13 Ways to Use Sunlight for Delicious, Efficient Homesteading – Paul Munsen

 

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Great Big Ideas & Takeaways:

  • Harness the sun’s energy to cook, bake, and roast food.
  • Purifying water using the power of the sun.
  • Reduce your utility bills while learning how to cook off grid.
  • Never worry about burning dinner again.
  • Naturally dehydrate fruits & vegetables using the sun.
  • Making your own meat jerkies using a sun oven.
  • Baking bread using the sun—easy and DELICIOUS!
  • Cooking a 21lb turkey in your sun oven.
  • Tricks like how to make hard boiled eggs easy to peel.
  • How to salvage stored grains that are infested with insects.

About The Speaker:

Paul Munsen is the president of Sun Ovens International. For the past 18 years, Paul has devoted his life to sharing fundamental Sun Oven Cooking techniques with people all over the world. Paul has been involved in solar cooking projects and taught solar cooking on five continents.

Sun Ovens are made in the USA and the company is committed to helping people in the US prepare for emergencies and save energy while using a portion of the proceeds to work in third world countries.

Paul has addressed the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development at the UN Headquarters in New York. He is the past-president of the Illinois Society for International Development, and a member of Solar Cookers International and the Illinois Solar Energy Association.

 

QUESTION: What kind of off-grid cooking have you tried?  

62 Comments

  1. Julie

    I have never considered how versatile a Sun Oven might be! Thank you for all the information I can give to my husband this evening! 😉

    1. Paul Munsen

      Thank you Julie. You can view how to videos on most of the topics covered at:
      https://www.sunoven.com/sun-cooking-usa/how-to-use/

      Paul

      1. Julie

        Great.. we’ll be there looking this evening! 🙂

      2. Amanda

        How big is the package (size, please, if possible- width. length, depth? I have to know if it will fit in my suitcase to take abroad. And also what is the weight? Thank you! Very inspiring. A unique product by the looks of it.

  2. Joni

    Awesome product! We have the highest hydro bills on the continent here in rural Ontario, Canada. I HAVE to get one. I LOVE your outreach work and global consciousness; it makes my heart sing.

  3. Kevin

    I’m loving my oven and have told numerous friends about it.

  4. Jan

    I have had the old model for 15 years and love it. Have considered a 2nd one for years and like all the new features. I paid more 15 years ago so I will order now.

  5. Petra

    I live at 52 degrees North and it is overcast most days. Is this any good in northerly latitudes?

  6. Julie Verdaguer

    I just ordered my first Sun Oven! What sold me was drying my herbs, your contributions and Made in the USA!

  7. Paul Munsen

    You can cook in a Sun Oven if there is enough sun to see a shadow. You can use it when it is partly cloudy if you can see a shadow at least 50% of the time. We make and use the Sun Ovens in Illinois (40 miles west of Chicago) and have sold a lot of them in Ohio.

    Warmly yours,
    Paul

  8. Marjory WIldcraft

    As I mentioned, the basic staples for the Americas are corn, beans, and squash – all of which are long slow cook items. I wish I had one of these last summer as I never wanted to cook them inside my home… outside in a sun over would have been perfect.

  9. Steven

    We have NEVER reached 400 with our oven, even with the new model. We normally only reach 300 and max is 350.

    Our other issue is condensation on the glass.

    1. Paul Munsen

      When the food inside a Sun Oven is fully cooked the glass door of the oven will steam up. If the food has been in the oven for a while the steam is an indicator that the food is done.

      If condensation builds up on the glass early in the cooking cycle the best cure is to open the door quickly and wipe all of the condensation off the glass and place a twig or small round piece of wood in the upper left hand corner of the oven (above the top door latch) and close the glass and latch it shut with the wood party in the oven and partly out. The wood will push the black gasket down to allow the steam to escape with a minimum loss of temperature. (I use a chop stick. The tip of the chop stick is the perfect diameter.)

      There are two reasons why condensation will build up earlier in the cooking cycle:
      1. The pot lid does not fit tightly on the pot. Try a different pot with a lid that fits tightly.
      2. Too much water is used. The next time you cook the same food decrease the amount of water you use. Most things cooked in a Sun Oven require 20% to 33% less water than when cooked on a stove top or a regular oven.

      Warmly yours,
      Paul

    2. Becky

      I haven’t either.. 325.. is about the highest, but it still cooks everything I have put in it and it does taste good..!!

  10. Laura Emerson

    Mr. Munsen is an accomplished presenter: succinct, descriptive, practical, on numerous functions to interest a varied audience. His avuncular style is pleasant, too.

    1. Paul Munsen

      Thank You for your very kind comment!
      Warmly yours,
      Paul

  11. Trish

    i just read it is not good to dry your herbs in the sun. I will have to research further.

    1. Dorothea Lowe

      Cover the herbs with a paper towel or only use the lower racks. Only direct sunlight is harmful, not indirect sunlight.

  12. Trish

    Cost is outside of my budget

    1. Dorothea Lowe

      Throw out the budget. The oven will save you money and you can save it back.

    2. Becky

      Trish, Go to Off Grid with Doug and Stacy, click on the video where Stacy is cooking, with the sun oven, and they have a coupon, might help out.. Hope they don’t mind me sharing this.. But I used that one.. It works wonderful and the food taste great! .. But for what you get in this one, It’s worth putting on the card and making payments..

  13. Chuck

    Paul,

    Your presentation is one of the best so far but that is to be expected with your years of experience and passion. I do plan to purchase one of these in the near future but again sadly, finances are always an issue. I was wondering if you have any videos on the village sun oven I saw in the slide? I sat here wondering how you load that thing front or back? Back seems safer and easier but I don’t know. Just because I was wondering…what’s the cost on that monster? 🙂

    Thanks again for your presentation…well done!

    Chuck.

    1. Paul Munsen

      Chuck

      You can view a video and get additional information about Villager Sun Ovens at: http://www.sunoven.com/around-the-world/sunovens/villagers-sun-ovens/

      Warmly yours,
      Paul

  14. Amy

    I didn’t intend to purchase a sun oven today but you offered a wonderful discount, thank you! I hope I get a turkey roaster rack with it. How long does it take to roast a turkey by the way? I am hoping to try it for Thanksgiving.

    1. Paul Munsen

      Amy,

      In full sun if start with a preheated Sun Oven and you realign your it to follow the sun every 30 minutes you can add 15 minutes to the times listed below for each time you open the door of your Sun Oven.

      Approximate Roasting Times for Unstuffed Turkey
      Turkey Weight Hours
      6 to 8 pounds 3 to 4 hours
      8 to 12 pounds 4 to 5 hours
      12 to 16 pounds 5 to 5-1/2 hours
      16 to 20 pounds 5-1/2 to 6 hours

      Warmly yours,
      Paul

  15. Mary

    I already have a sun oven but would love the accessory package. Do you sell that separately?

    1. Paul Munsen

      Marry,

      You will find all of the accessory’s we have available at: http://www.sunoven.com/products/

      Warmly yours,
      Paul

  16. Maria

    Unfortunately, when I tried to order, the turkeyracks are alrady gone (very glad for you!) but more importantly after trying to find additional shipping cost to me I got the next message:
    Shipping
    There are no shipping methods available. Please double check your address, or contact us if you need any help.

    1. Paul Munsen

      Maria,

      The Turkey Racks are still available. I am not sure how or why you received that message.Please call us at 800 408-7919 to place your order.

      Warmly yours,
      Paul

      1. Maria

        800 numbers are not free from outside the US… My country (Aruba) is listed in the pull down menu for checking shipping, so I was already exited about finding out how much it would be but apparently like almost everything else not shipped to here…

        1. Paul Munsen

          Maria,

          We can ship to Aruba via US Priority Mail for an additional cost of $329, so your total for the Homesteading Summit order would be $644 USD.

          If you are interested in making a purchase you can send your payment of $644 USD to info@sunoven.com via PayPal.

          Once we have received payment, and the shipping address & phone number, we will mail your order and send you the tracking number.

  17. Pgerman

    While I appreciate the time and expense involved with the presentation it would have been helpful to have less advertisement and more cooking with actual users. But thanks to the owner for taking the time to participate.

  18. Linda

    Have you considered building a Sun Oven larger than the regular Sun Oven but smaller than the large village oven?

    1. Paul Munsen

      Linda

      We have considered it but our research has shown that people would not be willing to pay the considerably higher price required for a larger oven when compared to using two All American Sun Ovens.

      As an example the cost of making a Sun Oven 30% larger would raise the price by over 400%. If the reflectors are 30% larger they would be to high to allow you to access the food in the same manner as with an All American Sun Oven. Adding a door in the rear of the oven would mean that the way the oven adjusts to follow the sun would increase the weight and size to the point it would not be portable and would require wheels to move it and a much larger area to store it.

      Even if the Sun Oven was 20%, 30% or 40% larger you still would not be able to bake a roast and bread at the same time. Most people who use their Sun Ovens regularly have at least two of them so they can cook a far greater volume of food. Having 2 Sun Ovens would be considerably less expensive and much easier to use than having a larger size.

      Warmly yours,
      Paul

  19. Bonnie Krause-Gams

    Dear Paul, thank you for all your good work. The world is better because you are in it. Your presentation answered all my questions. May God bless you and yours also.

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  20. Jenny

    I have a sun oven that I very much enjoy using but have fallen into habits of using it for certain foods (beans and rice mostly.) Nice to be reminded of how versatile it is.

    I just watched the BFS presentation before this one and it did feel a bit tedious to watch two presentations in a row that are nearly straight up sales pitches.

    I appreciate this summit so much and everything you’re doing to make it work. But maybe stagger the sales presentations next time?

  21. CJM

    Just a heads up. Cast Iron can leave iron in your body which is difficult to remove. It centralizes in the breast tissue. High doses of vitamin C is suppose to move the iron on. We learned this too late.

  22. Claudia

    I am unable to view this, same as yesterday.

  23. Catherine

    We’ve watched Off Grid with Doug and Stacy’s review of the Sun Oven and have looked at your website, but I still learned new things about the Sun Oven and your company with this presentation. Thank you so much for participating! Looking forward to purchasing one.

  24. Calvin King

    Sorry I can not take advantage of this great opportunity. Unfortunately I will not be back in the States until next September. My wife and I are currently serving in Cameroon with Wycliffe Bible Translators and CABTAL. I can imagine a great use for this oven. And thanks for the good work.

  25. Jean-Guy

    What a great invention … TY for a very informative way to use the sun’s energy in so many ways ..

  26. Birgitte

    Do you sell blue prints for building your own Sun Oven? Thanks!!

    1. Paul Munsen

      You can not make a Sun Oven your self. You would not be able to obtain may of the materials required. However you can find hundreds of plans on line for home made solar cookers.

      If you would like to know the difference beta Sun Oven and a home made solar cooker visit:
      https://www.sunoven.com/what-every-penny-pincher-ought-to-know-about-solar-ovens/

  27. dave

    this seems to be more of a sales presentation than anything else.

  28. Lydia

    This is a very exciting development in energy saving and emergency preparedness. How long will this offer be available? I may have to take some time to get the money together?

  29. Michelle H

    I’ve found that even doing the eggs in the Sun Oven they didn’t peel well. But, when I added a small bowl with some water for additional steam that helped tremendously.

  30. Dawn Rae

    I LOVE this. I’ve seen different tutorials about people who use a “sun oven” (not sure now if it was yours or one of their own). I loved the idea but was extremely skeptical. And I thought it was only for bread baking. I never imagined how versatile this is! I need this for my visits to my off-grid, dry, cabin! Thank you for the in-depth explanation.

  31. Donna Nielsen

    I have an older style Sun Oven, and have really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the black paint on the inside is peeling, so we haven’t dared use it for awhile. Is there any way to recoat it?

    1. Paul Munsen

      Donna,

      Prior to 2008 Sun Ovens were made with a coating that could de-laminate if the latches were latched after use while of oven was stored. This does not have any effect on the cooking.

      You can repair it by scarping off the loose coating and spaying it with black barbecue paint. After it dry’s put the Sun Oven out doors in the sun to cure it and thoroughly clean the inside of the ovens chamber and glass.

      Warmly yours,
      Paul

  32. Sarah

    It says no shipping methods available when I entered my address (Ontario, Canada) to purchase. Any way to get this deal in Ontario, and how much would the shipping be? Thanks,
    Sarah

    1. Kate

      I am also in Ontario and interested in this deal. Even with the exchange rate it is better than other’s I’ve seen. Unfortunate that you don’t seem to have your website set up for any orders outside of the U.S.

    2. Paul Munsen

      The shipping surcharge to Canada is $82, You can order by phone on Monday at 800 408-7919 and you will receive a turkey rack.

    3. Paul Munsen

      The shipping surcharge to Canada is $82, You can order by phone on Monday at 800 408-7919 and you will receive a turkey rack.

  33. Chi Chi

    I love my sun oven. The glass on the oven builds up a lot of condensation. Is this normal?

    1. Paul Munsen

      When the food inside a Sun Oven is fully cooked the glass door of the oven will steam up. If the food has been in the oven for a while the steam is an indicator that the food is done.

      If condensation builds up on the glass early in the cooking cycle the best cure is to open the door quickly and wipe all of the condensation off the glass and place a twig or small round piece of wood in the upper left hand corner of the oven (above the top door latch) and close the glass and latch it shut with the wood party in the oven and partly out. The wood will push the black gasket down to allow the steam to escape with a minimum loss of temperature. (I use a chop stick. The tip of the chop stick is the perfect diameter.)

      There are two reasons why condensation will build up earlier in the cooking cycle:
      1. The pot lid does not fit tightly on the pot. Try a different pot with a lid that fits tightly.
      2. Too much water is used. The next time you cook the same food decrease the amount of water you use. Most things cooked in a Sun Oven require 20% to 33% less water than when cooked on a stove top or a regular oven.

  34. chet

    I’m blown away. Devilled eggs anyone?

  35. Nancy

    Wondered how wind tolerant the oven is.

    1. Paul Munsen

      Nancy,

      The reflectors are able to be easily secured to prevent them from collapsing in the wind and it comes with stakes to stake it to the ground so it will not below over. It works well in winds of 35 to 40 mph.

      Warmly yours,
      Paul

  36. Kathryn

    Instructions in the final part of the video reads “Click on the button below” to order. WHAT button? Looked all over web page – NO button!

    1. Paul Munsen

      Kathryn,

      Click on the box at the top right with the photo of the Sun Oven that says save 30%

  37. Ahmed

    there is no sound after 8:07

  38. Debra

    We got our Sun Oven years ago – before the “T” leg and the focusing devices. I love it. But, I’ve been frustrated when several meals didn’t completely cook, requiring me to heat up the oven and finish cooking them. I preheat the oven before I put the food in and try to keep the oven in the right position relative to the sun. It’s frustrating. I think I’ll visit the website and maybe I’ll try making beans in it this week. Thanks for the presentation.

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