A Home-made Fireless Cooker Recipe

Materials required: A box or barrel, one pair of strong hinges, a hasp,

material for stuffing, one or more large pails, one or more small pails

or pans, muslin--1-1/2 yard or more, depending on size of box; a cooking

thermometer, heavy pasteboard, brown paper, tacks and screws.

The box selected may be an unpainted one, to be had from most any store

for a few pennies, but the boards should be heavy enough to put on

hinges and a hasp. It should be four or five inches larger than the

kettle it is to contain. The easiest stuffings to procure are hay,

excelsior, or paper; among others which should be covered to keep them

in place are wool, mineral wool, cork, sawdust and cotton. If hay is

used, it should be soft.

The best shape for the cooking utensil is a pail about the depth of its

own diameter; the sides should be straight and perpendicular to the

bottom, and the cover should fit securely in place. A smaller utensil

may be used inside the larger one; a pudding pan serves the purpose,

resting on the rim of the pail. Care should always be taken to have

covers that fit snugly on any pans that are used in the cooker. Aluminum

ware makes the best utensil, though enameled ware or agate ware may be

used. A six-quart pail with a pan to fit inside of it is a good size for

the ordinary family.

It is best to line the box and cover with a thickness of heavy paper or

several thicknesses of newspaper; asbestos sheeting may be used instead

of paper. Now pack in the box a firm layer of packing material about

four inches deep, not less; this must raise the cooking pail to within

three to five inches of top of box. Place utensil in middle of space on

this layer and pack around it closely until level with top of the

kettle. When it is removed a hole will be left just large enough for it

to slip into again.

A cushion should be made to cover the kettle. If more than one kettle is

used a cushion should be made for each. The cushion must be thick enough

to fill the box when the kettle is in place. Cut two pieces of muslin or

denim the sizes of top of box and join with a strip which is four or

five inches wide; fill with same material used in packing the box. There

should always be a slight pressure when the lid is closed.

The box is now ready for cooking. If the whole space is not firmly

filled after considerable use, more stuffing should be added. If a

covering is wanted for the stuffing, the simplest thing to use is a

sheet of very heavy paper, at least one inch larger than the top of box;

draw a circle in center of it the size of the pail. From center of

circle cut with sharp scissors to edge, to strike it at intervals of

about 1-1/2 inch. Fit paper over top of packing so that circle will come

just over nest for pail. Place pail in nest and it will crease the paper

down at exactly the right place.

Since it is very important for the food to be placed into the cooker

while it is still boiling, the box should be placed as near to the stove

as possible. Everything should be ready before the food is taken from

the fire; the cooker open and the cushion removed. The box must be kept

tightly closed from the time the food is put in until it is entirely

done. If it is necessary to open the box before appointed time, the

contents must be reheated to the boiling point before it is replaced.

Though the time necessary to cook the foods on the stove is very short,

they must be boiled until heated to the center. Thus the denser and

larger the food, the longer it will take to heat.