# My First Try at Using the Solar Oven



## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Several months ago, I snagged a good deal on a solar oven (Sunflair).










My original intention for this was to simply pasteurize water, but as long as I can cook with it, I decided it was time to actually try it out, with today being warm and sunny. With my aim being making meals that don't require refrigeration, I decided to make some biscuits from a box of Jiffy mix.

I started out halving the instructions on the box. So into one of my camping pans (I decided to use nothing but my camping gear for this first foray) I put in about half the powder, plus ¼ c of water. Using my micro-mini whisk, I stirred up the mix.










That ought to make three biscuits, I thought. So after folding the dough a few times on some floured wax paper, I cut out two pucks and formed the remains into a third. Not pretty, but I was hoping for the best.










And into the oven that was sitting out on the deck they went.










The box instructions state 450°F for 10-12 minutes. Since the oven couldn't get to even 250, I decided about an hour should do it. After 20 minutes, they had risen nicely.










Gusty winds probably didn't help heat the oven up, draining some of the heat away. But after about an hour and 15 minutes, I decided they just weren't going to turn brown. So back into the kitchen they went.

OK, not browned (except on the bottoms), but certainly cooked through.










While they were still warm, I whipped up a batch of gravy and........










Not exactly a gourmet meal by any means, but would certainly be welcome grub in a survival situation. And yummy when out camping.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Thanks for the report. What is the recipe for your gravy?


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

paraquack said:


> Thanks for the report. What is the recipe for your gravy?


Here ya go.


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## CapitalKane49p (Apr 7, 2020)

_Not exactly a gourmet meal by any means, but would certainly be welcome grub in a survival situation. And yummy when ou_t camping.

Looks good to be nothing like biscuits an gravy sticking to you ribs after a long day haul your pack around the woods.

Godspeed


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

CapitalKane49p said:


> Looks good to be nothing like biscuits an gravy sticking to you ribs after a long day haul your pack around the woods.
> 
> Godspeed


I certainly wouldn't go backpacking with this thing. It's not exactly small and light. But for vehicle camping it's great. If I want BnG on the trail, I'll make the biscuits at home, vac-seal them, and make the gravy on site.


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## Buttoni (Jun 2, 2020)

I'm sure I won't be doing much baking when SHTF, but for that rare time I can't cook something on my cooktop or the firepit with ordinary dutch oven, I just invested in a propane unit with 2 burners and an oven. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camp-Che...=Camp Chef Outdoor Propane range oven&veh=sem.

Just carried it down to our BO location this week but haven't built the counter surface it will be housed upon on the cabin back porch yet. Hoping it will be of use when I've just got to have some of the brownie mix in our long-term food kits. Will post about my findings on this propane appliance when it's out of the box, set up and trialed.


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## Hancock67 (9 mo ago)

Nice job.


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