Ask Autoblog: How do you cook with your car engine?
click above to watch Ask Autoblog: How do you cook with your car engine?
We've been working hard to add more video content to Autoblog, and one bright idea was to resurrect Ask Autoblog as a video series. To kick things off, we decided to answer a question that we had ourselves: How do you cook a meal using the only heat generated by a car engine. We didn't want to try something easy like hot dogs, so we went with ham and potatoes. Follow the jump to see whether or not we found success in the plastic-clad engine bays of today's cars, and let us know what you think of the results. Also, if you've tried to cook food in your engine bay, let us know what you made, and whether it worked out for you.We'd also like for you to ask us any questions in the comments section of this post that may be on your mind, and we'll pick the ones best suited for video and answer them on Ask Autoblog. If the response is good, we'll make this a regular thing and maybe pick up a sponsor to pay for it. So check out the first Ask Autoblog video after the jump and ask away in the comments.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
LoneWolf 8:16PM (2/11/2008)
Nice Video
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DS 8:16PM (2/11/2008)
Ummm.... what about engine fumes?
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P B 8:23PM (2/11/2008)
Seasonings.
Joel 8:30PM (2/11/2008)
Nice car
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cali boy 8:50PM (2/11/2008)
how do you do a burnout?
(somewhat rhetorical... kind of hoping you wait for a nice/fast car to arrive in the Autoblog Garage before you do it)
and this would definately make for a nice video...
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ShaamanRyu 8:53PM (2/11/2008)
haha...top gear did this once. Clarkson tried to serve the food to Gordon Ramsay
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Pilo 9:15PM (2/11/2008)
That's gotta be the stupidest thing I've ever seen!
:P
Next time, use grill some peppers.
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Mike 9:33PM (2/11/2008)
My dad used to be an operator for a construction company, running excavators and such. He would take his lunch (foil wrapped meal, can of stew, etc.) and put it on the exhaust manifold of the machine he was using about 30 mins before lunch. He always had a hot meal in the winter.
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Jason Bird 9:38PM (2/11/2008)
A modern engine emits no fumes except from the tailpipe. No worries unless it's a 911 or some other rear engined car (ha ha).
But seriously I actuall have an underhood cookbook to recommend, Manifold Destiny, if it's still in print. It's a great, fun read...even if you're not going to enjoy any road food.
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AlexP 9:48PM (2/11/2008)
Someone didn't watch the video.
waiownsyou 10:17PM (2/11/2008)
bored much?
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flychinook 10:37PM (2/11/2008)
I've never cooked with my engine, although I have re-heated a few things, usually Sonic breakfast burritos, back when I had my Malibu. I may try it with the newly acquired Focus one day, but I definitely need to wash the engine bay first.
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Hooper 10:47PM (2/11/2008)
I bet someone will undercook their food doing this, get food poisoning and sue Autoblog.
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cowboy bob 11:19PM (2/11/2008)
I cooked my neighbors cat once. Didn't eat it though.......
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Fooman 11:20PM (2/11/2008)
http://www.strikeengine.com/technical_information/bmw-m3-engine-csl.jpg
If you look in the upper left hand corner you will see all M3's including the CSL have the fast food warmer compartment where "lessor" 3's have a battery
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JIm 12:40AM (2/12/2008)
This cooking thing began during the Great Depression when people were moving across country looking for work and couldn't afford to stop and eat. There is a book on the subject called "Manifold Destiny." Lots of helpful hints if you are so inclined. Check Amazon.
Somewhat difficult to do these days as the engines are covered to the point there is no room on the exhaust manifold to place things.
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Matt 12:35AM (2/12/2008)
I do burritos and tamales when I go out 4 wheeling in my blazer. They fit quite well between the radiator hose and the engine. Even bouncing around on the trail they seem to stay in place. Takes at least 45 minutes to get fully warmed up when driving slowly.
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Dustin 12:38AM (2/12/2008)
Carbecue!
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Miguel 1:10AM (2/12/2008)
A friend once claimed to have baked cookies in his engine bay. His car had a non-functional hoodscoop that provided a nice little cavity for some larger hardware to sit in. I suppose, properly sealed--say, a covered pyrex tray or cookie sheet--might have actually worked. Even after this...
Still not sure if I believe him.
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HM 1:13AM (2/12/2008)
didn't top gear did the same thing when chef Gordon Ramsay as a guess? It ended up taste like patrol?
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