Solar Oven Diary

June, 2006

In June of 2006 I made a solar oven out of 3 cardboard boxes, aluminum foil, duct tape, a cookie sheet painted black as a floor, black pots, some wood strips to support the reflector and a sheet of glass---the most expensive component.

June 30, 2006

Though I warmed some frozen peas, my first attempt at solar cooking rice failed mostly because of my ignorance about solar noon. It is daylight savings time and Aberdeen is on the western side of the Central Time Zone. Solar noon, the exact midpoint between sunrise and sunset when the sun's rays are strongest is about 1:40 pm in Aberdeen. Another secret to solar cooking success is patience. Solar ovens are slow cookers. (I now usually cook from about 10:30 am to 5:30 pm and do not open the oven all day. Clouds are bad.)

July 7, 2006

Our solar oven worked even with a wind and occasional thin clouds! It was between 170 and 180 degrees most of the day and nearly 190 late in the afternoon. We made rice and polish sausage. (Like most hot dogs, the polish sausages were fully cooked and only needed to be warmed---I will not try to cook raw meat until we have had a string of successes.) I started today's meal just after noon and took it out after 5:00. I used normal white rice, but it stuck together like Korean rice at a restaurant.

July 8, 2006

I cooked baked potatoes, corn on the cob and brown rice. The baked potatoes needed more time. I cooked from about 10:30 to 4:00.

2006 Solar Oven Cooking Notes:

Couscous --- good (surface darkens a bit)
Malt-o-Meal --- OK (soupy)
Rice (white, brown, basmati) --- good (sticks together)
Rolled Oats --- good (gooey)

Beets --- good (inch thick slabs)
Cauliflower soup --- good (a bit discolored)
Carrots --- good (a bit discolored)
Frozen Vegetables --- good
Potatoes --- no luck yet (I have tried 3 times.)

Brats, Hot Dogs, Polish Sausage --- good

2007 Solar Oven Cooking Notes:

I baked potatoes