12 volt lunch box oven - Recipies and how do you like it or not?

[Nomad]

I am looking for recipes for the 12 volt lunch box oven as I will be buying one tomorrow looks like a great way to cook or heat foods.
I am wanting first to try making bread from scratch in it but no idea how much flour I can use one cup or 2 ?
I know you can use aluminum pans in them to help keep it clean...

If their is already a thread please post link for me if not and you have one or have used one how did you like it do they last or do they have a short lifespan?

 

[MuckSavage]

I have one that I use to heat my lunch at work (construction site). I've never cooked anything from scratch but I keep leftovers/ soup hot til ready to eat. I have a Hot Logic Mini. Purchased it from a tip from a coworker. He's had it for about 6 years.

 

[Nomad]

Thanks for that.
Hope others chime in on these things.

 

[Dave in AZ]

Nomad, many of the Australian overlander youtubers use them. Ronny Dahl had a few meals cooked in one. Lot of truckers use them, they sell them at all the truck stops. You could google trucker forums and find more info.

 

[burbigo3]

I also only use it to heat meals.

Tutuapp​

 

[bgenlvtex]

I have one exactly like your picture that I used when working. It's biggest downside is lack of temperature control, but it DOES get hot so you just have to regulate time. If you put frozen stuff in it, it would burn part of it before all of it thawed, so you will want to start with thawed food.

I bought some aluminum loaf pans at the grocery that fit it almost perfectly, cover them and heat them with foil to minimize overflow. There is room on top of the foil cover to heat a piece of bread. I would prep meals and refrigerate them, loaf pan holds a solid meal for a grown man.

Foods that contain more liquid heat better than dryer foods. Things that I would regularly prep were thicker soups and stews, lasagna(particularly this), meatballs with mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes, tamales in enchilada sauce and refried beans.

The closer your food is to room temperature before you start heating, the better it will turn out, the heater will scorch stuff.

I may revisit carrying it with us, we have plenty of cold storage frozen and chilled both, it would be ideal for that, the only real drawback is it requires the commitment to decide what you are going to eat and when early enough in the day to get it ready.

 

[Wildcat-01]

I have one that I use while working. I do home inspections, and having a little oven on-hand is pretty rad. It's pretty low temp, and only hits like 300 degrees, so it's good as a little slow-cooker. You can sear up some short ribs and wrap them in foil with some spices and aromatics and let it stew over the course of a day until tender and then have a hot dinner.
It also does good meatloaf. @bgenlvtex mentioned lasagna, which also works well.
I'll sometimes do prepacked meals of brown rice, quinoa, peas and carrots, lentils, and grilled chicken and freeze them and then reheat them in the field.
For camping I like sliced onions, potatoes and bacon in a foil pack that I'll chuck into it before heading out to my favorite spots. After a good three hour drive or so, I'll have a nice side ready.