The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1917-11-29
SATISFACTION IN
FIRELESS COOKER
Easy to Make, and viii Give
Good Results; Comparatively
inexpensive.
NOT DIFFICULT TO OPERATE
Housewife Will Readily See How
Cheaper Cuts Of Meat May 30
Made Into Dishes That Are
Most Appetlxinq.

A f1reless cooker rs a great convent
ence in the home. The housewife who
has never used one, and the family
that has never eaten food prepared in
one would be surprised at the salts
faction 1T gives. Food to be cooked
In a fireless cooker should be heated
or partially cooked over fire, then
placed In the cooker. Because of the
packing which insulates the cooker the
heat is held within, causing the food
to cook slowly and we'll. The cooker
requires little trouble, Is not difficult
to operate, permits a saving of fuel,
and enables the so-called cheaper cuts
of meat to be made into a more appe-
tizing dish than is possible by the or
dinary cook-stove method of prepara-
ton.
A very satisfactory f1reless cooker
can be made in the home at relatively
slight expense. A tightly built box,
old trunk, large butter tub or lard
flrkin or tin, or large galvanized iron
bucket with close-fltting cover may
be used. 1t should be large enough to
accommodate cooking kettle Of con-
venient size to be placed in it, with
sides for packing material. The space
for the cooking kettle is known as
the "nest" and for the sake of clean
illness and convenience should be lined
with metal and be n trifle larger than
the kettle so the latter will f1t In 1t
easily. IF an extra source of heat. such
as a hot brick or plate, Is to be used,
a metallic lining for the nest is i'm
perative. For this purpose a galvan-
1zed-iron or other metal bucket may
be used. In case no hot plate is to
be used. the lining can be made of
strong cardboard.
For the packing and Insulating ma
terial variety Of substances may be
used. Asbestos and mineral wool are
good and have the additional advan-
tage that they do not burn. Ground
cork (such as is used in packing Mala-
ga grapes), hay, excelsior. Spanish
moss, wool and crumpled paper may
also be used satisfactorily or the
inexpensive packing materials, crum-
pied paper Is probably the most sotis-
factory, since 1t Is clean and Odorless
and, If properly packed, will hold the
heat better than some Of the others.
To pack the container with paper,
crush single sheets Of newspaper be-
tween the hands. Pack layer at
least four inches deep very tightly over
the bottom Of the outside container.
Stand the container for the cooking
vessel, that is, the lining for the nest,
In the center of this layer and pack
more crushed papers about 1t as solidly
as possible. If other packing, such as
excelsior, hay or cork dust, Is used,
It should be packed in similar way.
Where an extra source of heat Is to
be used, It is much safer to pack the
GYeless cooker with some noninfiam-
mable material, such as asbestos or
mineral wood. A cheap and easily OBJ
tained substitute is the small cinders
sifted from coal ashes, preferably those
from soft coal.
If a fireproof packing material fs
not used a heavy pad Of asbestos paper
should be put ut the bottom OF the
metal nest and a sheet or two Of as
bestos paper should be placed between
the lining OF the nest and the packing