Van Dwelling, Tiny House Off Grid Stove

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 Greetings sisters!

We often get questions as to how we do things in our van and tiny off grid house so I thought I'd share this one with you...what I use to cook with.  I may have shared in passing if a previous post but this one will be linked in brother Jim's van dwelling tip page.

The picture below is a one burner propane stove or as I call it, a cooker.



It uses 3 lb propane cans, of which you can see connected to it. You simply turn the knob and light it with a match or striker and it's ready to go.  In order to save money and not use the propane cans up too fast, I make sure my cooking is minimal and use the 'heat and wait' method as I call it. 

For instance, instead of boiling a big pot of water for pasta then cooking it another 12-15 minutes, burning up a lot of propane, I simplify it.  I put the pasta in the pan, cover it with water, cover the pot, bring it to a boil then turn it off and wait.  I do that with stir fry veggies, eggs etc.  Some things I will need to reheat and let sit again for a while, depending on what it is.  It really doesn't take much more time than normal cooking but yet saves a ton of $energy$.  (For those of you who have a regular stove, you can save $energy$ doing this also:-)  For longer cooking things like rice, I use a thermal cooker (you can see that HERE)  or you can also wrap the pot up with towels and do it that way.  I normally use a quick cooking rice on the road for now as I've found a lot on discount.

Having the right cookware is essential also, and you don't need much since you cook more simple.  I have a quality non stick fry pan (no chemicals) and a medium sized enamel coated pot that I cook everything in.  I also have a very small pan that I use for heating water for coffee, tea or shower water.  (All were very inexpensive.)

These cookers run about $20-$25 and I've had mine for 4? years?  I also have a back up with us in case something happens to my main one.  This is what I use to cook at the homestead but while there, if the wood stove is going, I use that (for free) instead.

Normally my cooker sits within a shelf in the van but this pictures shows me cooking salmon.  Outside is the best place to cook that unless you want everything inside smelling like it:-)


Hopefully this answers some questions for those of you out there who have been wondering. 

Let us give thanks to our heavenly Father for allowing us the resources to have food and cook it. 

Have a joyous evening sisters.
Sister Deb


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