How to Solar Cook a Whole Chicken in Five Hours

You will learn how to cook an entire chicken in the solar cooker "Cook-It".

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Solar "Cook-It", or similar solar cooker. See http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/CooKit for more information.

1. 1. Unfold the Cook-It from the original plastic package and set the clothes-pins aside. Follow the directions on the Cook-It to fold it out and into position, using the clothes pins to secure both sides. Find a good sunny spot outside in which to place it, making sure the Cook-It will be exposed to maximum sunshine for at least five hours, even if you have to turn it toward the sun once during the process.

2. 2. Take a whole chicken and wash well under running water. Trim the heavy skin on the backside, and remove all unwanted innards such as the heart, kidney, liver, etc. Pat dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, cut slightly under the skin on the breast, thighs and legs, and place pieces of fresh garlic under the skin. Tub the skin generously with olive oil, then salt and pepper the outside of the chicken to taste.

3. 3. Using the black cooking pot, put the chicken inside with cut up onions, if desired. Place the lid on the pot. Put entire pot inside a oven cooking plastic bag, such as those used to cook whole turkeys. Clothes-pin or rubber band the plastic bag closed on the TOP so you can open it easily to check inside if needed.

4. 4. Set solar Cook-It outside at selected spot. Put the black pot covered with the plastic bag on the flat surface of the Cook-It. Face the Cook-It and the pot toward the sun. Leave there to cook for 4-5 hours. When you take it back inside, handle with care, the pot will be EXTREMELY hot and will burn.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use a dark blue pot as well as a black one. The pot should be slightly larger than the item being cooked, so you will need two pots if you plan on cooking rice, potatoes, or anything that sits lower in the pot.
• Don't worry if you forget about it and it's been outside all day. It won't burn. However, you must bring it inside to eat or refrigerate if it's no longer in strong sunlight.
• Again, handle the pot with care if it's been outside for more than a few minutes, as the black pot will become extremely hot within minutes.
• If there are dogs in your back yard, the Cook-It may be knocked over, although the dog(s) should not disturb it too much due to the heat.
• Keep children away from the pot, as it will be hot enough to burn them.
• Use pot holders to take the pot inside.
• Fold up the Cook-It immediately after using and don't let it get wet.