Hayboxes

http://www.inthewake.org/b1cooking.html#haybox

A haybox is an insulated container which can make significant fuel savings – up to 70%! Just bring the food to a boil, place the pot inside the haybox, and cover. The haybox will contain the heat in the food so that it will continue cooking without using extra fuel. In terms of our three heat concepts, a haybox works by maximizing heat storage and minimizing heat loss. A haybox is ideal for foods with a high water content like soups, stews, rice, boiled eggs and more. Foods which lose a lot of steam on the stove can be cooked with less water using a haybox.

You can precook the beans and legumes in some recipes, such as chili, in the haybox before adding other ingredients, since some beans must be boiled for at least 10 to 15 minutes to make them safe to eat.

Hayboxes can also be used to raise bread or incubate yogurt or tempeh. Place a container of hot water in the haybox to keep the temperature up.

You can use a cooler as part of a haybox, but you will probably want to add more insulation. You can make a haybox from all sorts of local materials, such as a basket filled with dried grass and covered with a bag or pillowcase of dried grass on top.

Cooking times:

Food:	Boil time:	Haybox time:
Rice	5 min	1-1.5 hours
Potatoes	5 min	1-2 h
Soup and stock	10 min	2-3 h
Green Lentils	10 min	3-4 h
Pintos	10 min	3 h
Split Peas	10 min	2 h
Quinoa	5 min	1.5 h
Millet	5 min	1 h
Polenta	1 min	1 h
Winter Squash	5 min	1-2 h
Steamed bread	30 min	3 h
Chicken	6 min	2-3 h
Beef	13 min	3-4 h

Haybox Notes:
Aprovecho’s Guide to Hayboxes and Fireless Cooking, by Peter Scott, et al. Aprovecho Research Centre. (Brochure)
Fireless Cooking, by Heidi Kirschner, Madrona Publishers. 1981.