SUN OVEN Cooking Indoors

Some folks have asked whether you can use the SUN OVEN indoors or not. Well, here is your answer! Yes, it does work. Not as well as outside, but it works.

I have a South facing picture window in my living room. This time of year we get lots of sun coming through the window, so I decided to try it out. I set up one oven outside and one oven inside to compare. My front window has 2 panes of glass, plus a storm window with 2 panes of glass, some of which I believe is low-E.

The results? Even though the outside temperature was cold (around 40 degrees), the outside oven heated up faster and hotter than the one inside. I got about 300 degrees outside compared to 250-270 degrees inside. Not bad indoors, still hot enough for a slow cook. I put some cookies in and they cooked fine. It took them longer (almost twice as long) at the lower temperature.

Another good option: My garage also faces South. When I open up the garage door, I get about 6-8 feet of sunshine on the garage floor. I moved the car and set the oven up in the garage. This works well to protect the oven if the wind is blowing some outside.

Try your oven out for winter cooking. I'm finding things take a little longer because; (1) the sun is furthur away in the winter (make sure you adjust the leg all the way up to tilt the oven as the sun is also lower on the horizon), (2) there seems to be more haze in the atmosphere especially if we are experiencing an inversion.

Also the day is much shorter so plan carefully to get your food cooked before you lose the sun.