Saturday School: Alternative Cooking Methods

Saturday School:  Alternative Cooking Methods

I recently taught a class about alternative cooking methods.  So today, I want to share some of the information from that class.  Class is in session:

When will you be left without electricity?  Will you be able to cook during that time?  What is your plan for what you will eat during extended power outages?  When planning, include a few different alternative cooking methods as conditions may be such that one method may not be useful.

There are many methods of cooking food without electricity.  Here are a few listed with the type of fuel they use, and where to use them:

Method	Fuel Used	Safety Precautions
Dutch oven	charcoal, coals from a fire	outdoors only!
Apple box oven	charcoal	outdoors only!
Can Stove	charcoal, coals from a fire, wood, other fire starters/burners (like a buddy burner)	outdoors only!
Charcoal Grill	charcoal	outdoors only!
Gas Grill	propane	outdoors only!
Camp Stove	propane	outdoors only!
Camp Stove Oven	propane	outdoors only!
Fire	wood	indoors (fire place, wood burning stove) or outdoors (fire pit, chimney, camp fire)
Butane Stove	butane	indoors or outdoors
Fondue pots (non-electric)	liquid gel, candles, sterno fuel	indoors or outdoors
Sterno stoves	sterno fuel, candles	indoors or outdoors
Solar ovens	sun	outdoors
icebox/chest oven		indoors or outdoors

Charcoal & propane fuel are to be used only outside, they are very dangerous and deadly to use indoors--do not use them indoors!

Wood can be used indoors when used in a fireplace or wood-burning stove, otherwise use outdoors.

Butane and sterno fuels are safe to use indoors (but still not in small enclosed spaces).

With any method, follow the directions for safety.  In upcoming weeks, I hope to highlight one or two methods at a time and discuss in more depth how to use them, the pros & cons associated with each method, plus other information and ideas.  Also see last weeks post on making a solar oven.

Here is the handout from the class I taught: