Tips for camp oven cooking
Wow the crowds with your camp oven cooking by following our top tips.
WORDS BY EMMA RYAN, IMAGES BY SHANE STIFFLE
Sure, you can heat up and serve something from a packet when camping but nothing beats the flavour you can get when cooking on coals with a camp oven. And don’t be put off by the lack of temperature control, all you need is practice … and our top 10 tips to get you started.
GUIDE
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Successful camp oven cooking is all about the availability of hot coals, and plenty of them. Get your fire going nice and early so you’ve got a good amount of coals ready for when you want to start cooking. The bigger the fire, the more coals, so build as big a fire as is safe. One-metre square is ideal. Click here for our tips on how to build a campfire.
Placing a cold cast iron camp oven on a bed of coals will significantly reduce the heat of the coals. Avoid this by preheating your camp oven in the fire before you place it on the coals to begin cooking.
Use a piece of paper towel to check the temperature of the oven before you start cooking with it. Place the paper towel in the camp oven once it’s been on the coals for 10-minutes or so. After five minutes:
• If the paper is black and smoking, the oven is too hot.
• If the paper is dark brown, the oven is very hot (approx. 230°C)
• If the paper is light brown, the oven is hot (approx. 200°C)
• If the paper is yellowish, the oven is moderate (approx. 180°C)
To help retain the heat of the base layer of coals, dig a small hole the size of the camp oven to put the coals in. This will be especially helpful in windy weather. Do this right next to the main fire to help retain the heat of the oven.
Avoid placing too many coals beneath your camp oven as this can burn the base of your dish. Putting the majority of the coals on the lid of the oven allows the heat to disperse more evenly, creating a true oven effect. Stick to the rule of thirds: one third coals on the base, two thirds on the lid.
“Avoid placing too many coals beneath your camp oven as this can burn the base of your dish. Putting the majority of the coals on the lid of the oven allows the heat to disperse more evenly, creating a true oven effect.”
Insurance is issued by the Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd ABN 78 090 584 473 AFSL No 241436 (Hollard). Club 4x4 Pty Ltd ABN 41 606 776 274 AR No. 1235616 (Club 4x4) acts as Hollard’s Authorised Representative. Any general advice provided does not consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Please consider the Product Disclosure Statement available at www.club4x4.com.au, to decide if the product is right for you.
Save the insurance conversation for when your insurance is due. Simply tell us what month and what vehicle you’d be interested in quoting, and we’ll get in touch at the relevant time.
If you prefer your food less greasy, placing a trivet on the base of the camp oven can help. When cooking a roast, this keeps the meat and veggies up out of the fat and gives them more of an all-over crisp. On the other hand, cooking without a trivet allows the meat and veggies to caramelise on the base of the oven, which will add delicious flavour to your gravy. However, your vegetables will be more stewed than crisp.
Cooking time for a roast is generally half an hour per half a kilo of meat, or a little less for red meat if you like it medium-rare. Veggies will take around 45 minutes, so do some simple maths and put those in midway through cooking your meat.
The beauty of a camp oven is that, when cared for correctly, it should last you a lifetime. Season your camp oven after every use. Following cleaning, return your camp oven to the heat of the fire to ensure it dries completely, then coat it in a thin layer of vegetable oil inside and out using paper towel. This will help prevent rust and builds a protective, non-stick layer. It’s then ready to be packed away for next time.
One of the trickiest parts of camp oven cooking that requires a certain level of steady-handedness is removing the lid to check on your food. As you can imagine, this becomes increasingly difficult if you’re downing cold ones while waiting for your slow-cooked meat to tenderise. Use a dustpan brush to remove as many coals and ash from the lid as possible before carefully removing it.
To clean the oven, first scrape out whatever food scraps you can. Put some water in the oven and return it to the heat, allowing it to boil away for 15 minutes or so. Avoiding putting cold water in a hot oven and vice versa, as the cast iron can crack. Once the water has cooled enough, use a metal scourer to remove remaining residue and give the lid a scrub. Avoiding soap will help retain your camp oven’s protective layer of oil.
PACKING LIST FOR CAMP OVEN COOKING
» Camp oven
» Camp oven lid lifter
» Long handled shovel
» Dustpan brush
» Long handled tongs
» Long wooden spoon
» Paper towel
» Vegetable oil
» Heat-proof gloves
TYPES OF CAMP OVEN
We used a Rovin brand cast iron camp oven, sold at Road Tech Marine. It came pre-seasoned and ready to roll, so was a good choice for our purposes. There are a few types of camp oven on the market, however.
CAST IRON CAMP OVEN
The original and most popular camp oven, available from $30.
PROS
» Excellent heat retention, ideal for slow cooking;
» Even distribution of heat for oven effect; and
» Will last a lifetime if properly cared for.
CONS
» Heavy; and
» Brittle, can crack when dropped or when cold/hot water is added to hot/cold oven.
Affordable: Rovin cast iron camp oven - Find out more
SPUN STEEL CAMP OVEN
A versatile, robust and lightweight alternative to cast iron camp ovens.
PROS
» Lightweight yet robust;
» Heats and cooks quickly;
» Lid can be used as a frypan; and
» Can be used on coals or gas.
CONS
» Doesn’t retain heat as well as cast iron; and
» Not as good for slow cooking.
Affordable: Dr Livingstone's Bedourie Camp Oven - Find out more
POTJE CAMP OVEN
A three-legged South African-style cast iron camp oven with a pot belly shape.
PROS
» Support legs allow it to nestle into the coals;
» Thick cast iron retains heat, ideal for slow cooking; and
» Rounded shape ideal for stews and curries.
CONS
» Big and heavy; and
» Not as good for roasts and cakes due to shape.
Affordable: OzTrail Cast Iron Potjie Pot - Find out more
GUIDE
Tips for camp oven cooking
Wow the crowds with your camp oven cooking by following our top tips.
Sure, you can heat up and serve something from a packet when camping but nothing beats the flavour you can get when cooking on coals with a camp oven. And don’t be put off by the lack of temperature control, all you need is practice … and our top 10 tips to get you started.
WORDS BY EMMA RYAN, IMAGES BY SHANE STIFFLE
Successful camp oven cooking is all about the availability of hot coals, and plenty of them. Get your fire going nice and early so you’ve got a good amount of coals ready for when you want to start cooking. The bigger the fire, the more coals, so build as big a fire as is safe. One-metre square is ideal. Click here for our tips on how to build a campfire.
Placing a cold cast iron camp oven on a bed of coals will significantly reduce the heat of the coals. Avoid this by preheating your camp oven in the fire before you place it on the coals to begin cooking.
To help retain the heat of the base layer of coals, dig a small hole the size of the camp oven to put the coals in. This will be especially helpful in windy weather. Do this right next to the main fire to help retain the heat of the oven.
Avoid placing too many coals beneath your camp oven as this can burn the base of your dish. Putting the majority of the coals on the lid of the oven allows the heat to disperse more evenly, creating a true oven effect. Stick to the rule of thirds: one third coals on the base, two thirds on the lid.
Use a piece of paper towel to check the temperature of the oven before you start cooking with it. Place the paper towel in the camp oven once it’s been on the coals for 10-minutes or so. After five minutes:
• If the paper is black and smoking, the oven is too hot.
• If the paper is dark brown, the oven is very hot (approx. 230°C)
• If the paper is light brown, the oven is hot (approx. 200°C)
• If the paper is yellowish, the oven is moderate (approx. 180°C)
Save the insurance conversation for when your insurance is due. Simply tell us what month and what vehicle you’d be interested in quoting, and we’ll get in touch at the relevant time.
Insurance is issued by the Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd ABN 78 090 584 473 AFSL No 241436 (Hollard). Club 4x4 Pty Ltd ABN 41 606 776 274 AR No. 1235616 (Club 4x4) acts as Hollard’s Authorised Representative. Any general advice provided does not consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Please consider the Product Disclosure Statement available at www.club4x4.com.au, to decide if the product is right for you.
“Avoid placing too many coals beneath your camp oven as this can burn the base of your dish. Putting the majority of the coals on the lid of the oven allows the heat to disperse more evenly, creating a true oven effect.”
If you prefer your food less greasy, placing a trivet on the base of the camp oven can help. When cooking a roast, this keeps the meat and veggies up out of the fat and gives them more of an all-over crisp. On the other hand, cooking without a trivet allows the meat and veggies to caramelise on the base of the oven, which will add delicious flavour to your gravy. However, your vegetables will be more stewed than crisp.
Cooking time for a roast is generally half an hour per half a kilo of meat, or a little less for red meat if you like it medium-rare. Veggies will take around 45 minutes, so do some simple maths and put those in midway through cooking your meat.
One of the trickiest parts of camp oven cooking that requires a certain level of steady-handedness is removing the lid to check on your food. As you can imagine, this becomes increasingly difficult if you’re downing cold ones while waiting for your slow-cooked meat to tenderise. Use a dustpan brush to remove as many coals and ash from the lid as possible before carefully removing it.
To clean the oven, first scrape out whatever food scraps you can. Put some water in the oven and return it to the heat, allowing it to boil away for 15 minutes or so. Avoiding putting cold water in a hot oven and vice versa, as the cast iron can crack. Once the water has cooled enough, use a metal scourer to remove remaining residue and give the lid a scrub. Avoiding soap will help retain your camp oven’s protective layer of oil.
The beauty of a camp oven is that, when cared for correctly, it should last you a lifetime. Season your camp oven after every use. Following cleaning, return your camp oven to the heat of the fire to ensure it dries completely, then coat it in a thin layer of vegetable oil inside and out using paper towel. This will help prevent rust and builds a protective, non-stick layer. It’s then ready to be packed away for next time.
PACKING LIST FOR CAMP OVEN COOKING
» Camp oven
» Camp oven lid lifter
» Long handled shovel
» Dustpan brush
» Long handled tongs
» Long wooden spoon
» Paper towel
» Vegetable oil
» Heat-proof gloves
TYPES OF CAMP OVEN
We used a Rovin brand cast iron camp oven, sold at Road Tech Marine. It came pre-seasoned and ready to roll, so was a good choice for our purposes. There are a few types of camp oven on the market, however.
CAST IRON CAMP OVEN
The original and most popular camp oven, available from $30.
PROS
» Excellent heat retention, ideal for slow cooking;
» Even distribution of heat for oven effect; and
» Will last a lifetime if properly cared for.
CONS
» Heavy; and
» Brittle, can crack when dropped or when cold/hot water is added to hot/cold oven.
Affordable: Rovin cast iron camp oven - Find out more
SPUN STEEL CAMP OVEN
A versatile, robust and lightweight alternative to cast iron camp ovens.
PROS
» Lightweight yet robust;
» Heats and cooks quickly;
» Lid can be used as a frypan; and
» Can be used on coals or gas.
CONS
» Doesn’t retain heat as well as cast iron; and
» Not as good for slow cooking.
Affordable: Dr Livingstone's Bedourie Camp Oven - Find out more
POTJE CAMP OVEN
A three-legged South African-style cast iron camp oven with a pot belly shape.
PROS
» Support legs allow it to nestle into the coals;
» Thick cast iron retains heat, ideal for slow cooking; and
» Rounded shape ideal for stews and curries.
CONS
» Big and heavy; and
» Not as good for roasts and cakes due to shape.
Affordable: OzTrail Cast Iron Potjie Pot - Find out more