We saw a commercial for cookware that cooks by heat retention like a vacuum bottle for over $200. Being the cheapie that I am, I tried this. I put my rice and chicken leg quarter in our dutch oven and brought it to a boil, then took it off the fire and wrapped it in an old army blanket. After wrapping it up I set it inside a large styro cooler for a couple hours. When I opened it up it was still steaming and the chicken and rice were fully cooked and tender and I saved my money.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair67@yahoo.com), October 22, 2001

Answers

they used the same technique in WWII to save energy, but hey used straw bales and newspaper,

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), October 22, 2001.

Way to go Jay!

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), October 22, 2001.

I remember reading a book by John Rowlands named "Cache Lake Country", in which he described a very similar cooking device. If memory serves, it was called a Swedish Cooker. This is how it was made:

A heavily insulated box was constructed,and had a cast concrete bottom which was removable and placed over a heat source (fire?) to heat it. Once the plug was heated, it was placed back in the box, then a crock of food was placed inside and had the lid closed tightly. It was reported that you could cook all day long (or night), and NEVER burn the food inside, allowing you to have a hot meal after a long day outside.

I'll bet that Boston baked beans, and similar dishes which require long term cooking would go well with this method.

I always wanted to try this . . . thank you Jay, you have motivated me to give it a try.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), October 22, 2001.

I have heard of someone who cooks a turkey in a big hole in the ground. They are off-the-grid, but don't know who they do it.Would LOVE to learn.

-- Sandy Davis (smd2@netzero.net), October 23, 2001.

I cook my turkeys and ham this way... They have to be in a heavy covered pan or covered in heavy foil. Turn the oven on to 500. When temp reaches 500 cook for 2o minutes with heat on. Then turn off oven. DON'T open the door.....In 3 hours turn oven on to 500 leave heat on for 20 minuetes after 500 has been reached... Turn back off, leave another 3 hours....okay now you can open the door..With a huge bird you may leave longer on the last thing. But be prepared for fall off the bone meat. If you want one of the picture perfect turkeys, this may not be it.

-- Lynnda (venus@zeelink.net), October 23, 2001.