Solar cooking in a sun oven is an interesting use of solar power. It is probably not practical in the northern latitudes of the United States, but could be an interesting alternative means of meal preparation in the sunny south and southwest. Studies have indicated that solar cooking is a functional cooking method in the latitudes between the equator and 40 degrees north. The US cities of Red Bluff California, Provo Utah, Indianapolis Indiana, and Philadelphia Pennsylvania are approximately on this latitude.

There are three basic types of solar ovens - heat-trap boxes, curved concentrators (parabolic) and panel cookers. You can cook virtually any kind of food on one with a little practice. The ovens can reach temperatures in the 360 to 400 degree range Fahrenheit on a sunny day.

Heat trap boxes are basically heavily insulated rectangular boxes with a reflective panel which reflects the sun back into the box. These solar ovens are usually large enough to contain several cooking containers and usually cook at pretty high temperatures.

Curved concentrators are also called parabolic ovens. The cooking vessel is held in place in the center of the parabola with a specially built holder. These cookers cook fast at high temperatures. But they must be aligned with the sun to function best so constant movement of the oven as the sun moves across the sky is necessary for best results.

The panel cooker combines the best elements of the curved concentrator and the heat trap box. They are usually fairly inexpensive.

Solar cookers use the heat of the sun to cook the food. They capture it with the reflective material and concentrate it in a fairly small area. The main drawback is they need sun to work. Cloudy days and nighttime do not agree with them well. But they don?t require any fuel, and food can be set up in them and basically left unattended for periods of times. Because the heat is radiant, the food cooks thoroughly usually with no need to turn or stir. The food cooked in a solar oven generally stays moister and does not shrink up as much as with conventional cooking. In sunny weather food can be placed in a solar oven and left unattended while you go hiking, playing games, or other activities. At the end of the day, the meal is prepared and ready to eat.

A solar oven isn't for everyone. Longer food preparation times than conventional cooking methods mean meals cannot be prepared quickly. Where locally cloudy weather conditions prevail, solar cooking would be difficult, if not impossible. But if your weather is predominantly sunny, and meals can be cooked over several hours, a solar oven may be an option for you.