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BCU - Fire Solar Oven Entrance Why a Solar Oven? Method 1 Method 2 Using Your Oven Contact B.Howe |
Solar OvenUsing Your Solar OvenLocation: � Place your oven in a spot which will give it many hours of direct sunlight, yet is still protected from the wind. Preparing the Oven: � Ensure that the glass is clean to allow the sunlight to pass into the box uninhibited. � Adjust the reflector to achieve the maximum amount of light being bounced into the oven. One method of doing this is to place a small mirror near the top edge of the reflector. Shift the reflector back and forth until the light from the mirror lines up with the front edge of the oven. You can also use my method, and eyeball it. � Be aware that the oven will require re-adjustment every hour or two in order to maintain the most efficient angle to the sun. Cooking: � Close the lids on your pots tightly or use a tight seran wrap whenever you cook with your oven. Steam from the foods can condense in your insulation and destroy your oven in a very short time. From a more immediate point of view, the steam will also condense on the glass and since less sunlight gets into the box, cooking slows. � If your food requires stirring while it cooks wait until it is hot. Then stir it quickly and reseal the oven. Try not to do this too often or you will lose most of your heat. � For foods that expand when cooked (ie. rice, pasta, beans, etc.) use water as you normally would. However, because it is virtually impossible to burn anything in a solar oven, you will find that you do not need water when cooking other foods (meats, eggs, vegetables). Crisis Cooking Comments: � If you have made and eaten your hot meal or have the room in your oven for more than one meal at a time, consider cooking something that can be eaten cold. The next day you may not have enough sun to run the oven, but you may as well have something that didn't come straight from the can. � Many people have barbecues or small propane camp stoves to do their cooking on in the event of an emergency. This is great and ensures that they will not be eating cold food for a few days anyway. I would still suggest making a solar oven in order to extend the fuel supply. Unfortunately, when you run out of propane the cookers that need it are rendered useless. Brett Last Updated: March 19, 2001 |