First Real Try at Solar Cooking

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I got a whiff of propane this morning. That usually means I'm running out of lp gas. I have wanted to try solar cooking for some time and this might be the perfect time to give it  go.

I never seemed to have the right components together at the same time. I did have a box and some tin foil so I decided to try a simple prototype and see what would happen. I actually put in cooked food to see if it would reheat it. 

I used a cardboard box that I painted black on the outside. Then I realized that almost none of the black was going to be facing the sun. I lined the inside of the box with tin foil and put a scrap of black cloth in the bottom. I didn't have any glass to cover it with so I put the bowl in an oven bag. I put in some rice and sausage and let it heat for about 2 hours. It did work. The bowl was so hot I needed pot holders. The sausage was just right but the rice was just barely warm. Guess I should have stirred it once or twice. 

The box wasn't very large so I could only put a small bowl in it. I'd like to try a larger box and maybe make one out of wood so it wouldn't fall apart if it rains. 

Of course I could pop this in the microwave and have it ready to eat in 2 minutes, and I have a nice crock pot for all day cooking, but the crock pot actually helps heat up the trailer. Solar cooking is done outside, is free and I'm learning something. 

More Keeping Cool

Another thing that really helps keep the heat out, is not firing up the stove to cook, but cook outdoors. That would come right after having a tent. I don't have a hot water tank either so I have to heat water on the stove to bath or wash dishes. That definitely heats up the camper.

There's another advantage to having two cooking facilities. If one runs out of propane, you can always cook on the other one. Definitely an advantage when you don't know how much propane is left. Click on the image or click here to read more about outdoor cookers.
 This would be my first choice if I had the money. It has its own stand and is big enough for me to dye wool on. I won't be getting it any time soon though.

Most likely I'll get one of these. I've had several and they do work well. The only drawback is that it's a little harder to regulate the heat very precisely. It can be connected to a 20 lb. propane tank so it's economical that way. Click Here or click on the image to read more about these nifty little tabletop propane grills.