Making a solar oven with reflective mylar.

[VanFan]

Hey Nature Lover, reflector ovens work very much the same way.  If you're interested, here is a link to "Heaven's Flame," a book about solar cooking written by a former nomad:  https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/s...dabaugh.pdf/revision/latest?cb=20200621174500

Yesterday, I made an old-school chicken and rice casserole.  The rice was absolutely perfect at about 1 hour, when I added the other ingredients.  Later, I put an unhusked ear of corn with a declining life-span in a black sock in the enclosure and cooked it until the sun went down.

Today, my husband mixed up half a box of brownies with a few walnuts and chocolate chips and split the batter between 2 mini loaf pans.  They were perfect!

Both days, we only got up to 250F, a full 100 degrees less than the Fun Panel's best yet.  Honestly, I don't know why.  I found an EPA website with UV Index information by Zip Code that includes daily and hourly forecasts.  https://www.epa.gov/sunsafety/uv-index-1

I'm pretty frugal, but plan to invest in a small piece of acrylic (Plexiglass), some silicone adhesive, and maybe some foil tape to make a box oven for cooler weather cooking.  (Sadly, too bulky for the van.)  It's just too great a gift not to take advantage!

 

[VanFan]

A few days ago, I replaced the foil on the DIY Fun Panel Solar Cooker with mylar from an emergency "space" blanket that's been in Moby forever.  I also added some grommets to allow adjustment of the wings and make it super easy to set up.  It is now much more durable, packable and van-worthy.

Mylar (polyester) is weird stuff.  Elmer's Glue All worked well with aluminum foil, but not with the mylar.  So glad I tested a scrap!  Initially, the surface was super smooth and shiny, but after a day in the sun, it wrinkled up some.  Don't know whether the glue, cardboard or mylar shrunk.  Also, it does not stick well to itself.

The last few days we've made banana nut bread, brownies (best ever!), and, of course, mini-apple pie.  The pie was at risk of over browning today at 4:15, with the cooker at 325F after 3 hours at mostly lower temperatures. (Full-sized recipe usually takes an hour in a pre-heated 400F oven.)

Right now, I'm working on a box cooker/oven which will hopefully work when the air cools.  I doubt it will earn a place on Van Island, though, because of bulk.  We'll see...

 

[nature lover]

Though I’m not going to make a solar cooker, I would like to volunteer to help you test the quality of your recipes that you happen to cook. I promise I will keep an open mind and an open mouth.

 

[VanFan]

Nature,
Thank you for your interest.  You might have been disappointed in yesterday's fare, though:  three large-ish new potatoes, washed and dropped into an oiled pot.  Since you didn't show, my husband and I had to split the third one .  The Fun Panel reached (drum roll) 375F by 4:00!!  From what I've read, that pretty unusual.  The spuds were very flavorful, and I would do it again.

 

[VanFan]

Greetings from your friendly solar cooking evangelist!  Some cloudy days gave me a chance to work on a cardboard box solar oven.  Considering it was a make-it-up-as-you-go project, using a combination of ideas from around the web, it came out very well.  The idea was to have an insulated cooker to use instead of the DIY Fun Panel or Copenhagen for cooler weather.  It is based on an office size "archive" box, and the reflector panels detach and fold up easily.  Still, it's too bulky for my current van set up.

I've baked a few yummy things it in, but still think the Fun Panel with Pyrex bowl enclosure out performs it.  I finally got around to baking a loaf of bread a few weeks ago--and it came out beautifully browned all around!  Otherwise, we've been stuck in a bit of a rut with cookies, brownies and apple pies .  Today we managed to bake an apple pie and fix Zatarain's beans and rice back to back, in spite of it being cool-ish and breezy.

Next, I plan to make a batch of dinner rolls.  These are meant for a slow cooker.  Using the sun, I won't have to finish them in a broiler to get browned tops.  https://livingsweetmoments.com/easy-slow-cooker-dinner-rolls/
My bread baking experience is pretty limited, but I hope to work my way up to some "serious" bread one day:  https://www.accidentalartisan.ca/seedy-spelt-bread/

 

[VanFan]

The dinner rolls (made 1/2 the recipe/six rolls) were pretty good.  They were very nicely browned on all sides in about 90 minutes.  The interior was not as fluffy as those in the picture, but I've been told by a baking friend that my cooker got too hot too soon.  A slow cooker has a lower temperature, which allows the rolls to rise (proof) while cooking.  One way to handle that would be to face the panel away slightly away from the sun.  Another way would be to let the rolls rise some before baking.

I forgot to ask her if maybe I kneaded it too long (10 minutes).  Hmm...

They were good enough to eat, for sure (I confess to have never made better), but I hope to improve on this a little before turkey day.

 

[VanFan]

Oh my... Saturday already?  Wednesday I baked a tube of refrigerator cinnamon rolls in the Fun Panel.  They were perfect in about 90 minutes.  I need to focus on more healthful fare, but it's nice to know we can have these little guys for brunch on sunny days!

The box oven has been a disappointing compared to the panel cookers, which is ironic since it cost more in time and materials (plexiglass lid) and is not very portable.  As the air gets cooler, it may still out perform the panels.  Who knows?

 

[StacyK]

I enjoy your updates and cooking adventures so much, VanFan. I’m thinking of trying a panel cooker, and your regular reports on successes and failures are really helpful. Bon appetit!

 

[VanFan]

StacyK:  Thanks for the feedback!  I was pretty sure I've been talking to myself here (but that never stopped me).  Let me know if you give it a try.  (The days are getting shorter, and the forecast is for clouds the next several days, but I'll be at it again soon.)