Old-Fashioned Crock Pot (Slow Cooker)

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I'm well-known for having the moistest, tenderest roasts ... the "melt in your mouth" good stuff.

And I had worried about how I would maintain my pot-roast reputation once I went completely off-grid ... especially within an area that has limited natural fuel sources.

In addition to the pot roast, I am also the kind of gal who likes to prepare something early and let it slow simmer all day.

It was apparent I would have to adapt my cooking styles around an off-grid lifestyle once I got moved ... and I would also have to be creative in stretching my resources once on the land (such as charcoal and/or wood.)

I have a solution that I am real excited about:  old-fashioned hay boxes.

These miniature chests can be constructed out of leftover lumber from other projects.  

The idea is to bring your contents to a rolling boil, and cover with a tight lid. 

Pack the lidded pot into your "haybox" ... lined with hay or towels ... and put on the chest lid.

That's it.

Let it slow "cook" all day long ... and it'll still be hot when it's time to eat.

Beans, chicken-n-dumplings, chili, roast, soup, stew, whatever ... this old-fashioned method can be used.

I don't have any "hay boxes" yet, but I can still tell you:

IT WORKS.

I cleaned out a deep utensil drawer in my kitchen, and lined it with towels .... boiled my beans, and sealed the lid, and covered with another towel, and shut the drawer.

Truth be known, many other things can be used in place of a constructed box ... a basket, five gallon bucket, a hole in the ground, a bowl carved out of a strawbale, etc.

There's a lot of neat ideas HERE ... and here's some pics:

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