Experience the Benefits of Cooking with the Sun

If you love partying—especially in the warm summer weather in remote locations, you will love solar grills. This innovative patented technology can allow you to cook meals without conventional energy sources like gas, charcoal or even electricity.

Whether you're caught up in later autumn days when the temperatures begin to drop or even if you are in a harsh arctic environment, these grills can help you harness solar energy to nourish yourself and the people you care about.

 

How to Use Solar Energy from the Sun to Cook Food

Solar grills have been around for quite some time, and it really shouldn't be a surprise if you bump into one during your adventures. If you've seen any images or videos of people using these grills, or just solar cooking, you most probably have questioned yourself; 'how do solar grills work'?

GoSun ovens work by capturing the energy from the sun, which is then trapped in the vacuum tube. As pictured, the compound parabolic reflectors focus the sun's wide range of light directly onto the tube. Sealed inside of the tube, there are 3 layers of metal that allow the light rays to enter, but not to exit. These three things: the reflectors, the evacuated tube, and the metal light-filters trap the heat inside of the unit without letting it escape, giving you a meal cooked directly from the source.

Pictured below, the light filter technology enables heat energy to enter the vacuum tube, but prevents it from exiting.

Do Solar Grills really make food Tastier?

The thought of using solar energy for grilling can be fascinating, especially if you've just read about it and you are yet to try solar cooked foods. That said, it is normal to wonder whether solar grilled foods are tastier.

Solar grills make foods tastier because you will be using your solar ovens outdoors. This means that there will be no unwanted heat which may lead to temperature rises and affect the cooking process.

It doesn't end there. Solar grills utilize natural energy from the sun, implying that they will help you preserve most of the natural nutrients from the food, which can help retain most of the original taste.

When you use a solar cooker, you also enjoy the benefit of no air movement inside the solar oven. This means that your food will mostly stay moist, tender, and full of flavor. Sun-baked roasts are even more succulent and tastier, with a unique texture you can hardly find with conventional grilling or cooking.

Finally, the solar grills are designed to use balanced temperatures during use to avoid uneven cooking. This implies that you can almost be guaranteed an excellent meal which you won't need to keep checking because of the fear of the food potentially getting burnt and having a bad taste.

What Are the Five Advantages of Solar Grill?

Besides getting tastier meals, you may also want to know about the other advantages that come with solar grills. These benefits may make you want to switch from conventional charcoal, gas, or electric grills to harnessing the energy of our ever-giving sun. Here are five advantages you can be guaranteed of enjoying when you switch to solar grills.

I.          Cost-effective

You do not need to pay for sunlight, it's free. The added advantage of using solar energy is that it is unlimited. This means that you will not be weighed down with extra expenses like recurring gas, fuel, or electric costs when you're using solar grills. Solar grills could just be what you need to save some bucks and enjoy your barbecues on a summer trip.

 

II.          You get to enjoy a healthy meal

Let's face it, the conventional charcoal grilling comes with a taste most people describe as unique. This taste is influenced by the heat and smoke produced by your charcoal stove.

What most people don't seem to understand is that; the sweetness comes with a price. In the process of making your barbeques on the charcoal stoves, the burning, charring, or grilling process of the meat, fish, or poultry you're preparing leads to the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs).

These compounds risk damaging your genes and this may predispose you to colorectal and stomach cancers. Gas grilling isn't even safe for use indoors and isn't even permitted in some residential places.

Unlike gas and charcoal grilling, which utilizes high heat in preparing foods and increasing your cancer risks, solar grilling uses low heat and only energy from the sun. This implies that you have the least risks of being exposed to carcinogens and mutagens common with food produced under high heat.

III.          Environmentally Sustainable

If you are an environmentally conscious person, then solar grilling is an option you will find attractive, especially if you live in a hot region. To begin with, your house won't get hot when you grill your meat outside.

That isn't even the end. Solar grills do not emit harmful gases like carbon monoxide and don't leave behind any residue. This means that other than producing barbeques free of carcinogens, you also keep the environment around you clean and favorable for the surrounding ecosystems.

Since solar grills do not require any fuel such as propane or butane, you will not need to purchase disposable items such as refills or cartridges. This cuts down on waste, and lowers your carbon footprint. 

 IV.          Portability

Naturally, humans love simplicity. So, if you fancy a simpler and more portable grilling option with simple set-up needs, solar grills might be the option for you.

They're portable, implying that you won't have to be bothered with a bulky grilling set-up like in the case with gas or charcoal grillers. Besides, they're available in varying sizes and designs to meet your varying needs.

For students, solar grilling offers an alternative to spending money on take-out, or eating cheap unhealthy meals. Cooking with the sun can free up time that can be spent studying or enjoying time with friends.

 IV.          Versatility

Solar grills provide options for a number of different use cases. From living off-grid, to emergency preparedness, to recreational camping, solar cooking provides an innovative solution for a number of different scenarios. Some people might find themselves in need of a dependable cooking solution while spending months in the wilderness of Argentina. Other folks might need a solution for cooking from their balcony when they are experiencing a power blackout. Many people purchase solar cookers in order to be self-reliant in the case of a major disaster. From recreation to complete dependence, solar grills are bringing the future of cooking technology to a wide range of users.

Disadvantages of Solar Grills

Despite the mammoth advantages that come with switching to solar grills, it is helpful to understand the conditions that are necessary in order to cook effectively. Here are the two major solar grill disadvantages you should know about;

1. Sun is required. Although our hybrid Fusion oven allows you to cook in any setting at any time of the day, our standard ovens require some form of direct sunlight. We typically say that, if you can see your shadow can cook with GoSun.  
2. You will need an appropriate spot: To get the most benefits from your solar grill, you will have to find the ideal location to set it up. The region should be receiving enough sunlight, implying that there are instances you may need to adjust your reflector's position to get enough sun.

Take Away

Solar grills are a versatile option if you are looking for a simplified easy set-up, and environmentally friendly grilling solution. When looking at the different options for solar cookers, it's important to know what your needs are: number of people you're cooking for; portability; budget; sunlight conditions; and water-warming needs. Whether your cooking hotdogs for a family reunion at the park, or preparing your next intake of nutrients while on an expedition in the jungles of Thailand, GoSun provides a range of options for all of your solar cooking needs.