Cooking without power: fuel considerations

Many thanks to Janice Sloan for much of this information

PROPANE – inexpensive; readily available; stores indefinitely; high heat output; works well down to 0 degrees; can be used indoors with ventilation (oxygen depletion sensor – ODS – recommended); use caution – ignition sources can cause explosions; no priming required; legal limits on amounts you can store – see attached fuel storage guidelines.

5 gallon propane tank cooking 3 hot meals a day for a family of 6 on the average will last about 5 weeks if you are conservative on your fuel.  Small canisters last on average 2 ½ hours for most cooking or 182 canisters to cook for 1 hour each day for a year.  Tanks are more economical.

CHARCOAL – inexpensive; readily available; stores indefinitely if stored properly in an airtight container and kept dry; heat is predictable (each briquette produces about 35 degrees F); produces carbon monoxide (outdoor use only); requires lighter fluid to light or charcoal chimney starter and newspaper or InstaFire; less charcoals required for a box oven than dutch ovens.

1 lb. charcoal = about 15-17 briquettes.  Approximately 10-25 briquettes per meal or approximately 320 lbs per year (used conservatively) for cooking 1 hr a day (1 meal).

ALCOHOL – inexpensive; readily available; stores indefinitely; inexpensive equipment; lower heat output than most fuels; doesn’t perform as well in colder conditions; indoor use with ventilation; low volatility  Can use rubbing alcohol (isopropyl 70% or higher) or denatured alcohol (ethyl alcohol) found in paint departments/stores.  Do not use wood alcohol (methanol) as it is toxic.  Isopropyl gives off more soot while denatured alcohol burns cleaner.  Isopropyl is less expensive while denatured alcohol is more efficient.  Save money and buy in bulk.

1 pint will cook 3 meals for 1-2 people/ 50 gallons will last over a year.

WOOD – wood burning can be banned on no-burn days unless it is primary source of heat; requires ample storage space; hardwood burns longer; should be protected from moisture; no toxic fumes.

4-5 cords of wood to heat home during winter.  Considerably less for cooking only.

KEROSENE – inexpensive; readily available; use only high quality kerosene which lasts 3 years or more with additives; burns easily; high heat output; low volatility; questionable whether it is safe to use indoors; burns dirty; legal limits on amount you can store – see attached fuel storage guidelines.

WHITE GAS (Coleman Fuel) -  inexpensive; easy to find in U.S.; clean burning; easy to light; produces a lot of heat; volatile; produces carbon monoxide (outdoor use only); highly flammable; priming required; reliable; efficient; works well in colder conditions; legal limits on amount you can store – see attached storage guidelines; 6-7 year shelf life if unopened, 3-4 years opened ¾ full and 1-2 years opened ½ full.

BUTANE – more expensive overall; not as readily available; high heat output; indoor use with ventilation; clean burning; convenient; easy lighting; will not work below 32 degree F; no priming required; highly flammable; stores approximately 8 years; see attached storage guidelines.

One canister lasts about 5 hours at a simmer or 1 ½ hours at a rolling boil.

INSTA-FIRE – easy to use; clean burning; easy lighting; works in inclement weather; lights even if wet; can be used to start other fires, cook, boil water, etc.; easy to store -  non-combustible; two cups will boil water in 10 minutes; lights 75 briquettes in 10 minutes; two cups will burn for approximately 45 minutes with occasional stirring; shelf life of approximately 30 years; no limit on amounts you can store.

Five 5 gallon buckets per person per year will cover ALL needs.