What can I cook with free electric?

[Spamminster]

Hello, we're with Octopus and we sometimes get the power ups where we have 2-3 hours of free electricity.

I'm looking for more ideas of what I can batch cook in that time to make the most of it. I currently cook roast vegetables and jacket potoatoes that I then freeze for future meals.

I have an electric oven, microwave, pressure cooker and slow cooker plus a large chest freezer. We are all vegetarian and one DC is vegan.

I often batch cook pancakes to freeze, and I have three or four small frying pans on the go at once on my electric hob. I imagine that uses plenty! Otherwise maybe quiches or even blind baked bases to fill from frozen. Any baked goods, really.

You need a wonderbag

I used to have one of these that we used to go camping to make stew. I spilt lamb stew all over it in a storm when the tent flew off, dont ask. Binned the bag as couldnt find a way to clean it but presumably this wouldnt happen to you in a house

It was really effective. At the time

https://www.wonderbagworld.com/uk-shop

It's not free though, you just get credited for any 'extra electricity 'that you use.

This morning (7-9) when we'd normally only use the kettle, we charged the car, used dishwasher and dryer. So the cost of the extra electric would be credited to our account ... aka 'free'

I batch cook chilli/curry/casserole in my oven in a cast iron pot

I'd batch cook mince with sofrita, garlic, peppers, chopped tomatoes and courgette. Could be turned into spag bol with herbs and a splash of wine; chilli with some beans, smoky paprika, chilli and chipotle paste, curry with peas and mixed spices, even a tomatoey cottage pie with mash on top.

Or beef casserole with wine, herbs and root veg.

Or carrot and lentil soup

Soups? I do a roasted veg and red lentil one
I batch cook everything and freeze into individual portions

This morning I did a load of washing, roasted veg and potatoes, and vacuumed. Normally i would be in bed.
Oh and recharged the house battery.

Soup
Roast potatoes till almost done, so they can just be finished off when needed. Mashed potatoes so they're ready to use for cottage pie etc.

I don't understand how it isn't free. We're not paying for it, so it's free?

Thanks to everyone else for the suggestions!

Mince pies!!!

you can't do it in a hurry but christmas cake, christmas pudding and mincemeat all take a long time

It's not exactly 'free' though. If you drill down to the Ts&Cs it takes your 'usual' average rate for that time and day they are offering, and then, anything else OVER your average is free.

At that time of day my average use is low, just kettle and coffee maker, so I saved things up to do during that time so it would be free.

So in that two-hour period I did two loads of washing, the dishwasher, batch-cooked a load of veg in the oven, bath & hairwash, drying of said hair, and some ironing!

Be interesting to see how much I saved - it's the first time I've remembered to participate.

It doesnt take much drilling down, Octopus are very clear in what it means and luckily our average is low.

I then use the power-ups to charge the robot hoover, cordless hoover, powerbanks, mobile phones, tablets, laptops and tool batteries. I roast vegetables, hoover, descale/boil the kettle, and run the dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, dehumidifier and air con (cold or hot depending on the weather).
They tell you how much you've used over your average and my current record is 1000%.

Again, thanks to those who have answered the question. How did I not think about mince pies and christmas cake!

Batches of pulses (beans, chickpeas, green or brown lentils)! Cheap to buy dried, just simmer for an hour or so, and then they're really versatile for veggie and vegan meals.

Bread baking, unless the power ups are at surprise times so you don't have any dough proved and ready to go.

This may be a stupid question but do you think an hour in a casserole dish in the oven would be the same as on the hob? As our hob is gas.

Oh sorry, didn't think of that! I'm not sure. There are probably instructions online somewhere for cooking dried pulses in the oven. It must be possible!