Fireside Fare: Cooking Off-Grid on Our Narrowboat Journey

Cooking off-grid often creates an image of a large pot over an open fire. While that's okay in the summer on a camping holiday, it's not something that fills me with joy in mid-January with gale blowing. On the narrowboat, cooking off-grid only means cooking on the wood stove or the small gas cooker.  

Navigating the Culinary Challenges of Off-Grid Living.

 The two-ring cooker uses a small gas bottle. It always seems to run out in the evening when it is raining (or maybe we notice it more when the weather is not so great). The small gas bottles are handy as they are refillable and aren't too heavy to carry down the towpath.  

I use the gas cooker and rings as little as possible, and instead, I cook on the multifuel stove. The stove is on every day to keep us warm, so it makes sense always to have something cooking on the top. This can be anything from a stew to a kettle of water for the copious amounts of tea we drink or for washing up.  

Chickpeas with tomatoes and pesto.

Efficient Cooking Techniques: Making the Most of Limited Resources

 As the stove has no oven, I cook on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet (which is about 40 years old and gives everything a great flavour) or a pan. This cooking method is perfect for stews, soup, curries, dahls, omelettes, and sweet and savoury bread, which can be flatbread or soda. I can also cook jacket potatoes by wrapping them in foil and leaving them to cook for a few hours on the top of the cooker.  

Cooking on the stove can make cooking times a little erratic, as sometimes the fire goes better than other times. The fire burns more intensely when the weather is windy, as the wind draws the fire and makes it burn faster. On damp, foggy days, the fire burns less well, so you may need to start cooking earlier or have a quick snack while you wait.   

 As the fire can be unpredictable, I cut potatoes and vegetables, which are boiled into small chunks to cook quickly. This is a good tip for any cooking, as the smaller pieces will cook quicker, saving energy and reducing your cooking bill.  

I also cook soup in the evening when the fire is on to keep us warm. It means we always have lunch or even dinner for the next day if I cook up some bread to go with it.  

Adapting Recipes for Off-Grid Cooking:   

I have found it hard to find recipes, especially for the stove, so I tend to adapt the ones I used for years when we lived in a house. As my family will tell you, I have always adapted recipes to use what I have instead of popping out to the shops (which was a 16-mile round trip). Sometimes it works out great, other times not so. I tend not to cook cakes too much as they require a specific steady temperature. Instead, I cook fruity soda bread, which is like a scone. It is very forgiving and always seems to turn out well, whatever the stove's temperature.  

The fruity soda bread recipe is adaptable and can be used to make savoury bread for soups and stews. Simply omit the sugar and fruit; then either leave plain or add chives (often foraged. See below) or herbs and cheese for a more decadent option. If you would like to be able to cook things like cakes and quiches, the Omnia oven - [add link] is a great option and comes with plenty of recipe ideas.  

Maximizing Use of Limited Space:   

I absolutely love living in a small space. To give you an idea of how small our boat is (40ft in total). I can move from the sitting area through the kitchen to the bedroom in three strides. This is perfect for a lazy Sunday. I get out of bed, put the kettle on the gas stove then snuggle back in bed until the kettle whistles gently. I also always fill the kettle the night before as my pouring isn't great in the morning! 

 The small space is easy to make messy but quick to tidy up. We make the most of our space well and only have the necessary things to avoid clutter. We also have a hanging fruit bowl (which rocks the fruit when it is windy). A spice rack inside a cupboard door. Plus, cup hangers and a pull-out draw, which fits under the cupboards for pots and pans. I limit my pans to two skillets (large and small), a pressure cooker, and two saucepans. We also have hooks inside the cupboard doors to hang utensils like a whisk, serving spoons, and spatulas.  

When cooking, I am mindful to tidy up as I go, as even a few things on the worksurface can make the space cluttered and hard to work in. If you are not careful, you can end up with nowhere to put, even a small bowl!  

Utilizing Alternative Cooking Tools:  

 I have had a pressure cooker (which my children hated as they can be noisy), which is excellent for when the fire is going well and will cook soup in record time. Sometimes, it doesn't get up to temperature, as the stove isn't hot enough, so things don't cook quite as quickly, but it is a good test of patience. The pan is versatile and is handy when a large pan is required for marmalade or jam.  

 We also have a camping stove. I use it in the summer to cook outside if I am deep frying anything or want to be outside. I never deep-fry inside the boat as the space feels too small for lots of hot oil, and the frying smell lingers, which I prefer to avoid.  

Foraging Adventures: Harvesting Nature's Bounty Along the Waterways

The waterways have an abundance of food that can be foraged. Here are some of the things I collect:  

• Wood Ears – a type of mushroom found on dead elder wood all year round. It can be cooked or dried.  

• Wild chives - Found in grassy areas in the spring.    

• Blackberries – Found in hedgerows from August to October.   

•  Cobnuts – Found in hedgerows from August to October  

• Sloes berries – Pick late autumn or early winter after the first frost, as legend would have it.   

• Elderflowers – Collect May to mid-June, perfect for cordials or champagne.   

• Chestnuts – Found on the horse chestnut tree from the end of September to the end of January (if the squirrels don't get them first!).  

• Ivy leaves - Not edible but can be cooked down to make washing liquid.  

 Important note - Before you go foraging, it is essential to do your research so you are picking what is edible and not confusing it with anything harmful.  

 Managing Food Storage:  

 Our narrowboat has two cupboards for dried goods and a fridge. We only use the refrigerator in the summer when solar power is abundant, as it drains the batteries. In the winter, we store anything that needs to be kept cool in the engine room or in a little cupboard we made, which sits below the water line.  

We are often quite far from civilization, so we always keep a week's food supply onboard to give us simple meals if we cannot get to a shop. I always keep a good supply of versatile ingredients like flour, pulses, pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes, stock cubes, and coconut milk.  

Here are a few changes we made to manage the winter without a fridge:  

 We use soya milk instead of cow's milk - it doesn't need refrigerating as much.  

 We only eat meat occasionally, as it needs to be stored somewhere cold. Instead, we use tofu or TVP (texture vegetable protein that is rehydrated when required). The TVP is a good substitute for mince, and the firm tofu can be coated in cornflour and used instead of chicken.  

 Safety Precautions:  

Often, when on a narrowboat, you are far from civilization. To stay safe when cooking, it is essential to ensure your stove is fitted correctly. You also need the correct fire extinguishers, a fire blanket, and a carbon monoxide monitor.   

 Environmental Impact:  

While we didn't move onto a narrowboat to help the environment, it has made us more conscious of the resources we use. We no longer have a limitless supply of electricity and water, which has made us realise how much we use. 

The water we use is carried in 25-litre containers to the boat, which makes it pretty precious. We now leave the tap on while cleaning our teeth, save the washing up, and do it in the evening when the water can be heated on the stove.   

All our electricity comes from solar panels on the roof or a small generator. We only use the generator when we have to, which is on gloomy winter days when the daylight hours are short. With this in mind, we decided not to have a microwave or an air fryer, as they use too much power for our 12v electric system and take up a lot of space.  

Using wood for the fire may not be the most environmentally friendly option, but we use the heat from the wood to keep us warm, cook our food, and dry our clothes. So, it is pretty efficient. 

In conclusion, cooking off-grid on our narrowboat journey has been both a challenge and a delight. Embracing the limitations of space, resources, and unpredictable weather has led us to discover creative solutions and adapt our cooking methods to suit our lifestyle on the waterways. 

From utilizing the multifuel stove for both warmth and cooking to maximizing the use of limited space through efficient storage solutions, every aspect of our culinary journey has been infused with practicality and ingenuity. Adapting recipes, utilizing alternative cooking tools like the pressure cooker, and foraging for fresh ingredients along the waterways have enriched our meals with unique flavors and experiences. 

Moreover, managing food storage without a refrigerator in the winter months has taught us the value of versatile ingredients and mindful consumption. Making conscious choices to minimize our environmental impact, from conserving water to eschewing power-hungry appliances, has become integral to our off-grid lifestyle. 

While the journey may have its challenges, such as trying to change the gas bottle on a rainy Sunday morning in your pyjamas, it has also deepened our connection to nature and heightened our appreciation for the simple joys of cooking and living on the water. Ultimately, our off-grid cooking adventure has not only nourished our bodies but also enriched our souls, making every meal a celebration of resourcefulness, creativity, and the beauty of life on the narrowboat.