| Can meat be cooked safely in a solar oven? | | | | car with its windows rolled up. An effective solar |
| How does the sun cook your food? | | | | cooker will use the energy of the sun to heat a |
| These are just a couple of many questions that come | | | | cooking vessel and efficiently retain the energy (heat) |
| up in my classes when people are first introduced to | | | | for maximum cooking effectiveness. |
| the concept of solar cooking. | | | | This is best explained with a mental diagramming of |
| In fact they are probably two of the most frequently | | | | the process. |
| asked questions due to concerns related to food | | | | - First, you would need a darkened or blackened pot |
| illnesses that are an inherent risk in food preparation, | | | | with a lid. This can be a pot such as a cast iron Dutch |
| more particularly when it comes to meat. | | | | oven, a black enameled roasting pan such as a |
| Nevertheless, if traditional food handling and cooking | | | | chicken or turkey roaster or any pot that you might |
| safety guidelines are followed and if suggestions and | | | | blacken on the outside with a non-toxic, weatherproof |
| guidelines for using a solar cooker are followed, then it | | | | paint. Dark surfaces become very hot; they heat up |
| is possible to cook any variety of meat safely and | | | | more quickly than shiny surfaces which reflect the |
| deliciously. | | | | suns rays away. |
| Most all professionally manufactured solar cookers are | | | | - Then you will need to obtain a clear transparent |
| capable of reaching and sustaining the requisite | | | | covering such as a large glass bowl or a durable |
| temperatures needed for cooking meats and all other | | | | plastic oven cooking bag. This will be used for retention |
| types of foods. | | | | of heat and will also allow the rays of the sun to be |
| And most, well built, home made solar cookers can | | | | able to penetrate to the darkened cooking pot and |
| perform the same task just as well or better than a | | | | food, thus raising the cooking temperatures and |
| commercially manufactured cooker. | | | | preventing the heat from escaping. |
| So, just how does the sun cook the food inside of a | | | | - Next you will need a material that will reflect extra |
| solar cooker? | | | | sunlight towards the cooking apparatus so as to |
| Solar cooking is done by means of the suns UV rays, | | | | concentrate the suns rays. This is usually accomplished |
| it is not the sun's heat that cooks the food, nor is it the | | | | in the form of some type of reflecting surface such as |
| outside ambient temperature, though this can | | | | mirrors, aluminum foil and buffed tin or sheet metal. |
| somewhat affect the rate or time required to cook, | | | | With the help of a reflecting surface you will be able to |
| but rather it is the suns rays that are converted to | | | | increase the temperatures and to cook the food more |
| heat energy and this heat energy is then retained by | | | | rapidly. |
| the pot and the food by means of a covering. In much | | | | For more information on solar cooking tips, techniques |
| the same way that a greenhouse retains heat or a | | | | and information please visit our on our website. |