baking with Sterno

[Matt Swider]

looking for recommendation for dry baking with sterno type fuel.  I am about to send food out for a backpacking trip and found out Inyo NF just implemented fire restrictions.  Was planning on baking with esbit but it is not looking good for that now . . .

[Matt Swider]

I am thinking the best legal way to bake will be to use alcohol in conjunction with a sterno can, and refill the alcoho between bake sessions.  Will need to experiment and likely cut down the air a bit somehow.  But perhaps there is a better setup?

From the Inyo NF website,

Inyo National Forest is implementing fire restrictions effective on all Inyo National Forest lands.
The forest is basing this decision on national level fire activity, local fire activity, and the availability of firefighters for response. Effective August 26th, and until further notice, the following restrictions will be in effect:
• No campfires, briquette barbeques, or stove fires are allowed outside of designated developed recreation sites and specifically posted campsites or areas. The forest order the list of designated campgrounds and recreation sites is available at visitor centers and online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Inte…/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd556463.pdf.
• Persons with a valid California Campfire Permit (available free of charge at visitor center or online at http://www.preventwildfireca.org/Campfire-Permit/) are not exempt from the prohibitions but are allowed to use portable stoves or lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel.

[DAN-Y]

Maybe this will give you an idea how to modify your sterno can.

[DAN-Y]

There is a guy on another forum that transferred the sterno gel into plastic containers and used his own creation stoves to burn it in.

[Matt Swider]

Thanks for the info Dan.  After contemplating the situation, I decided I would play ranger roulette.  Research shows while dry baking with alcohol can be done, it is a bit tricky.  Not ready to master a new skill a week before my hike.

[DAN-Y]

Will you use canister with heat diffuser? What you gonna bake..bannock?

[Matt Swider]

I am using solid fuel, Esbit an Coughlan round tablets with the Flat Cat epicurean stove in a home made cone, pot is a kmart grease pot with strainer lid filled in with aluminum foil and covered with carbon felt.    I am baking peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin spice butterscotch chip cookies, ginger bread cookies with one of those two chips, and bacon cheese bread.

[DAN-Y]

Luxury food……I like it :-) You’re going to have fun!

[Matt Swider]

Indeed.  :- )

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

You could use 4 tealights for baking, they output about 25 watts per candle

[Matt Swider]

Definitely.  I love baking with tealights, and have done so several times.  On this trip, I plan on baking 11 times over 21 days.

Reasons I was not excited about trying to bake 11 times with candles include how delicate burned wicks can be, carrying the unused candles (minor), and the sensitivity of the tealights to going out in light wind (even in my cone).  I think it will be easier in the long run to have a single flame source (solid fuel tablet) which is gone after each use.  The downside to solid fuel tablets is the possibility of over cook center bottom due to the single point source.  Candles are much better from this perspective.

The other reality is, both candles and solid fuel are not in compliance with the fire restrictions as written.

[DAN-Y]

You could use a Modified or Regular Starlyte burner with alcohol. Jennifer got the written ok to use it in California. Put fuel in and it won’t spill out, safe or a little more safe than sterno gel.

http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/modified-starlyte-burner-with-lid.php

[Matt Swider]

Hmm, I guess my reluctance to trying alcohol is I have read that dry baking with alcohol is tricky due to the thermal feedback.  For simmering the pot temperature stays maxed out around 100C.  For dry baking the pot gets hotter, so more opportunity to heat the fuel, and increase the burn rate, and so on.  I leave in 5 days so I am not ready to attempt a new style with equipment I don’t presently have or can get locally.  But I do appreciate the idea for long term consideration.

[DAN-Y]

It was your idea, I was just trying to help out. Good fortune on your upcoming adventure :-)

I am thinking the best legal way to bake will be to use alcohol in conjunction with a sterno can, and refill the alcoho between bake sessions.  Will need to experiment and likely cut down the air a bit somehow.  But perhaps there is a better setup?

[Matt Swider]

Dang, I hate getting old . . . .  :-)

I do appreciate the suggestion, thanks Dan.

[Author]

Posts