Today I want to share some costs per meal when it comes to alternative cooking fuels. I hope these cost estimations help in planning what and how much of any kind of fuel you will use/store to cook without electricity (and thereby the methods you plan to use). These are just estimations based on my own calculations, they aren’t fact.
I highly suggest using the sun as much as possible, and also making either a wonder box oven or an ice-chest insulating oven to conserve fuel--you’d only need to use enough fuel to bring the food to a boil, plus the time to bring the actual food to a boil temperature (example: white rice 3-5 minutes, brown rice 10-15 minutes beyond the water boiling). By using the sun and an insulating oven, you are able to cut down on the amount of fuel you will need--great for those with limited storage space! Beyond these suggestions, I suggest a variety of methods--1 or 2 that can be used indoors, and 1 or 2 that can be used outdoors--because conditions and situations vary. See Saturday's post for a handout on possible methods and fuels.
Cost effectiveness of some alternative cooking fuels: solar energy (sunshine), charcoal, propane gas, butane gas, sterno fuel and Fired-Up (uses Insta-fire technology). For these, I used prices obtained from Walmart (except the butane fuel & Fired-Up). If you find sales, go online, or go to Sam’s club you may find a better deal.
The SUN: Solar ovens use energy from the sun to heat and cook food. Beyond the initial cost of the solar oven, the fuel is free! Each area has an average amount of sunny days. In the coastal empire/low-country about 60-65% of the year is sunny on average. Great odds for free cooking! FUEL COST: FREE!
CHARCOAL: OUTDOOR use only. Charcoal grills, dutch ovens, box ovens, can stoves and other grills can use charcoal. FUEL COST: Using Walmart’s price: 8.48 for 16.6 lbs--about 51 to 53 cents per meal-if using only about 18-20 charcoal per meal; if you are able to buy at Sam’s club or on sale this price will be less. (Sam’s club sells 2-20 lb bags for 16.68--if each pound is about 1 meals worth than the cost per meal will be around 42 cents a meal)
Based on my own calculations, a 16.6 lb bag of Kingsford original charcoal has about 300-320 full briquettes That makes for about 18-20 briquettes a pound--which is just right for 1 meal if just grilling, stick roasting or cooking. So about 16 meals per 16.6 lb bag of charcoal or about a pound of charcoal per meal.
The amount of charcoal needed per meal varies on the type of cooking/baking you will be doing. But in general plan for 15-50 charcoal per meal (more if dutch oven baking, less if just stick cooking, grilling or boiling water). Depending on the brand and type of charcoal, each briquette can give off between 20-50*F (averaging around 35*F).
If using a 12” dutch oven, you will need 23-33 charcoal briquettes to cook/bake a dish(325-450* respectively). If something needs to bake more than 1-2 hours you will need to add more charcoal.
Grills--depends on the size, but smaller portable/foldup grills need less charcoal. Grills around and smaller than 14” use about 16-30 briquettes for direct grilling, larger grills (18-27”) can use upwards 40 to 80 briquettes at a time for direct grilling.
Box ovens: to get a temperature of about 350* you will need 10-12 briquettes, adding more if baking long periods of time.
Can stoves: 10-12 briquettes for homemade ones, you can use more or less depending on how much heat you want and how long you want to cook.
PROPANE: OUTDOOR use only. Propane grills, camp stoves use propane. 1 lb of propane can give out about 22,000 BTUs (based on what I’ve read) or about 1-2 hours of burning on high or 4-6 hours of a simmer or burning on low.
Double burner campstove with 10000BTU per burner: if burning on high on both burners, a small 1 lb propane canister will last about 1 hour, maybe a little more. If burning on low on only one of the burners it could last up to 4 or 5 hours. If 1 meal is 30 minutes worth of burning time (on high) on 1 burner, then about 4 meals worth out of one canister. FUEL COST for those small green ~1 lb size tanks: Walmart’s propane cost: 2 canisters for 5.37--about 2.69/tank. About 67 cents per meal. If both burners are needed on high for 30 minutes--only 2 meals per canister--or about $1.35/meal.
Gas grills: each gas grill has a different BTU amount and a different amount of burners, so it will really vary how long a 15-20 lb propane tank will last. But, from what I’ve read, a 20 lb propane tank can burn for around 366,000 to 430,000 BTUs. If using only one burner at 15,000 BTUs, you could get about 20-28 meals out of a 20 lb tank. FUEL COST for those white 15-20 lb tanks: Walmart tank+gas: 43.92--about $2.20/meal (assuming you can get 20 meals out of the tank); Walmart exchange (you bring in your empty tank): 17.82-- about 89 cents per meal (again assuming 20 meals per tank).
PROPANE GAS/TANK NOTE: These figures are based on what I have read, they aren’t fact, so just be aware, you may find you get more or less out of your tank.
BUTANE GAS: WELL-VENTILATED areas use only. Butane stoves use butane gas. Locally, in the low-country, a butane stove can be bought for 33.75, and a fuel canister can be bought for 3.10. One fuel canister can burn on high for 1-2 hours, or on simmer (low) for 4-5 hours. FUEL COST: If one meal is 30 minutes on high--cost per meal will be between $.78 and $1.55. This is one of the more pricey fuels, but also one of the few that can be used indoors if it is well-ventilated.
STERNO GELLED FUEL: WELL-VENTILATED areas use only. Sterno fold up stoves, as well as other foldup stoves can use sterno canned fuel. A 7 oz can of sterno fuel can burn for about 2 hours; a 2.6 oz can will burn for about 45 minutes (according to the sterno website: http://www.sterno.com/pro/pages/faq.html see for more information and FAQs) Based on these figures, and my own timing that it takes a good 30 minutes just to bring a quart of water to boil, one sterno can of 7 oz will be enough for 2-3 meals. FUEL COST: Walmart sells 2 pack for 4.88--between about 81 cents and $1.22 per meal. Online, they sell a 6 pack for 13.97 (.78 to $1.16 per meal).
FIRED UP: OUTDOOR use, or if in fireplace or wood-burning stove--a well-ventilated area use. Fold up stoves, and other small or portable grills/stoves work great for Fired Up, bigger stoves and grills will work, but more Fired Up will be required. 1-2 cups of Fired Up will burn for about 20-30 minutes--enough to bring water to a boil. A #10 can of Fired Up at Emergency Essentials costs $11.95, there are about 12 cups in a can--so about 6 meals worth at 2 cups a meal. A four gallon bucket costs 47.95, which according to my calculations will have about 64 cups, or about 32 meals worth at 2 cups a meal. FUEL COST for a #10 can of Fired Up: $1.99/meal (when using 2 cups per meal); for a 4 gallon bucket of Fired Up: $1.50/meal (when using 2 cups per meal). These costs can be lessened if using only 1 cup (so to bring less water to a boil for less time, or to use as a starter for wood or charcoal). I have found that 3 to 4 tablespoons works well in getting charcoal going in a charcoal chimney or homemade can stove, with periodic stirring.
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