Removing grease splatter

Les Izmore · Oct 8, 2016

Theresa said: ↑

We're very similar to you: We're waiting another year or two to buy; that is, we want to buy at the point we become empty nesters, and with our youngest a college sophomore, that's on the horizon.

Like you, we have decided that we do not want the stove or the sink. We aren't interested in recreating a home kitchen (which is a different entity altogether -- what works in one place doesn't necessarily work in the other); rather, we've analyzed what we like and don't like while camping, and we are quite certain about this decision. We know this is a minority decision don't really care whether other people agree or disagree, but here's our reasoning:

- We have no interest in camping "off-grid" or in Walmart parking lots. Our comfort level is sleeping in an established campground with showers and toilets nearby. As such, we'll always have water available in the campsite. We have "nesting" water containers that we use now for camping; they will require little space /essentially no weight in the trailer.

- Water in the teardrop creates more work (refilling, emptying, hooking up, winterizing) and the possibility of leaks ... perhaps even the possibility of damage to the teardrop itself. In exchange for those negatives, you're using a tiny sink, its size making it of questionable value. We prefer to carry several larger water containers and use them in whatever place seems to make most sense at the moment. It's considerably less effort.

- We don't like the idea of cooking in the clamshell of the teardrop. We don't want to splatter grease, etc. onto the teardrop, requiring that we then wipe up all the surfaces in the teardrop ... and we really don't want to slide the used stove into a small and difficult to clean compartment. We think it's easier to use our grill on the picnic table. This also means the cook is at the table with the group, not stuck facing the teardrop.

- In our minds, the teardrop is for food storage, while cooking should be done on the campfire or on the grill. If you remove the stove and the sink, you gain fairly significant storage space.

- We are very into cooking on our MiniMax Big Green Egg grill (and, in fact, are attending EggtoberFest next weekend, a celebration of these fantastic grills), which is small enough to be portable in a heat-proof container. This will transport in the trunk of our tow vehicle. We also enjoy using our pudgie pie cookers over a campfire; we wrap them in aluminum foil before we cook, eliminating all dishwashing.

My best advice: Think about the type of camping meals you personally prefer to create, and mentally "walk through" the steps you'd take -- consider them both with and without the stove and sink. Only then will you be prepared to say with confidence what you want in your teardrop.

PBaker, I totally agree with you that one reason to buy a teardrop is that you can keep it "packed" all the time, so you're ready to camp on a moment's notice -- but I don't think this changes by removing the sink/stove. It just alters the tools you pack.
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Anyone concerned about grease spatter in the galley should consider cooking with coconut oil. It is liquid above 76 degrees Fahrenheit, so it cleans up very easily. There are a few challenges with ig in hot weather. If anyone is interested in hearing more about that, I could start a new thread.

Theresa · Oct 27, 2016

Really? Coconut oil? I have some here at home but haven't even opened it. I think I bought it for some recipe that never happened. I'm going to test this theory on my home stove and see what happens.

Thanks for the idea!

Les Izmore · Oct 27, 2016

Coconut oil is great stuff. A lot of other oils are damaged by cooking at high heat, but coconut oil holds up much better. We routinely add a big gob of it to our morning oatmeal - it is a great saturated fat (now that the low fat myth appears to have finally been laid to rest).

You'll still get some meat fat spattering from the pan, but it is still far less of a mess than you would get with the standard vegetable oils.

Ben · Oct 28, 2016

Inn42 said: ↑

Coconut oil is great stuff. A lot of other oils are damaged by cooking at high heat, but coconut oil holds up much better. We routinely add a big gob of it to our morning oatmeal - it is a great saturated fat (now that the low fat myth appears to have finally been laid to rest).

You'll still get some meat fat spattering from the pan, but it is still far less of a mess than you would get with the standard vegetable oils.
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A bit off topic but coconut oil is good for other non cooking uses too. It makes a very good massage oil - the smell and taste are nice.

gregangsten · Jan 25, 2022

How coconut oil ever got to be known as a healthy alternative is beyond me. Much more saturated fat than any other cooking oil. Goes hand-in-hand with the high temperature stability, unfortunately. Good for massage and skin externally though.

An article if you are interested.

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Removing grease splatter

Les Izmore Junior Ranger

Theresa Novice

Les Izmore Junior Ranger

Ben Ranger Donating Member

gregangsten Junior Ranger

Dielectric Grease

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Removing grease splatter

Les Izmore Junior Ranger

Theresa Novice

Les Izmore Junior Ranger

Ben Ranger Donating Member

gregangsten Junior Ranger

Dielectric Grease

Share This Page

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