Probably
one of the things that a solar cooker can do for people who tend to
hate camping is make eating in the great outdoors a more comfortable
experience. That’s because these cookers help those who are
camping to not to have to start a fire or light a grill.
But, the question arises, about how exactly does a solar cooker work.
The basic principle of the system is the fact that it runs on energy
from the sun and thus heats food. So, in a nutshell, the sunlight
is converted to heat .
Instead of needing to use any kind of a fossil fuel, the actual “fuel”
is the sun itself. This is why it is important that when choosing
a cooking spot, the camper be willing to cook in the hot sun. Although
somewhat uncomfortable at times, this is the best way to make sure
that enough energy is being collected.
It would still be wise to have a backup plan in case the solar cooker
didn’t work. These items will not work properly on cloudy days
or at night time.
Because dark surfaces attract heat much more than the lighter surfaces,
it is best to use a dark, thin, shallow pot that includes a tight-fitting
lid. This will attract more heat as well as retain more heat.
But, the true trick to retaining heat with a solar cooker is to take
a large, clear plastic bag and simply wrap it around the pot. This
is similar to how some people cook turkeys in their ovens at home.
The plastic sheet disallows the heat to escape and speeds up the overall
cooking time.
Another idea that can help with the heating up of these units is some
kind of a shiny material. This material (like aluminum foil) should
be placed either in or near the bag. This allows the food to heat
up even faster.
The food in a solar cooker tastes fine, so the taste factor is really
a non-factor. The biggest factor is the weather and lighting conditions
at the campground. Those who plan on cooking late in the evening or
those who fear inclement weather may be best off using another method
to cooking their food.