ProfilersUsing The Stove This months article is dedicated to the care and use of the stove/oven. I have not come across many who have had problems with the top part of their unit. Basically, turn on the gas, light it and you are ready to cook. Gas is great to cook with If you dont get too carried away and lose track of what is going on inside your pots. Gas is rather unforgiving if ignored and has a tendency to scorch the contents. If something does got away from you and bolls over, try to clean it up as soon as possible after the grate has cooled down. The blister lines on your fingers are a dead giveaway that you picked up the grate too soon. The failing grate can also leave some nasty chips on the porcelain top of the stove. Be careful!!
The oven, however, is a totally different story. So many items have been burned beyond recognition in these monsters, that many will no longer admit they even have an oven on board. One friend refers to the cavity as "the broad box". She is so steadfast in this statement that she has her husband also convinced. Another friend has pulled all of the racks out and uses it as a "safe place" for all her arts and crafts projects. She drags along a toaster oven and does all her cooking with it. A toaster oven is a great addition it space is not a problem or if there is no oven in your rig. When the weather is really warm, cooking outside in one keeps the inside of the rig much cooler. They also do a super job of making toast.
But,if you have an oven and want to feel in control, here are a few tips for making the process a bit smoother. The food burns because the flame is concentrated down the center of the oven and does not spread out in an even pattern. In order to spread out the heat and create a friendlier atmosphere for baking, a solid heating surface must be created.
In prior issues of the trailer magazines, the readers came up with the idea of placing unglazed tiles, slate, and pizza stones on the shelf above the flame. Hattie did try the slate, but with disastrous results. When the slate heated up, it began separating and such a racket you have never heard. Even my husband was concerned about opening the door. According to some, unglazed tiles work well and can be inexpensively purchased at any home improvement store, However, my vote goes with the pizza stone. It you watch the ads, one can be picked up for under $15 and does so much more than spread the heat. Just place the stone on the shelf and forget it. It travels very well and after 30K miles in our rig, there are still no chips or cracks. You can cook biscuits, rolls, bread and so much more directly on the stone. If it is a particularly cold night, take the hot stone out of the oven (very carefully) and place it on top of your stove and use ft as a warming plate to keep your meal warm. Cleaning is a snap. Just wipe off with a damp cloth. There will be stains that will occur as it is used, but I have been told by a happy user this is a good thing. Her quote was " a stained stone is a happy stone'. It is truly amazing the difference you will see ff you give this a try. There will still be some things that may not cook the way they do at home, but the overall results are impressive.
Hattie