Stone Boiling - A method of heating water for cooking by placing hot stones in it.  This was one of the earliest forms of cooking among Indians, and was practiced when containers were too fragile to stand direct contact with the fire.

Stone boiling was done in baskets made watertight by being lined with clay or pitch, or bark containers.  Among some of the Plains Indians a hole was made in the ground, which was lined with a hide, or a buffalo's or deer's paunch was suspended from four sticks stuck in the ground.  Such containers were filled with water, and the stones to be added were placed in a fire and heated red hot.  They were lifted one by one with a pair of sticks, or tongs, and dropped into the water.  When the water began to boil the food was placed in it.

Related Information within this Site
[ Bark Craft ][ Baskets ][ Buffalo ][ Deer ][ Food ]