Two stacks of bricks, each on opposite sides of the fire, make an excellent frame for a cooking spit. Stack the bricks directly on one another with the holes aligned up and down. Once stacked to your preferred cooking height, insert 2 sticks into the holes of each stack of bricks. These sticks create a frame on top of each stack of bricks where a rotating cooking spit can be securely placed. Skewer your meat or vegetables on the spit and lay across the bricks in between the 2 stick guides on each stack. This stacked-brick technique works really well on extremely hard surfaces (like concrete) where forked supports cannot be hammered into the dirt. In cold weather, you can place the fire-heated bricks inside a shelter or under a raised bed to radiate heat throughout the night.
WOK SOLAR COOKER
A wok can be used to cook food in more ways than one if you understand how to harness the power of the sun. A wok, unlike most other pots and pans, has a consistent parabolic shape. When covered in a reflective material, this parabolic shape can be used to focus the sun’s rays. A television satellite dish works in much the same way to converge electromagnetic signals into a receiver. You can use reflective aluminum tape, available at most hardware stores, to cover the wok’s surface. Aim it at the sun and position it so as to cast a very hot focal point of light on a hanging pot or pan. The heat from this light will be enough to cook food and boil water. You can use this same setup to start a fire by placing tinder material at the focal point of light.
SATELLITE SOLAR COOKER
Small parabolic satellite dishes can be found anywhere there are houses. Their shape enables them to converge and concentrate the television signal into a receiver. They are also perfect tools for converging and concentrating the sun’s rays for solar cooking. The inside of the dish must be covered with a reflective material. Reflective aluminum tape, available at most hardware stores, works best. However, you can adhere a Mylar blanket to the surface if you coat the satellite with petroleum jelly, lard, butter, or something similar first. Be careful because the focal point produced from this lens is incredibly powerful and can cause third-degree burns on human skin in just a few seconds. When ready to cook, suspend a pot (with the bottom spray-painted black to absorb heat) directly in the focal point. The dish must be facing directly toward the sun.
POP CAN ALCOHOL STOVE
You can make a very efficient little cooking stove in just a few minutes from 2 aluminum pop cans. Cut the lower third from both cans and pressure fit them together to make a closed container. Then, using a knife or spike, poke 6 holes around the top rim spaced equally apart and then also 2 or 3 in the middle of the bowl. Pour in an ounce or so of fuel and light with a match for an even, steady burn. The best fuels to use are available at nearly every grocery store, hardware store, or gas station. The 3 I’ve had success with are rubbing alcohol, denatured alcohol, and HEET brand gas-line antifreeze (yellow bottle). Once your stove is lit you’ll need to create a stand to suspend your cup or pot above the stove. A couple bricks work really well for this.
EGG CARTON BBQ
Starting charcoal briquettes can sometimes be a real challenge, and this little trick could make you the hero at your next family BBQ. Before heading out of the house, fill each space of an empty compressed paper (not Styrofoam) egg carton with a single charcoal briquette. About 15 minutes before you’re ready to grill, light the 4 corners of the paper egg carton and watch as the paper burns and ignites the charcoal briquettes. This gives you a chance to reuse something that you’d normally throw away and also not have to use that nasty lighter fluid to get the BBQ going. Bonus hack: Paper egg cartons also make 12 great individual biodegradable seed starters.
TOILET PAPER STOVE
The ingredients list for this hack is simple: a can about the size of a roll of toilet paper (a 1-quart paint can works great), a roll of toilet paper, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol (denatured alcohol and HEET brand gas-line antifreeze also work). To start, crush the roll of toilet paper and cram it into the can. Next, slowly pour the bottle of rubbing alcohol into the can and let it completely saturate the toilet paper. To use the stove, ignite the top of the toilet paper with a match or lighter and you’re ready to cook. When you notice the edges of the toilet paper are starting to burn, that means you are getting low on fuel. Snuff out the flame, add more alcohol, and relight. Note: If using indoors, be sure to crack a window because of carbon monoxide emissions.
TUNA CAN BURNER
Here’s a cool little hack to not only heat your meal but also make a hot drink. You’ll need a can of tuna packed in oil and a couple paper napkins. Remove the tuna lid and fold the napkins so they fit over the can opening with not much overlap except for the 4 corners. Give the oil a couple minutes to soak through the napkins. Once they are saturated with oil, light each corner on fire. The napkins will burn a surprisingly long time, creating a stove-like effect. The heat from the burning napkins will not only heat the tuna for a warm meal but can also be used to make a cup of hot tea in the process. Just build a couple supports on each side of the can to place a mug on and you’ll be all set!
JUNK STOVE
You can make a very efficient little junk stove from an empty tuna can, some cardboard, and a variety of fuels. Cut 1" × 4" strips of cardboard and roll them into the empty can. Next, it’s time to add fuel. Pour melted wax on top of the cardboard and light it; you can also use any kind of cooking oil to saturate the cardboard. The cardboard acts as a wick, and I’ve had junk stoves like this burn for as long as 30 minutes. What I love about this stove design is that it can be made from so many different “junk” pieces. Tin cans and cardboard are available almost anywhere.
NEWSPAPER OVEN
Believe it or not, you can cook fish in wet newspaper. After cleaning and gutting the fish, wrap it in 4 or 5 sheets of wet newspaper and place right into the coals of a fire. The fish will cook and steam inside, but the wet newspaper will not fail. The outer layer may scorch a bit, but the water prevents it from burning. Fifteen minutes should be sufficient to cook most fish as long as it is completely surrounded by coals. You can use paper grocery bags in place of newspaper. If you find it necessary to fry food on a sheet of aluminum foil in the coals of a fire, place sheets of wet newspaper underneath to help control the heat and prevent burning.
INVERTED CAN OVEN
One of my favorite hacked survival ovens is made with just an inverted metal can. In fact, when I’m lucky enough to trap, hunt, or catch a bird in the wild I will always try to cook it this way if the materials are available. After plucking, gutting, and dressing the bird, skewer it on a stake that has been driven straight into the ground. Next, place a metal can or container over the top of the bird and stake so that it covers them completely. Build a fire around the metal can and gather hot coals around it. A good coal bed will be necessary to cook the bird in a timely manner (typically 1 hour). I have also cooked fish using the same method; skewer the fish head down on the stake. Some of my finest wilderness meals have been cooked with this method. This is a very energy-efficient cooking method, allowing you to work on other camp chores while dinner is cooking.