Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
I found last week's column on preferences in choosing an RV very interesting. We are going through the same decision process ourselves. I think the biggest difference between my partner and I has been our respective chores. I do most of the cooking and my partner does most of the repair and maintenance.
I don't like the cooking options offered to me in many units. My partner says we can get used to it, but I don't want to get used to it. I want what I'm already used to. I am talking about going from a conventional oven to a convection oven. I refuse to switch.
As my partner has found out the hard way, I would rather fight than switch.
Am I being unreasonable? Should I learn new tricks?
--Burning in Bakersfield
Dear Burning:
I hear this complaint a lot. A regular oven has been replaced with a convection oven in many brands and units. If you are going to move into a home on wheels I think you should trick it out the way you want it, or find a used one that already is the way you want it.
One drawback that many first-time buyers never consider is the fact that a convection oven only runs on electric. That means having to be hooked up or running a generator every time you need to use the oven.
On the plus side, most people that have switched to a convection oven seem to be very happy with it.
If you are buying new I would ask about an option to have the best of both worlds. You might have to give up some drawer space, but it will most likely be a worthwhile trade-off.
Having both a convection oven and a propane oven will also give you more options when making a big meal and wanting everything done at the same time.
When dry camping you will not limit your meal options and when paying for utilities you will save on propane costs.
It will also allow you to limit your generator usage when dry camping and still continue to eat meals that require an oven.
Don't you wish the whole world had such easy problems to solve? Half the world is trying to figure out where to get enough potable water to make it through the day, and our biggest dilemma is convection vs. propane oven options?
--Keep Smilin', Dr. R.V. Shrink
11 comments:
We got so tired of trying to make good use of our propane oven, we had it replaced with a cooktop and a pan drawer. The RV stove ovens are so small and never seem to cook as well as a regular oven. The convection seems to work just fine and takes a larger dish. But each to their own, most dealers will make changes to sell an RV if you ask. Also, convection doesn't heat up the RV like propane. Good luck finding what you want.
Own a spanking brand new motorhome, and had the same problem. My husband wore me down and I accepted two issues that I still hate a pedestal sink and a convection oven. How I wish I stood my ground, RVing is no longer pleasurable for me, and we need to get another rig. Not an easy feat when this is your full time home on wheels. Don't make my mistake.
don't give up! Get your oven. I use my oven all the time and have even had fellow RVers ask if they can use my oven to bake things. Convection does not cut it!
What am I missing? A convection oven is just an electric oven with a circulating fan, not some mysterious evil box. I use mine every time I have electic available. I cut the suggested temp by 20 degrees and cook for the suggested max time. Everything comes out perfect with NO burnt bottoms as what usually happens with a bottom-cremating propane oven.
We belong to a RV group that goes out once a month, year around. Every one of the "kitchen" people that have convection ovens, envy my gas oven.
As a retired chef, I cannot imagine not having an oven. I am presuming that the convection ovens everybody is talking about is a convection microwave. The convection microwave has many, great uses but there are some things that can't be cooked in them.For instance, creme brulee, a necessity in my household. In our travel trailer with a standard size camper oven, I cooked a 12lb stuffed turkey for Thanksgiving, came out perfect, nicely browned with crispy skin. I will agree that the RV got very warm but boy did it smell good. I would choose an oven over a microwave any day!
When we bought our camper there was no oven. Just the convection oven with the microwave. I put up with that for a few years, until we retired and were camping more often and for longer periods of time. My husband installed a new stove unit with a regular oven and I have been smiling since that day. I tried the convection, but hated it. I have cooked on a gas stove all my life so I was not at all pleased with the convection. I now cook anything I want in my gas oven, whenever I want and wherever we are parked.
When we went from an RV with a gas oven to one with a microwave/convection combo I was concerned. And there are drawbacks: you can't microwave and bake at the same time. Solution: I bought a counter top oven broiler that is large enough to cook most things I want to do and has a broiler as well. Some drawbacks: can only bake one cake layer at a time, but the convection oven works just fine for that. So far I am quite pleased with the compromise and consider myself a gourmet cook. It is just a matter of learning to use different tools and adjust to different timing, etc.
Dear Burning - I'll bet you are old enough to know the Bob Dylan song "The Times They Are A Changing." While cooking the "old fashion way" (even putting wood in that old stove) has worked for years, it is time to get with the program of modern day cooking. Once you understand & embrace convection cooking you will never go back. As for cooking in an RV, yes, you will need to be "hooked up" or run the generator to use it, however, you will also need electric to watch TV as you cook, so what's the big deal about electric. The "bottom line" can be found in the bottom of the pan - nothing burns on the bottom of convection cooking pans as the heat "surrounds the pan, not from the bottom up. - check it out. Jerry X
I have a conventional gas oven and stove. I seldom use stove top as I prefer cooking with electric so use elec frypan or 2 burner hot plate. I use oven only when absolutely necessary. It doesn't accommodate a lot ov conventional size cookware and doesn't cook food like an electric oven. I would rather have an electric convection oven - larger, faster cooking time and less likely to overheat the RV.
Convection microwave plus toaster oven and propane cook top and outdoor BBQ grill does 99% of what we want. A large electric roasting pan does the last 1%.
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