View Full Version : Short Burn time
How do u guys cook stuff that requires a long boiling time whith an alcohol stove. I just built a new supercat but it only burns for a bout 8 min. Is this the best I can expect or should I change the stove?
Pedaling Fool
01-06-2008, 02:00
I think they all just cook quick meals, ramen noodles....
I get about 12 minutes (2 cups boiling) with the Vargo stove, aluminum foil windscreen. Thinking of switching to all fuel tabs this Spring.
Del Q
Passionphish
01-06-2008, 10:56
You need to cook something for a long time on an alcohol stove? Fill the stove, light it. Cook it till the fuel runs out. Refill and repeat until your food is done! I do it all the time!
How do u guys cook stuff that requires a long boiling time whith an alcohol stove. I just built a new supercat but it only burns for a bout 8 min. Is this the best I can expect or should I change the stove?
That's the way it goes with alcohol stoves. Folks use "cozies" (insulated covers for their pots) and let the food just cook in the hot water after the stove goes out. Different way of cooking.
kayak karl
01-06-2008, 11:23
How do u guys cook stuff that requires a long boiling time whith an alcohol stove. I just built a new supercat but it only burns for a bout 8 min. Is this the best I can expect or should I change the stove?
let your food hydrate before you put on stove ( i hydrate in zip-lock bag, or use any container). this will cut down time. use a cozy of some sort. i cook eggs w/alcohol stove. put them in a aluminum cup, float that in pot with 1" of water. steam cooks eggs in 3 min. (pot in pic has a false bottom. it also works for heating up meats; spam, sausage, ham and others. have fun:)
bullseye
01-06-2008, 11:45
I usually carry one of my Thru Hiker stoves when I want to boil water for mac and cheese or lipton dishes. Two ounces will go for about 16-18 minutes. Plan B is to get the water to a boil and pour it in a freezer bag and wrap it up in clothes or foil and let it sit for the proper time. This usually works just as well.
I get about 12 to 14 min burn time on a fill up. I seldom need to go longer then that, but when I do, I just refill the stove and keep cooking.
For typical backpacker fair (mac&cheeze, Liptons, instant rice, etc.) cozies work really well and save a lot of fuel! Simply bring water to a boil, add dinner, place in cozy and do something else (set up tarp, read, massage feet) for about 10 minutes. Dinner will then be done and HOT.
How do u guys cook stuff that requires a long boiling time whith an alcohol stove. I just built a new supercat but it only burns for a bout 8 min. Is this the best I can expect or should I change the stove?
Get the Trangia alcohol stove. It simmers and uses a miserly amount of alcohol doing it. I have gone back exclusively to it and simmering is one of the reasons for it. But I tossed the bulky stand that came with it and made my own stand and 3/4 wrap-around shield for it.
How do u guys cook stuff that requires a long boiling time whith an alcohol stove. I just built a new supercat but it only burns for a bout 8 min. Is this the best I can expect or should I change the stove?
The Trangia holds 3 plus weight ounces of alcohol or about 4 fluid ounces so will burn at full blast for a long time but there is no need to as it simmers...see prior post:D
Make yourself a FancyFeast stove. (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=27262) It holds 3 ounces of fuel. Made from the same can as your supercat. I'ts an easy project. Weighs practically nothing. It can also boil 1 gallon of water if need be. Melt snow for drinking water.
Say you wanted to cook something like pasta (not ramen, like spaghetti) the box says 9-12 minutes after boiling.
I take the stove and light it, and put the pasta in the pot with the cold water. once it starts boiling you gotta take the lid off or at least crack it or the pasta will boil over. If the pasta isn't done when the stove goes out, just keep the lid on it for like five minutes and that does the trick. No wasted fuel from refilling and no extra step...just wait.
Appalachian Tater
01-15-2008, 21:27
Say you wanted to cook something like pasta (not ramen, like spaghetti) the box says 9-12 minutes after boiling.
I take the stove and light it, and put the pasta in the pot with the cold water. once it starts boiling you gotta take the lid off or at least crack it or the pasta will boil over. If the pasta isn't done when the stove goes out, just keep the lid on it for like five minutes and that does the trick. No wasted fuel from refilling and no extra step...just wait.
That's the way I do it, and don't even use a cozy, or the food is too hot to eat. I also try to use just enough water and to use water I've been carrying if it is warmer than fresh water. Occasionally you might have to refill and burn some more, but MAKE SURE THE FLAME IS OUT first!
Javasanctum
01-15-2008, 21:42
Carry one of those syringes (oz. or 1/oz.) that you get with some ink-jet refill kits. You can add alcohol while its in operation and the needle is too thin to allow a flashback. (I suppose you could use a turkey injector with the long needle) This only works if your jet ports are big enough. Continuous operation.
OK saftey guys, you can scold me now.