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How to Cook in Hay
This is an old trick that used to be used when cooking space on the wood stove was a premium. Homesteaders take note. This might be a solution for you. Take a solid-sided wooden box, fill it with hay and scoop a hole just big enough to take a casserole or firmly-lidded pot. Having brought your soup or stew to the boil in an oven, put it inside the hay box, cover the top with hay and reseal the box with a close-fitting lid. Your food will go on slowly cooking. The hay will insulate the pot and retain the heat for hours.
You can make a more modern version and its even more efficient. Use a block of expanded polystyrene. Hollow out a hole for your pot in the center, leaving at least a 4 inch (10 cm) thickness all round, including the lid. Or use a polystyrene cooler chest and fill it up with polystyrene granules for a hot picnic box.
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Rick: It is called a hay box for a reason! Straw works just as well.
I have done this with cooking pinto beans. Works well for most beans and rice dishes.
Don
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I once saw this same thing done with clay. A true slow cooker.
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A modern cooler and saw dust works great too, never tried hay. Just bury your cast iron pot in sawdust and it will stay hot for a couple days. I do this on hunting trips.
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i've heard of a solution for a cooler with the same principle. get two clay pots on larger than the other with no holes in them - put a base of sand in the botom of the large pot - place smaller pot inside large pot - fill space between pots with sand - fill sand with water - place food you would like to keep cool in smaller pot - place damp clean towel over pots and place in a shady spot. evaporation of water and insulation of sand will keep food cool.
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