What could be easier than putting all the ingredients into the pot, then letting them simmer away for several hours without needing gas or electricity? Not only does this save money; meals can actually be cooking while the RVer is on the road. Thermal cookers are also popular for one-day trips, weekend camping trips and picnics.
How Does Thermal Cooking Work?
A thermal cooking pot works in a similar way to a crock pot – that is, it consists of an insulated outer pot and an inner pot that contains the food. The cooking process is begun by putting food on to boil in the inner pot. The heat generated is retained when placed in the outer pot. The food then keeps cooking for the length of time stated in the recipe. (Most recipes for slow cookers or crock pots can be easily adapted for use in thermal cookware.)
Like a thermos, the thermal cooker can also keep things cold, so it can double as a wine cooler! (Yes, thermal cookers have made an appearance at Happy Hour in RV parks!)
Which Thermal Cooking Pot to Buy
Some popular brands of thermal cookware are Thermos Shuttle Chef, Dream Pot, Tiger Thermal Magic Cooker, the Zojirushi Thermal Cooking Pot and Sunpentown Thermal Cooker. A quick browse around the Internet will soon turn up opinions about which thermal cooker is the best. RV Forums and thermal cookware blogs will have plenty of comments from users: there will be enough useful information there to make a decision about which brand of thermal cookware will give the best results.
Tips on Using Thermal Cooking Pots
- Food usually takes between 10-30 minutes to (a) bring to the boil then (b) simmer, before it is placed in the thermal cooker to finish cooking.
- Read the recipe carefully to make sure of the length of time the food needs to stay in the thermal cooking pot before it's ready to eat.
- Remember that the inner pot should be around 80% full for best results. (Too much air in the pot reduces the temperature and affects the cooking process.)
- Avoid the temptation to open the pot before the cooking time has elapsed – this just lets heat escape.
Some users have commented that they find the smaller thermal cookers more useful for keeping food warm than actually cooking the food.
Where to Find Thermal Cooker Recipes
The thermal cooking pot should come with a book of basic recipes, but there's nothing like word of mouth. RVers and caravanners are a social lot: discussions at the amenities block and around the camp kitchen will soon result in favourite recipes being passed around. A request to any caravan or RV forum will produce a flurry of tasty thermal cooking recipes, too. Finally, try Google search terms like 'recipes for thermal cookers' or 'thermal cook pot recipe ideas' – this will turn up sites like the Thermal Cooker Weblog. By adding 'video' to the search term, RVers can sit back and watch a demo.
Thermal cookware makes a lot of sense for those on the RV, caravan or camping circuit: these cookers not only save energy, but are practical and easy to use.
Marg McAlister - Marg McAlister has tried on a good many writer's hats in her career, and has enjoyed wearing most of them. Her writing achievements ...
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