Do It Yourself Green Project: Solar Cooker

[natalie]

Hi guys,

I found this extremely simple method of creating our own solar cooker. Just thought you too might be interested in making one, so here are the steps:

[B]Steps to make your own perfect solar cooker[/B]

[LIST][*]Glue two pieces of black poster board together at their edges, making one long piece. [*]Cover one side of the poster board with aluminum foil. [*]Make a cone shape, with the foil side inward, by bending the poster board edges together & tape it secure. The cone will be open at both ends. [*]Line the bottom of a cardboard box with black construction paper. [*]The dark surface will absorb heat and make the bottom of the box hot. [*]Prop the cone inside the box. Point the narrowest opening down. [*]This can be used to cook things like s’mores Put the s’more in a baggie at the bottom of the box and in the center of the cone. 25 minutes latter, perfect s’mores.[/LIST]

[sueerassmus]

Solar cooking is a wonderful way to go, especially on a sunny, summer afternoon. Here is an article about solar cooking:

Solar Cooking

Jackie Harsha moved to Phoenix about 10 years ago. After she got her first electric bill during the summer she knew she had to do something. As a life long cook, she decided to try solar cooking.
Outside in Arizona, there's a lot of sun. And it's hot. Perfect for cooking. On this day, Jackie showed this reporter and conventional cook, Judy Toth with SImply Impressive Cooking Classes, how she worked. First, one has to buy an oven. People can make their own or go on-line. There's a local place Jackie knows of where someone can purchase one for about $100. Then she says find the best place in the backyard to put it. Not in the shade. Then take a favorite recipe and go for it.
Jackie's first dish was a meatloaf. Since then she's made pies, cakes, cookies, breads, roasted vegetables, potatoes. The only thing she finds doesn't work is french fries. This way of cooking is sort of a moist bake, like a crock pot, french fries don't crisp the way they should. Other differences: time. The solar cooker has to go with the flow. Typical recipes give very specific cook times, solar cooking does not. The chef has to test and look to see when "it's done." Plus, if there's shade or a breeze, things change. Also, Jackie says it's healthier. Why? In solar cooking, less ****es are needed. Less salt, sugar, oils... Harsha believes it's due to the infrared heat in solar cooking. Toth, tasted her bacon and described it as more rich tasting.
Harsha decided to write a cook book for solar cookers. The ones written prior were so old she thought a new version was needed. To buy a cook book (for $19.95), buy an oven or go to a solar cooking class go to one of the following websites. [url=http://www.heavensentfood.com]Heaven Sent Food-A Guide to Solar Cooking[/url] [url=http://www.preparingwisely.com]Preparing Wisely - Home[/url] [url=http://www.simplyimpressive.com]Simply Impressive Cooking School Mesa AZ Arizona Adult Cooking[/url]


Read more: [url=http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/2010/05/10/20100510solar-cooking-arizona-05102010.html#ixzz0p8x2ucLC]Solar cooking[/url]

[Saffron]

This is absolutely amazing. I had heard about solar cooking but hadn't really believed it. I will give it a go next summer.

Just one question, How much longer, if longer, does a meal take to cook that with a conventional oven?

[permaship]

Here is some experiments on simple Solar cookers we carried out last summer

[url]https://sites.google.com/site/permaship1/permaculture-practice/solar-ovens[/url]

Cheers

Permaship Team

[url]https://sites.google.com/site/permaship1/Home[/url]