Emergency Oven
During a hurricane the electrical
power is likely to shut off leaving you up a creek as far as cooking
facilities and refrigeration are concerned. There is usually
plenty of advanced warning so be prepared! If you don't have an
emergency generator (of at least 5000 watts) to run your refrigerator
and freezer, fill empty soda water bottles with water and freeze.
Stuff your refrigerator(s) and freezer(s) with as many as will fit and
keep the doors shut. Frozen foods may stay frozen for 3-5
days. A bag of ice or two a day will keep the refrigerator cool
enough for as long as you have ice.
An electric stove might as well be a block of wood. Small
electric appliances may run one at a time on generator power.
But, you're in luck if you have a gas stove. The range burners
should light with a match; the oven is problem if your stove has
digital controls...there is usually no way to manually light it.
Which is where the BBQ gas grill comes in.
What you'll need to duplicate the oven function...1)two aluminum
steam-table trays (half or full depending upon the size or qty of items
being cooked, 2) a battery powered cooking thermometer, and 3) a gas
grill.
The battery powered cooking thermometer has a digital setting unit
which includes an audible warning when the set temperature has been
reached, and a sharp probe connected by a heat-proof cable to the
setting unit.
Here the operator simulates the
insertion of the sharp metal probe into the meat to be cooked. If
you were actually cooking this brisket, it would be wise to remove the
plastic packaging.
Anyway prepare your dish as you would
for the oven in the lower pan, insert the probe in the meat, place a
similarly sized pan on top, and close the grill. It is probably a
good idea to estimate on a minutes per pound basis the approximate time
around which you should be checking on the thermometer for completion
of cooking. For roasts and similarly solid, massive hunks of meat
the cooking will be perfect, no different than what your regular oven
could produce.