# Cooking Methods



## Momma23Littles (Dec 12, 2017)

What are your favorite options of cooking food in a SHTF situation? Particularly if you live in suburbia with lots of neighbors. Fire place, fire pit, grill, or are all these terrible options?


----------



## rstanek (Nov 9, 2012)

Dutch oven.....you can use over an open fire, on a grill, charcoal


----------



## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Kitchen stove until the propane runs out, about three years.

Coleman camp stoves until the fuel runs out about 2 more years.

My Alpaca kerosene cookers until the fuel runs out about another 2 more years

My wood stove with my Griswold dutch ovens, with the others during the winter, 

and then for all cooking after the hydrocarbon fuel is gone.

The wood stove is made to use the dutch oven with it and has a removable saddle top for baking..


----------



## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

As long as the gas is on, I'll use the stove in the kitchen.

After that, there's the gas grill plus I have 4 or 5 camp stoves.

Push comes to shove, I can always do a fire in the back yard.

ETA: There's a solar oven in my future.


----------



## Limit Killer (Dec 6, 2017)

It would depend on the situation. In a short term type situation I'd use the barbeque. In a situation where I'd like to be more covert, the bbq is out since our deck is open to a busy road. In that case, it's either the backpacking stove, MSR Dragonfly, or the little alcohol stove.

Raise the limits.


----------



## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

If I'm bugging in, little or no problem due to using LPG/propane so little odor except for the food. 
During the first week or so, I might go with MREs to prevent odor from giving us away. After that
it'll be awhile before I have go to wood for a fire.


----------



## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Anything that creates light, smoke or odor will attract attention in a SHTF situation. Those that have less will be drawn to you and will feel entitled to your food. I would consider how to prepare and have meals with little or no attention. Propane or solar maybe helpful. Outdoors and fire signal picnic on you to the neighborhood.


----------



## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

My primary means of cooking if the utilities are down long term will be rocket stoves & an earth oven. I have multiple rocket stoves of different sizes & capabilities. The earth oven would be constructed using the sand & clay available on my property.

But I live way out in the country. In suburbia with lots of neighbors, I'd refrain from most, if not all cooking. Your preps need to be chosen to address this issue. For me, that would mean lots of canned meats & veggies. I stock cases of Spam. I'd also pick other items such as bulk peanut butter. Depending on the situation, you might be able to cook simple items like plain rice & wheat berries (porridge), especially if cook fires are the norm in your area. Want to keep cooking smells very minimal.


----------



## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

I'll be on the same page as paraquack. Using propane to heat water and eat dehydrated meals at first. No making bacon or sausage for breakfast. Let alone firing up the BBQ.


----------



## Joe (Nov 1, 2016)

If you are concerned about cooking outside consider using a butane stove inside. They run on canisters of butane and are very efficient. Propane is more adaptable as butane does not work in freezing temperatures. Rockets stoves as mentioned by @******* are also very efficient yet you have to use them outside. I have a rocket stove from Deadwood Stove Company in Texas. You can run over it with your tank and still cook your steak. It is a beast! Good luck with your research


----------



## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

In a true SHTF scenario as the OP proposes, at least initially you better not be cooking. I have about 4 months of Mountain House and another 4 months of can goods ..... gonna be eating from the can.


----------



## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Joe said:


> If you are concerned about cooking outside consider using a butane stove inside. They run on canisters of butane and are very efficient. Propane is more adaptable as butane does not work in freezing temperatures. Rockets stoves as mentioned by @********* are also very efficient yet you have to use them outside. I have a rocket stove from Deadwood Stove Company in Texas. You can run over it with your tank and still cook your steak. It is a beast! Good luck with your research


Thanks for this, @Joe I checked out the Deadwood stove, it would be great for a small quick hot...rather than needing a whole fire built. Do you use cast on it? I'm thinkin lighter skillet would be quicker for a fry. Any long pot cooking I'll use the fire.. Thoughts?
_p.s...I'm talking about now, not SHTF. Thanks!_


----------



## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Momma23Littles said:


> What are your favorite options of cooking food in a SHTF situation? Particularly if you live in suburbia with lots of neighbors. Fire place, fire pit, grill, or are all these terrible options?


We plan to eat our beanie weenies out of the can with a spoon. No cooking required and contains all known food groups..vitamins and healthy stuff..including water. There ya go.


----------



## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Momma23Littles said:


> What are your favorite options of cooking food in a SHTF situation? Particularly if you live in suburbia with lots of neighbors. Fire place, fire pit, grill, or are all these terrible options?


No clue.

I will leave that up to my illegals who do the cooking up around here, Maria, Consuela and Alejandra.

Thanks for asking,

Slippy! :vs_wave:


----------



## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Burn wood in a fire pit, burn tires, anything to mask the scent. Stand back lock and load and pick off the leeches. Just kidding.


----------



## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

Same as I use now. 

Regular propane stove with oven in the house. Propane stove and oven in the camper, Propane 2 burner camp stove , propane single burner - "turkey fryer" but I usuallly use mine for cooking for groups a stew or spaghetti. Propane grill with side burner on the porch. Liquid fuel - gasoline camping stoves . Charcoal grills, Fire pit or fire place with dutch oven, cast iron post/ skillets. Solar oven . Wood fired grill and oven. 


Microwave or an instapot? If I got power or want to run a generator.


----------



## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

bigwheel said:


> We plan to eat our beanie weenies out of the can with a spoon. No cooking required and contains all known food groups..vitamins and healthy stuff..including water. There ya go.


What the hell are ya talkin' about bigwheel, that's the way I eat my beanie weenies NOW!


----------



## Joe (Nov 1, 2016)

MountainGirl said:


> Thanks for this, @Joe I checked out the Deadwood stove, it would be great for a small quick hot...rather than needing a whole fire built. Do you use cast on it? I'm thinkin lighter skillet would be quicker for a fry. Any long pot cooking I'll use the fire.. Thoughts?
> _p.s...I'm talking about now, not SHTF. Thanks!_


we use cast but that is because that is what we use I imagine a lighter pan will do as well. If you use a lighter pan coat the outside bottom with a thin layer or dish soap before putting on the fire. It will clean up the soot so much easier. It is good to "practice" these things now as opposed to when the SHTF. It will be much less stressful when times do get lean. Best of luck!


----------



## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

I have several portable Coleman camp stoves, and a bargeload of propane. Also a Camp Chef stove. We can of course cook/grill outside over fire if it becomes safe to do so.


----------



## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

1skrewsloose said:


> Burn wood in a fire pit, burn tires, anything to mask the scent. Stand back lock and load and pick off the leeches. Just kidding.


No you're not.:vs_laugh:


----------



## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

We have a large wood burning stove in the house, . . . it works wonderfully well to cook on in the winter, . . . 

It works wonderfully well to cook IN, . . . in the spring, fall, and summer.

I have a small plate made for it, . . . sits up on 2 x 2 tubing, . . . small fire under it, . . . I can do everything but bake in there. And I can do without baking.

Push come shove, . . . everything else gone, . . . that's my "go-to" plan.

Plus, . . . if the stuff really does hit the fan big time, . . . my house is designed so that with a few sheets of plywood (or some boards) I turn a 2600 sq foot house into a 20 by 36, . . . one room cabin. Much easier to cook, heat, and live in there.

May God bless,
Dwight


----------



## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Gas,
Propane,
Rocket Stove,
Fire Pit / Sun Oven (last resort)
I'm working towards getting a wood burning stove.


----------



## Ragnarök (Aug 4, 2014)

Chemical cooking methods.

Salt cured meats.

Using coal to cook with rather than wood. 

Boil sealed jars of food mixes.


----------



## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

The smell of cooking food and spices, is what I'm concerned about. We have to do our cooking indoors in a real SHTF scenario. 

Rolled oats is my major long-term stock since it can be eaten without any cooking involved.


----------



## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Lots of good information here so far. I'd like to add a method nobody's mentioned: alcohol. There are alcohol camp stoves for sale or you can build your own from plans on the net. Mountain climbers use them inside their tents. Ethyl alcohol 95% is non-toxic when burned; don't use any other kind of alcohol or you'll poison yourself. Vodka won't work either, too much water to make a hot flame; you want 95% pure grain alcohol. You may need a permit to buy it in your state, I do.

My stove will boil 2 cups of water in 8 minutes; the perfect amount for a two-person Mountain House dinner. You can close all the windows safely and cook in stealth mode.


----------



## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Momma23Littles said:


> What are your favorite options of cooking food in a SHTF situation? Particularly if you live in suburbia with lots of neighbors. Fire place, fire pit, grill, or are all these terrible options?


Think when the end of the world comes around..cooking is going to be obsolete. We plan to eat our Beanie Weenies as they come from the can. No heating required.


----------



## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

bigwheel said:


> Think when the end of the world comes around..cooking is going to be obsolete.


Not around these parts.


----------



## TGus (Sep 18, 2017)

I'm going to save my propane and charcoal for really bad weather or when snow cover prevents us from finding wood temporarily. I'll bring my smoker up to the 3rd floor deck so the smell of food passes over my neighbors, and I'll use wood to fire it. I'll build a fire pit in the back yard for the purpose of heating or sterilizing water.


----------



## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

dwight55 said:


> We have a large wood burning stove in the house, . . . it works wonderfully well to cook on in the winter, . . .
> 
> It works wonderfully well to cook IN, . . . in the spring, fall, and summer.
> 
> ...


Sort of my plan for major SHTF, my plan is to close off all but the kitchen and dining room, as is they are almost one room with dividers.

My wood stove will heat and cook quite well when the other fuels run out.

The dining room will become our bedroom, at least I won't have to use a fireplace to cook with.

I have six USGI barracks bunk beds that will be moved in for less floor space used.

As a side note, I have 3 or 4 cases of MRE heaters, they can be thrown into a bucket with food cans to heat, takes a few minutes to boil.

The fallback is to move into the bunker if the situation warrants it.


----------



## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

TGus said:


> I'm going to save my propane and charcoal for really bad weather or when snow cover prevents us from finding wood temporarily. I'll bring my smoker up to the 3rd floor deck so the smell of food passes over my neighbors, and I'll use wood to fire it. I'll build a fire pit in the back yard for the purpose of heating or sterilizing water.


You better consider making your fire pit in your cellar with an overhead smoke hood tied into the house chimney.

Fire brick and sand will do fine, make the pit 3 feet high with a foot deep hearth,

put a swing arm on the wall to hold container over the fire. You can make a screen skirt to keep sparks in.

The cooking smoke may not pass over the neighbors dependent on wind condition,

as it cools the particulates will settle to ground level unless you are in a storm.

How do I know this? Simple worked research on electrostatic scrubbers for coal fired power plants, Instruments don't lie.


----------



## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

bigwheel said:


> Think when the end of the world comes around..cooking is going to be obsolete. We plan to eat our Beanie Weenies as they come from the can. No heating required.


You and your GD Beanie Weenies, I found them at the Walmart super store.

About a month ago I bought a few cans and tried then,

not great but will do the trick, bought 16 cans of them today at that store.

They now reside in the pantry for use as a snack or supplement.

I will heat them before eating.

I well remember getting "C" rat cans out of the immersion heater

cans in the field in the winter, and also eating them cold in the OP bunker.

Used C4 and Triox to heat coffee up next to the sump.

Had my fill of eating canned food that was only heated inside my parka.

Thanks for pointing them out, good as a single serving can.


----------



## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

dwight55 said:


> We have a large wood burning stove in the house, . . . it works wonderfully well to cook on in the winter, . . .
> 
> It works wonderfully well to cook IN, . . . in the spring, fall, and summer.
> 
> ...


Hey Dwight - did you ever try the potatoes inside your stove? We put in 4 a day, 2 for dinner 2 grated up & fried w/onions for breakfast. Pretty much doing all our frying in the stove now too - I push the logs to one side, set a cast iron skillet right down on the coals, give it about 10 min to heat, smear the bottom with a little crisco on a papertowel, toss in whatever. Yesterday morn was some small breakfast steaks, about 3 min each side - kept them warm on top while the spuds fried in the steak juice...yummm  Might try pancakes this AM when Tom gets up; that should be interesting lol. Might be too hot for that though, we'll see.


----------



## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

SOCOM42 said:


> You and your GD Beanie Weenies, I found them at the Walmart super store.
> 
> About a month ago I bought a few cans and tried then,
> 
> ...


Glad you stocking up. Think a person could live on those things indefinitely. Not sure what vitamin or minerals which could be lacking plus a lot of water for thirsty folks. It may be the 2nd best healthy food ranking right up near Mothers Milk.


----------



## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

MountainGirl said:


> Hey Dwight - did you ever try the potatoes inside your stove? We put in 4 a day, 2 for dinner 2 grated up & fried w/onions for breakfast. Pretty much doing all our frying in the stove now too - I push the logs to one side, set a cast iron skillet right down on the coals, give it about 10 min to heat, smear the bottom with a little crisco on a papertowel, toss in whatever. Yesterday morn was some small breakfast steaks, about 3 min each side - kept them warm on top while the spuds fried in the steak juice...yummm  Might try pancakes this AM when Tom gets up; that should be interesting lol. Might be too hot for that though, we'll see.


Gonna have to try the taters, . . . haven't yet.

But I got a super pancake machine. Got it off Ebay a couple years ago, . . . it is a hoot, . . . works like a champ. Pour the batter in the little round plates, . . . when they are done on the bottom, . . . flip them to the big side, . . . flip em back and refill them with batter, . . .

One of these days, . . . gonna try some potato cakes, . . . and some corn pone cakes in it, . . . gotta be a hoot making that stuff on the top of the old wood burner.

May God bless,
Dwight


----------



## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

@dwight55 Very cool! I've never seen one of those. Our stove (Jotul F55) is all cast - and the top doesn't get super hot (for cooking) like Tom's old steel top stove did. It will bring water to the little-bubble stage but not a boil- so that's why I cook inside of it, which I'm just starting to get kinda good at.  Livin up here is like luxury camping lol.


----------



## TGus (Sep 18, 2017)

SOCOM42 said:


> You better consider making your fire pit in your cellar with an overhead smoke hood tied into the house chimney.
> 
> Fire brick and sand will do fine, make the pit 3 feet high with a foot deep hearth,
> 
> ...


Thanks. I never thought of that. I was going to tie my wood stove into that chimney on the 3rd floor come SHTF in winter. Maybe I should just do it earlier for cooking.


----------



## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

TGus said:


> Thanks. I never thought of that. I was going to tie my wood stove into that chimney on the 3rd floor come SHTF in winter. Maybe I should just do it earlier for cooking.


Do you plan on living on the third floor also?

If not why the hell would you want to heat it up?

Just for your education, big or small SHTF event, the best place here in NE is to live in the cellar.

Cellar floors don't burn either if you drop hot coals on them and wall are usually granite, flagstone or concrete.

The Victorian I owned had the cellar walls made out of 3'x2'x1' granite blocks, floor was concrete.


----------



## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Yall best get to Texas when the spring thaw hits. We running around in spandex and flip flops in Cowtown.


----------



## TGus (Sep 18, 2017)

SOCOM42 said:


> Do you plan on living on the third floor also?
> 
> If not why the hell would you want to heat it up?
> 
> ...


We've lived on the 3rd and 4th floor of my home for 18 years. It's well insulated and has a huge central room by the chimney. My cellar's a lot like you describe. I plan to use the cellar as a root cellar and food storage area, since most of it is underground, below the frost line. This also keeps it cool for preservation in summer. I know you'd say that makes it perfect to live in during SHTF. That's not a decision I'll make yet, but I'll certainly consider it.


----------



## 23897 (Apr 18, 2017)

I know this isn't directly related but it made me think of this:









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Alex, I'll take "Trying to bang a hot vegan chick" for $50 ..... please.



fangfarrier said:


> I know this isn't directly related but it made me think of this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

TGus said:


> We've lived on the 3rd and 4th floor of my home for 18 years. It's well insulated and has a huge central room by the chimney. My cellar's a lot like you describe. I plan to use the cellar as a root cellar and food storage area, since most of it is underground, below the frost line. This also keeps it cool for preservation in summer. I know you'd say that makes it perfect to live in during SHTF. That's not a decision I'll make yet, but I'll certainly consider it.


First I would not have my food stored as you suggest out of security reasons if you stay upstairs.

You can dig a root cellar outside next to the cell wall.

SHTF, you are screwed if on the third floor and someone decides to burn you out, and no protection from gunfire like the cellar.

That is why I have a concrete bunker and my shop is block and steel, fireproof.

You can cover the first floor's flooring with dirt and or tin sheeting with insulation, for some fire protection.

I have not lived in Worcester for a long time, if I did you can bet I would have this place or similar to go to,

never would plan on staying in an urban area, mortal threats from predators and disease.


----------



## Fishwalker (Apr 2, 2018)

I don't know if this was mentioned before, but I have a "rocket stoven" option as one method of cooking. Rocket stoves in general are super fuel efficient. I watched a webinar where a guy cooked three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) using about a 10 inch diameter log. Try doing that with an open fire pit.


----------



## agmccall (Jan 26, 2017)

fangfarrier said:


> I know this isn't directly related but it made me think of this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I prefer this









al


----------



## agmccall (Jan 26, 2017)

For long term I would probably opt for Propane and Butane to heat just water for Freeze Dried Foods.

al


----------



## cdell (Feb 27, 2014)

I primarily use electric for cooking now, but I would use the natural gas BBQ and burner until the gas stopped flowing to save on my stock of fuel. After that I would use the Wood stove for whatever I could especially in winter when it will be going 24/7 already. Other then that I have a little over 200lbs of propane that I could use in the camper, camp stoves, or BBQ. I have some naptha, camp stoves, and lanterns stored and I also have a half dozen or so bags of charcoal that I could use if it came down to it. It's good to have options.


----------



## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

As some have mentioned about the worry of smoke from fires and the smell of food being an attractant to the uninvited guests.....I wouldn't worry about it right away since most people could make it for a day or two at the very least. They'd also loot any stores, restaurants & other business's first before hitting homes. So anyone in the burbs should be ok for a few days or longer. The farther away from 'town' the longer you have before worrying. 

All in all I don't think people will start going crazy right away. But the longer it goes on, the worse they'll get and the farther they will travel.


----------

