Which camp oven? Is there much difference?

[Wil2k]

Hey all,

I'm going to finally buy a camp oven for our easter camping trip. Question is.. which ones DON'T I want?

I've seen Furphy, OZ-Trail, SCA (supercheap auto) and a bunch of others around.

Seriously.. is there much difference? Cast Iron quality perhaps? I've also seen spun camp ovens that seem much lighter.. how do these go? Am I thinking it over too much? :eek:

I'm mostly cooking for 2 adults and up to 4 kids, so was thinking the 9 quart / 8.5 Litre sized ovens would probably suit. Don't want to lug around anything too massive.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Wil

[gromit]

I guess you will have to weigh up (no pun intended) the features benefits of cast iron vs. spun steel.

The reason for using cast iron is because there is a large mass to hold the heat, the spun steel version won't hold the heat but is less likely to get broken plus it's less weight to carry.

Furphy will be a better casting than the imported ones but will be many time the price. I carry a cast iron one I got from Rays Outdoors about 10 years ago, properly packed it hasn't been damaged. I have a Bedourie (spun steel) oven but haven't used it yet.

You will find some info here under 'Camp Oven Cooking'

CAMP OVEN COOKING IN AUSTRALIA (COCIA®) - Home Page (http://aussiecampovencook.com/)


Colin

[waynep]

We're happy with our Bedourie ( spun steel ) one.
Our roasts turn out fine. Just make sure you use a trivet to keep stuff of the bottom. Can also be used as a stove top pot and the lid will double as a frypan ( although not as good as proper one. )
Some will swear by cast iron though. Furphies are supposed to be the best but exxie.

[rrturboD]

I've got a couple of cast iron ones. A small 10" chinese is ok, but the 10" Furphy, still made in China, but much heavier and finer cast, does a better job, and is probably as large as we need. I have a 12" Furphy, but only used a few times, great for pizzas, but too large for most applications. 10" Furphy is the most useful, 2 adults and 2 teenage sons ... I get them for local club members at about $99 delivered.

[Xtreme]

I've used the spun steel (Bedourie & Hillbilly) and also the cast iron (Furphy & Taiwanese) cooking for up to 50 people at times.

However, the one/s I prefer and use every trip are the el cheapo cast iron ones - and as said above, with careful packing and handling I haven't broken one in 28 yrs of use.

If you do get a cast iron one though, make sure you 'season' it before you use it at Easter - refer to the above COC website for 'seasoning' instructions. Also, the more you use it the better (more seasoned) it will become. Leave it well coated with oil/fat between usage and you won't have any problems with rust - I usually wipe out the inside then the outside with industrial paper towel - leaving the outside charcoal blackened will also stop rust.

Regarding size, for general camping with 4 or 5 people, I use two 4.5qt ovens which I find far more versatile and easier to handle than one 9qt oven. You can fit a reasonable size roast in the 4.5 and do the veges in the other one - as they require different cooking times and heat you will have better control if you use separate ovens. The 4.5's also fit nicely into one of those square milk crates.

Jack Absolom's book 'Outback Cooking in the Camp Oven' is a great reference and is what got me started - very good on the basics but you need to adapt some of his receipes and ideas to your own style though.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/558.jpg

Don't restrict yourself to roasts - you can cook almost anything in a camp oven.

Lastly - enjoy your meal. :D

[steveG]

We've got the smaller Hillbilly spun steel one (7.5L) with an extension collar and vege ring for doing bigger roasts+veges. Very happy with it and even do most of our roasts at home in it now (on top of a homemade Oz-pig style burner with a few heat beads on top).
Have cooked roasts, stews, cakes etc with no problems. Always use a trivet in the bottom apart from when cooking stew and easily holds enough stew for half a dozen adults, or the equivalent in adults/kids.

Haven't used a cast iron one so cant give you a comparison to those.

Steve

[abaddonxi]

The big difference I notice between cast iron cookware is the finish on the inside. The good stuff is ground smooth or cast well. The bad stuff is rough. If it's rough it's harder to clean, stuff sticks to it more easily.

I've got a Griswold Tite Top, came from my grandparents, its about seventy years old.

[Xtreme]

The big difference I notice between cast iron cookware is the finish on the inside. The good stuff is ground smooth or cast well. The bad stuff is rough. If it's rough it's harder to clean, stuff sticks to it more easily.

I've got a Griswold Tite Top, came from my grandparents, its about seventy years old.

Agree re the rough casting on the el cheapo cast iron ovens. I overcome this by attacking them with the angle grinder - smooth the inside using a 'Frap' disc, tidy up the fit of the lid and grind off the legs - too short to be useful and only get in the way, especially when I use the oven on my fire grate. I reckon the ones I use regularly are better than the teflon coated cookware. Cooking sausages is a very good way of impregnating the cast iron with a coating of oil/fat.

Also agree with the use of a trivett to keep certain food types off the bottom of the oven and allow the even circulation of heat.

[digger]

best one I have is a cast iron one, seasoning correcty to start it off is very very important!

I prefer one with a lip around the lid, I can load the lid with coals etc and lift on off without spillage or putting crap in your tucker.

DONT FORGET TO GET A LID HOOK OR TO SELECT A NICE STICK ETC FOR DOING THE LID OR LIFTING THE WHOLE LOT OFF THE FIRE WHEN REQUIRED.

Stews, roast, damper and cake all come out nice with a little experience..its just getting used to temp and time...

season it earlier rather than later and feel free to overdo it...it wont hurt!!
(i always do mine inside and out and when packing ay at home spray inside and out With olive oil spray...just in case!)

CHEERS and enjoy!

[isuzurover]

I prefer cast iron - as mentioned - mass is good for ensuring a stable temperature.

The main thing I look for when buying a camp oven is a decent lip that you can put coals on. (I also look at finish quality inside, as abadonxi mentioned - and also balance for when you lift the lids and camp oven).

E.g. Stay away from a design like this, you will need to scrape the coals off every time you check your roast:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/532.jpg
Some are even worse - completely domed top and no lip at all!!!
http://img.thepriceguide.com.au/62843.jpg

This is the type you want - a big lip on the lid so you can get a decent amount of coals on top for even cooking:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[weeds]

i have two cast iron ovens, one oval and one round. cannot remember brand but i icked them up from camping stores.

a good lip lifke this one is the go

http://campingcookingequipmentideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/lodge-camp-dutch-oven-deep.jpg

i always use a trivet

[Wil2k]

Awesome!

Thanks everyone for your advice! Big lip, smoother finish inside - that'll steer me onto something half decent. I'll go check out the cheap cast iron ones they have at Downunder Camping.

Cheers

Wil

[isuzutoo-eh]

My Dad welded a lip around his cast iron oven's lid. I'd find the feet a pain I reckon, mine & my parent's don't have feet and they haven't been missed.
My camp oven is just the regular cast iron 4.5 quart 'CampFire' brand that Rays Outdoors and others places carry. Not too expensive and tick all the boxes that other posters have mentioned.
You can get carry bags for them too, but despite having one I still keep mine in its box. If the box dies then the bag will keep ash and carbon off everything else.

[isuzurover]

My Dad welded a lip around his cast iron oven's lid. I'd find the feet a pain I reckon, mine & my parent's don't have feet and they haven't been missed.

I wasn't suggesting you get one with feet - that was just a pic I found of one with a good lip. I always make a flat bed of coals to sit my camp oven on - I also think having feet would be a huge PITA.

[weeds]

:eek::eek:both my camp ovens have feet.......and i have never had a problem

[Xtreme]

Selection of type of camp oven is a personal thing and as can be seen from the foregoing posts some prefer cast iron over spun steel, some prefer legs, some don't, some prefer a lipped lid and to some it doesn't matter. The overwhelming preference though is for a cast iron oven with a lipped lid and good smooth casting.

Now all this is very good but I think that the most important thing when using (rather than choosing) your camp oven, irrespective of type, is the way you control the heat while cooking. The idea being to apply a steady even heat throughout the total cooking time - with the exception of a few things that need to be hit hard to start with and then followed up with the steady application of heat.

To achieve this, one must understand the fuel being used to produce the heat. Timber that grows fast will burn fast, give off a lot of heat for a short time and the coals produced will likewise not hold their heat for long. The reverse is the case for slow growing timber. For this reason you will find that using your camp oven in central/inland Australia is easier and produces better results than when using in coastal or high rainfall areas.

To overcome this problem when 'good' firewood is unavailable I tend not to cook on coals but instead place the oven on a fire grate where I can either move it around or adjust the fire to achieve the required steady heat. Regarding the use of coals on the lid, I find that for roasting meat or veges they are not necessary but for bread, cakes, some desserts etc. which need heat from above, then replacing the coals regularly or better still, using heat beads is the go. If cooking with gas, Hillbilly have a gas burner that is designed to burn upside down and can be used on top of their large oven.

I hope this is not too far off topic and helps you have an enjoyable meal from your camp oven.

Cheers from,
Rover's bush Restaurant

[TerryO]

Most K-marts sell cast iron camp ovens in varying sizes and they are both seasoned and have a lip which is possibly the most important thing, sorry can't remember the brand name but the one we brought was easy to clean and cooked well.

K-marts prices are often cheaper then camping stores as well. May be worth considering.

cheers,
Terry

[Scouse]

sorry can't remember the brand name More than likely Jackaroo. All their camping gear seems to be Jackaroo branded.

[TerryO]

More than likely Jackaroo. All their camping gear seems to be Jackaroo branded.


That's it... thanks Scott.

cheers,
Terry

[clubagreenie]

Regardless of which lid you get, find a wooden handled banister brush with natural fibres for brushing the ash off. Wood and natural fibres don't melt onto it like the cheap ones. Usually find them in places that sell fireplaces etc, or retoration type stores.

[weeds]

all this camp oven talk has me hungry

when you forget you fying pan get the right camping oven and you can use your lid
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/497.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/498.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/499.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/500.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/501.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/502.jpg

[Xtreme]

Very creative weeds.
Now I'm also feeling hungry ............................. must go and stoke the fire.

[weeds]

Very creative weeds.
Now I'm also feeling hungry ............................. must go and stoke the fire.

i try to do something different each time i.e. rack of lamb, whole pumkin etc

everybody does the standard lump of meat

[isuzurover]

Since we are posting camp oven pics...
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/494.jpg
I recall this was in victoria and we were cooking goat. I just love the colour of the fire in this pic.

Nice pics weeds - What is the pumpkin stuffed with?

I must admit, I usually just do the standard lump of meat and veggies, because at the end of a long day I don't feel like doing anything too fancy. That said, the meat is often goat, venison, goose etc, and is at least stuffed with garlic and herbs.

[weeds]

broccoli, cauliflower and white sauce........it does look weird carry a campoven into the fruit and veg store to make sure the pumkin fits:D

[Redback]

We love our Hillbilly, cook roast extremely well and the lid can be used as a frypan, also the lid lifting with coals on it is the best on the market, no way you can spill coals into your oven.
Large 12lt Hillbilly
http://www.myswag.org/gallery/d/24878-2/MySwag+040.jpg

Roast for 2:D
http://www.myswag.org/gallery/d/24881-2/MySwag+047.jpg

http://www.myswag.org/gallery/d/24872-2/DSC08496.JPG

Desert in the small 7.7l Hillbilly:D
http://www.myswag.org/gallery/d/24875-2/DSC08500.JPG

We have also kept our small cast iron oven for dampers.

[isuzurover]

I notice most of you use wire/mesh racks at the bottom when roasting?

I prefer to slice up a sacrificial onion and line the bottom with that. I find it makes the flavour even nicer.

[Wil2k]

I prefer to slice up a sacrificial onion and line the bottom with that. I find it makes the flavour even nicer.

Oui Oui! Eet is like.. 'ow you say... mirepoix (chef's blend of chopped onion, carrots and celery). :p

Doesn't stick?

[clubagreenie]

Bit of oil, chunks of carrot, celery and quartered onions. Then post roast, pour in a bottle of red, a cup of water and reduce for gravy. Well you might want some more water.

Mirepoix if I remember back to tafe is more generuically roast veg done with bones for stocks

[PRESSURE LANTERN]

Billmans foundry make excellant cast iron ovens from 8" to 18" . Better still you can personalise the lid for approx $30 extra. Good looking , Australian made stuff cant beat it in my eyes!! They are expensive but, my 12" with custom lid was $365 delivered to Brisbane from Victoria. They have a website (I dont know how to link stuff yet sorry) but they are very nice people to deal with. I use ovens every week at home to cook, Billmans, Bedourie, Hillbilly, an old 10" Albion,Chinese Furphy the list goes on I love them!

[Chucaro]

$365.00 :eek:
I have a oven and a hot plate for $15 in a garage sale and they are very good.

[clubagreenie]

Group buy with AULRO lids?

[isuzurover]

Oui Oui! Eet is like.. 'ow you say... mirepoix (chef's blend of chopped onion, carrots and celery). :p

Doesn't stick?

Sometimes it sticks a bit - but you know how to clean a camp oven properly don't you???















(place it upside down on the fire and leave it until cherry red...)

[Chucaro]

If you like to have your cast iron pots clean, free of rust and no stick follow THIS (http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CastIronPans.htm) instructions. ;)

[numpty]

Sometimes it sticks a bit - but you know how to clean a camp oven properly don't you???

(place it upside down on the fire and leave it until cherry red...)

:eek::eek::eek::no2::no2:

[isuzurover]

:eek::eek::eek::no2::no2:

I don't know what people are shaking their head about...

I always used to clean mine like in chucaro's link above (and usually still do). However an old bushie showed me the campfire trick for those times when you have something stuck to the bottom - which happens occasionally to the best seasoned camp over - especially if you cook curries, etc in it.

In the morning when the camp oven is cool you dust the ash out of it, re-oil and put it away.

I can't see any down sides...? Don't knock it until you have tried it.

[clubagreenie]

Got an Amazon sale catalogue in the mail today and the have some for $39- I think it was, downside is they have a lip around the lid so the plus is they'll hold the coals on the lid but the downside is that the coals may fall inside when removing. They have some lid removers that look the foods though, only $5-95. Jaffle irons on sale too.

[isuzurover]

Got an Amazon sale catalogue in the mail today and the have some for $39- I think it was, downside is they have a lip around the lid so the plus is they'll hold the coals on the lid but the downside is that the coals may fall inside when removing. They have some lid removers that look the foods though, only $5-95. Jaffle irons on sale too.

That is not a down side at all. It doesn't take much practice not to get coals in your food (or - you only do it once ;)).

I have always bought my camp ovens from local camping shops (e.g. capalaba, salisbury) and never paid more than $50 each.

[adonuff]

Hi
Have a look at the Cobb Cookers, we just got one and they are fantastic, cook roasts, cakes, pizza, damper, BBQ and a lot more. Light weight and easy to use. Comes in a neat bag and uses about 8 heat beads to do a roast.

Heaps of stuff on the net just google it.

Can also be used as the heat source for a cast iron camp oven!

[Tombie]

Hi
Have a look at the Cobb Cookers, we just got one and they are fantastic, cook roasts, cakes, pizza, damper, BBQ and a lot more. Light weight and easy to use. Comes in a neat bag and uses about 8 heat beads to do a roast.

Heaps of stuff on the net just google it.

Can also be used as the heat source for a cast iron camp oven!

Absolutely.....

I've got 3! Seriously...

Use then every week and take one to work and cook roasts etc on the weekend...

Very light and so easy to use.

[numpty]

Have never found the need to "overheat" the camp oven to clean it. If anything sticks to the inside, just put some water in it over the fire to heat up and scrape it off with a barbi mate or similar. But, if it works for you, then so be it. ;)

Have been using a cheap Taiwanese one for 25 years and it's still going strong.

[87County]

Absolutely.....

I've got 3! Seriously...

Use then every week and take one to work and cook roasts etc on the weekend...

Very light and so easy to use.

tell me Tombie - do these require a special fuel -- and if so is it easy to get ??


otherwise I'm a long term user of the (light, unbreakable) Bedourie - post #3 in this thread tells it all

[The ho har's]

Camp Ovens are terrific, I have cooked in ours for years all over Aus:)

Since the Cobs came on the market several years ago it is the only "camp

oven" I use whilst travelling, it weighs hardly anything simple to use and

cooks anything a camp oven can, all you need is a few heat beads and the

roast/scones/pizza etc is done in no time:D

Mrs hh:angel:

[Wil2k]

I'm pretty keen on a Cobb cooker now I've seen one in the flesh! What an awesome idea!

Just picked up a 4.5 quart cast iron oven and a cast iron grill plate half price at the new Camp shop (Ray's?) on Logan Road near Stones Corner in Brisbane. Looks like a pretty decent place.

Cheers

Wil

[adonuff]

The Cobbs work out a bit expensive when you buy all the bits, but those bits are really worth the getting. Look out for a caravan camping show or simular as they are often discounted.

A few pics of some of our efforts so far.

The best thing about thes cookers is you can use them in places where you might not be able to light a decent fire, we cooked inside the annex of the van once the flames from the firelighters died down

[The ho har's]

The Cobbs work out a bit expensive when you buy all the bits, but those bits are really worth the getting. Look out for a caravan camping show or simular as they are often discounted.

A few pics of some of our efforts so far.

The best thing about thes cookers is you can use them in places where you might not be able to light a decent fire, we cooked inside the annex of the van once the flames from the firelighters died down


Correct, you can have a roast, pizza or whatever in a total fire ban as they are contained and you can cook inside:)

A National park Ranger (Qld) was amazed with ours a few years ago and commented that every camper should have one:)

Mrs hh:angel:

[Bushie]

Correct, you can have a roast, pizza or whatever in a total fire ban as they are contained and you can cook inside:)

Mrs hh:angel:

Just don't do it in NSW,
and looking at the QRFS site I doubt you can legally do it in Qld either.



Martyn

[clubagreenie]

Found this the other day. Likes shape and lid doubles as pan, quality of iron and handles. Dislikes $100- price tag.

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/5719/imag0082r.th.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/790.jpg

[incisor]

Roast turkey wattlemere style

http://megashot.net/sbushinskii/mvc/photo_photopage/20110731234407_12357.jpg

[Xtreme]

Roast Bush Turkey - Rover's Restaurant style ...................... if I can ever catch the flighty little fella, a regular visitor to our Sydney suburban backyard. Should be a good size by Christmas.:o

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/1287.jpg

Apologies for picture quality - taken in a hurry with phone camera, then cropped.

[LowRanger]

I have a 14" Metters that is over 50 years old.It was my dads,and I am lead to believe that it was old when I was born,and that was well over 50 years ago.One of the handle lugs has been repaired,but it is very smooth inside,and cooked just a few meals in it time.
Unfortunately it doesn't get used these days,as it is too large for just the 2 of us.

Wayne

[praxis]

Here's an interesting twist to camp ovens, and may satisfy those who don't like the $100 price tag on some. (The article is about half way through the bulletin)
http://www.icat.org.au/media/OurPlace/ourplace21.pdf

[Barra1]

Here's an interesting twist to camp ovens, and may satisfy those who don't like the $100 price tag on some. (The article is about half way through the bulletin)
http://www.icat.org.au/media/OurPlace/ourplace21.pdf

Dave - thanks for that link.;)

The section on the camp ovens was indeed interesting, but I reckon the whole article was damned good. Very interesting and, dare I say, very enlightening as to some of the good things our indigenous population are doing. All too often (and I am guilty of this) we only hear and talk about the negatives in that regard.:(