reth:retained-heat

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reth:retained-heat [2025/12/05 05:05] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1reth:retained-heat [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Retained heat (haybox) cooking+This topic is part of [[gt:food|Food & drink]]. 
 +====== Retained heat (haybox) cooking ======
  
-![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/cookery.jpg)+![](wiki:retained_heat.jpg)
  
 --- ---
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-## What is retained heat cooking?+===== What is retained heat cooking? =====
  
 If removed from a cooker, food in a cooking pot will continue to cook until the pot cools down. Placing the pot in an insulated box to prevent cooling means that the food will continue to cook without the use of further fuel. This is known as retained heat cooking, aka thermal cooking, haybox cooking, sit boiling or fireless cooking. If removed from a cooker, food in a cooking pot will continue to cook until the pot cools down. Placing the pot in an insulated box to prevent cooling means that the food will continue to cook without the use of further fuel. This is known as retained heat cooking, aka thermal cooking, haybox cooking, sit boiling or fireless cooking.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Making a retained heat cooker from insulation board: cutting the board with a heated knife.+_Making a retained heat cooker from insulation board: cutting the board with a heated knife._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Another way of doing it – an insulated basket.+_Another way of doing it – an insulated basket._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What are the benefits of retained heat cooking?+===== What are the benefits of retained heat cooking? =====
  
 - A haybox cooker can save up to 80% of the energy used to achieve the same results by simmering, so there are both economic and environmental benefits - i.e. cash saved and much lower pollution / CO2 emissions. - A haybox cooker can save up to 80% of the energy used to achieve the same results by simmering, so there are both economic and environmental benefits - i.e. cash saved and much lower pollution / CO2 emissions.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Adding a pot of food, with lid.+_Adding a pot of food, with lid._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
- +===== What can I do? =====
- +
- +
-## What can I do?+
  
 **Make a haybox cooker** **Make a haybox cooker**
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 <caption> <caption>
-Home-made insulation board ‘haybox’ in use.+_Home-made insulation board ‘haybox’ in use._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Finished meal.+_Finished meal._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-A real haybox – i.e. a box with hay in it – used regularly by friends of ours. Put hay underneath and around the sides, add the pot, put hay on top, then a lid - works a treat.+_A real haybox – i.e. a box with hay in it – used regularly by friends of ours. Put hay underneath and around the sides, add the pot, put hay on top, then a lid - works a treat._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 | Chicken | 6 min | 2-3 h | | Chicken | 6 min | 2-3 h |
 | Beef | 13 min | 3-4 h | | Beef | 13 min | 3-4 h |
 +
 +Source: [Thermal Cooking Weblog](https://thermalcooker.wordpress.com/)
 +
 +<WRAP center centeralign> 
 +<figure>
 +![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/retained-heat-thermal-cooker.jpeg)
 +<caption>
 +_There are commercial ‘thermal cookers’ that continue to cook food for up to 8 hours after being switched off._
 +</caption>
 +</figure>
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +
 +**Using a thermos flask**
 +
 +For cooking small amounts (say a single portion of rice or pasta), a quality thermos flask can be used in a similar way. The principle is the same as the haybox, but as the flask itself can’t be heated, follow these steps: pre-heat the flask with boiling water; bring rice/pasta to the boil in a saucepan; empty the flask; carefully pour (use a jam funnel if you have one) the contents of the saucepan into the flask; seal and leave to cook. Don’t hold the flask in your hand when pouring, in case you spill the boiling water. Don’t forget that rice and pasta expand when they cook so don’t fill the flask to the brim, and be careful when opening in case the flask has become pressurised.
 +
 +**Integrated cooking**
 +
 +Retained heat cooking can be used in combination with solar cookers and rocket stoves. This combination enables you to cook at any time, rain or shine, without fossil fuels. See [solar cookers](solr:solar_cookers) for more information.
 +
 +<WRAP center centeralign> 
 +<figure>
 +![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/retained-heat-fireless.jpg)
 +<caption>
 +_It’s not a new idea – this is a vintage ‘fireless cooker’ from the 1920s._
 +</caption>
 +</figure>
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +
 +===== Forum =====
 +
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:food|Food & drink]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/food).
 +
 +===== Further resources =====
 +
 +- [The Fireless Cookbook](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/60598/60598-h/60598-h.htm) - free book from Gutenberg Project
 +- [Instructables](https://www.instructables.com/hay-box-cooker/) - how to make a haybox cooker
 +- [Low-tech Magazine](https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2014/07/if-we-insulate-our-houses-why-not-our-cooking-pots/) - if we insulate our homes, why not our cooking pots?
 +- [Mr D](https://mrdscookware.com/recipes) - retained heat recipes
 +- [Our Tiny Homestead](https://www.ourtinyhomestead.com/haybox-cooking.html) - haybox cooking
 +- [Solar Cookers International](https://solarcooking.fandom.com/wiki/Heat-retention_cooking) - heat-retention cooking
 +- [Thermal Cooker Recipes](https://thermalcookerrecipes.com/)
 +- [ThermalCooking.net](https://www.thermalcooking.net/)
 +- [Thermos Cooking](https://thermoscooking.com/) - cooking with a thermos flask
 +
 +===== Related topics =====
 +
 +- [[insu:Insulation]]
 +- [[ensa:Energy saving]]
 +- [[lico:cooking|Low-impact cooking]]
 +- [[lifo:food|Low-impact food & drink]]
 +- [[solr:Solar cookers]]
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
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