COOKING IN A CAN
by Dude McLean
Man has been cooking in containers for many thousands of years. Copper, silver, earthenware and many mixtures of alloys have a long history. But in more modern times, the lowly common tin coffee can is the lowest of the low. The most primitive of the bunch, if you will. (I know, I know, it's aluminum.)
I could buy a snooty titanium cooking pot for upwards of a hundred dollars, but why? I'm not in a contest with anyone and I betcha my own cans about as lightweight as the titanium pot of equal size.
I've been cooking with coffee cans since I was about 12 years old.
The black can in the photos is the one I have been using for few years. You'll notice the outside of the can is all blackened and the inside has a patina. There is no rust. That's because I season the can much like you would a Dutch oven or a cast iron frying pan. I prefer to use olive oil to season with, but first, I tear the label off of the can, wash the inside of the can and then boil water in it a few times. I kind of “cook” the can, watching it closely. Then I wipe olive oil on the inside and the outside and place the can on the fire for a few minutes. It will kind of smoke a bit. You can place it in your oven, also.
Remove the can, let it cool, wipe in some more olive oil inside and out. Pour water in the can and let it boil and bubble for a while over the flame.
COOK IN YOUR CAN
Now you can start cooking in your can. After each cooking session, clean the can and wipe in more olive oil. Soon the coffee can will take on a different meaning in your life.
Once the outside of the can attains a black patina, you will find it will work great for use in baker or reflective ovens. The can is black. The tin is thin and readily transfers heat; it's perfect. The black does not rub off because after you have cooked several meals with it, the black is baked on.
OTHER USES FOR THE COFFEE CAN
Not only can you cook with the coffee can, but it works as a shovel. I have dug some pretty large and deep trenches, firebeds, latrines, Dakota holes, cooking pits, and so forth with nothing but a coffee can.
You can fashion a frying pan from a coffee can, make ovens and stoves and other utility items for your cooking needs. You can make lanterns and traps, funnels and so on. The bail allows you to handle the can while it's hot and you can tie some cordage to the bail and lower the can into the water from a steep bluff or bank to retrieve your water. That's handy.
SIMPLE, FREE AND IT WORKS
Why a coffee can? Or the variations that can be had? Simple: It's free, available, it's a form of recycling and it works like a champ. Use it up, wear it out, make it do. If by chance you lose it or it's damaged, you can replace it easily.