how to cook without electricity

How to Cook Without Electricity

If the power goes out (grid down) and the electricity is off for a period of time, you will need an alternative method of cooking without electricity.

Even if your kitchen has a gas stove, it likely requires electricity to operate. So, it’s best to consider multiple alternative ways to cook. Note, regarding a typical gas stove… I have one (fueled from a buried liquid propane tank in the yard). I am able to light the stove top burners without electricity. However the oven’s ignitor requires electricity to operate (just pointing that out).

UPDATE (2022) Original post date (2014). I read a comment in the Open Forum this morning. It was about storing plenty of spices and such – for use with the most commonly stored long-term food staples (rice and beans). That’s a great idea. Many preparedness-minded folks have these foods stored away for a catastrophic emergency. However, it struck me once again, as follows… You may likely find yourself without electricity upon a disastrous scenario whereby you may need to dig into your food supplies (e.g. rice & beans). So, you better consider ways to cook this stuff without electricity!

Here are a few ideas how to cook without electricity:

Grate over a wood fire

One obvious cooking alternative is by way of a wood fire. Perhaps with a cooking grate placed over it supported by logs, stones, bricks, etc. A fire pit in the yard, for example. Got wood?

Rocket stove

A ‘rocket stove’ is a very efficient way of utilizing a fire. It’s a method that uses little firewood (even twigs) to create a hot burning fire. There are several popular rocket stove varieties available. You can even build one with bricks. I happen to have a small ‘solo stove’ (as well as a fire pit in the yard).

Solo Stove
(amzn)

Dutch oven

A Dutch oven cooker. You can hang it on a tripod over an outdoor fire. I have (this tripod). Or you can place it directly in a bed of hot coals (or hot coals on top of the Dutch oven’s cover). Maybe even in your fireplace if you have one. Good Dutch ovens are made of cast iron (they retain heat longer).

My Dutch Oven
(amzn)

BBQ grill

Your barbecue grill is a likely option for cooking without electricity. At least until you run out of propane fuel. You might keep an extra propane tank (filled). I happen to have four 20-lb tanks, and two 30-lb tanks that go with my camper (I barbeque a lot). If you use charcoal, when it goes on sale buy extra bags. NEVER cook indoors with a bbq grill (should go without saying)…

Solar oven

A solar oven can be very effective during the summer months. That is, during days when there are few clouds and not a lot of wind (which may mess with the reflector panels). Therefore, this will be a limited use option. Nonetheless a solar oven is yet another alternative method of cooking without electricity. Your geographical location, weather, season, and the efficiency of the solar oven will affect your overall success.

Solar Oven Cookers
(amzn)

Sterno

‘Sterno’ heat (canned heat) like those which are used by caterers – may be used indoors and are effective for cooking. The canisters contain an alcohol-based ‘gel’ fuel – which does not spill and will burn for a few hours. You will need some sort of stand to hold your cooking pot over the canister.

Sterno Stove Kit
(amzn)

Butane stove

A good choice for safer cooking indoors without electricity is a single burner butane stove. Butane burns very clean. This type of stove is widely used by the Asian culture. My recommendation would be any of the Iwatani stoves…

Iwatani VA-30

Camp stove

There are all sorts of camping stoves which will enable cooking without electricity. Some of them are fueled from small butane canisters. Many others use propane, and still others by liquid fuel (e.g. Coleman white gas).

Be wary of the dangers of carbon monoxide. Unless your specific camp stove indicates that it is safe to cook indoors – assume that it is not. Maybe use it in the garage, with the garage door open (for example).

Coleman stove

One popular camp stove which has been around ‘forever’ is the Coleman camp stove. I have had two of their dual burner liquid fuel stoves during the past 20 years, and have been very happy with them. They seem to be built to last.

Coleman 2-Burner Dual Fuel Stove

Coleman 2-Burner Propane Stove

I tend to use the liquid fuel model. It seems a bit more rugged. It holds larger pots without issue, and will heat up very quickly. I’ve simply been familiar with it for many years. I like the sound of the burners on that stove (unique!). I believe that liquid fuel may be more practical when it comes to storage space versus the propane canisters. You will get far more cook time from a gallon can of white fuel versus an equivalent size cans of propane fuel (for example).

Coleman fuel – White gas

White gas‘ is a special Coleman blend which is orderless, has rust inhibitor in it, and is available in one gallon cans at nearly every store that sells camping supplies.

Although the Coleman white gas fuel has a supposed shelf life, i’ve used it far beyond a supposed expiration. I’ve had zero problems (as in, 10 years!).

Coleman dual fuel stove

According to Coleman documentation, you can even use unleaded gasoline in their dual-fuel model stove as a substitute for their Coleman fuel white gas. I have not tried this (just seems a bit scary to me). But it is good to know of an alternative fuel source.

Coleman white gas

A one gallon can of Coleman fuel will provide quite a lot of cooking time. And may be well worth stocking several, or more, in your survival preps if you have this type of stove.

I’ve even read comments reporting no problems or issues with the fuel even after 15 years, as long as the screw top is secured. Just remember to use their Coleman filtering funnel (view on amzn) as it is poured into the tank, in case of sediment. Unleaded gasoline however will not store well for that long. And I recommend adding a fuel stabilizer additive such as PRI-G or STA-BIL if it will be stored beyond several months.

 
During emergency cooking without electricity, be aware of safety considerations – especially since this is not your normal way of cooking. Consider ventilation, the dangers of fuels, and the dangers of fire itself.

 
Any other ideas out there for cooking without electricity?

[ Read: How Much Coleman Fuel Do I Need? ]

[ Read: Best Butane Stove For Indoor Use ]

57 Comments

  1. A couple of years after I bought my Coleman stove I found an attachment where you could convert to propane. I bought this and actually use it more than the Coleman fuel. It just gives another fuel option should you find yourself short on Coleman fuel.

    1. I have many small canisters but I also have the attachment so you can run the Coleman from a 5 gal container of which I have about 10. I would be interested if anyone has done a comparison to how long you can cook on one as opposed to a gallon of Coleman fuel. Propane lasts forever as far as I know.

  2. Got lucky at a yard sale last week, found 2 dual fuel Coleman’s one new still in the box, for $20 each.
    It was the first time I tried unleaded gas, I admit it made I scared to light it up knowing I was using pure gasoline.
    All went well just like can fuel. Now I have more options for cooking outside. Great information. Thanks.

  3. made “Crab Soup” on one last winter during the Ice Storm. Also had the house rewired with a Main Breaker box and a Sub Box and wired for a generator. The sub box handles lights, refrigerator, garage door opener (I’m in a wheelchair) and heat.

  4. I have a 2 burner sterno stove. It looks like a propane or white gas camp stove, but when you open it, it has 2 sockets to set sterno cans in. After you light the sterno, there is a hinged chimney that goes over the top of the sterno can and intensifies the flame. I buy my chafing fuel at sam’s. It’s $13.00 for 12 cans. I have also used my buddy heater for heating up canned foods.

  5. My Family and I make prepping fun by having what we call “Caveman Cooking” nights, where we will cook dinner on the fire pit out back, sometimes even when it is raining. We have done breakfast before as well. It’s fun, tastes a lot better and keeps us skilled in outdoor cooking.

  6. As a kid I remember my mother cooking in the fireplace after we lost power in the winter during a storm. She wrapped potatoes in heavy duty aluminum foil and placed them in the coals. She also put hot dogs on long metal skewers and cooked them over the fire. She had cooked a couple of other things too, but I just don’t remember what they were.

  7. Yep, I have a solar oven, propane stove, butane stove, my backpacking stove & an Eco Zoom. Plus a Traeger smoker than does use a little electricity, but my solar generator can handle that with no problem. Of course there is always an open fire which I love cooking on.
    Joe, I like your idea for caveman nights. I just might have to use that idea.

  8. If you can your food, before the shtf, there is no cooking involved, no smells generated, no time spent cooking, and, no fuel used. Can what goes onto your cooked rice and beans, such as meaty sauces, and worry about cooking the rice and beans themselves, without spices, or anything which creates a pungent smell. Bland rice, water braised beans, produce less smell to attract the zombies with guns.

    1. I have not canned, but it for sure seems like one of the better things to know.

      was thinking, that one could cook up rice, especially brown rice which does not get soggy, and fill your jar half full of rice, then add meat sauce/veggies/ beans, can, and have complete meals ready to warm. that way, no water is needed to prepare meal, etc. Also, seems like it would be a nice/tasty quick supper.

      Can you can different things like this in one jar?

      1. Do not can rice. Can beans. The rice will go bye-bye during the 90 minutes of processing in a pressure canning pot. Just get some ham, or bacon, onions, etc., and make what you will combine with your beans..such as Great Northerns…to flavor them. Simply soak your beans overnight and let them swell up. No need to cook them ahead of time. Fill your quart jars about 2/3 full with uncooked beans..then pour in your ham,bacon,onion,carrot,etc. broth. Leave 1 inch of head space in the jar, and process at 11 psi for 90 minutes. The processing time will perfectly cook the beans and allow the broth to full involve them. A complete mean in a jar, which you can eat cold, warm, or hot. You can even pour the ham&beans over your rice to extend the meal, and provide a complete protein complex. Look up such recipes on the web and spice the beans as you like them..maybe adding red pepper..and salt to taste. Your recipe, and complete control over what is in the jar.

        1. Great idea, Ision. Pre-cooked meals. Thanks.

          I smoke and dry peppers 🌶. Grind them up. They last for years. Himalayan sea salt. Spices abound. Grow them in pots for fresh herbs.

          We purchased a dual fuel inverter generator. Electric hot plates and percolator. Run at the same 15 minute window used for keeping the freezers and fridges at temp.

          Ken, your blog about actual generator running time needed to keep foods frozen and cold has made the rounds in my neck of the woods.

          Three big green eggs can operate to grill on one, smoke on another and bake in a third. Here in the Ozarks, there is no lack of wood for fuel. There can however be a lack of fuel to run your chain saw.

          I’m too old and too slow to use axes and two man saws. Of course, the exercise might keep me warm in the winter.

          The folks in Florida should be reading your blog and planning on possible power outages. I hope they are prepared.

      2. Anon, I mentioned this pressure canning book on Off Topic, but in the event that you did not see it, I think you would be very interested in this book: The Complete guide to Pressure Canning, by Diane Devereaux. She is a chef/ prepper. What could be better than that. I have had her book for over two years now, and love her meals in a jar section. Actually, any advice she gives on canning is excellent, including ways to pre-cook your beans. With cooking things in one jar, if you make up your own recipe, just make certain that you use the higher amount of time and pressure, for the ingredient that needs the most. For example, meat, carrots, onions potatoes, cook for meat, it’s like 10 pressure for an hour and thirty minutes. Let the steam out of your canner for ten minutes before adding your weight, if your canner has one. Some of her recipes are on line and you can get all her books there as well. She also sells clear-jell at a good price, if she has it in stock. It is always expensive, in my opinion, but helps in several ways with your canning. I made her loaded potato soup twice now. It is really good. She has some good venison jars like stroganoff and venison steak Diaane. If I could only own one canning book (I must have around a dozen) this would be the one. You could try Thrift Books, but I ended up buying it new. People don’t let go of this one often. Good luck! Cook now, save your fuel when it is precious! Ision gave good advice.

  9. I know some people that will make a large batch of soup, stews, and other complete meals, and can them. That way they just have to open and heat, so there really is no smell for the short time it takes to heat the food. I have never done this, but it does seem like a good idea.

    1. One can heat the entire jar of food itself, before you even open it. Set it in the sun, place it in hot water bath, place on hot engine manifold, set over a single candle, place over an oil lamp..etc. Can pasta sauces, can pie filling, can skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks, can pulled pork in bbq sauce, meatballs, stews of all kinds, chunks of beef, potatoes, any high value food. Two cases of quart jars, kept in their original packing cartons, put in the trunk of your car, will supply two people for quite some time (24 days), and takes up the space of one suitcase. Just toss in a 20 pound bag of medium grain rice..and it IS a months worth of food. Now, just worry about water and how you cook the rice.

      1. Ision, The canned goods have to boil and stay hot awhile (like 170). This goes for both home canned and store bought. Yes, we have all gotten away without doing this in our life-time, but in a S.H.T.F. scenario, it of course, not the time to get death ill. Good advice on reusing the canning jar boxes, I did that when we moved and did not break a single jar.

  10. I’ve watched Coleman fuel go from $9 a gallon to $12 a gallon in 4 years.

    1. Walmart prices it at $10/gal, if you can find it. Dick’s sells it but it is $15/gal

    2. I have been using dual fuel lanterns and stoves (I have two of each) for a couple decades. I always use unleaded gas. You can buy it cheaper than colemans white. It is more readily available and if you need to you can siphon out of gas tanks. I live in colorado and altitude has never been an issue.

  11. I have stocked up on a number of alternate heating systems.

    Kelly Kettle: Uses almost any fuel. You can boil water in it and bring the water inside and add to instant soups, instant rice, instant potatoes, Mountain House freeze dried meals, etc. That keeps the smell inside. You can also put a small pan on top to heat up while the water is boiling. You can warm up a can of vegetables or stew, or soup and open it up inside. (Be careful not to let it get too hot.)

    I also have a couple of different bar-b-que grills, three cast iron pans/pots, charcoal lighter, and several bags of charcoal.

    I also have a single-burner propane stove that the instructions say you can use indoors if the room is vented. I have about 20 1-lb cans of propane. I also have a few battery operated carbon monoxide detectors. (They are cheap and everyone should have some in their preps.)

    I also have a folding stove that takes ThermaFuel. Again, you are supposed to be able to use those indoors. I have a couple of cases of ThermaFuel.

    I also have two cases of denatured alcohol that I bought to use in one of those indoor table-top fireplaces. The fireplace was defective, so I returned it, but I still have the alcohol. I read that you can make a small stove out of pop cans and use alcohol, but I haven’t tried it.

    I also stocked up on food that doesn’t need to be cooked, including crackers with cheese spread, nuts, cookies, canned fruit and tomatoes, canned tuna and salmon, jerky, canned milk, powdered milk, dried fruit, cereal, ‘Ensure’ type instant meals, fruit juice, etc. And I have a part of a case of MRE’s with heaters.

  12. During Hurricane Sandy- 12 days with no heat or electricity for me.

    I heated water for tea and rice using a small folding sterno stove.

    I also had a single burner propane burner. I use 1 1/2 small propane bottles over that period. IIRC, I used 2 sterno cans also.

    A few notes to save fuel- always use a lid on the pot water, food heat up quicker. I also used a small pot lid on the skillet to cook hamburgers faster. Rice, dried beans, can be soaked in water before cooking to speed up cooking.

    I had the Coleman liquid fuel stove but there was no need for that. When the power was restored I bought a Coleman 2 burner propane stove- each burner is independent of the other. It is easier to cook on that then the single burner propane stove.

  13. “One popular camp stove which has been around ‘forever’ is the Coleman camp stove. I have had two of their dual burner liquid fuel stoves during the past 20 years and have been very happy with them. They seem to be built to last”

    The Coleman stuff is simpler then many other gas&propane Stoves and lamps. But this is not a bad thing.

    Coleman 424 and 425 are rugged, but they tend to rust… you can run them with unleaded gas… no Problem. But if you use coleman stoves and Lamps, keep another generator aside… you can restore “drain out” generators etc. but they are not expensive and having a spare make these pretty reliable things even more reliable.

    But watch out, CO is not such a big deal, these things are easy to use but not idiot-proof so dont forget about fire-prevention if you use these in or near your house.

  14. We have a wood cookstove (4 burners and an oven) that we purchased a few years ago (an antique Loth stove, not new one). We also have a wood stove but it will only keep something warm on the surface, not cook something in a skillet or pot.

    Our main cooking stove/oven runs on propane but when the grid has gone down, the oven won’t work (electronic ignition). The burners will work by hand-lighting them, though.

    We also have a rocket stove, a fire-ring and tripod set up for ‘campfire cooking’ w/ cast iron, a propane ring-burner set up, a gas grill, and a charcoal grill that we have used many times w/ small wood to learn how to cook this way w/out charcoal. We also have some thermos containers to cook things like rice and oatmeal. Haven’t experimented much with them but they’re here and at-the-ready if needed.

    We have more redundancy with cooking than any other activity because we grow so much of our own food and we need to preserve much of it, and we also cook everything from scratch. We also love to eat. :-) I can bake bread in a dutch oven outside but have yet to even try a solar oven. It just doesn’t hold the appeal for me since it’s a dedicated piece of equipment that is dependent upon lengthy sun exposure.

  15. I haven’t personally tried this method of cooking but am very interested in doing so.

    Take a pan of water and bring it to a boil. Then pour the hot water into a thermos. Add your rice, beans or raman noodles ( or whatever you want to boil )and set the thermos on it’s side. 15 minutes later give it a good shake and put it back on it’s side for an additional 15 minutes and you’ve got hot food with out the cooking smells that could lead to hungry looters causing problems.

    As preppers we are supposed to be creative, adapt and overcome right? :)

    Best,

    Snake Plisken

    1. Was just two comments above I was considering making the same suggestion. I was reading a article a couple years back about Chinese peasants using thermos type vacuum containers to cook lunchtime noodles on the morning fire.Making the fuel used in the morning more valuable. I would suggest due to the fact that noodles,rice & etc swells when cooking you might want to use the soup type wide mouth thermos.

      1. As a Boatie, it is very common to “cook” this way on Ocean passages.

        1/ reduces fuel consumption.

        2/ reduces time slaving over a hot stove.

        3/ good time management as it makes lovely hot food available later when required.

        4/ Keeps all the goodness in.

        5/ Requires less water i.e. no evaporation.

        6/ Simple- even I can cook with the thermos method..

        7/ eat straight out of thermos

        8/ only one container to wash.

        Win/win all the way..
        Peace and Love

  16. If you have a gas stove and the grid goes down its as easy as lighting a match to start it thats until you can no longer get any gas when the power gos out I was always able to use stove in spite of the electric ignition just by using a match so its not like you cannot use it.

  17. ‘Can’ separately because of different processing times. Mix when you cook them to eat. Also allows more flexibility in menu preparation.

  18. look at youtube how to make a solo stove. You can buy one of course but post-SHTF everything has a life expectancy and it would probably come in handy knowing how to make one from empty cans.

    1. Three cinder block bricks work great too.
      I was gifted a Solo stove. Haven’t used it yet.

      Ken’s link to the Lodge cast iron cookware is great. Dutch ovens make great all in one meals. The tripods are pretty neat.

      Love my black iron.

  19. I have a lot of cooking options but a homemade alcohol stove is hard to beat.They are easy to make have no smell and the fuel is cheap and stores forever.I have even poured into a used sterno can and used it.

  20. In 2009 we had an ice storm that left us in the dark for two weeks. I’m a prepper that lives in the sticks by the way. We cooked most of our food in a dutch oven over the fireplace. I cooked gumbo and rabbit stew that lasted a few days. I also had plenty of propane, gasoline, candles, and kerosene. We heated water from the creek for baths and for flushing the toilets. Heck, most of the time I just used the woods like an ole bear. LOL We also have plenty of two and four legged critters on our land. Needless to say, we stayed home and dealt with the sitiuation while everyone else was headed to the hotels.

    1. Kulafarmer,
      good point. the next time i have my LP coleman out i’m going to try a ferro rod and see what happens. should work, if not, i’ll see you on the other side. : )

    2. Local hardware stores should have lots of stick matches. Some are light anywhere, most are light on the box.

      Easy to store and invaluable.

  21. i used sterno a lot in my youth in scouting, it always worked well for me and i have used it in a nylon pup tent-no problem, almost no odor. left unopened the cans should last for years. but after opening they tend to dry out pretty quick. i have some in my bags but wood is our go to. wood falls from the sky here everyday. ya can’t take a step without tripping over some.
    as for outdoor cooking over a fire, cowboy kent rollins u tube video’s are the best IMO.
    our biggest problem is going to be finding something to put IN the pot long term. i plan for years, not months.

  22. Regarding Coleman White Gas.
    Yes it will store literally store for decades.
    I have 3 Coleman Lanterns (1 single mantel 1959, 2 duel mantle 1956, 1965) plus I have 2 Coleman 2 & 3 burner stoves 1975 & 1986.
    Each year I test fire them all and run 1/4 tank of fuel through them….
    Still using fuel fron the 1990’s.
    Say what ya want about the new fancy Propane stoves… I’ll use my old dependable stuff anytime.
    And as someone mentioned…. If I run out of fuel, I simply tap that nonfunctional car sitting over there. What ya going to do when that P-tank runs out?

    PS: Nailbanger….
    That’s what Road Flares are for LOLOL

  23. A good friend gifted us an Amish wood cook stove. It isn’t an antique, but brand new from Lemans. We just removed our fireplace and are replacing it with the wood cook stove. I know there will be a learning curve but it is better than our propane bill last year. It will also heat a 2000 sq ft house.
    We also have a 3 burner propane coleman, a campchef, a sun oven, a volcano stove, and can start a fire and cook over it without a problem.

  24. For me, not a problem. I have a complete outdoor kitchen, fully enclosed. I have an OLD four top Monarch wood cook stove in REALLY good shape, and I use it too. Not so good with the oven but I have figured out the proper way to feed it in order to keep the correct heat. I have even pressure canned on it.

    It has a 2 burner propane stove, have 3 of them just in case. That’s where I do all my pressure canning in order not to heat the house up to boiling temp. PLUS, it has a granny rocking chair to sit in and watch the canners.

    Has a 2 basin sink with a hose bib hook up. Also can plumb in a 30 gal over head tank. Huge recycled granite counter top with lots of lower cupboard space. The cabinet is also recycled, as are all the windows.

    I have a separate wood shed that hold 4 cords of smaller wood, that as of today, is now FULL. I built this kitchen in 2009, because I just had a feeling I was gonna need it in the future. Maybe my Heavenly Father put that bug in my empty head.!

  25. I have the Coleman stove, a solar oven (love it – put in a Mason jar of water to heat up in with your food, so you have hot water to wash with), and a gas range. I have used matches to light the burners, but am looking for information on how to use the oven without grid power. I need to bake occasionally. So if I have a 12v deep-cycle battery, could I use an inverter to run my oven, plugging my range into the inverter? Any ideas what size inverter to get for a 2-year old plain-Jane gas range? And if I would have to keep the range plugged in and using battery power the whole time the oven is turned on (vs just using the battery to get it to light)? How would I figure out how long my battery would last with the oven turned on and drawing from it? Any help would be appreciated! I just got my first solar panel, so total newbie here!

    1. Your oven should run fine with the deep cycle and the inverter. when you buy the inverter I would go up to 1000 amp. You don’t know what you may want to run with it. It could also be hooked up to a running car. As far as how long it will run it there should be an amp hour rating on the top of the battery. if you can find out how many amps the oven draws ( it’s probably not much ) it a simple matter of division.

  26. Camp Chef makes a great propane two burner stove/oven combo. Sausage gravy on one burner and hash browns on the
    other burner.Biscuits in the oven.Make the coffee first. The thermal cookers save time on power out days and you’re busy
    with chores.

    I’ve been cooking a lot lately on electric hot plates so as to save our precious propane.Home delivery is $2.48 per gallon
    If you get over 200 gallons. Almost had a heart attack at Ace Hardware. 1lb. Can of propane is $8.99. No kidding.

  27. I have a Colman ‘Cassic’ two burner propane stove. Worked well the one time I tried it (practice). I got a piezo ‘spark’ lighter to go with it, which makes lighting nicer than using matches. A box of 1lb propane bottles completes my emergency cooking set up.

  28. I have found the long stem bbq lighters to be very handy and useful for lighting burners of all kinds and lanterns too. It keeps your hands away from the burner while lighting as many times the burners do flare a little. Last thing you need when a grid down occurs is a burn . They are relatively inexpensive and seem to last quite a while.

    1. very handy for lighting the wood stove without having to put your arm inside. I get them at the dollar store which is now the dollar twenty five store LOL but keep about 10 at any given time.

  29. If we do not have power for cooking then it follows that we do not have water pressure for putting out fires. Kitchen/cooking fires are the #1 cause of house fires today. Battery-powered smoke/fire and CO2 detectors will be needed, along with plenty of batteries or rechargeables. Lots of fire extinguishers, within reach of heat sources, including outside near grills and such, where we don’t have water pressure. Buckets of water standing by (indoors as well as outdoors) to extinguish fires that get out of hand. We’ll be wanting to cook even on very dry and very windy days. Maybe someone could suggest a size/shape for making a spark arrestor for campfires.

  30. I’ve the following

    A large commercial, now discontinued Sun Solar Oven purchased around 2013…a workhorse for cooking a big pot of rice, spaghetti noodles, and heating water….then reheat rice/noodles with less time and less fuel each additional day’s serving
    A BBQ grill with a side burner
    A stone fire pit with a grate, tripod stand, and two cords of wood
    Three outdoor rocket stoves..one firebrick and two cinder block-based
    A small collapsible portable rocket stove
    Variety of cast iron pots and pans
    Solar genies for powering indoor burners, toasters, slow cookers, and air fryers
    Household genie for big indoor appliances like the oven
    You can also slow cook or reheat via a hot car interior and a good thermos
    For fire starters, I’ve been collecting and stowing branches and twigs for several years in anticipation. I’ve several 13-gallon bags of shredded paper and have been purchasing a variety of commercial-based fire starters like fat wood. I save dryer lent, toilet paper rolls, used paper towels, Amazon shipping boxes, a thousand matches and many lighters. It’s better to over than under-engineer in these foreseeable trouble times.

  31. And I have a cast iron firebox but it’s outdoors, not hooked up for indoor usage. I can cook on it. Plus countless three wicked candles. I’ve plenty of fire extinguishers, eight 50-gallon rain barrels, and three commercial 40+ gallon trashcans prefilled. I save and fill every empty jar, 2-liter drink bottle, empty dish/dishwasher/laundry plastic container, etc Two solar water bags for showers and many $2 water bottles, sponges and wet wipes for spot cleaning.

  32. My Coleman stove, like the one you’ve pictured, bought over 40 years ago and still going strong !

    1. Just picked one up today. Hope I never need it but we know better. time is running out.

  33. And I’ve always used regular gasoline, same as my Pick-up truck.

    1. Recently replaced a compression seal/washer on a coleman stove, works like new.
      I need to clean up the other two and get them in better working condition, they operate but poorly.
      The house gas oven/stove top will function for three years off the tank connected to it.
      Not going to list them all but having numerous ways to cook food here.
      Lots of acres of wood if that is necessary.

    2. I think the main reason not to use regular gas was back wen it was leaded.
      Not a problem now.
      I’d prefer summer blend gas over winter blend, less chemicals but whatever works, do with what you have.

  34. As far as smells after the shtf. Burn a small piece of tire rubber on a tiny tire downwind of your bacon making.

  35. Hello, have not posted for quite awhile. I read through all the comments and did not see the haybox mentioned, although there was some comment on vacuum thermal cookers. A haybox is a home made thing where a preheated pot of food is placed in a box lined with hay or other insulating material and left to cook for hours. Great for things like dry beans. I’ve used it successfully a handful of times, but am slowly “upgrading” to an insulated box with soapstone brick “radiators” like the fireless cookers of the early 20th century. Just haven’t taken the time to work on the project. But the primitive haybox works just fine for a lot of foods. You just need a source of fuel to preheat the food before it goes in the box.

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