any suggestions on making bread or rice in an Airstream?

[Crusty]

Thanks for the tips Aname4me. I think what you are doing by adding the lemon juice is reducing hard water to pH neutral by adding acid. I do the same thing by using distilled water. Most people don't realize that their water's pH really does make a difference in how much the loaf rises.

Boondocker - I had slicing problems too. What I did was to drill two holes through my cutting board spaced as far apart as the loaf is wide and I drove chopsticks into each of them. I hold my carving knife against them and use them as guides for slicing and I can cut really thin uniform slices this way.

[aname4me]

[QUOTE=deauxrite;941521]I have posted a link that shows crock pot bread being made in a 27ft Airstream. The system works well and keeps the heat down in the trailer..and it makes great bread too!

I took a look at this..... I will have to try it.

That got me thinking..
I looked a RiceCooker bread.... I liked the mixing in the cooker bowl, but a bit tedious to cook.

I then looked a pressure cooker bread. Has anyone tried this? The gas stove might be a problem. Years ago, I saw some one (in England) using a diffuser plate over the flame to even out the heat.

[Pahaska]

Could some one tell me about their experience with a stone in the oven. Does it break when you travel. Is it stone like granite, or a fire brick (they go inside a wood stove)?

I have found that instead of a stone in the oven, a shiny metal tray keeps the bottoms of things baked in the oven from over baking.

What I use is a thin sheet with a shiny pebbled surface that I picked up somewhere years ago. It is a bit smaller than the oven so that the heat is effectively channeled around the sides of the oven. The sheet stores on edge against the side of the under-sink cabinet with my cutting board and takes no space.

I haven't baked bread, but I use silicone baking utensils for other things. I like to make muffins on cold days. I like that the silicone things don't rattle around when on the road.

[mandolindave]

Be a camper. Most prep work and most cooking can be done outside, weather permitting. Baking on a cold morning sounds pretty good to me though.

[mimiandrews]

Cooking brown rice in a pot on the stove, as described in previous posts, works at low elevations. At high elevations, I've used a pressure cooker with good results. Boiling water just isn't very hot at 7000 feet above sea level.

[cameront120]

If you want a multipurpose dutch oven that is maintenance free, look into the enameled cast iron dutch ovens by le Creuset or Staub. They're great for stews, soups, breads, etc. without the 'fussyness' of regular cast iron. Personally, I love regular cast iron, but I know that it intimidates some people, so the enameled variety is a very good option.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by Boondocker

...The electric knife is an interesting idea, slicing is one of the bigger problems I am having.

Hi Rodney

Consider one of these Forschner Victorinox 8" Bread Knives, 40549. Not only do they slice bread perfectly, they are ideal for tomatoes and citrus. We used them to slice the lemons for iced tea in the steak houses where I worked and they lasted for years.

Forschner is Victorinox's line of professional cutlery.

[cameront120]

Originally Posted by vswingfield

Hi Rodney

Consider one of these Forschner Victorinox 8" Bread Knives, 40549. Not only do they slice bread perfectly, they are ideal for tomatoes and citrus. We used them to slice the lemons for iced tea in the steak houses where I worked and they lasted for years.

Forschner is Victorinox's line of professional cutlery.

These are great knives for not a lot of money. I have one of their chef's knives that gets very heavy use. I actually prefer it to my more expensive Henckels. It keeps an edge and sharpens up very easily.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by cameront120

These are great knives for not a lot of money. I have one of their chef's knives that gets very heavy use. I actually prefer it to my more expensive Henckels. It keeps an edge and sharpens up very easily.

Forschner is a common best buy from many sources, including America's Test Kitchen. I have a toolbox full of knives that I bought for home use when I worked in food service. Most are Forschner. Mine are over 20 years old and most have the rosewood handles that were common before the switch to plastic. I occasionally oil the rosewood grips with mineral oil and they look great. The plastic handles are excellent, though. You rarely see the wood handles in professional settings anymore. The plastic griped ones have NSF stamped on the blades.

For Chef's knives I do prefer a 10 in length. Most home users shy away from one this size, but they do a better job in my opinion.

Most local restaurant supplies carry Forschner, often for less than online pricing. Pros don't pay extra for bells and whistles.

[cameront120]

Mine is a 10" knife. I prefer it over the standard 8" chef's knives. I also find the fibrox handle to be very comfortable in my hand.

Oops. I think this thread is now officially hijacked! Sorry to the OP.

[Whirlaway]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

When we talk about baking bread in a Dutch Oven, we are talking the cast iron type and charcoal. I don't know if an aluminum one will perform the same way. We resisted for a bit getting a Dutch Oven, but now carry two and they are worth their weight.

I experimented with a single loaf of bread recipe, and got that down pretty well. You could do the same with whatever ingredients are your favorite. Ours always starts with a bit of leftover oatmeal, warm milk, a bit of sugar, yeast and some wheat flour to make a sponge. Beat well with a wooden spoon, add a little oil or melted butter, salt and enough flour to hold it all together and knead, etc., as you would for a larger batch. Works well every time.

Good luck.

Maggie

This is all new to me and I am loving it! Please explain which size goes with what.
Lin.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

When we talk about baking bread in a Dutch Oven, we are talking the cast iron type and charcoal. I don't know if an aluminum one will perform the same way. We resisted for a bit getting a Dutch Oven, but now carry two and they are worth their weight.

I experimented with a single loaf of bread recipe, and got that down pretty well. You could do the same with whatever ingredients are your favorite. Ours always starts with a bit of leftover oatmeal, warm milk, a bit of sugar, yeast and some wheat flour to make a sponge. Beat well with a wooden spoon, add a little oil or melted butter, salt and enough flour to hold it all together and knead, etc., as you would for a larger batch. Works well every time.

Good luck.

Maggie

Aluminum cooks similar to cast iron, but requires a bit less heat, it will heat up faster, but it also cools faster. I have close to a dozen dutch ovens in cast iron and aluminum, much prefer the cast iron. The only reason we bought aluminum was to cut down on the weight when on canoe trips. I have both cast aluminum and a couple of hard anodized, not a lot of difference in the way they cook.

Aaron

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Whirlaway

This is all new to me and I am loving it! Please explain which size goes with what.
Lin.

They come in a variety of sizes ranging from 1 quart to 16 quarts (FWIW Lodge stops at 12 quarts). We usually refer to ours by the inch size as in #8 or #12, with the #8 being a 2 quart and the #12 being a 6 quart (confused yet)

As far as sizing...for the camp ovens I use a #14 with a rack in it for indirect baking of bread.

They also make Dutch Ovens for regular oven use.

The 8 and 10 are the most common sizes used for 2-4 people. We have made a venison chili in our 16 quart monster on more than one occasion, it is also great for baking biscuits in.

For oven use the enamel coated cast iron dutch ovens are a good alternative. I started cooking over campfires when I was 11 and it is hard to stop after 40+ years.

Edit: I just found a 20 quart Dutch oven!

Aaron

[Lily&Me]

We have an 8" and 12" Dutch Oven.

I have made wonderful loaves of bread in both, but a single, small loaf with just a couple of cups of flour is perfect in the 8". I smash it rather flat so that as it rises it goes more horizontal rather than vertical. Watch the top for burning, move coals to the outer edge to brown evenly, take them off the top and just leave on the bottom to finish.

Home made bread just doesn't keep as well as the store-bought stuff, so when we're on the road and I don't have access to a freezer, I like to make just a small loaf we can eat for dinner and toast the remainder for breakfast.

I love the looks of that Artisan bread recipe, will have to try it when we are home. I have a roll dough recipe (but not with me) that is supposed to keep in the frig for a week. It has a lot of eggs in it and a half cup of sugar or so to about 8 cups flour. I usually mix it one night and make rolls and coffecakes the next day. One of those holiday things. These recipes are especially wonderful for families with kids, where fresh bread every day can be consumed before it stales.

However, stale bread makes wonderful bread pudding or Apple Brown Betty---which can also be done in a DO.


Mmmmm, I'm liking the way this thread has evolved.


Maggie

[Silverfoxrae]

Now I'm sufficiently hungry...

I cook my rice in a skillet pan and cook & stir like Italian rice for any kind of rice. I don't measure things when I cook, it's by eye and feel and taste to me.

Bread is something I haven't played with since I became gluten-free :-( but I'm definitely interested in trying to bake some bread- I hear that chickpea flour is easy to use. I like the Dutch oven idea. I have a few enameled ones to practice with!!

Great thread

Rae

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[noreen&sal]

Ask yourself why wonder bread stays soft for weeks? could it possibly be all the preservitives? Thats why I like home made. Sal.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by noreen

Ask yourself why wonder bread stays soft for weeks? could it possibly be all the preservitives? Thats why I like home made. Sal.

Yup and according to George Carlin that is what you need to keep you alive

Our goal has been to reduce the amount of general gunk that we ingest, so we are cooking from scratch more and watching where our food comes from. We are fortunate enough to have some acreage and keep chickens for the fresh eggs and the occasional chicken pot pie.

Aaron

[Lily&Me]

This is one frozen loaf, baked in an 8" DO. 10 briquets underneath, 6 on top. The center will brown more quickly, so move coals to the outer rim and watch carefully. Took about 22 minutes.

I cut the dough into 5 pieces to help it bake more evenly, because the oblong loaf gets center-heavy in this round pan.

Tasted yummy this morning, with butter and jam.


Maggie