Build a Hay Box Cooker

Simplistic by design, economical by necessity…

…A box or canister, with some insulation and a cover, and you're ready to cook up a storm.

Building A hay box cooker is easily accomplished with just a few common household materials available to almost anyone, most anywhere.

* Share your own experiences with haybox cookers below

Ideally though, the box should have thick, sturdy walls; preferably something stronger than cardboard.

These can be already finished items such as…

…A wooden crate, an old Coleman cooler or even a small to medium sizedsteel barrel etc., these are things that would make a strong outer enclosure, or frame, for a basic hay box cooker.

If none of these are available you can build your own box or container, and do it to more exact specifications.Materials and supplies for building a wooden hay box are pretty easy to come by at your local home improvement or hardware store.

Even better, scrounge up the materials from a building site or landfill site for construction debris.

You may also want to choose your ideal cooking vessel (pot) before hand, and then build your hay box to the vessel dimensions, permitting a more exact and snug fit for better heat retention.

Insulation:

Hay was the original "insulation" used in earlier years, and is still considered an excellent insulator when used properly.

Nowadays you can choose from a variety of materials to use as insulation for your hay box cooker.Cotton, wool, and a number of modern synthetic fibers provide the necessary insulating qualities for an efficient hay box.

The key to an effective hay box is in how you insulate it.
If your insulation will allow tiny air pockets, such as when using hay, then you will have a higher insulating factor.

Read a short explanation about: air as an "excellent" insulator, on this site. www.newton.dep.anl.gov

Of course the air has to be stabilized in order to not flow or move, because if allowed to do so it will loose the majority of its insulating ability.You stabilize the air by sealing it into a pocket of sorts; an enclosed space.

Hay, fitted snugly into a box (having used a previously chosen cooking pot to give it form) will create a very nice "pattern" of micro-air pockets that will in turn create an effective insulator, again in turn, retaining your cooking heat more effectively.

You can achieve the same effect using other classes and types of insulating materials, of course the builder of the box will use those materials which are most economical and readily available to the person.

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