Induction hob

[Mr Gus]

I still need to find one that can work with sugar better than the Ikea portable induction, for everything else it has been fine, but caramel was a big foaming out of control mess

[Joeboy]

I still need to find one that can work with sugar better than the Ikea portable induction, for everything else it has been fine, but caramel was a big foaming out of control mess

Whats the recipe and i'll try it?

[openspaceman]

A charity, (radio 4 prog today) has been teaching folk the value of the slow cooker, apparently securing donations for 200+ of them, citing the annual running costs of ovens & double ovens in contrast to small pot cookers & stating the "up to 70% energy savings" via that cooking type, which I can well believe, ..sadly they didn't say about the easy clean up (steam setting) but hey.

I mentioned in another post that a neighbour gave a talk about using a hay box (old fashioned slow cooker) a while ago and it has really caught on locally. Lots of people experimenting with cooking stuff slowly and using a lot less energy.

I made this from a celotex offcut and a reflective insulation bag. I wanted to slow cook beans but it didn't keep stuff hot enough and I found 25 minutes in the pressure cooker worked better.

I guess slow cookers are better for sinewy meat cuts?? Again I guess this would need to maintain temperature from 100C down to 70C at finish for the main meat cook and then gradually stew till serving time.

Most of the rice we buy seems to have been par boiled so cooks fast but it should work well with old fashioned rice and a precise measure of water.

I think I would have been better using a cast iron casserole and getting that up to temperature with the induction hob before finishing it in the higher tec haybox.

[Stinsy]

I still need to find one that can work with sugar better than the Ikea portable induction, for everything else it has been fine, but caramel was a big foaming out of control mess

My Tefal portable induction hob is way to intense. You cannot achieve a gentle simmer. My Neff integrated induction hob is very controllable right down to being able to melt chocolate or butter with no fear of burning it.

[Mr Gus]

Will research the neffs, thanks for the input stinsy.
(I had hell to pay sorting that pan out)

[Oldgreybeard]

A charity, (radio 4 prog today) has been teaching folk the value of the slow cooker, apparently securing donations for 200+ of them, citing the annual running costs of ovens & double ovens in contrast to small pot cookers & stating the "up to 70% energy savings" via that cooking type, which I can well believe, ..sadly they didn't say about the easy clean up (steam setting) but hey.

I mentioned in another post that a neighbour gave a talk about using a hay box (old fashioned slow cooker) a while ago and it has really caught on locally. Lots of people experimenting with cooking stuff slowly and using a lot less energy.

I made this from a celotex offcut and a reflective insulation bag. I wanted to slow cook beans but it didn't keep stuff hot enough and I found 25 minutes in the pressure cooker worked better.

I guess slow cookers are better for sinewy meat cuts?? Again I guess this would need to maintain temperature from 100C down to 70C at finish for the main meat cook and then gradually stew till serving time.

Most of the rice we buy seems to have been par boiled so cooks fast but it should work well with old fashioned rice and a precise measure of water.

I think I would have been better using a cast iron casserole and getting that up to temperature with the induction hob before finishing it in the higher tec haybox.

Neat idea. I believe the key is to do as you suggest and get the food and pot up to a high temperature before putting it in the insulated box, so it cooks mostly from residual heat. I'll ask our neighbour next time I see her about the details.

[Mr Gus]

Whilst the celotex hay box is a classic but with a modern twist, I would be wary of non sealed (alu-tape) particulate from any insulation foam board.
Yes it adds cost, but adds durability & a measure of safety, if done on the cheap 151brand in pound type stores for enough to deal that up.

[Joeboy]

WBS is now in the mix, doing the heavy lifting of heating the water and pasta sauce, will finish on the induction hob. Air fryer for the garlic flat bread. I reckon under a 1/4 kWh to do dinner (including wine). Dreich dreadful day weatherwise yet managed 20 miles into the EV for SWMBO and stack is at 37% soc.
Not bad for a 10kWh gen day.

[Oldgreybeard]

That shows the North/South divide! Aircon has been on all day here, reached around 25°C outside, sitting at around 21° indoors. Definitely not time to put any heating on yet! We usually turn the heating on around mid-November, with it going on all the time from around December through to February.

[Stinsy]

No heating on in our house until November. No matter the weather!