Cooking during power outage

[Arzosah]

With a remote canister stove you can turn the canister upside-down in very cold conditions. Remote stoves are more stable as I mentioned before, and asier to shield from wind as well. Why did I buy a canister top stove? Smaller and lighter weight. My Trangia has remote gas though.

Sorry, I don't know what "remote" means in this context?

[Frnc]

With a remote canister stove you can turn the canister upside-down in very cold conditions. Remote stoves are more stable as I mentioned before, and asier to shield from wind as well. Why did I buy a canister top stove? Smaller and lighter weight. My Trangia has remote gas though.

Sorry, I don't know what "remote" means in this context?

Remote means the canister is connected to the stove via a tube. So the stove sits on its own legs on the ground, like this...(canister screws into the bit on the left)

The other type of canister backpacking stove screws directly into the top of the canister, like this...

[Arzosah]

Damn, I'm really glad I asked that question! Thank you so much for that, that's really helpful!

[Frnc]

Damn, I'm really glad I asked that question! Thank you so much for that, that's really helpful!

Quick summary of these types:
Boil a pot of water very quickly
You need a camping pot with separate handle that grips the rim, or folding wire handle as on some of the titanium 'cups' . Obviously a home saucepan would be unstable due to its heavy fixed handle.
Obviously very portable
Easy to use
Remote type is more stable and easier to shield from the wind, but is a bit heavier
Canister can be inverted on the remote type in extreme cold. You can also warm it up first on either type.
Canisters are self sealing, no need to keep attached
Not the cheapest long term cooking for a family
Bit noisy
Most will accept most makes of canister, but best to buy one and check.
There are some canisters that are general, and some that are aimed more for extreme hot or cold weather.

[Arzosah]

Thanks again! I'm cut and pasting a lot of this thread now

[rik_uk3]

Not stuff like rice that takes 20 minutes to cook.

We always cook rice and pasta when camping using the stored heat. Bring to boil thoroughly. Wrap saucepan up well in a jumper/blanket and leave to one side for about twice as long as usual. While the rice/pasta is cooking, get on and use the single burner to prepare the rest of the meal.
Of course the modern micro-rice sachets are a game changer for camping/emergency cooking. Stir fried rice in the time it takes to fry the egg and some veg.

Yeah the microwave rice is ideal for bug-in. Goes well with those Spice Tailor curries (expensive but amazing). Too heavy for bug-out/backpacking etc. The stored heat method I didn't know about, that's useful to know. It's an extension of the way you prepare freeze dried meals, which are done in the bag. I carry a few heavy duty freezer bags that have folding bottoms so they can stand up, and can take boiling water, so I can split a freeze dried meal over 2 days. For my bugout bag I only carry one pot for cooking and eating out of. It's an 1100ml titanium pot with lid and folding handle. It also has a hanging handle for hanging over a fire. Obviously I'd prefer to just boil water in it. But I'll add a bit of rice to my bugout bag.
Speaking of fires, embers are good for cooking certain things, eg fish, eggs.

Search for Haybox cooking or thermos flask cooking, its not a new concept, the Victorians were using this method. At home don't forget the humble pressure cooker which save a lot of fuel.

Hawkins make a range of pressure cookers and the prices are pretty good, the little 1.5l is perfect for two people and small enough for the boot of your car

[GillyBee]

I do love my pressure cooker. And you can sometimes pick up "food flasks" in charity shops which are perfect to thermal cook a batch of rice or pasta.

[Frnc]

Re pressure cookers, my mum had one, but I've never used one. Unfortunately there's zero spare space in my kitchen.

The stored heat is a great idea. I remember now, someone told me he cooks eggs by just boiling the water and then turning the heat off and leaving them for 15 minutes.

I remembered seeing covers for camping pots and freeze-dried bags, going to add this to my future shopping list. The description talks about the stored heat method.
https://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/cook ... 2-119.html

[rik_uk3]

Easy enough to make a cozy for various pots, old closed cell foam mat and a roll of duck tape and off you trot, certainly not worth parting with cash for.

If your short of kitchen space it may be worth you looking at the electric pressure cookers because its not just a pressure cooker, you can boil, simmer and slow cook so look on it as an extra cooking ring. I have the 3l and 6l Pressure King Pro plus standard pressure cookers.

[GillyBee]

If I didn't already have a pressure cooker and a thermal cooker I would take a look at something like the Ninja foodie which combines pressure cooker, slow cooker, airfryer all in one device. T'other half was mulling it the other day but we just dont have room for another gadget and we have reasonable alternatives for everything except air frying.
On the down side these are electric devices so useless in a power outage as per the original thread.
On the plus side they are more compact than separate gadgets for each item and reputedly are more energy efficient than hob tops.