Anybody set up for outdoor cooking?

[Loshali]

Just curious to see where this rates in amongst your preparation plans:


This is mainly a southern problem, although it does get warm in the northern states.

How do you plan on cooking food when our southern temperatures are over 70-80 degrees for about eight months of the year? Back in the day, they had outside kitchens or stoves set up. Sure, you probably have a gas grill. But propane is more expensive than wood, and harder to store. Plus, very few people will steal your wood in the summertime. (that leads to another question, can you hide your wood stash for wintertime wood stoves?) Wood can also be gathered in the woods for free, with permission from adjacent landowners.

I'm doing some reasearch into efficient adobe ovens, that will heat up without using as much wood as say a wood cookstove. It has a flat surface on top for stovetop cooking as well as the oven for baking and for casseroles. (very good way to use stored canned goods).


I've also used a solar oven before, and love it. It doesnt produce th radiant head that a woodstove or cookstove does.

I'll probalby post something on both of these in the 'gear' section soon.

Lo~

[lazer128]

We have gone thru phases where we cooked a lot outdoors in dutch ovens. We have half a dozen or so of them.
Reminder! I need to buy some charcoal.

[Cowboyup65]

I am interested in seeing what you find out.
I have looked at Lehmans? for their wood cook stoves and love them, but I could go get them for less than their shipping.
I am thinking about making a summer kitchen for us since we cook so much.
Which reminds me.....about time to till up the garden plot when it warms a little more.

The solar oven, was it something you made or bought??

I have seen some camp stoves that take white gas or propane, but like you say, then you have to buy it. And with a woodstove, if we loose electricity in winter, we could still eat without cooking it in the fireplace (did that for 3 days).

Really need to buy some MRE to keep on hand for those times.

[TLM]

We have gone thru phases where we cooked a lot outdoors in dutch ovens. We have half a dozen or so of them.
Reminder! I need to buy some charcoal.

I have a couple of Dutch ovens... do you have a fire pit?
I can cook with charcoal but open fires are against the law in the city limits where I live.

Peace
TLM

[Loshali]

I am interested in seeing what you find out.
I have looked at Lehmans? for their wood cook stoves and love them, but I could go get them for less than their shipping.
I am thinking about making a summer kitchen for us since we cook so much.
Which reminds me.....about time to till up the garden plot when it warms a little more.

The solar oven, was it something you made or bought??

I have seen some camp stoves that take white gas or propane, but like you say, then you have to buy it. And with a woodstove, if we loose electricity in winter, we could still eat without cooking it in the fireplace (did that for 3 days).

Really need to buy some MRE to keep on hand for those times.

The first solar oven I made was from two cardboard boxes and some thin aluminium (not sure the mm thickness, but it was much heavier than aluminium foil) with a boiling bag for a lid. Man it would cook a roast in an afternoon that would melt in your mouth. It'll almost boil water if set in the proper direction of the sun. You can find them online for under $200, even less in some instances.

You know, you can incorporate the adobe stove on your patio, to work with an outdoor fireplace, and nobody will ever know that it was more than decoration. I think I have a site for some of the stoves:

http://www.urbanearthsolutions.com/earthovens.html

I dont like that one, but it gives you an idea of how easy it is to build. It takes sand, clay, and water. Period. I've seen them built into walls, standing alone, and much smaller than that one shows. I"ll look for some more sites.

[TLM]

I'm set up to cook with electricity, wood, charcoal, gasoline, propane, white gas or kerosene.

I guess I need to get a solar cooker, then I would have all the bases covered.

[oly]

Ive been back east in that humid heat and never thought about the heat and heat index.
would a dakota fire hole or a hobo stove work

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1984-03-01/Make-It-and-Take-It-Hobo-Stove.aspx

http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4TSHB_enUS299US300&q=dakota+fire+hole&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=9bihSa6zG5mQsQOhlJ3WCQ&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title#

[SNIPERFX]

i have a mess kit, old school baby!!!!!!!!!!!

[lazer128]

I have a couple of Dutch ovens... do you have a fire pit?
I can cook with charcoal but open fires are against the law in the city limits where I live.
Peace
TLM

No fire pit. Just set up on the dirt next to the driveway. I thot about building a cooking table that you fill with sand. Like a litter box with long legs. This way you don't have to squat. This might be a good weekend project!

[Mik7777]

I have been experimenting with a small 10 inch x 12 inch Fresnel Lens for a couple of weeks now and soon will be getting a larger 49 inch lens I just ordered on line. This is a pretty impressive tool that can be used in the sun for cooking, Desalinization, Purifying water, and run a Stirling Engine for power as well as many other possible uses. Check out the website and Videos at "Greenpowerscience.com". I am just starting to build my first parabolic cooker and just completed building a Solar Water Heater.

[Moira]

I have a dutch oven, and a couple of grills.
I also have a tripod for hanging over a fire.

[themachenic,]

you can cook anything on a charcoal grill.even back breads!

[Mik7777]

Check out my post on the Fresnel Lens on Jan 2009. Also experimenting and using solar cookers, solar ovens, solar water heaters, and solar panels. No Fuel, no smoke, no smell, no noise, just cooked food, Purified Salt OR Fresh water, and warm water for bath, and electricity without a generator.......... :)

[ToeCrusher]

I have a Char-Griller Super Pro Charcoal Grill/Smoker(Mmmm smoked ribs!) and two Lodge cast iron 12" and 8" pans.That's about it for outdoor cooking so far.

[oly]

I have a dutch oven, and a couple of grills.
I also have a tripod for hanging over a fire.

I place hot coals under and on top of my dutch oven and it works good, this week i am going to make a tripod