Thread: Approx Cooking times for Camp Ovens

Cooking times are very dependant on your heat source and intensity.
However, as a rough guide I allow about 1hr/kilo max.
It's important to maintain a steady heat throughout the cooking process - this requires some vigilance if using poor coals that don't hold their heat well as is the case with most fast growing timber. If timber is unsatisfactory, use heat beads but be careful with these also as they can generate quite a lot of heat. With coals/heat beads on top of oven you should be able to hold your hand about 200mm above the coals.
Slow steady cooking is best. Avoid overcooking the meat and it to rest for about 10mins before serving.

Enjoy your meal.
Roger

This site has a few useful suggestions including how to test the temperature with scrap of paper. Sprinkling a little bit of flour in the bottom gives a similar indication.

They suggest 1 hr per kg. It's pretty hard to be definite because conditions can vary so much.

if in doubt cook it more slowly for longer. It is easy to go wrong with too much heat, but if you have too little the worst that will happen is that you will be hungrier when it is finally cooked and it will probably be more tender anyway.

Camp Fire Preparation

This site suggests a bit less time.

Camp Cooking

This site also has some good ideas.

CAMP OVEN COOKING IN AUSTRALIA (COCIA®) - Home Page

EDIT: Once again someone else answered the question while I was typing.

As the other have said...slow and steady..we always put our veges in at the same time ..as the roast isn't usually that big for 2 of us... but practice is your friend....bon appetite


Mrs ho har

Originally Posted by The ho har's

As the other have said...slow and steady..we always put our veges in at the same time ..as the roast isn't usually that big for 2 of us... but practice is your friend....bon appetite


Mrs ho har

Depends on the size of the roast - if only small then veges in at the same time is OK.
However, if you want nice crispy baked spuds, use a separate oven and place in really hot oil for about 15 - 20 minutes (add pumpkin or kumera after about 7 1/2 mins) then, when nicely browned, lift onto trivett and slow bake for a further 50 - 60 minutes. Include other veges also except onion which can go in with meat for last hour of cooking.
For best results the heat applied to the vege oven needs to be controlled separately to the meat.
Just my two bobs worth.

Roger

i'm still only new to camp oven cooking, have done 8-10max now and haven't stuffed one, but then again it depends on how many brews one has had.

a trivett is a must and make sure there is plenty of liquid in the bottom, i.e. a splash of red/beer/water

i always cook my camp ovens away from the fire otherwise one side gets super heated by the fire itself. on our easter and xmas in july (aug again this year) trips we have five camp oven in a pit of there own

keep the left over pumpkin for scones the next day

Originally Posted by weeds

i'm still only new to camp oven cooking, have done 8-10max now and haven't stuffed one, but then again it depends on how many brews one has had.

a trivett is a must and make sure there is plenty of liquid in the bottom, i.e. a splash of red/beer/water

i always cook my camp ovens away from the fire otherwise one side gets super heated by the fire itself. on our easter and xmas in july (aug again this year) trips we have five camp oven in a pit of there own

keep the left over pumpkin for scones the next day

hey theres a thought next time I will make pumpkin scones.....August???


Mrs ho har

I've always used an hour for each kilo no matter what the meat.

The meat is always resting on a rack inside the camp oven.

Place veges in with 1/2 an hour to go. Veges choped into cube sized pieces about 2cm x 2cm.

I check the meat evey 1/2 hour and renew the coals on top of the camp oven at the same time.

Always try and use good aussie hardwood for coals.

Cheers
Andrew

Originally Posted by The ho har's

hey theres a thought next time I will make pumpkin scones.....August???


Mrs ho har

no trips planned for august.....