Building a solar oven is a great way to cook food without using any electricity. Not only does this help reduce your carbon footprint, but it's a fun way to learn about how solar heat and solar power work while making something good to eat.
Let's learn to build and cook with one of these ovens, as well as what to watch for if you're ready to buy a sun-powered oven.
How a Solar Oven Works
Solar ovens work by using the power of the sun in a small area with a reflective surface. The sun's rays are focused onto a dark cooking pot, which then absorbs the heat, resulting in high temperatures. And yes, it gets hot enough to cook the food.
The best solar ovens use several ways to trap the most heat. Try these tips for solar cooking so your oven works well:
- Use dark-colored materials for the cooking pot and oven. Black is best for absorbing solar energy, but any dark color will do.
- Make sure the cooking pot is covered tightly so no heat escapes.
- Position the solar oven in an area where it will get direct sunlight for most of the day.
- Use parabolic reflective panels to help focus the sun's rays onto the cooking pot. This is how parabolic cookers or parabolic ovens work. You can make your own reflectors out of foil or other shiny materials.
Benefits of Cooking with a Solar Oven
Cooking with a solar oven has many benefits.
- It is a great way to save energy. Simple solar ovens can reach a temperature range of around 250-300 degrees Fahrenheit, so they can cook food in a similar fashion to a slow cooker set on high.
- It's a safer way to cook outdoors than using a propane or charcoal grill since there is no open fire.
- It's fun! These are a great way to get kids interested in cooking and science.
- You can keep your home cool in the summer by cooking outdoors.
- You can cook when you have a power outage.
- You don't need any electricity or even solar panels to use a solar oven. Portable solar cookers are perfect for a camping trip or if you lose power during a storm.
Materials Needed for a Solar Oven
To build one of these ovens, you will need the following materials:
- A box
- Aluminum foil to create parabolic reflectors
- A piece of glass large enough to cover the box
- Tape
How to Build a Solar Oven
1. Start by finding or building a black box that is big enough to fit the food you want to cook. For a very simple solar oven, you can even use a pizza box.
2. Gather the materials to make the important features. Line the inside of the box with aluminum foil, making sure to reflect as much light as possible.
3. Place the clear lid on top of the box. Glass is a good option, but you can even use plastic wrap. This is used so light can enter the oven, but the heat is trapped inside.
4. Point reflectors toward the oven to catch more light and heat. If you're making a simple pizza box solar oven, you can line the lid with foil and prop it up to bounce light inside.
What is the Best Insulator for a Solar Oven?
There are a few materials that make good insulators for these ovens. Some examples are:
- Wool
- Straw
- Cardboard
- Tinfoil
- Down feathers
How to Cook with a Solar Oven
On average, your homemade solar oven will reach cooking temperatures of around 200 degrees Fahrenheit on a sunny day. This is hot enough to cook most meats and vegetables, but it will take a while.
However the best solar cookers, such as stainless steel models report reaching a maximum temperature as high as 350 Fahrenheit.
1. Place the food you want to cook inside.
2. Cover the oven with the lid to trap the heat.
3. Check on the food periodically to make sure it is cooking evenly.
Choosing a Baking Dish
There are a couple of things to consider when thinking about which baking dish to use. You want a dish that's dark-colored so it will absorb more heat, and you also want one that will fit into the cooking area.
The best option would be a black ceramic baking dish, but any dark-colored dish will work.
Can You Use Cast Iron in Solar Panel Ovens?
Cast iron is a great option for cooking in these ovens because it is dark-colored and retains heat well during the cooking process.
You can find cast iron pans (or dutch ovens) of all different sizes, so it's easy to find one that fits your particular oven. Cast iron is also very durable, so it will last a long time with proper care. Make sure you season your cast iron regularly.
How Long Does it Take to Cook in a Solar Oven?
It depends on the food you're cooking and the oven temperature. In general, it will take longer to cook in a solar oven than in a traditional oven because the temperatures are lower.
Here are some guidelines for cooking times:
- Meats like chicken and fish will take 4-6 hours.
- Soups and stews can take 8+ hours.
- Baked goods like dutch oven blueberry bread, cookies, and cakes will take 3-4 hours.
Solar ovens are a great way to cook food without using any electricity. They're perfect for camping trips or if you lose power during a storm. With a little patience, you can cook pretty much anything.
Buying Solar Ovens
Of course, you could research the best solar oven reviews, learn about the top solar ovens, and the solar oven models on the market today.
First, study the various solar oven designs and their different features. Then you'll be more aware of the important things to look for when you buy your own portable oven. Some popular brands and models include:
- Sunup solar cooker
- Sunflair Mini portable solar oven (good if you don't have much space and easy storage is a priority)
- Gosun fusion solar oven
Some of the things to consider when buying solar panel cookers include the following.
- size of the cooking chamber
- does it come with a stainless-steel cooking tray?
- does it fold down into a small package for easy transportation? (Important for traveling and outdoor activities like backpacking and camping)
However, it can be difficult to find an affordable solar oven. If you can't find one you like at a good price, go ahead and make your own oven.
Additional Tips
If you want to get the most out of your homemade (or storebought) oven, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Try moving your oven to different locations throughout the day to find the spot that gets the most sun to help it work.
- If you're cooking on a cloudy day, it will take longer to cook the food. You can use more reflectors to bounce more light into the oven.
- Bigger isn't always better: a smaller solar oven will actually reach higher temperatures than a larger one because it's easier to trap heat.
Safety Tips
There are a few things to keep in mind so you don't get sick or hurt while cooking.
- Keep an eye on the food to make sure it's cooking evenly.
- Be careful when opening the lid, as the steam can be hot.
- Wear gloves or use a potholder to avoid getting burned.
- Put the solar oven away when not in use.
Keep an eye on the weather. You won't be able to gook much food on cloudy days!
Invest in a solar oven thermometer to monitor the temperature in your solar stove
Once you get the hang of using one of these ovens, you'll be surprised at how versatile they are. With a little practice, you can make all sorts of food in them - without any electricity at all.