Hay Box (Slow) Cooker

[Sharon the Cat]

Having got interested in the Magic Cooker and then ordered one from ebay which turned out not to be in stock :rolleyes2: we decided to have a go at making our own.

I already had a Le Creuset cast iron casserole that my mother gave me.

Phill made a box from 18mm marine ply (just happened to be what we had) & lined it with Kingspan insulation board. I taped all the edges of the board with foil insulation tape.

Plenty of hay & straw available from the barn next door.

I started off a bacon & butterbean stew at midday. It went into the box at 12:30.

We like most things motorhome to have a dual purpose so this is also a step-up for the fixed bed & a coolbox. Phill has worked out it will hold 16 beer cans.:cheers:

We'll be having dinner at about 7-8pm & I will report the results.

 

[ivecotrucker]

There used to be stories of this working in hitchhiking/wilding circles in my younger days but I've never tried it myself. Let us know whether you are dining in tonight or going down the chippie.

 

[Sharon the Cat]

There used to be stories of this working in hitchhiking/wilding circles in my younger days but I've never tried it myself. Let us know whether you are dining in tonight or going down the chippie.

If it's not cooked through I'll just pop it on top of the woodburner. :egg:
The pot that is, not the box.

 

[Deleted member 21686]

It's not April fool day is it.

How can that work?

 

[ivecotrucker]

The theory is, or was, that heat generated by bacterial decomposition of the hay/leaves/grass would slowly "cook" something but I've not heard of it being used for many a year now.

 

[Deleted member 21686]

The theory is, or was, that heat generated by bacterial decomposition of the hay/leaves/grass would slowly "cook" something but I've not heard of it being used for many a year now.

mmmmmmmmmmmm!

 

[Sharon the Cat]

The theory is, or was, that heat generated by bacterial decomposition of the hay/leaves/grass would slowly "cook" something but I've not heard of it being used for many a year now.

That would take years! I think you're getting muddled up with compost heaps.

A hay box, is a cooker that utilises the heat of the food being cooked to complete the cooking process. Food items to be cooked are heated to boiling point, and then insulated. Over a period of time, the food items cook by the heat captured in the insulated container. Generally, it takes three times the normal cooking time to cook food in a hay box.

 

[sasquatch]

I've used hayboxes in the scouts and they worked on the heat you put into the pan.Cast iron although heavy,retains heat better than a thin walled pan and Le Creuset is as good. I have cooked porridge in one for a camp of 30 for the following morning,cooks overnight perfectly. Ideal for stews and currys,and slow 'roasts'.

Hay Box Stew - Ingredients are the same as for any stew you'd cook at home. Cut up vegetables small, and beef into cubes. Cook meat well. Bring water to hard rolling boil, allow to boil for 10 minutes, add meat and vegetables. Place in stewing pot with lid and place in hay box. (The vegetables will cook during the day). Cook for about 8 - 10 hours, then serve.

Oatmeal - Bring water to boil, add oatmeal and salt (raisons if you wish), place stewing pot with lid on in hay box and allow to cook overnight for about 8 - 10 hours. The oatmeal will be smooth and creamy and then of course you can add brown sugar, chocolate chips, fresh fruit, etc. to make it more appealing.

A link to more http://thethermalcookrecipes.wordpress.com/tag/hay-box/

 

[n brown]

what you forgot to mention and what's confusing poor old MTM is that you heat the pot of food before putting it in the box,as I remember from my younger days .

 

[shawbags]

That would take years! I think you're getting muddled up with compost heaps.

A hay box, is a cooker that utilises the heat of the food being cooked to complete the cooking process. Food items to be cooked are heated to boiling point, and then insulated. Over a period of time, the food items cook by the heat captured in the insulated container. Generally, it takes three times the normal cooking time to cook food in a hay box.

My first thought was compost as I was reading this , I wouldn't fancy scraping the mess off and then eating the stew the pong may be a little off putting :scared: :lol-053: .

 

[Sharon the Cat]

what you forgot to mention and what's confusing poor old MTM is that you heat the pot of food before putting it in the box,as I remember from my younger days .

I thought all you wild campers new about these things, hence how we made the box but not the full idiots guide.

 

[ivecotrucker]

That would take years! I think you're getting muddled up with compost heaps.

A hay box, is a cooker that utilises the heat of the food being cooked to complete the cooking process. Food items to be cooked are heated to boiling point, and then insulated. Over a period of time, the food items cook by the heat captured in the insulated container. Generally, it takes three times the normal cooking time to cook food in a hay box.

Compost or Cuisine ? You couldn't really tell the difference with my cooking.

 

[Bigpeetee]

Used a home made one very similar using 100mm Kingspan and an old hotwater tank jacket.

Worked a treat. OK, not compact but at camp space wasn't an issue.

Just needed slight heating some 8 hrs later, but cheap cuts of meat do so well.

 

[Sharon the Cat]

Used a home made one very similar using 100mm Kingspan and an old hotwater tank jacket.

Worked a treat. OK, not compact but at camp space wasn't an issue.

Just needed slight heating some 8 hrs later, but cheap cuts of meat do so well.

Must admit the worst bit is the hay/straw. It's all over the kitchen & I had spiders & creepy crawlies all over the work surface afterwards.

Testing time in about 3 hours.:tongue:

 

[Fazerloz]

Wouldnt have thought you needed the hay with the kingspan but every little helps, enjoy your meal im sure it will have worked.

 

[QFour]

So if we put a pan in a wardrobe ( previously lined with tin foil ) in the MH and then stuff the wardrobe with straw / hay and then drive to destination 3 hours away the food will be hot .. Hmmmmmmm ..

Makes more sense now . But putting food in a large flask would do the same .. ( minus the spiders ) ..

..

 

[Siimplyloco]

Must admit the worst bit is the hay/straw. It's all over the kitchen & I had spiders & creepy crawlies all over the work surface afterwards.

I imagine that if polystyrene beads had been around in the middle ages, they might have used those instead!
John

 

[n brown]

View attachment 19044
I thought all you wild campers new about these things, hence how we made the box but not the full idiots guide.

some of the knives in the drawer aren't as sharp as others !

 

[Sharon the Cat]

So if we put a pan in a wardrobe ( previously lined with tin foil ) in the MH and then stuff the wardrobe with straw / hay and then drive to destination 3 hours away the food will be hot .. Hmmmmmmm ..

Makes more sense now . But putting food in a large flask would do the same .. ( minus the spiders ) ..

..

1. The wardrobe door would be bound to come open whilst you were driving along.
2. I think you need more than the heat of the food. You need the heat of a good thick pot as well, plus a lot more insulation. Just a flask wouldn't actually cook food. It just keeps it warm.
3. Our large necked flask wouldn't keep anything warm, it made a distinct tinkling noise yesterday morning & has since been consigned to the bin.:wave:

 

[oldish hippy]

never had a problem with my stainless steel flask it work well and has survived a number of falls