

6. Mine doesn't smell at all unless I go into the kitchen

which is a good thing when it's full of beans and epazote. The latter is a Mexican herb that smells like gasoline but does great things to a pot of beans after you fish it out when the beans are done.

Now give me a free range chicken and a Dutch oven and I'll perfume the whole neighborhood.

[winter is coming]

7. What's really horrible...

is when we use it to cook something overnight to take for a pot luck lunch. Imagine waking up at 3am with that wonderful smell permeating the house.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

8. The Committee To Hide The Major Problems Of Crockpots has scored another victory

[wildeyed]

9. That is a benefit, not a problem!

Love the way a soup or stew smells on a cold, windy day.

[sad-cafe]

23. we used to use the crock pot a couple times a week.

the better half has I think 5 different pots of different sizes.