A while back I received a small Aussie Camp Oven from a mate down under and I've now had a chance to use it.
After a couple of sessions baking with it I think I have the hang of it and am delighted with the results, which are the equal of anything I have done at home with the gas oven, albeit cooking times are slightly slower.
It is simplicity itself to use, hot coals being shovelled on top and replaced as they burn down, while sitting on the top of more coals/hot ash. Once I got the hang of regulating the heat the only problems I had was not allowing for the expansion of what I was baking, which could happen in any oven and is pure user error.
It's as tough as old boots and being spun steel laughed off my dropping it on flagstones. Ok its heavy but not so bad I wouldn't take it on walks in the woods if I was in a group.
I baked various buns, damper, shortbread and "Roman ration bread" (which is just bread made with spelt flour and using honey rather than sugar). My main problem was keeping the wife and kids off the cakes! I didn't have a chance to do a roast (which would have involved a lot of cleaning although wrapping it in foil would have minimalised it) but I can't see it not doing that well.
I need to make a tough canvas cover for it to stop soot transfer, (although since I was using coals there was suprisingly little) and cut a couple of lifters. Since I primarily want it for baking I'll also get some baking tins to go inside and fit wire loops to ease lifting.
OK you can make your own but if you can't or don't want to and like he idea of fresh bread in the woods then I can't recomend it enough.
The maker in Adelaide has brought out a new version
http://www.southern-metal-spinners.com.au/camping-page.html
but I prefer the version I have, as it happens.
I've also just received a Grohmanns flat grind Survival knife and used it for the first time this last week. If its not been covered in the relevant section I'll do a mini review when I've used it some more but first impressions are its a excellent tool.
ATB
Tom
After a couple of sessions baking with it I think I have the hang of it and am delighted with the results, which are the equal of anything I have done at home with the gas oven, albeit cooking times are slightly slower.
It is simplicity itself to use, hot coals being shovelled on top and replaced as they burn down, while sitting on the top of more coals/hot ash. Once I got the hang of regulating the heat the only problems I had was not allowing for the expansion of what I was baking, which could happen in any oven and is pure user error.
It's as tough as old boots and being spun steel laughed off my dropping it on flagstones. Ok its heavy but not so bad I wouldn't take it on walks in the woods if I was in a group.
I baked various buns, damper, shortbread and "Roman ration bread" (which is just bread made with spelt flour and using honey rather than sugar). My main problem was keeping the wife and kids off the cakes! I didn't have a chance to do a roast (which would have involved a lot of cleaning although wrapping it in foil would have minimalised it) but I can't see it not doing that well.
I need to make a tough canvas cover for it to stop soot transfer, (although since I was using coals there was suprisingly little) and cut a couple of lifters. Since I primarily want it for baking I'll also get some baking tins to go inside and fit wire loops to ease lifting.
OK you can make your own but if you can't or don't want to and like he idea of fresh bread in the woods then I can't recomend it enough.
The maker in Adelaide has brought out a new version
http://www.southern-metal-spinners.com.au/camping-page.html
but I prefer the version I have, as it happens.
I've also just received a Grohmanns flat grind Survival knife and used it for the first time this last week. If its not been covered in the relevant section I'll do a mini review when I've used it some more but first impressions are its a excellent tool.
ATB
Tom
