Haybox Cooker

[Charly]

Have any of you used a haybox cooker? A woman was kind enough to make me one a couple years ago, but I haven't yet used it except to incubate homemade yogurt. I've copied some recipes off the internet in the past, but haven't really tried any yet.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it's basically an insulated box. The idea is to get your foodstuffs up to a boil, lid, remove from heat source and place in the haybox to finish cooking. This reduces the amount of fuel you would need for actual cooking.

The haybox I have is a square that holds about a 12" Dutch oven in it or any other pot (without long handles). It looks like a square, box and has a lid. Mine's made out of a jean type material and is filled with polystyrene beads, like a beanbag. If anyone is interested, I'll look up the pattern online and try to post. I'm terribly computer inept, so no pictures - sorry folks

Anyone else have/use a haybox cooker?

[Cyngbaeld]

I don't have a dedicated box, but I have put hot pots wrapped in towels into a cardboard box and covered with a blanket to finish cooking.

[Charly]

Can I ask what kinds of things you've cooked in yours?

I think this is a great way to fuel if you were low. Hoping to utilize it more, but unsure of myself.

[Cyngbaeld]

Just think of it as a slow cooker. Anything you would cook in a crock pot can be boiled and then stuck into the fireless cooker. I don't use it on a regular basis because I can most of our meats now. I have also used it to finish up baked sweet potatoes when the power went off. They were probably about half cooked and I wrapped them up well and they cooked the rest of the way.

[sgl42]

i have a haybox. the shipping companies (eg, fedex) have insulated boxes for certain customers. i got one of those that has 2" of blue foam around it, and a reflecting mylar liner to keep the heat in too.

i use it for cooking beans, and making stews, and making soup stock. for beans, i found they stay too firm if i boil the beans only once and put in the box. so, i boil for 10 minutes, put in the haybox for an hour, then bring the beans to a boil again for 10 minutes, and put back in the haybox for an hour or 2, and then they're the proper consistency.

stews with tough meat take more time in the stove to get properly tender, but i still use a haybox for much of the time.

i find it useful. saves energy. don't have to worry about boilover on the stove other than the few minutes when you start, and less problems with overcooking if you forget it for a bit of extra time, so more peace of mind too.

--sgl

[Charly]

Thanks for the replies, especially the hint about the dry beans. I'm going to have to give it a try.