Camp Oven

[Tonks]

I know nothing about them at all,
What should i buy ?
Size for a family of 4 ?
Brand ?
Where to buy ?
Accessories needed if any ?
And anything else i need to know ?


Cheers Tonks.

[threedogs]

Get A Furphy number 14 from Barmah redgum on Ebay, I'll find a link
You'll need a trivet and a tool to lift the lid but you could make that easy enough.
A sturdy box to travel with it
Never wash with soapy water, never pour cold water into a hot camp oven
Season before using it with cooking oil.
Jury is out whether coals on top or not but roast below was cooked NCOT lol

Edit cant find a link as nil stock
so just type in "CAST IRON camp ovens on ebay
Cast iron cooks more evenly but requires a bit of work

This is priced well
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Campfire-Pre-Seasoned-Camp-Oven-10-Quart-Oval-Cast-Iron-/331198809278?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item4d1cfcc4be

[FNQGU]

The Furphy is a top notch product that costs a fair wad of cash but you get what you pay for. If you are only just getting into camp cooking with them, any old oven from the nearest BCF or camping store will do the job to start with.

One thing John probably didn't give enough detail on in his good advice, was that you will need to clean it out first before seasoning. You'll need to clean it right out properly as they coat it in some crap from the factory to stop it rusting. Basically I scrub it out with steel wool and hot water first, then cook the shit out of it then do it again. When you are satisfied it is clean, warm it up and oil it, wipe out the excess and then let it cool.

Oh, and grab a camp oven lid lifter too. Very handy tool.

[P4trol]

Then:

Practice, practice practice





Speed kills:

Drive a 2.8 and live longer!

[BigRAWesty]

We have a 9 Quartz pot, um, can't remember brand, jackaroo???
Anyway pre seasoned, lid lifter included, $55 I think.

Is a good size for us 4, me wife and 2 little ones.
The pre season seems fine, although I sorta did my own aswell. Pretty simple as mentioned above.
I'd buy another one anyway.

As for meals.. Anything you dare...
Pizzas, pastas, breads and my favourite, one pot "pay'yea'yeas" (mkr pun)..

Keep us informed and enjoy

[Drewboyaus]

I have a 5 quart and a 9 quart oven. I have hardly used the 5. I have a wife and 3 kids.
I bought it as part if a set from Aldi. I think it works very well.
I am simple.

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[Tonks]

Thanks Guys,
I will go and check out BCF today.

[threedogs]

You can buy cast iron camp cooking sets for about $120,even comes in a neat pine carry box.
Difference in pricing K-mart 12" oven $60,Furphy 12" camp oven $150 maybe more,even the oblong ones are great to cook with
Highly recommend buy Ron & Viv Moons camp fire cook book heaps recipes and info on all the different style ovens available, and what they can and cant cook.
Nothing better than turning a loaf of bread out to cool. Just look for nice thick 10mm cast iron walls .
something that feels heavy for its size will be perfect, The lid doubles as a frypan for most camp ovens
so don't forget to season that as well. If you go to BCF get a canvas travel bag to suit your camp oven.
It will keep the black soot off everything, Thus why I have a purpose built box, Looking forward to seeing what you buy.

[threedogs]

Heres some pics of some of mine. from left to right is 12' alloy, 12' cast iron and feet , then a Metters 14", and last is my 16' x 12mm home made job.
I also have 2 x spun steel bedourie ovens and a 500mm spun steel frypan great for Paella. there is a smaller 4.5 qt cast iron one as well.
Bedourie are great as in un breakable but you need to half bury them to keep the heat in and a better chance of burning food. I found they do a great roast spud just like grandma's. some guys have some awesome recipes like Pizza and roast rabbit, bread.etc

really should have a NP.com.au camp fire recipes easy enough to do.

This sounds like good value, nice dense cast iron as well, plus a cast cooking set

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-OZtrail-9-Quart-CAST-IRON-CAMP-Dutch-OVEN-Cooker-Hiking-CAMPING-HUNTING-/271493290347?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3f3642d96b

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CAMPFIRE-PIONEER-FLINDERS-9-PIECE-CAST-IRON-COOKWARE-SET-CAMPING-FISHING-CARAVAN-/301167065044?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item461ef4b7d4

[oncedisturbed]

All good points mentioned so far.

"IF" you need to clean the oven with soapy water, make sure it is not citrus based as it will strip it. Allow to dry completely, re-coat it with a cheap canola oil, linseed oil or cast iron conditioner and bake it again. Oil it slightly if going into storage for long period of time.

Both of my camp ovens are coated on the outside with a high temp matt black engine paint which help protect them even further.

If you happen to burn anything in it and can't get rid of the smell, gets some cheap crappy bacon pieces and cook them in it, it will get rid of any bad smell and then you can use the fat / oil to re-coat the inside if your oven.

Trivets are a mixed bag as there are several styles, sizes etc. I have found the thin wire ones the worst and use the disc trivets with lots of holes in it instead, depending on what I am cooking as to whether I cover the trivet with alfoil or not use it at all.

Google a site called "Aussie Camp Oven Forum" run by a couple, Derek and Lilly and have a read through it, all questions, tips, tricks and recipes are listed there. Derek is known as the Aussie Camp Oven Chef and has forgotten more on camp ovens than most could ever learn.


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[threedogs]

Trivets are a mixed bag as there are several styles, sizes etc. I have found the thin wire ones the worst and use the disc trivets with lots of holes in it instead, depending on what I am cooking as to whether I cover the trivet with alfoil or not use it at all.

@ OD I have just had some stainless steel trivets laser cut and fit the 12 camp ovens just right, Iput my meat in an Alfoil tub on the trivet and cook that way with a half cup of stock to help it fall apart. If anyone is interested in the trivets just send a PM, should be featured in next issue of 4x4 Australia Mag
Mine is the solid stainless number, very affordable

[menis]

I have a furphy 12, i think! Great camp oven!
Id also suggest grabing a welders glove, very handy for grabing the oven out of the fire and lifting the lid!

[Crate]

X2 on the welding glove, wouldnt go camping without a pair. Also a good natual fibre brush to get ash off the lid edge before opening is handy.

[threedogs]

Also handy around a fire is my 4ft long 3/4 in rod with a hook at one end .Great for moving logs around and positioning a camp oven.
Whipped up another thing the other day I'm calling the "Third man" it holds all your cooking gear, gloves,tongs etc as well as frypans and pots.
Keeps them off the ground, so you wont trip over them or kick dirt in them, works for me

[Crate]

Nice one threedogs! I might have to steal that idea..

[Stropp]

Neil says you are a bunch of sooks, you don't need gloves he says you just need a good first aid kit for the burns.

[Clunk]

Neil says you are a bunch of sooks, you don't need gloves he says you just need a good first aid kit for the burns.

Bwahahahaha

[threedogs]

who needs a first aid kit you "GIRLIE man"
oo are you
oo am I
@ Crate I'll get a picture of my log roller/camp oven turner,lol

[Stropp]

Neil says you are a bunch of sooks, you don't need gloves he says you just need a good first aid kit for the burns.

its a WA meetup joke, Neil kept using his hand and burning it even tho there was lidlifters and gloves there.

[threedogs]

As you would, drinking beer will do that.
had a mate pick up a large cast iron frypan boiling oil for chips he picked up, 6 mths off work dumb dik

[Sir Roofy]

also handy around a fire is my 4ft long 3/4 in rod with a hook at one end .great for moving logs around and positioning a camp oven.
Whipped up another thing the other day i'm calling the "third man" it holds all your cooking gear, gloves,tongs etc as well as frypans and pots.
Keeps them off the ground, so you wont trip over them or kick dirt in them, works for me

never ends aye john keep this up mate and you,l need another trailer
just to cart the cooking gear lol mini utensil trailer train

[threedogs]

never ends aye john keep this up mate and you,l need another trailer
just to cart the cooking gear lol mini utensil trailer train
LOL you know what its like sitting around a camp fire anyway,
I think many a good idea has developed around a camp fire,
Most of mine have anyway lol

@ Crate heres what I use sometimes with a shovel to move big logs into position on the fire
about 4ft long ,very handy IMO especially if the fire is roaring

[Stropp]

As you would, drinking beer will do that.
had a mate pick up a large cast iron frypan boiling oil for chips he picked up, 6 mths off work dumb dik

ha ha Neil was pizzed but did it three times not just once lol

[threedogs]

I can understand the first and second time just to confirm it was hot...... its the third time that makes you think lol

[threedogs]

@ Crate heres more stuff to make life easier around the fire,
Brush is just some local reed grass I made a brush out of works a treat.
The other gizmo is my camp oven lid lifter, again feel free.

Hey Tonks where the pics of your camp oven

[threedogs]

never ends aye john keep this up mate and you,l need another trailer
just to cart the cooking gear lol mini utensil trailer train
Just made a big tripod as I'm keeping in touch with our fishing buddy.
trying to get better so I can go fishing and meet up again,
He's been a few times but no luck other than the big Cod.
I'm looking forward to meeting his other half.

[MudRunnerTD]

I'm actually really keen to buy a spun steal camp over, much lighter, good lid.

Can someone tell me why I should go a cast oven over a much lighter spun steal job that would be great.

[oncedisturbed]

Tbh I have never used a spun steel oven. Aussie camp oven forums have heaps of info there on the pro's and cons of both units


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[threedogs]

I have a beduorie camp oven and is spun steel,,, you need to nearly bury it to retain the heat.
It will cook your roast great, but a lot of checking and rechecking. They do great roast spuds.
Things will burn more often as for the Hillybilly gear I've no idea as they only use heatbeads
for their selling point. Spun steel gear has been around for ages only because the drovers
dropped the cast ones and they'd break so the drovers from Bedourie station came up with
spun steel job. Me I prefer cast iron you can control the temp better and I'm sure you have had a roast
from one to say yes. 99% I think would prefer to cook with cast iron no questions asked

Too many "hot spots" with spun steel, but the lid covers better on a bedourie
Depends how many going and where as to what I take
these are all Dr Livingstones ovens , the twin is a homemade spud steamer, using
two bases and one lid

[threedogs]

Bumped Tonks been shopping yet??

[Tonks]

Bumped Tonks been shopping yet??

After the young fellas football today,

[threedogs]

Great cant wait......
@ MR here are my ovens cant beat sitting by a fire listening to your roast sizzling away drinking a beer.
You have to have coals from a fire IMO not heat beads, might as well cook at home and re heat at camp.
The extra Bedourie base turns my normal spun steel camp oven into a great steamer, be it fish or a bag
of small spuds. It has holes drilled all over the base. picked it up in an op shop for $2 gotta love that'
Plus my large frypan for Paella

Doing a roast for the MOF ,a butterflied leg of lamb marinated. should be done on a flat grill but Mof wants it roasted.
sprayed my 4.5 qrt cast iron with oil, placed a trivet on the base then place a foil liner on top of that.
Tipped in 1/2 cup of chicken stock covered with foil and placed the lid on. will go into oven for 4-5 hrs
on a very low heat ready by 5.30 this arvo. Will leave the lid off for last hour

[Stropp]

gee threedogs you must be one hungry mofo lol

[threedogs]

that's over more years than I care to remember. lol
what can I say I like my camping gear and camping,
cant remember a time I didn't do it

The 14" metters will be sold as its from Colonial times, but have all bases covered
when we go I will take all gear for everyone saves doubling up
take it in turns who buys the meat and vegies.
You need to get over here for a trip,

[threedogs]

Bumped I take it you never went shopping.
Another item for camp oven cooking is a decent head lamp or some light set up
to focus on the camp oven. But plan your meals so you start eating just on dark.
I think if distance from the sun to the horizon is four fingers that equates to 40 mins I think. approx.

[Tonks]

Went and had a look at the local camp store, i think i will get the oztrail 9 qrt,
And we have shite loads of head torches,
Way to early to start eating just on dark, gotta squeeze a few more tinnys in before dinner,
Cheers

[threedogs]

You can buy oval shaped camp ovens, Next trip Im taking my Clarke and Co.
cast iron pot, NCOT so should cook a treat. Plenty of room this is 2 gallon job