Introduction: The Green Pail Retained Heat Cooker
The Green Pail retained heat cooker will hold 7 liters of pintos hot long enough to cook them well done and keep them above 170 deg F for 5 hours. A Design To Build from LannyPlans.
The Green Pail retained heat cooker is green because:
1- It is made from recycled plastic pails
2- It saves the energy that it takes to simmer food.
3- It keeps the heat out of the kitchen saving summer time ac cost
4- It can be made locally from local materials with local labor.
5- It saves the time necessary to watch food simmer, you can simply set it and forget it, walk away and leave it for hours.
6- It can hold food at safe temps between meals making refrigeration unnecessary, which could be handy in off grid situations.
7- It is a street vender micro enterprise design that someone could build and sell at flea markets, garage sales.
19 Comments
15 years ago on Introduction
Thank you for the great instructions! Now I have a favor, do you (or anyone else for that matter) have any "recipes" or other suggestions for things to cook in it? I would love to do this with my high school science students, but would really love to try out a couple of different foods. Thanks so much for any ideas!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I haven't checked out any of them, but there's a lot of recipes here...
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Rice, since it is a staple for many of the worlds poorest. Boiled potatoes would be good. Some beans depending on the size of your pot. It takes a large mass to cook pintos. My interest is in biomass fired appliances for people in developing areas. View my videos at YouTube, search LannyPlans. Contact me at lannych at bellsouth dot net for more projects for your class. LannyPlans
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Great ideas to cook. I'll run over to your YouTube section (at LannyPlans) and see what else we could do. I guess next, we'll be looking for the "pot" to go inside the cooker. Thank you so much for your help!
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Search for "Camp Pot" on eBay, in about a week or email me. LannyPlans
12 years ago on Introduction
making my rocket stove (worked better then I thought it would, but they are sootie), I used left over fiberglass insulation/Also fireplace ashes (non treated wood ashes) are very good as well just be sure to make ith sealed so water can't get in any of the parts.
again schweet video.
12 years ago on Introduction
so very sweet, and calorie free! maybe I can get scouts to make'em
12 years ago on Introduction
THANKS for putting this up...It is explained SO VERY WELL in your video..very easy to understand..I'm sure that this will come in handy some day...8)
13 years ago on Introduction
Great work and a great video. Thank you.
13 years ago on Introduction
Does't plastic releases toxics things when it is heated? I woudn't do this because I don't know if it is healthy. Seems a prety good ideia! Just not with plastic
14 years ago on Introduction
A well-known brand name company that makes vacuum bottles makes something like this, but it is only one size. For smaller quantities, I have used a vacuum bottle myself after bringing soup or stew (no meat) to a boil and then it finishes cooking during the morning at work. At noon it is piping hot and flavourful. The advantage of the LannyPlans project is that it allows for a larger pot and can be custom made with found materials. I never thought of using sawdust as an insulator.
14 years ago on Introduction
Mmm different! Good idea, I like it
15 years ago on Introduction
Lanny, I use this 3.5 Quart Enameled Steel Blue pot:
http://www.waterfowlerswarehouse.com/gsi_blue_35_straightpot.html for $12.95 + $6.99 S/H.
Or you can purchase it at Wal-Mart in the Sporting Goods section for $9.97 + tax. Sometimes it's on Sale for around $6.00 + tax.
I cannot locate a stainless steel pot that will fit into the Green Pail Retained Heat Cooker.
Please provide a link for the pot in your Instructables if available.
Thank you, Sir.
15 years ago on Introduction
Lanny, thank you for the great retained heat cooker. Just a thought; would that foam spray in a can work as a good insulator rather than perlite or sawdust? I realize that applying the foam spray would be more difficult, since it expands quickly and created quite a mess, but would it have the same RF factor or higher than perlite or sawdust? Thanks again. pnp
15 years ago on Introduction
Very good idea. Your spoken and video instructions were very clear.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Thanks, if you found this useful, view my YouTube videos, search for LannyPlans
15 years ago on Introduction
What do you use for insulation? I think you used sawdust, but I am not sure. If so, What kind of sawdust do you recommend?
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Yes sawdust, as fine, light and fluffy as possible, from a sander or chop saw with fine teeth. Spruce is lighter than hardwood. Make sure it is dry. I have also used perlite but sawdust seems to have less mass. I have a new and even better insulation system than sawdust, that I plan to disclose soon, so stay tuned. LannyPlans
15 years ago on Introduction
Pretty cool! I'm going to have to make this before the next big storm rolls through and forces us off-grid for a week. 5 *'s!