22.10 Cooking without power
Rule number one: anything that burns fuel goes outside, in an open place away from the building, never in the apartment, a covered patio, the garage, or next to doors and windows. Carbon monoxide has no smell, and in an apartment complex it can get into your unit and your neighbors'. Details in chapters 4 and 9.
| Method | Where | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| No cooking | Indoors | Zero risk of fire or CO; zero fuel | Repetitive menu; you need ready-to-eat cans |
| Camp stove (propane or butane) | Outdoors only, away from the building | Fast; boils water | CO and fire; check the complex's rules; you need canisters |
| Gas or charcoal grill | Outdoors only, away from the building | Cooks meat from the freezer before it spoils | CO; many rentals prohibit grills on patios; burn bans |
| Solar oven | Outdoors, in the sun | No fuel; ideal in sunny areas | Slow; sunny days only; needs watching |
| Heat-retention pot ("hay box cooker") | Indoors (after boiling outside) | Saves a lot of fuel | Only finishes the cooking; watch the temperature |
| Battery power station + kettle or small electric hot plate | Indoors | No CO | Uses a lot of battery; check the appliance's watts |
Solar oven
An insulated box with a black interior, a clear glass or plastic lid, and reflectors that concentrate the sun. On clear days it works well from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Use dark, thin pots with lids, aim the box at the sun, and re-aim every hour. It is good for rice, already-soaked beans, stews, and for pasteurizing water (with an indicator or thermometer). Use a thermometer: the food must quickly pass 140 °F (60 °C), the upper limit of the USDA "danger zone" (40–140 °F / 4–60 °C), and be served hot.
Heat-retention pot ("hay box cooker")
It uses the heat the pot already has: you boil for a few minutes on the stove (outside) and then put the covered pot in a very well-insulated box, where it keeps cooking for several hours without fire. It saves a lot of fuel and leaves nothing burning.
- Prepare the box before lighting the stove: an empty cooler, a cardboard box, or a basket, with blankets, towels, or sleeping bags. Leave a hollow the size of the pot.
- Use a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, filled at least halfway: more volume holds more heat.
- Boil the food outside for a few minutes with the pot covered (rice, already-soaked beans, oatmeal, soups, stews with small pieces).
- Move it quickly to the box, without uncovering it. Wrap it in a towel, cover it on all sides, and put a pillow on top.
- Wait several hours without opening it. Every time you open it, you lose heat. Do test runs on normal days to learn how long each dish takes in your pot.
- Before serving, check the temperature: if it dropped below 140 °F (60 °C) or you have doubts, boil it again. Leftovers are reheated to 165 °F (74 °C) (USDA) or thrown away: without a refrigerator they are not kept.
