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Cowracer
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# Posted: 6 Jul 2015 09:14am - Edited by: Cowracer
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Never even heard of these before Thursday last week. A guy on a camping forum turned me on to them. We were discussing the best "big group" camping meals and he told me how you can feed 15-20 people with one of these, all in one pot with no work, once its loaded and set on the burner. I read up on some recipes on their website and thought it might be just the thing for the 4th of July get together. I ran up to the local Bass Pro on Thursday night and got one, and the grate you can set in the bottom (its sold separately, but it's a good idea to have one)
So Friday night, I loaded it up with the following (in order of how I put it in the can):
2 quartered onions
5 lbs peeled russet potatoes (cut into 8ths)
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 bag (a pound maybe) of baby carrots
3 lbs Polska Kielbasa
10 ears corn on the cob (broke into halves)
3 lbs Chicken tenderloins, heavily dusted with lemon pepper.
1 stick butter
1 can Budweiser.
Clamped on the lid, put it on my rocket-burner camp stove, and put a penny over the vent hole. When it built enough steam to move the penny, I turned the heat down to medium, and set the time to 1 hour.
Total prep time, about 10 minutes. Total time from "Hey, lets get dinner going" to stuffing my face, about an Hour-20. The best part was, once I set the timer, I never touched it till the timer went 'Ding'. The aroma while cooking would have to be smelled to be believed. Better than new-car smell. After an hour, I killed the burner and let it cool for about 5 minutes. I dumped the whole mess out in a very large aluminum tray and rang the dinner bell.
The result? OMG! The onions practically liquified in the beer, very soft and translucent. The potatoes and peppers were perfect. Soft and tender, but not 'mushy'. The carrots were good enough that I had quite a few, and I really don't like carrots. The corn was just the way I like it. Very hot and crisp, not overcooked or mushy at all. The Kielbasa was as good as any I have ever had. Well cooked, flavorful and juicy. The chicken was good as well. Of course, you cannot brown chicken in steam. I prefer a bit of brown on my chicken, but the flavor and juiciness were spot on. I had the can about 7/8th full and fed 6 adults, 4 teenagers, and 2 pre-teens, with a quite a bit left over. If you pack it tight (which apparently is OK), I can easily see it feeding 15-20 people
Lessons learned: More green/red peppers. I did not know who all liked peppers. Turns out everyone did, so there wasn't enough. I might try to brown the chicken a bit next time before I put them in. Or maybe afterwards on the grill. I'll have to play with that a bit to see what works. Also... one can of beer is plenty. I was worried that it will all steam off, but there was still enough liquid in the can to put out a good jet of steam from the vent hole even after an hour.
My verdict. Get one. If you have a large party to feed, and don't want to spend all afternoon tending food, you cant beat it.
Tim
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 6 Jul 2015 09:18am - Edited by: turkeyhunter
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they are great...Cabela's has them on sale right now..for $79
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Bone-Collector-Edition-CanCooker/752060.uts?productVar iantId=1663188&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=40-60001806-2&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=Google ProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03039687&rid=20
ps--kinda reminds me of the ole timey pressure cookers back in the day that everyone used...My Mother still uses her's!!!
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 6 Jul 2015 09:27am
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Its close, but it's not a pressure cooker. The vent hole is very small (about a 1/32 inch), so it don't let it build pressure, but keeps most of the steam in.
It's pretty thin wall aluminum, so I bet it wouldn't hold more than a couple PSI without rupturing.
Tim
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 6 Jul 2015 10:42pm
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Just added it to my shopping cart. I see the smaller one too.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 6 Jul 2015 11:28pm
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yep. I think I'm gonna get the small one for the house. That Chinese Sticky Ribs recipe looks fantastic.
Tim
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Julie2Oregon
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# Posted: 7 Jul 2015 03:20am
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This is great!!!! Kind of like a slow cooker but faster!!!! I will definitely get one.
I use my slow cooker quite a bit and was lamenting the fact that I couldn't justify the electricity to take it with me so I would just have to go without one. Thank you!!!
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Mann
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# Posted: 7 Jul 2015 08:05am
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I have had one for a few years and use it a lot!
You can also make them from a stock pot with a lid by drilling a small hole in lid.
Seems a lot of people make them from old stainless milk cans also.
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razmichael
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# Posted: 7 Jul 2015 08:29am
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Ordered a junior yesterday - hoping I have it in time for the weekend to try it out with some guests coming up to the cabin. It looks great -just need to pick out a recipe to try!
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razmichael
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# Posted: 13 Jul 2015 09:13am
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Got my Can Cooker Junior last week and have used it once to make the "Italian Chicken" recipe (or my version of it). I'm really impressed with how quick and easy it was to use and the results were great! I have a feeling I may be picking a second one - one for the cabin, one for home.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 13 Jul 2015 10:21am
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Well...
Share you version of the recipe!
Tim
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razmichael
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# Posted: 13 Jul 2015 11:11am - Edited by: razmichael
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Quoting: Cowracer Well... Share you version of the recipe!
No major changes - just less onions, more vegetables and probably more dressing than needed (wasn't paying attention). I also use a bit of chicken stock I had rather than the water. I'm going to enjoy the flexibility as I play more with it. Naturally the kids keep saying "try the desserts".
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Bevis
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# Posted: 13 Jul 2015 06:17pm
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Added to my list too...
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 13 Jul 2015 06:27pm - Edited by: MtnDon
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Quoting: Julie2Oregon I use my slow cooker quite a bit and was lamenting the fact that I couldn't justify the electricity to take it with me so I would just have to go without one.
Depending on the number of PV panels in play there is often enough excess on sunny days to operate a slow cooker. We do.
Known as an opportunity load.
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razmichael
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# Posted: 13 Jul 2015 08:39pm
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Did the GUNNAR'S CAMPFIRE STEW tonight at home. About ten minutes prep (mostly done by my 10 year old), less the onions (forgot to buy) and using gluten free beer for the celiac in the family. About an hour later we are eating a great stew. I don't think you can beat a good slow cooker for stew but this is so fast and easy. I love this thing - and for some reason my wife keeps urging me to experiment more with it - I wonder why?
Thanks Cowracer for suggesting it.
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rockies
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# Posted: 13 Jul 2015 09:08pm - Edited by: rockies
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What is the camping forum website?
Can cooker review.
http://deliciousunderpressure.com/cancooker-cc-001-cooker-review/
Can Cooker recipes
http://www.cancooker.com/recipes/
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 14 Jul 2015 09:08am
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Quoting: rockies What is the camping forum website?
I'm on The Forest River Forums. I have an FR Hybrid Travel Trailer that is currently docked at my lake lot where I am building my cabin. Once the cabin is 'livable' I will bring the camper home so we can actually start traveling again.
Tim
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razmichael
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# Posted: 10 Aug 2015 07:43am - Edited by: razmichael
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Still love this Can Cooker thing! Finally took it to the cabin after testing a number of meals at home. 10 minutes prep at home (cut up potatoes, onions and stick these with carrots and mushrooms into a ziplock bag) and five minutes work at the cabin - throw in beef, vegetables, bit of beef broth and a cup or two of red wine - then leave to cook on the side burner of the BBQ for an hour. Bonus - my wife does not drink red wine so I could not let the rest of the bottle go to waste!
My 10 yr old made up a gluten free biscuit mix and we cooked these in the Coleman oven.
What a great stew. I might try using a bit of browning sauce next time to reduce the grey look of the gravy but it does not bother me at all.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2015 04:52pm - Edited by: Cowracer
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Quoting: razmichael My 10 yr old made up a gluten free biscuit mix and we cooked these in the Coleman oven
Those are exceedingly fine looking biscuits from a coleman oven. Ive seen really good cooks struggle like hell to make biscuits in a camping stove and not have them come out burnt. Great job.
For better color in the stew, try browning the beef for just a few minutes in a sizzling hot pan with just a touch of oil. It adds a step, but is well worth it.
So far I have made 3 meals in the cooker. Everyone keep clamoring for the same thing, but last time I changed it up a bit. Instead of the chicken, I put in a 3.5 pound beef rump roast. I marinated it overnight in my own recipe marinade, and on a whim added about a cup of the marinade in with the beer. Nobody complained about not having chicken. 
I know I am getting the Jr. version for Christmas. I'm waiting on then to try a few of the other recipes.
Tim
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razmichael
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2015 05:40pm
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Quoting: Cowracer For better color in the stew, try browning the beef for just a few minutes in a sizzling hot pan with just a touch of oil. It adds a step, but is well worth it.
I do this at home generally and agree - well worth it. At the cabin the aim is minimal work and pans to wash so I stick with browning sauce now. Love the can cooker!
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Shadyacres
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2015 07:23pm
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Cowracer, after reading your original post about the can cooker , I just knew I had to get one. I did and we have used it 3 times already and love it. I was searching for a can cooker cookbook but can't find one. I want to make some ribs in mine one of these days.
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rockies
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2015 07:50pm
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I put a link for "Can Cooker" recipes in this thread, farther up.
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Shadyacres
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2015 08:55pm
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Hey rockies , are they the recipes that come with the can cooker ? I saw those , I was just hoping to be able to buy a larger assortment of recipes. I guess trial and error will suffice. Thanks for the reminder rockies.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2015 11:13pm
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go to the website. They have literally DOZENS of recipes each for beef, pork, game, seafood, and fowl.
Tim
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