Inverter Stew
A long day of driving is often a necessity of RV life. To make
things easier on everyone (er... myself!), I made dinner ahead.
I browned a pound of lamb stew meat (beef would work too) with
lots of garlic and put the lamb in my crockpot (lined with one
of the fancy new crockpot liners) with a slivered onion and half
a bag of baby carrots. I put the crock in the fridge and went to
bed. Next morning, I added three cubed Yukons, one can of diced
tomatoes, one cup of chicken stock, a teaspoon of crushed
rosemary leaves, kosher salt and a lot of pepper. Then I placed
the crockpot in the sink (safety first), set the temperature and
dinner cooked as we drove all day - smelling this lovely
concoction, which I lovingly named "Inverter Stew". The meal was
outstanding and welcomed by tired travelers.
If your RV has an inverter, I urge you to cook a meal "in the
sink". It is a fun and a delicious end to a long day down the
road. With a crockpot liner (read my product review
here), there is only the lid to wash. I also advise placing
the crock on some sort of non-stick pad (I use a 12-inch square
silicone mat) and if your crockpot comes with a lid strap, this
is the time to use it!) I found the above 3.5 quart crockpot for
$14.99 at The Wal-Mart last year. It is a white oval Hamilton
Beach brand. It came with an insulted carrying bag - for
potlucks I assume, but it is also perfect for non-breaking
rattle-free storage - and the white strap to secure the glass
lid. The lid has a plastic handle, so you don't need an oven
mitt. Though not programmable (seriously what else can you ask
at $14.99?) the crock features a HIGH, LOW and KEEP WARM
setting. It must have been invented with RVer's in mind. Even
though we have some sort of fancy inverter, I don't feel I get
the same amount of power as when we are plugged into shore power
- so I turned the crockpot to high for several hours, then
reduced it low for the rest of the day. (TIP: If your inverter
can't get the crockpot hot enough, place a sheet of aluminum
foil over the top of the crock and place the lid over the foil -
this will raise the temperature quickly.)
Happy, Safe and Delicious Traveling!
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