All About Your Global Sun Oven And Solar Cooking
As most of you who know me are aware I have a keen interest in energy and resource conservation. I first became interested in solar cooking when researching passive solar heating and cooling, which is my next big project for my house.
In many countries around the world the lands have been deforested as population has grown and with it the search for fuel for cooking. Deforestation is a major environmental crisis facing the world now. More than two billion households worldwide use wood, charcoal, dung or grass fires as the heat source for preparing their daily meals. As deforestation has increased, women in parts of Africa must spend all day searching for firewood to cook their evening meal. Wood fires account for 80 percent of the energy used in Kenya and the practice is rapidly stripping the land of trees. Smoke from wood and dung fires cause lung and eye disease. Acute respiratory infections kill four to five million young children worldwide each year.
In our own hemisphere, the last tree standing in Haiti is expected to fall within three to five years. Soil erosion from clear-cut hills causes run-off into the rivers, polluting and ruining the Haitian fishing industry. The recent deadly floods in Haiti are a direct result of the over 90% deforestation the country has suffered as villages have cut the trees to burn for fuel, leaving the denuded hills vulnerable to mud slides. The US government estimates, at the current rate of deforestation, Haiti will not be able to sustain life for its nine million people in five years. Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Cooking with wood or other carbon based fuels also contributes to global warming as the carbon stored in the wood or natural gas is released back into the atmosphere.
Cooking with the sun's energy allows families to cook meals without the use of carbon based fuels, relieves the families of the burden of searching for, cutting down and hauling fuel and eliminates the disease causing effects of smoke inhalation. In addition, since solar ovens can easily sterilize water, they can be used to make drinking water safe which is often never done in these fuel deprived countries.
So, our support of solar cooking is more than just a way for us to cook a meal. It is a commitment to make a difference in the lives of people around the world.
Solar cooking is not new. You can actually make a functional solar cooker with cardboard and tin foil. I became interested in Global Sun Ovens because Sun Ovens International is involved in solar cooking projects in deforested countries on 5 continents and relies on the domestic sales of GLOBAL SUN OVENS to help finance these endeavors. Sun Ovens International is not only interested in reducing deforestation, they also try to improve the local economy. When possible, they ship unassembled small ovens in large numbers, thereby lowers the shipping costs while providing needed jobs in the country where they are assembled. Sun Ovens International is also looking to set up factories where the components for the ovens can be locally sourced. About the only item that is currently not possible to source locally is the silicon gasket around the door. Thousands of those can be shipped overseas for a fraction of the cost of a completed oven.
If you would like to learn more about what they are doing around the world please visit the International section of their web site.
When you buy a Global Sun Oven Sun Oven International's profits are used to finance the production and distribution of more Global Sun Ovens around the world. The suggested retail price of the Global Sun Oven is $229 and I have seen them in sale for as much as $299. As a Global Sun Oven distributor I am pricing my ovens lower than anyone and hoping that you will pledge to donate the extra $40-$100 to one of the groups listed at the end of this letter that is supporting Global Sun Oven in poor deforested nations around the world. After remitting your payment to me, mail any additional donation you care to make to the organization you prefer I will be donating whatever profit we have in the sale of our Global Sun Ovens as well, so simply by purchasing a Global Sun Oven you are helping underdeveloped nations around the world, reducing deforestation and reducing greenhouse emissions.
As a new Global Sun Oven owner you can do your part to reduce green house emissions by actually USING your Global Sun Oven. I am now cooking the majority of our meals with my two ovens.
Here are some tips for using your Global Sun Oven.
1)
USE IT! You will be amazed at how well it works.
USE IT! You will be amazed at how well it works. 2)The interior surface of the oven as well as the glass door will get hot, just like a regular oven. The thermometer DOES NOT LIE. So when placing foods into or removing them from the oven be sure to use hot mitts or a pot holder. I find the mitts too bulky, and have taken to using a leather work type glove just to get the food out of the oven. It won't protect you from the heat for long, but it will allow you to safely remove the food and then use a mitt to get it to the table or the kitchen.
The interior surface of the oven as well as the glass door will get hot, just like a regular oven. The thermometer DOES NOT LIE. So when placing foods into or removing them from the oven be sure to use hot mitts or a pot holder. I find the mitts too bulky, and have taken to using a leather work type glove just to get the food out of the oven. It won't protect you from the heat for long, but it will allow you to safely remove the food and then use a mitt to get it to the table or the kitchen.3)BE CAREFUL WITH MEATS. With veggies, you can leave things in the oven after primary cooking is done since they won't cool down quickly and you can go out for a while and come home to a nice warm dinner. Meats must be maintained at a safe temperature which a solar oven that is cooling down may not be able to maintain. My rule with meats is, don't do them unless you are home to watch it like you would in your regular oven.
BE CAREFUL WITH MEATS. With veggies, you can leave things in the oven after primary cooking is done since they won't cool down quickly and you can go out for a while and come home to a nice warm dinner. Meats must be maintained at a safe temperature which a solar oven that is cooling down may not be able to maintain. My rule with meats is, don't do them unless you are home to watch it like you would in your regular oven.4)Find a nice sunny spot on your back porch to use the oven. Even in subzero air temperatures, as long as the sun is out, the oven will capture the sun's energy and cook as if it were a tropical day. The ovens will heat up quicker and cook food faster on a clear, low humidity day. Foods will take longer to cook on a cloudy day but will cook as long as there are at least 20 minutes of sun per hour. Cooking times are slightly longer as in a normal oven unless the recipe temperature is at the higher end where the oven may have trouble staying at 400 degrees due to clouding, for example.
Find a nice sunny spot on your back porch to use the oven. Even in subzero air temperatures, as long as the sun is out, the oven will capture the sun's energy and cook as if it were a tropical day. The ovens will heat up quicker and cook food faster on a clear, low humidity day. Foods will take longer to cook on a cloudy day but will cook as long as there are at least 20 minutes of sun per hour. Cooking times are slightly longer as in a normal oven unless the recipe temperature is at the higher end where the oven may have trouble staying at 400 degrees due to clouding, for example.5)You will be amazed at the reduction in attention to the cooking process the oven will give you. Food like rice will not stick and cookies and cake will not burn on the bottom because heat is radiated throughout the cooking oven and does not come from a single direct source. Food does not have to be stirred and eggs can be hard-boiled with out water, although the oven is a handy tool for boiling water. Don't, however, overcook things. Since food doesn't really burn it the oven, you will probably not pay quite as much attention as you should to cooking times. Doesn't affect the taste, just the texture.
You will be amazed at the reduction in attention to the cooking process the oven will give you. Food like rice will not stick and cookies and cake will not burn on the bottom because heat is radiated throughout the cooking oven and does not come from a single direct source. Food does not have to be stirred and eggs can be hard-boiled with out water, although the oven is a handy tool for boiling water. Don't, however, overcook things. Since food doesn't really burn it the oven, you will probably not pay quite as much attention as you should to cooking times. Doesn't affect the taste, just the texture.6)Recipes calling for sautéing, searing, frying and broiling will often times work fine in a solar oven, but the "crispiness" and texture will obviously be different since solar ovens will not fry or broil food. A hamburger will be moist and tasty, but it will taste more like meatloaf since the meat is baked.
Recipes calling for sautéing, searing, frying and broiling will often times work fine in a solar oven, but the "crispiness" and texture will obviously be different since solar ovens will not fry or broil food. A hamburger will be moist and tasty, but it will taste more like meatloaf since the meat is baked. 7)Use dark colored pots and pans with lids where possible. The lid will hold in the steam and therefore the heat. The best are the thin metal black enamel with the white speckles from Granite Ware, now owned by Columbian Home Products. They can be hard to find, but there are 8 quart stockpots, roasters, lasagna pans and more that all fit beautifully in the oven. I am currently trying to find a complete source for these pots and pans. My collection has come from Ralph's, Big Lots, 99 Cent Store, Fred Meyer (Oregon) and who knows where. Don't use cast iron pots as they will take too long to heat up. The trick is to use pots that are thin and dark.
Use dark colored pots and pans with lids where possible. The lid will hold in the steam and therefore the heat. The best are the thin metal black enamel with the white speckles from Granite Ware, now owned by Columbian Home Products. They can be hard to find, but there are 8 quart stockpots, roasters, lasagna pans and more that all fit beautifully in the oven. I am currently trying to find a complete source for these pots and pans. My collection has come from Ralph's, Big Lots, 99 Cent Store, Fred Meyer (Oregon) and who knows where. Don't use cast iron pots as they will take too long to heat up. The trick is to use pots that are thin and dark. 8)The oven heats uniformly from all around the pot (no hot spots, which is why things don't stick). If you have a recipe like pizza or cookies where you need some additional heat from below, preheat the oven with a thin brick in the bottom (use a pot holder underneath it to keep from scratching the black oxide coating) and then put the pizza in. This will get more heat to the bottom initially.
The oven heats uniformly from all around the pot (no hot spots, which is why things don't stick). If you have a recipe like pizza or cookies where you need some additional heat from below, preheat the oven with a thin brick in the bottom (use a pot holder underneath it to keep from scratching the black oxide coating) and then put the pizza in. This will get more heat to the bottom initially.9)Vegetable stews, lasagna, manicotti, quick breads, baked apples, baked potatoes you will be amazed at how great things taste and how easy it is to use the oven.
Vegetable stews, lasagna, manicotti, quick breads, baked apples, baked potatoes you will be amazed at how great things taste and how easy it is to use the oven.10)If you need to hold the heat in after cooking and the sun is no longer high enough to provide any heating, simply fold the reflective lid down and place a towel over the lid. You will be amazed at how long the food will stay hot. I do that with my "clean up water" (see the next bullet) and it will hold the water too hot to stick your hand in for 4-5 hours!
If you need to hold the heat in after cooking and the sun is no longer high enough to provide any heating, simply fold the reflective lid down and place a towel over the lid. You will be amazed at how long the food will stay hot. I do that with my "clean up water" (see the next bullet) and it will hold the water too hot to stick your hand in for 4-5 hours!11)When I am done cooking I throw in an 8 qt stockpot with water in it and use that to clean the dishes after dinner, saving even more natural gas.
When I am done cooking I throw in an 8 qt stockpot with water in it and use that to clean the dishes after dinner, saving even more natural gas.12)Use the "floating" tray to automatically keep the food level if you "re-aim" the oven by raising the rear leg.
Use the "floating" tray to automatically keep the food level if you "re-aim" the oven by raising the rear leg.13)You may stack cooking dishes. I will put lasagna on the bottom and then place baked apples on top of that since they will be done sooner and can be removed without taking the lasagna out..
You may stack cooking dishes. I will put lasagna on the bottom and then place baked apples on top of that since they will be done sooner and can be removed without taking the lasagna out..14) I try to put my oven on a "timer" by putting the food in when I head to work, aiming the oven at about 2:00 pm sun time. The oven will heat up and cook and then cool as the sun drops lower. You come home from work and the food is nice and hot, ready to serve. This is really great for things like baked potatoes or veggie casseroles which I would NEVER have time to do if I came home from work and put them on. In addition, you aren't heating the house up in the summer!
I try to put my oven on a "timer" by putting the food in when I head to work, aiming the oven at about 2:00 pm sun time. The oven will heat up and cook and then cool as the sun drops lower. You come home from work and the food is nice and hot, ready to serve. This is really great for things like baked potatoes or veggie casseroles which I would NEVER have time to do if I came home from work and put them on. In addition, you aren't heating the house up in the summer!Tips on caring for the oven:
1)The oven should last a lifetime.
The oven should last a lifetime.2) The interior is a metal surface coated with a black heat absorbing non-toxic powder oxide. Clean the interior with a damp sponge and any non abrasive cleaner. Do NOT use Ajax of the like or you will scratch the coating revealing the shiny metal underneath which will reflect heat back out of the oven. If you scratch it badly, you can spray the damaged area with barbecue grill paint. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER TYPE OF PAINT, as barbecue grill paint is the ONLY paint that is non-toxic.
The interior is a metal surface coated with a black heat absorbing non-toxic powder oxide. Clean the interior with a damp sponge and any non abrasive cleaner. Do NOT use Ajax of the like or you will scratch the coating revealing the shiny metal underneath which will reflect heat back out of the oven. If you scratch it badly, you can spray the damaged area with barbecue grill paint. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER TYPE OF PAINT, as barbecue grill paint is the ONLY paint that is non-toxic. 3)Clean the glass and reflector surfaces with any non-abrasive glass cleaner. Heavy scratching on the surface of the reflectors or the glass will reduce the effectiveness of the oven.
Clean the glass and reflector surfaces with any non-abrasive glass cleaner. Heavy scratching on the surface of the reflectors or the glass will reduce the effectiveness of the oven.4)Don't leave it in the rain. The top surface of the frame is wood (to keep surface temps down) so water could damage it.
Don't leave it in the rain. The top surface of the frame is wood (to keep surface temps down) so water could damage it. 5)When not in use, fold the reflective sides down and cover the glass. It protects it from damage. When you fold the sides be sure to have the reflective sides tilted back enough so the reflective panels don't drag on the glass as you fold them. The corners are sharp enough to scratch the glass.
When not in use, fold the reflective sides down and cover the glass. It protects it from damage. When you fold the sides be sure to have the reflective sides tilted back enough so the reflective panels don't drag on the glass as you fold them. The corners are sharp enough to scratch the glass.I hope you enjoy your Global Sun Oven as much as I do. If you like it, tell your friends about it and have them order from me. I will be setting up a Global Sun Oven page on the store web site at www.phidippidesencino.com and will post tips and recipes out there. Please do share your own experiences, tips and recipes so that others can enjoy solar cooking.
And please do consider making a donation to one of the organizations involved in the promotion of solar cooking around the world. Solar Cookers International is the largest group dedicated to promoting solar cooking around the world. They assist communities to use the power of the sun to cook food and pasteurize water for the benefit of people and environments. Consider joining them as a member and you will receive their newsletter with project reports and other solar cooking tips. Their web site also offers numerous publications about solar cookers and solar recipe cookbooks which can be ordered on line.
Solar Cookers International
www.solarcookers.org
1919 21st St. Suite 101
Sacramento, CA 95814
If you are a member of Rotary International, ask your local chapter about their solar cooker donation program. They are heavily involved in purchasing, shipping and installing the large "Village" Sun Ovens that can cook meals for villages of up to 400 people.
And now for my usual "energy and environment awareness" plug:
Please consider reading these books:
The Party's Over: Oil: War and the Fate of Industrial Societies by Richard Heinberg
The End of Oil: On the Edge of a Perilous New World by Paul Roberts
Out of Gas: The End of the Age of Oil by David Goodstein
The Sacred Balance by David Suzuki
The End of Nature by Bill McKibben
