Cooking Rice In A Thermos To Save 80 Percent Fuel!

Did you know you can cook rice in a thermos? Thermos cooking can save up to 80% of fuel that you might have otherwise used.

Here’s how to do it, along with a recommendation for a suitable thermos(important!).

Rice is one of those ‘staple foods’ in nearly everyone’s kitchen pantry.

Many preparedness-minded individuals with a food storage pantry will have, among other things, a quantity of dry foods, including rice. An issue with cooking rice, though, is that it requires a substantial amount of energy to cook (boil or simmer) and soften the grains so that they are edible.

If you’re in a situation where you need to conserve fuel, the ‘thermos rice’ cooking method can save a significant amount of fuel by eliminating the relatively long time required on a stove burner, etc.

The good news is that I’ve found a way to cook rice with just a fraction of the fuel energy required compared to conventional cooking methods, such as boiling and simmering…

Cooking Rice In A Thermos | How-to

 
I tried this, and it worked very well. In this example, I will use a typical ratio of water to rice, which is 2:1.

1. In a pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

2. Once boiling, add 1 cup of rice.

3. Carefully pour the mixture into the thermos. In this example, you would need at least a 24-ounce thermos (recommendation below).

4. Close the thermos and wait several hours.

The only energy consumed is that required to bring your small pot of water to a boil. That’s it. Then shut off the heat while you’re slow-cooking rice in a thermos instead!

Please note that you will need to plan (many hours ahead) with your rice.

UPDATE: The thermos shown in my first experiment was not a wide-mouth thermos. I recommend a wide-mouth thermos because it’s easier to scoop out the rice. I’ve shared several recommendations below.

Best Thermos For Rice: Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated

For this method to work successfully, it is essential to use a well-designed thermos with a double-walled vacuum seal, which will retain heat for a more extended period. A cheap plastic thermos will not work, or one that lacks a vacuum-sealed insulation barrier.

After researching a bit, I chose a thermos for cooking rice (and other foods to keep warm). It has a reasonably wide mouth, making it easier to handle food, and it can hold enough boiling water (~48 ounces) to provide a reservoir of long-lasting heat. The thermos’ insulation design features stainless steel walls separated by an airless space, maintained under a vacuum.

Since that purchase, a better Thermos has become available. It has a wider mouth for easier access. If I were to do it over again, I would get this one:

From the manufacturer, “As with all Thermos vessels, this container uses vacuum insulation technology for maximum temperature retention that is ideal for soups and other hot foods.”

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (no extra cost to you).

→ THERMOS Brand (47 Ounce)

“I conducted a simple performance test myself by priming the unit with boiling water, refilling 5 minutes later (boiling water) at 212F, then storing overnight in a 38F refrigerator. At the end of 10 hours, the water was still quite hot, measuring 155F with a calibrated thermometer!”

said ‘robert’ while reviewing this particular Thermos

Also, the following is an alternative thermal cooker. It’s larger, if that’s what you’re looking for:

→ Mini Vacuum Thermal Cooker |RPF20| 1.5L capacity(Amazon)

Thermos Rice Saves Energy and Fuel

All it takes to cook my rice now is a few minutes of fuel to get the water boiling – and that’s it; no simmering afterwards.

When I first worked on this article back in 2015, the thermos-cooked rice must have smelled so good that my mini Dachshund, Sampson, came out of nowhere and almost got it while I was holding the bowl of rice for a photo…

Original experiment:

I first filled the thermos with water to determine precisely how much I needed to boil. I then dumped the water into a pot to boil.

Next, I added one cup of brown rice to the thermos.

[Edit: Later, I discovered that the water-to-rice ratio for brown rice is a bit different. Brown rice: 2.5:1 or even 3:1 (needs more water and longer cooking time).

After the water came to a boil (about 5 minutes), I dumped it into the thermos over the rice. The thermos took ‘almost’ all the water.

After securing the lid, I was happy to see that the rice had cooked very well and expanded to fill the thermos perfectly 8 hours later. I had prepared the rice at 10:30 AM and had dinner at 6:30 PM.

I dumped out the rice and strained the remaining water.

The rice was mushy, and next time I will try to remember and do a 6-hour slow-cook.

Here’s a photo:

UPDATE: New article about a bigger thermal cooker:

👉 Thermal Slow Cooker by Thermos

[ Read: Rice and Beans – A Survival Combination ]