HRC's for the UK

Haybox Cookery

Q. What is a haybox?
A. Simply an insulated box used for slow cooking.
Haybox cookery saves energy. This tipsheet shows you how to make one and suggests two easy recipes to start you off.The advantages of haybox cookery

The types of food which cook well in a haybox include soups, stews, sauces, stewed fruits, milk puddings, brown rice, stock etc. The box may also be used to keep pans or dishes of food warm, to make yoghurt or to keep food cold for short periods.

Besides saving fuel and money, it costs little or nothing to make, it cooks food weIl and it can't overcook or burn food.

The design has proved especially valuable in places such as rural South Africa where firewood is scarce, and the search for it can take hours each day. The women frequently put the dinner on before they go to work and, upon their return, it is ready to eat.

There are commercially produced hayboxes on the market, but they are expensive. In less than half an hour you could make one yourself using materials which cost little or nothing, and which are easy to obtain by examining the diagram and following these directions.

Materials

Traditionally, hay was used as the insulating material as it was easily available and cheap, but it has the disadvantage that it needs to be renewed fairly frequently and is messy. It is now also expensive and difficult for town-dwellers to obtain, so different insulating materials have become more common. Polystyrene and crumpled newspaper are two suitable ones.
The other requirement is for a cooking pot with two small handles at the top (for easy removal from the box) and a well fitting lid. Ideally the haybox should be made to fit a particular pan - the less space there is around the pan, the less heat will be lost.