Cooking on Your Boat
Unless you’re one of the poor souls cursed with seasickness, you’ll probably eventually get hungry on your boat! The good news is that many cabin cruisers, yachts, and even some pontoon boats have cooking areas or galleys. Read on to learn a few tips about how to cook safely in a boat. If you’re looking for your first boat, come to White's Marine Center in Pittsburg, MO.
Space Constraints
Galleys tend to range in size from small, to extremely small, so it’s important to think about how space constraints will affect your menu and cooking practices. You’ll want to plan for having a much smaller sink, which will make it very hard to wash large pots and pans. In terms of storage, you’ll probably have a somewhat small amount of refrigerator space, a small amount of pantry space, and a little bit of storage for tools and equipment. For this reason, it’s extremely helpful to use pieces of cooking equipment that can be used for multiple purposes.
A wok is a great piece of cookware for a boat because it can be used as a pot or a saute pan. Plus, its wide design makes it harder for the contents to splash out if the sea conditions aren’t perfect.
When planning a menu, make sure you choose a variety of different ingredients that will be stored in the refrigerator and pantry. If you try to make food from only refrigerated food, you’ll run out of fridge space and you won’t efficiently use your pantry space. Canned food can be a space-efficient way to store food, and it will make putting dinner on the table that much easier and faster. Plus, many canned foods can be reheated in the microwave.
Safety
Because of the size constraints of most galleys and the unstable conditions that come with floating in the water, it’s crucial that you pay attention to safety while cooking on a boat. First of all, never cook unless your boat is anchored or docked. Knife safety is extremely important. A magnetic knife rack can be a good way to make sure your knives stay safely in place and don’t slide off the counter.
Some cooking methods should be saved for life on the shore, specifically deep fat frying. Frying is always a hazard on a gas stove, but it’s even more so when you’re not on flat ground. Make sure you bring plenty of fire extinguishers along and keep them close at hand when you’re cooking.
Cooking on your boat is a unique experience, and it’s always nice to have hot food when you want it. If you’re looking to buy a new boat, stop by White's Marine Center in Pittsburg, MO. We proudly serve all those in Kansas City and Springfield.