Haybox cooker

[Annpan]

I have made my self one - using some scabby old insulation in a storage box. cut circles out of slabs of the insulation to accommodate a earthen ware pot and made a lid from an other sheet of the insulation.

I have some chick peas in it just now but can anyone tell me if it works for dried beans and pulses?


Is there anything else that works well in it?

I know the 'ish bilbe says it is good for meat stews - and baring in mind that this is the first use of this one so it might not work at all - I don't eat a lot of meat, but I need a better way of cooking pulses, it takes to long on the hob or oven - I do use the wood burner in the winter, and I don't think we get quite enough sun to justify a solar oven.

[Mainer in Exile]

Have you ever heard of bean-hole beans? It's based on an old Penobscot Indian method, used for hundreds of years.

You first dig a hole in the ground, line it with rocks, and build a fire. When the fire has died down to coals, you put the beans, in a cast iron pot, in the hole and cover it with soil. There is enough heat left in the coals and in the stones to cook the beans in 8 to 10 hours.

More detailed instructions here:

http://www.yankeemagazine.com/recipes/s ... umber=2562
and here:
http://www.snowwowl.com/peoplepenobscots.html

[Clara]

It should be fine. I tried this method a few times in my miraculous yoghurt making machine (coolbox, sleeping bag, hot water bottle). Bear in mind that some pulses (inc. chickpeas) need to be boiled hard for about 10 minutes first off (i think it is to do with breaking down the outer layers so they don´t stay hard).

Fire pit sounds very earthy and romantic, but perhaps not for the average kitchen when there´s a toddler around eh?

[ina]

Rice works well - I used to "cook" it in bed.... Need a decent duvet for that, though!

[Annpan]

The chick peas didn't really work I think I didn't boil them long enough at the beginning and the pot was not quite half full...

If rice works well, pasta would too, presumably.

I ought to try a chick pea strew in it. I guess that the higher the fat and sugar content the better the liquid holds the heat - after 5 hours yesterday the chickpea water was warm bath temperature, I guess I need something that will stay hotter.

[ina]

If rice works well, pasta would too, presumably.

I think pasta needs to boil properly, otherwise it goes too soggy. Any other grain is fine, though - barley, wheat, millet, couscous of course

[MKG]

Definitely agree with Ina here - trying it with pasta will give you gloop.

[Annpan]

humph... I was hoping for pasta cooking, I'll just need to eat more rice.

[ina]

Pasta only takes 10 minutes anyway, so there's not that much you can save.