Here is a tutorial on a DIY Earthen Oven that would be a great project to help you get to a self-sufficient lifestyle. It is the modern incarnation of an age old cooking process.
Earthen ovens have been used for millennia by indigenous people as a food cooking method due to the accessibility of the building materials. They originated as simple pit hearths dug into the soil and lined with heated rocks. Once the food was placed into the hole; it would be covered with sand, soil and/or seaweed.
Archaeologists have found traces of earthen ovens all over the world; most notably in the south-west Unites States, the Pacific Islands and the Middle East. It is the basis of the modern Clam Bake in New England which originated with Native Americans along the Atlantic Seaboard.
The method of cooking is still used for large celebratory gatherings around the globe, especially in the Pacific Islands.
Here are some benefits of Earthen Ovens.
- Environmentally Friendly.
- Low Material Costs.
- Is A Social Event When Building.
- Is A Social Event When Cooking.
- Allows For Artistic Expression.
- Easy To Build.
- The Food Just Tastes Better.
- Uses A Renewable Energy Source.
So give it a shot and enjoy your new addition to your homestead!
