Camp Oven Cooking Tips
Those who just start out often have some failures, especially with managing the heat incorrectly which leads to burning the food, which has probably lead to you reading our camp oven cooking tips article.
Camp oven cooking has been around for hundreds of years, and has really become popular again in the past few years, and I know why because you just can’t beat a meal cooked in a camp oven while camping.
When it comes to learning camp oven cooking, the best way to learn is to get out there and do it by trial and error, here is a great list of camp oven cooking tips to get you well on your way to becoming a camp oven master.
Here are our Camp Oven Cooking Tips:
Will weather conditions affect my heat control?
Yes, weather conditions play a big part. in managing heat control. Conditions like rain, strong winds, cold weather and hot days can also affect the cooking times or heating performance of your camp oven and will need to be managed effectively.
What wood do I use for camp oven cooking?
If you can get it, the best wood for rendering the really hot coals is Gidgee wood as it burns hot for a long time however it’s not easy to obtain.
So pretty much any hardwood that’s sold as firewood will do the work just fine, Just make sure the wood is aged and dry, and keep an eye on it and change when it cools down too much.
Do I put coals on the camp oven lid?
This all depends on what you are cooking in your camp oven, if you are not sure, just think how you would do it at home and relate that to the camp oven.
Bottom Heat: If you’re cooking stews, soups or other wet dishes then you only need bottom heat under the camp oven.
Top Heat: If you are cooking a roast or baking a cake, you need top and bottom heat to heat the camp oven.
Do I need to preheat a camp oven?
While you don’t need to preheat the camp oven it is recommended that you preheat the oven when you’re baking foods like bread, scones and dampers you want the oven preheated so the food can begin to cook straight away.
Do I need to replace the coals?
This all depends on the cooking time required for the recipe. For example, if you are cooking something like a damper then probably not, however, if you are cooking a roast or similar that requires a few hours to cook then yes, you will need to replace the coals.
Just remember to change the coals when needed, and the frequency will also depend on the quality of the wood you are using.
How do I clean my camp oven?
The best way to maintain your camp oven is to clean it when it’s cool enough to handle after using it. In most cases, you should be able to just wipe it out, but if the food is a bit stuck, boil some water in it and use a wooden scraper or a chainmail scrubber to give it a scrub out.
In some cases, you might need to use a little detergent and that’s okay. The inner seasoned coating is no longer an oil and detergent will not affect it. Just make sure you give it a really good rinse out with clean water.
How do I store my camp oven?
The best way to store your clean camp oven is in a canvas camp oven bag. Lightly oil your oven then place it in the bag to keep it clean and dry, making it easier to transport and ready to use next time. Read this post
How do I season my camp oven?
The process of seasoning an oven is to lightly oil the oven and get it hot so the oil gets past its smoking point, then repeat. Doing this process creates a chemical reaction with the oil turning into a protective coating or seasoning. This reaction is called polymerization.
The best way to season a camp oven is to lightly oil and turn it upside down in a hooded barbeque, as hot as you can get it with the BBQ lid closed. Leave it in there until the oil stops smoking. Let the camp oven cool and repeat the process two to three times. full guide here
How much coals do I put on my camp oven?
Dont go overboard, otherwise you might end up burning your food, just start our with a few coals, then work your way up to the desiered ammount, if you cant hold your hand about 20cm above the coals cumfortably its probably too hot.
Can I use gas to cook a camp oven?
Yes you can, cooking using a gas burner is great for stews as they only require bottom, however it is not the best method for recipes that require top heat.
