Which TT has the Best Kitchen and Why?

[propchef]

Hello everyone. I've been lurking and reading for some time now and I appreciate the knowledge and helpfulness of this community. We're looking for our first TT and everyone has been most helpful.

Short background: I grew up tent camping and we evolved through several pop-up campers and spent an epic family vacation across the country in our Coleman. This was the early 70's. When I had my own family we bought a Jayco pop-up that we loved.

Now, kids are grown, we have grandkids, and Chef Luz and I are looking at retirement and a TT. She has NO camping experience AT ALL. None. We're looking for a TT that can be pulled by our X5 and, most importantly, it has to have a functional kitchen. We're both professional chefs, we still love to cook, and we almost always only eat our own food/cooking. We're avid gardeners as well.

This will be a trailer for trips to see the grandkids or to events like the F1 race in Austin or the 24 Hrs of Daytona. 5-day maximum stay with just the two of us. We're very good at mise (advance prep and planning of meals) so things that are important are cold storage, dry storage (pantry items and pots and pans) and a strong burner. I know many have three burners but if I can get just ONE high btu burner, anything beyond that is a bonus. I can always bring another burner. An oven would only be a nice addition if it was large enough to be useful.
I couldn't care any less for a microwave, but they all come with one. I'd rather use that space for storage. It will never get used.

One of my biggest concerns is the sink and water consumption. Everything has to be hand washed and if I can't fit a 10" cast iron skillet in the sink we'll be miserable. And scratch cooking is a very water-intensive act, although I doubt we'll spend any time off-grid, and if we do we can plan for it.

I really like the Airstream Bambi 22FB but I'll have to wait for the market to cool. I am OK without a slide. What else should I be looking at?

[Sjm9911]

Trust me you will not be happy with the btu output of the burner. I get mad just thinking about using it. So much so that i bring along an 2 burner ellecteic cooktop. I dont like them either. Lol.best bet is to wait untill you get to camp before needing a stovetop. Or get a portable butane one. I though of that also, but i bring too many cooking things.

[valhalla360]

2112 wrote:
I apologize for taking this off topic:

propchef, you mentioned "I sous vide frequently!". Can you recommend a decent immersion circulator that won't break the bank?. It doesn't have to be the best, just functional. My interest is large 1 1/2" bone-in ribeyes and chicken breast.
What temperature do you recommend for chicken?

Thanks

Now back to your regular scheduled program

We recently picked up an instapot (fancy pressure cooker).

It came with a sous vide option. We've only tried this mode a couple times but seems to do a decent job.

We got it so when off grid, we could run the generator for 15-20min and a meal is complete. Great for soups and stews what might take a 2-3hrs slowly simmering.

[propchef]

2112 wrote:
I have a vacuum sealer. I buy large end prime ribs when on sale and cut it up into steaks. This year they are $5/lb at Krogers. I season, seal and freeze them until time to cook.

Now comes the tricky part. Once thawed, I place them in a 5gal pot with 3gal of water and TRY to maintain that at 140 deg for 90 minutes on the stove top. The more water in the pot, the easier it is to hold the temperature. Remove from bag, dry, season and brown on the Weber for a few minutes each side. They come out perfect all the way to the bone.

I just need to take it to the next level with a circulator so I don't have to nurse it for 90 minutes. The circulators I find are $200 and up. I guess I'll have to pay to play.

I haven't tried chicken breast yet because I'm unsure of a safe temperature. I believe I'll need a circulator to do chicken safely.

Chicken is always a bit tricky, but doable. The minimum internal for chicken is 165, but for fifteen seconds. If properly held at a lower temp, but for a longer period, it's perfectly safe.

I teach culinary now and I'm happy to answer any questions or point you to cooking/time charts. I've been teaching food safety for 3o years. There's a cooking section on this forum and the topic can be continued there if anyone is interested.

[propchef]

GrandpaKip wrote:
Our galley has an Elkay 22”x 25” SS single bowl sink, standard Suburban RV stove w/ 3 burners, and a microwave. I made a 2 piece cover for the sink for more counter space. I hope to remove the stove this winter, make a new top and install a 2 burner cooktop. We use a Cuisinart convection toaster oven that will live where the stove was and come out when needed. We do use the microwave. The stove hood is noisy but works pretty well. Also have a Fantastic Fan in the galley area. Never have had a ventilation problem.
The dinette is opposite the galley and the table is used quite often as a countertop.
95% of cooking meat/fish is done outside on a 22” Weber Kettle grill. Sides are usually on the grill or on the cooktop. I really have never had the need for more than one burner inside and have found the front burner adequate, but I am not using cast iron.
We also believe in eating simply, but with as good ingredients as possible.
Good luck to you in your endeavor.

Thank you very much, this is the kind of feedback I'm looking for.


We probably have the same countertop convection oven. It's big enough that my skillet fits and I have a pizza stone for it. We love it.

As you say, I imagine using one burner most of the time, with the occasional second used. Outside will always be preferred, but when we're using it in travel mode we'll want to park and prepare dinner with as little fuss as possible.

We have two Weber kettles, one more than 20 years old, and everything one it has been replaced, including the bowl. We use it for everything.

[GrandpaKip]

Our galley has an Elkay 22”x 25” SS single bowl sink, standard Suburban RV stove w/ 3 burners, and a microwave. I made a 2 piece cover for the sink for more counter space. I hope to remove the stove this winter, make a new top and install a 2 burner cooktop. We use a Cuisinart convection toaster oven that will live where the stove was and come out when needed. We do use the microwave. The stove hood is noisy but works pretty well. Also have a Fantastic Fan in the galley area. Never have had a ventilation problem.
The dinette is opposite the galley and the table is used quite often as a countertop.
95% of cooking meat/fish is done outside on a 22” Weber Kettle grill. Sides are usually on the grill or on the cooktop. I really have never had the need for more than one burner inside and have found the front burner adequate, but I am not using cast iron.
We also believe in eating simply, but with as good ingredients as possible.
Good luck to you in your endeavor.

[2112]

I have a vacuum sealer. I buy large end prime ribs when on sale and cut it up into steaks. This year they are $5/lb at Krogers. I season, seal and freeze them until time to cook.

Now comes the tricky part. Once thawed, I place them in a 5gal pot with 3gal of water and TRY to maintain that at 140 deg for 90 minutes on the stove top. The more water in the pot, the easier it is to hold the temperature. Remove from bag, dry, season and brown on the Weber for a few minutes each side. They come out perfect all the way to the bone.

I just need to take it to the next level with a circulator so I don't have to nurse it for 90 minutes. The circulators I find are $200 and up. I guess I'll have to pay to play.

I haven't tried chicken breast yet because I'm unsure of a safe temperature. I believe I'll need a circulator to do chicken safely.

[propchef]

2112 wrote:
I apologize for taking this off topic:

propchef, you mentioned "I sous vide frequently!". Can you recommend a decent immersion circulator that won't break the bank?. It doesn't have to be the best, just functional. My interest is large 1 1/2" bone-in ribeyes and chicken breast.
What temperature do you recommend for chicken?

Thanks

Now back to your regular scheduled program

I use the Joule. https://www.chefsteps.com/joule

I have 6 of them at work and I keep one in a drawer at home. It's operated completely from your phone, there are no controls on the unit its self. The app comes with tons of great recipes built-in or you can manually set the unit.

You'll also need a good vacuum sealer if you don't already. We bought our home unit at Costco, I use a commercial chamber type at work.

For those unfamiliar, Sous Vide means "Under Vacuum" and is a low-temperature cooking method. It is *not* "boil-in-bag". Foods, like beef short ribs, are seasoned and vacuum sealer, then cooked at a VERY specific temperature over a long time, submerged in water. The Joule unit heats and circulates the water. The only drawback whilst traveling is the cook times. Salmon can be done in about a half-hour, but beef short ribs is a 36-hour affair. BUT...you've never had short ribs like this, ever. No loss like typical braising and the texture is hard to describe. Sous Vide is equally amazing with pork.

[2112]

I apologize for taking this off topic:

propchef, you mentioned "I sous vide frequently!". Can you recommend a decent immersion circulator that won't break the bank?. It doesn't have to be the best, just functional. My interest is large 1 1/2" bone-in ribeyes and chicken breast.
What temperature do you recommend for chicken?

Thanks

Now back to your regular scheduled program

[propchef]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
Sounds like you're all set then. Oh, BTW, for the record I was not talking about 1 10" skillet. I was talking about a whole set of CI cookware.
Good luck and have fun!

No worries! Alton Brown once called the 10” skillet the ultimate multi-tasker. We may also bring a Dutch oven, depending on the menu. These are also great outside over a live fire or gas grill.

This forum is awkward for pics but we have several hundred cast iron pieces we’ve collected over the years, but I only use two or three on a regular basis.

Tomorrow is the great bake off for Christmas. We’ve been prepping for days and will bake off bagels, Danish, cookies, holiday bread with mincemeat, and doggie biscuits for our annual treat bags we give our friends. It’s always fun!

[tomman58]

A 10" cast iron skillet needs no sink to wash. Just wipe it out and store till needed again. Once a cast iron pan is prepped with oil it needs no daily washing. that is the beauty of cast iron.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Sounds like you're all set then. Oh, BTW, for the record I was not talking about 1 10" skillet. I was talking about a whole set of CI cookware.
Good luck and have fun!

[propchef]

valhalla360 wrote:

propchef wrote:

Edd505 wrote:
Rear Kitchen

What is that?

Something wayyyyyy toooo biggg for your BMW.

Someone made a comment about getting an enclosed trailer and having it fitted out for you. Given that your budget is in airstream levels, that's actually a viable option if you can find a good carpenter who understands that it will still have weight limits. Now you can spec stove, fridge, sink, water tanks...etc..

Yes, far too big. lol Three slides? Nope.

I don't think my preferences require a custom build. I would also worry about any warranty issues that might arise from a one-off TT. My kitchen trailer was custom and the hardest part was making it 50 states legal, and if I had issues (I never did!) it would have to go back to Florida.

Side Story: When I moved to CA I brought my trailer but didn't have time to use it, so I put it up for sale. It ended up being purchased by a guy in Hawai'i, who had it transported by ship to Honolulu. It now has a relaxing life as a cafe for a local museum.

[propchef]

Thanks everyone!

Cast iron stays. lol I don't think one 10" will literally tip the scales.

RE nonstick. They're good for eggs or used to reheat things only. I have two, both All-clad. I'm good there, but know that it's impossible to properly saute in a non-stick. They don't develop fond, so you can't do pan sauces. And again, they don't work on induction ranges. They have very limited uses. My cast iron is the best non-stick ever. I do eggs in it all the time and it rinses right out.

I have an e70 BMW. As a former mechanic and someone who still works on their own vehicles (and a specialist with BMW), I can assure you I've checked the towing abilities of this vehicle. BMW says no WDH due to the e70's ability to counteract sway. Once the hitch is installed, the ECM must be coded for towing which activates the anti-sway. Aftermarket WDHs interfere with this. The e70 is not a body-on-frame, but a unibody. This distributed the weight in a different way. The e70 also comes with automatic leveling in the rear through a set of airbags. Not all X5s have this, but it's standard on the 3-row seat model and an option with the others. The X5 is very popular in Europe as a tow vehicle, but as noted, the TTs are not 32 ft behemoths.

Right now our search is confined to the internet, but as soon as the lockdown is over we're back to physically looking. It's been challenging but we're not in any hurry.

[valhalla360]

propchef wrote:

Edd505 wrote:
Rear Kitchen

What is that?

Something wayyyyyy toooo biggg for your BMW.

Someone made a comment about getting an enclosed trailer and having it fitted out for you. Given that your budget is in airstream levels, that's actually a viable option if you can find a good carpenter who understands that it will still have weight limits. Now you can spec stove, fridge, sink, water tanks...etc..

[JBarca]

propchef wrote:

gbopp wrote:
What is the towing capacity of your X5? That will be a good place to start.

It's a Class 3, so 6000 lbs GVW and 600 lb tongue. BMW forbids the use of load stabilizing hitches. I'd rather stay in the 20-22 ft range.

Again, just the two of us so we won't be loaded up.

Hi,

Trying to be helpful as you explained you are new to travel trailers.

Something is not adding up with what you said above. If BMW forbids the use of a weight distribution (WD ) hitch, but you found somewhere where it listed 600 lb tongue weight.

That small of a SUV to be able to handle a 600# weight carrying trailer tongue with no WD hitch, sort of points to overloading the rear axle with the rear overhang of the truck.

Where did you get the info of "Class 3, so 6000 lbs GVW and 600 lb tongue." spec from? Was this a sticker on the receiver of the truck, or did this comes from the owners manual?

What year and make up of the X5 do you have? They seems to have several models with engine and seating differences that change the truck ratings. I found this 2019 X5 owners manual online, https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1571400

Page 395 and 396 of that manual talks about "Load" (payload) of the truck pending what model, engine and number of seats you have.

And it talks about "Maximum draw bar nose weight" and "approved rear axle load" and "Approved Gross vehicle weight"

What does your owners manual state?

Your vehicle may be new enough that on the drivers door sticker it lists the available payload for your VIN truck. Have a look there, that is better then the manual even.

Ideally also knowing what the rear axle weight is before adding the trailer would help too. You may have to make a trip to the scales to get actual axle weights with both adults and other must have cargo inside the truck with a full tank of gas to sort out how much loaded trailer tongue weight you can carry. And without being able to use a WD hitch, there is a leverage magnification of the rear overhang of the truck that adds to a rear axle issue. Adding 400# of loaded camper weight, adds more than that to the rear axle due to the distance from the center of the rear axle, to the tow ball (rear overhang) which acts as a lever increasing the weight at the axle.

You may have the engine and drive train to pull a small camper, but the truck has to be able to handle the loaded tongue weight of the camper, any cargo items in the truck and occupants. And all that without using a WD hitch.

There is a lot of fine print in vehicle ratings that apply to towing travel trailers, they all have to fit, not just a tow rating. Having towed travel trailers with SUV's before, I learned the hard way where all the weak areas are on a SUV. Many times, it comes down to not enough payload capacity or rear axle capacity or both. Once you know where to look, then you can sort this out too. Just trying to help you not make the same mistakes many do all over again.

Hope this helps

John