Cooking on Your Engine

When my mother passed away, my sister and I divided up her cookbooks.  We were looking through Lone Star Legacy II from the Austin Junior Forum and found an interesting concept.  Manifold Cooking.

The recipe states that cooking while driving, or manifold cooking, had its beginning with resourceful G.I.'s faced with the dreary prospect of cold beans.  G.I.'s found they could heat their beans on the manifold of their jeeps!  This grew into the idea of wrapping packages of food in fold to place on the manifold of cars to cook while driving.  Whatever you are cooking must be securely wrapped in several layers of extra heavy duty foil using the drugstore wrap and reversing the seam side with each wrapping.  Try to wrap the packages to more or less conform to the shape of the manifold.  The foil packages should be tied onto the manifold with coated wire to prevent the wire from cutting the foil  Of course, no steam escapes during the cooking, so the food is literally cooked in its own juices.  Meat does not brown; however, the meat may be quickly browned before packaging it.  This also improves the flavor - just as it does when cooking in your kitchen.  As with camp cooking, the exact cooking times are variable.  As a general guideline, average speed of 50 to 55 miles per hour, is equal to an hour in your home over at 300 degrees to 325 degrees.  In most cases, you should turn the package about halfway through the cooking period, but be careful not to puncture the foil!  There are unlimited possibilities to manifold cooking - use your imagination!  So, fill up the tank and let's go cooking!  An may you never lose your pot roast.

Mrs. Jim Albrecht (Donne)

100 Mile Chicken

Broiling Chickens, split in half

Butter mixed with garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Paprika, optional

Brush chicken halves liberally with melted butter and garlic powder.  Season with salt and pepper.  You might also sprinkle with paprika for added color if you don't choose to brown the chickens before packaging.  Carefully pad with wads of foil any areas where bones might puncture the foil covering.  Wrap as directed.  Turn after 50 miles.  Serves 4.

Mrs. Jim Albrecht (Donne)

While doing some research, I also found a new cookbook called Manifold Destiny which has several recipes using this concept.