EcoRenovator  

Go Back   EcoRenovator > Improvements > Conservation
Advanced Search
 


Blog 60+ Home Energy Saving Tips Recent Posts Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-21-13, 12:41 PM   #1
warmwxrules
Helper EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: La Crosse, WI
Posts: 78
Thanks: 0
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Default Cooking outside?

Anyone else here refuse to cook inside during this extremely hot/humid weather? Last summer I just used my gas grill (that has a side burner) for cooking meals outside...now this summer i took it a step further and bought a pizza oven and cook with that outside (frozen pizzas/french fries/etc)... We also eat a lot of cold foods (fruit/sandwiches/chips)...but sometimes you want something hot...we also have been guilty of eating fast food a few times (we rarely do that).

I can only imagine how much energy is used to cool kitchens across the US in the summer. No big deal in the winter (just adds heat to the house).

Thoughts?

warmwxrules is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-13, 06:11 PM   #2
philb
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 155
Thanks: 58
Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts
Default

I cook outside as often as I can in hot weather for this very reason. My solar panels usually have the battery bank full around noon so I divert the power to a crock pot I already have set up. I stir a few times during the day, bring it in and eat at 6p.

Last edited by philb; 07-21-13 at 06:23 PM..
philb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-13, 10:08 PM   #3
NeilBlanchard
Journeyman EcoRenovator
 
NeilBlanchard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 383
Thanks: 78
Thanked 39 Times in 32 Posts
Default

My spouse wants an outdoor summer kitchen - these used to be required back when most people had wood-fired cookstoves.
NeilBlanchard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-13, 01:48 PM   #4
Piwoslaw
Super Moderator
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 960
Thanks: 188
Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts
Default

Me too, me too!
I explained to the family a thing or two about heat and now we keep baking down to a minimum during hot weather, or at least do it in the evening when the windows can be opened. Small portable devices go outside (toaster oven), and anything that needs to cool down also goes out (pot of soup, for example), often until morning when it is coolest.
__________________
Ecorenovation - the bottomless piggy bank that tries to tame the energy hog.

Last edited by Piwoslaw; 07-23-13 at 12:23 AM..
Piwoslaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-13, 06:06 PM   #5
AC_Hacker
Supreme EcoRenovator
 
AC_Hacker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,004
Thanks: 303
Thanked 723 Times in 534 Posts
Default Cooking Outside...

There certainly is a lot to be said in favor of cooking outside from the standpoint of aesthetics as well as heat management.

Not to try to discourage anyone from outdoor cooking, but if you gotta cook indoors, a small induction cook-top is a real blessing especially in hot weather. The reason being that the induction cooker only heats up the bottom of the cooking utensil... only slightly on the sides due to conduction, and almost none at all on the handle.

-AC
__________________
I'm not an HVAC technician. In fact, I'm barely even a hacker...
AC_Hacker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-13, 07:33 PM   #6
where2
DIY Geek
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 401
Thanks: 74
Thanked 83 Times in 73 Posts
Default

I cooked outside on my gas grill tonight. The pork chops I found on sale over the weekend tasted great.

I've spent my life living where it is hot and humid for 10 months of the year. I grew up with a close friend whose house had no A/C in South Florida (5 kids too!). That house is still only 2 blocks from where I live. Especially in the summer months, his father used the gas grill outside the garage, rather than fire up a heating appliance in the house. They also made incredible use of ceiling fans in that house!
where2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-13, 10:47 PM   #7
Piwoslaw
Super Moderator
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 960
Thanks: 188
Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts
Default

One thing to remember when cooking outside is to make sure that the stove/grill is covered from the wind. Wind will reduce the cooking efficiency, requiring more energy/fuel. I know this from camping...
__________________
Ecorenovation - the bottomless piggy bank that tries to tame the energy hog.
Piwoslaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-13, 07:46 PM   #8
mejunkhound
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: PNW
Posts: 197
Thanks: 0
Thanked 47 Times in 31 Posts
Default

67F outside here this afternoon, good for painting the house but to cold for DW to eat outside. Nary a sunbeam all day, at least there was 1/2 hour os sun yesterday.
mejunkhound is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-02-13, 06:23 AM   #9
razor02097
Helper EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: 245862
Posts: 43
Thanks: 12
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Default

No I still cook inside. Most of the time I use the microwave since it is much faster but even when I use the range it is still cheaper and easier to run the a/c a wee bit harder than maintaining and fueling a grill. However when I want to grill... it is because of culinary reasons not conservation.
razor02097 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-13, 11:12 PM   #10
Exalta-STA
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Philippines
Posts: 107
Thanks: 12
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Default

Do you guys use charcoal or scrap wood?

Exalta-STA is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:19 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Ad Management by RedTyger
Inactive Reminders By Icora Web Design