cooking platform suggestions

Glad-Dutch · 12-27-2002, 08:31 PM

As I am new to this discussion, I will try to make it brief.

I'm in the process of building a cooking platform for a friend's driftboat so we can make breakfast and lunch during a long day on the river. We have a design in mind, but I am looking improvements. Any suggestions?

As my name suggests, I do a lot of Dutch oven cooking so I'm building in a cavity for a small oven while floating also. Any "veteran Dutch oven chef" suggestions would be most helpful?

Thanks.

WaterDog · 12-27-2002, 08:41 PM

Welcome aboard! :grin:

Now you need to give us a fishing story.

MarlinMark · 12-27-2002, 08:53 PM

Welcome to the board. These guys are relentless about the fishing story so, you better cook one up. Ha, Ha.

Seriously though, I too love to cook in a Dutch Oven. I think that making some sort of aluminum box with legs and a lid that could ride in the back would be perfect. Let me know what you come up with, and if you want to give up any of your favorite reciepies I'm always looking and experimenting.

"There ain't nuthin' like Dutch Oven Luvin'"

Mark

Glad-Dutch · 12-27-2002, 09:01 PM

Thanks for the "warning", MarlinMark; I've just posted it.

I'll keep you posted with recipies later. One of my favorites is a seafood gumbo. I would love to have a batch started, then drop in some fresh steelhead or salmon

. That is why we are building it.

Take care,

RvW · 12-27-2002, 10:21 PM

I once owned a duckworth 21' sled with an inboard motor which seemed cramped with a wife and two kids just as fanatic about fishing and eating as I was...I built a few different things for a few different functions, and can proudly offer my suggestions for a dutch oven contraption that worked well for me.

Of course I had access to all the tools required to build this.

Find 2 steel 5 gallon buckets with lids...roof coating or adhesives come in steel buckets... make sure they have strudy steel handles

Remove the handle and lid from one bucket and set the bucket itself aside.

Take the other bucket, and using a jigsaw, cut a slot down the side just wide enough for your dutch oven to fit though starting about 4 inches from the top and ending 5 inches from the bottom. Cut straight lines! (you will need the scrap as a template later) Use a dremel or emery cloth to dull the sharp edges. CLEAN the bucket with denatured alcohol, or a solvent that will wash with water and soap.

These steel buckets have lids with tabs that fold over the edge of the bucket..put about 6 short sheet metal screws through these tabs equally around the bucket as you will never have to remove...but do this last~! you still need to get into the bucket to finish it.

Take the second handle, and drill holes oposite of the holes in your bucket at the same hieght as the existing handle...insert the extra handle so when both handles are upright they CROSS snuggly over each other.

Now heres the tricky part.

Measure the inside of the bucket 5 inches from the bottom exactly where your "slot" ends.

Take that measurement and cut the extra lid to make a shelf at the same diameter BUT..leave about 6 "tabs" to use for connecting this to the inside of the bucket. drill a few holes in this shelf for heat, not too many or youll weaken the shelf...put them where the dutch oven wont block them.

Fold the tabs UP, stuff the newly created shelf down to just below the 5 inch level, and drill a small hole through the tabs and the bucket from the inside...then, from the outside use short sheet metal screws to secure the shelf into place through these holes, you should have a small lip above the shelf at the opening so your oven doesnt slide out in rough water...now put the other lid back on top, and screw it in place. Now, take the measurement of the opening you made, and ad an inch to the width and height..use the other bucket to cut a "door"
Hold the "door" over the opening, and place a few sheet metal screws OFF the edges to hold it in place, but allow you to slide from side to side to retrieve your oven! Paint the whole thing with BBQ paint, and apply a few lamiglas stickers.

Depending on the fuel you intend to use will effect the preparation of the bottom... I have built a half dozen of these, and used two different fuel sources.

The first one was canned fuel...I put three sternos in the bottom, obviously cutting another hole below the shelf big enough to slip them in and out...I also made a small door for this opening too, and put some 1/4 inch holes in ONE SIDE of the bucket for oxygen to feed the flames...one side so if its windy, you can turn the holes away from the wind.

Another fuel option was a small propone bottle stove..I cut a hole on the underside of the bucket big enough for the bottleneck to fit through, and screwed the stove to it from the inside.
This method requires you to hang the bucket, and my downrigger mast worked well with the two handles defying gravity of rough water, keeping everything in its place.
This might seem like a long drawn out way to accomplish a dutch oven heat source, but it only took me about an hour and a half to build my first, and an hour for the others.

Of course you can always pay me $50 bucks to build you one!

Good luck

PS..bring foil! wrap some corn bread or rolls and toss it in next to the dutch oven.

[ 12-28-2002, 02:29 AM: Message edited by: cirrhosis-of-the-river ]

fishbait · 12-28-2002, 07:19 AM

Have you considered using one of the small self contained single burner gas stoves? About 20 inches square, run off compressed butaine?

Glad-Dutch · 12-28-2002, 07:45 AM

Fishbait -
Yes, we have consider this option. I also really like cirrhosis' suggestion regarding using canned fuel.

RvW · 12-28-2002, 08:23 AM

If canned fuel is something you're interested in, you can save yourself the time and effort explained above, and just throw a shelf inside a bucket, and use the lid for access.

Keep in mind that the "sterno" canned fuel takes longer to heat your food, especially if its not enclosed to hold the heat..
Another thing to consider...you dont want the fuel anywhere near your fishing gear, it stinks bad, it doesnt come off, and I would only guess that it might turn off the bite.

Glad-Dutch · 12-28-2002, 07:37 PM

Cirrhosis -
Point well taken about the smell of sterno!!

JPSFISHY · 12-28-2002, 08:11 PM

Howdy Dutch! I like the way you think and eat.ha Having built lots of BBQ's, Cookers, Smokers in my time, I have a little advice.
If you use a 5 gal pail or any other type sheet metal container, beware of contaminated material, and also beware of thin metal that was never intended to be burned out of. Metals and alloys are designed for specific applications in order to be safe.
I have seen a couple folks that used barrel bottoms. They put a bunch of sand in the bottom, lined it with foil, then more sand. This kept the bottm cool.
Screwing, or tach welding a false bottom in the container, then lining with foil/sand can also help.
Also using 100% mesquite charcole that is 100% wood, not petolium product such as charcole will give you better coals with less fuel.
E-mail me any time. I'm interested in learning more about dutch oven cooking myself.
Happy New Year.
JP

big guy · 12-28-2002, 08:30 PM

the small propane bbq off the rod holder works great

Glad-Dutch · 12-29-2002, 10:19 PM

Thanks JP, that is some good advise on the reinforced bottom thought & sand. I'll keep you posted as to what I resolve.

BigFish · 12-29-2002, 11:03 PM

If you�re already Dutch oven guru, then what better way to cook on a boat while fishing. It�s is totally hands free after you get it going and good eats after it�s done.

Guide Steve Fleming of Mah-Hah outfitters exclusively cooks in Dutch ovens on his float trips down the John Day. When he pulls the lid off that oven at lunch time it looks like a picture out of Sunset magazine. He uses the steel drum as describe above with two inches of sand, aluminum foil to aid in removing the ashes from the briquettes and holes drilled around the drum about four inches from the bottom for ventilation, also a lid to keep stray water out from putting out the briquettes.