Do you cook in your TT even when you have an outdoor kitchen?

[TTnewbie]

My wife told me today that she read an article online stating that you should avoid cooking inside of your TT if you have an outdoor kitchen set up. This is due to the odors that stick to fabrics inside of the TT. Any experienced members care to chime in?

[Virginian]

I will say that so far we have avoided cooking in ours for just this reason. We looked at a used fifth wheel at a dealer, the only used trailer we've ever been in, and it stunk of food odors. We have done all of our cooking outside, and will continue to do so, unless we find ourselves in a situation where it's just not possible. The charcoal grill, Coleman camp stove, Blackstone griddle, and a picnic table have done everything we need, including coffee.
Until last year, we have always been tent campers, so that's how we've always done it, regardless of the weather.

[TTnewbie]

That is what I am concerned about now that my wife read the article. I can't imagine sleeping in a TT that is full of the smell of whatever I cooked for dinner.

We've been tent camping for well over 20 years so we are used to the outdoor cooking. My TT has an outdoor kitchen but it is nothing to write home about. I am thinking that I will take a portable grill with me and cook outside. I wish there was a hood vent over the stove. That would make a huge difference if you can funnel all of the cooking exhaust out of the trailer. Is there such a thing?

[Reverse_snowbird]

We try to cook outside the mh when possible, but not because of cooking smells (except fish). It heats up the rig and puts a lot of humidity into the rig.
We turn on the roof vent to get rid of the cooking fumes and open a window. The roof vent takes most of the odor out of the rig.

We take an electric skillet (with lid) which can be used for cooking anything from pancakes to a stew. You can use it indoors or out. We also take an extension cord which can be plugged into the campsites 110v on the pole.

We also travel with a can of Fabreeze because sometimes other people odors can be a bit overpowering.

[bob213]

Where we camp it is usually very hot. We cook outside mostly to avoid adding more heat to trailer. Winter camping we will use the oven but still cook outdoors. Cooking odors are a concern but just cooking in a confined space doesn't compare to outdoors.

[chriscowles]

We cook inside and outside but not inside if it's hot, humid, or if the food has a strong smell. We almost never fry anything, so that's not a factor.

I also really like the gas griddle that came with the outside kitchen. It's versatile, ready to control and easy to clean. I guess I could sit it on table inside but it's have to rig up a connection to a 1# propane bottle, and why bother?

[Virginian]

My trailer does have an exhausted hood vent over the stove, but we've only turned it on to confirm that it worked.
As the others have mentioned, someone else had warned me that using the stove really heats up the interior.

[dalford]

Most people we RV with do both. Cook inside and outside. We don’t cook outside because we are worried about food smell or odors as some on this thread are using. I cook inside at home more than outside. Sure the food we cook may linger for a while and some foods linger more than others but I guess I’m not as sensitive as some nor is my wife.

I cooked corned beef and cabbage last night in the RV. Smelled great while cooking and lingered for a while but no trace of it today. Tonight was BLT’s with bacon cooked in Foodie. Bacon aroma was wonderful. It will linger for a while, just like home but it will not stick to our furniture and make our RV smell like a restaurant kitchen...lol.

Next worry is using the RV toilet....hmmmm

[camaro80]

Maybe depends where you are, but we do cook a little in our trailer. We'll use the slow cooker, maybe run up a pot of pasta on an induction cooktop. Of course we'll use the BBQ and Blackstone griddle outside as often as possible., but sometimes cold weather makes it nice to throw a chili or something into a slow cooker.

[flyflotrtim]

When camping, and we always boondock, we do as much cooking outside on our grill or over a fire. However we still do lots of cooking inside. Residual odor inside the TT has never been a problem.

[Beachbourbon]

Originally Posted by TTnewbie

My wife told me today that she read an article online stating that you should avoid cooking inside of your TT if you have an outdoor kitchen set up. This is due to the odors that stick to fabrics inside of the TT. Any experienced members care to chime in?

Odors don’t stick to pleather or get to bedrooms. BUT we don’t cook really, really stinky foods. As someone with an excellent sense of smell and experience , your wife is wrong IMO. That an $5 will get you a Latte at Starbucks

[RGrimm]

We have always cooked inside in the Motorhome we had before our current Vibe. It had a good exhaust fan (to outside) and a ceiling fan near the stove. We never had odors and the couch's AC worked well to remove the humidity and added heat caused by cooking. In fact our MH had a convection oven and my wife used that often and they create some heat, but the AC had no problems handling it even here in Florida in the summer. But then the foods we (DW) prepared were not smelly foods.

We've only used the Vibe twice since we got it and did cook in it and really had no lasting odors. The Vibe does have an exhaust fan over the cooktop which helps and it does vent to the outside.
-Russ

[garywilson]

Nine years and haven't cooked a full meal inside.
Usually, only biscuits in the oven and coffee in a coffee maker (drip).
Concern is not the grease, odors, spills, fire potential, and critters.
Although I have plenty of ventilation, I am more concerned about moisture produced by cooking.

[jay2703]

Yes, that's why it has a kitchen.

[Cost4133]

i do most of the cooking outside on the blackstone or griddle. That being said, I have cooked inside and will continue to do so when the need arises. my camper does have a vent over the stove which keeps most of the fumes and moisture going outside.

[medalguy]

We use the kitchen seldom. Usually we eat salads and cool items during the summer, or we try local restaurants to get local favorites. We do have a gas grill if we’re somewhere not convenient to a small restaurant and we might cook hamburgers or hot dogs. We don’t cook really smelly things inside and rarely fry anything.

[Blackrock]

I bought my wagon to live in and use just like an extension of my home. Since the spring of 2016 it's been to Alaska and back, all over the western states plus we lived in it for three months straight in an RV resort. Cooking, eating, sleeping and using the bathroom just like we do here at home. I bought it to use and maintain and my wife is a great housekeeper.

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

Originally Posted by jay2703

Yes, that's why it has a kitchen.

And I don't use the bathroom either if their is a tree nearby.

[YoBobH42]

We have always had the luck of having very sensitive alarms in both of the campers we have owned and it was a matter of survival and surrender to the alarms that don't want to shut up. Campfire cooking is more fun and tastes better. Similarly we also try to always eat outside on the picnic table provided. This cuts down on food debris inside and just feels more like "camping".

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

Originally Posted by Blackrock

I bought my wagon to live in and use just like an extension of my home. Since the spring of 2016 it's been to Alaska and back, all over the western states plus we lived in it for three months straight in an RV resort. Cooking, eating, sleeping and using the bathroom just like we do here at home. I bought it to use and maintain and my wife is a great housekeeper.

The shame of it all! You probably use the heater and air-conditioner also?