How to use a camp oven for a roast

[Stuart]

I’m new to camp oven cooking as I managed to burn a roast to the point where it almost vaporised. I bought a large cast iron camp oven and I used a recipe from a show I watched on the ABC using a leg of lamb and 2 cups of red wine. Anyway I put the whole lot in the pot and let it sit while I built the fire and then let it burn down for a while. I used a pile of those barbecue tablet brick things that burn hotter than hell itself. I placed the pot onto the fire and through a heap on top and let it go. I kept re stocking it with those bricks and more timber for around 4 hours, I never took the lid of to check how it was going, and it did smell great though.

The wife and I stood their in great anticipation while I lifted the lid only to reveal a solid block of charcoal, talk about feeling deflated. So the question is how the hell do I cook a roast on the fire using this oven and what type of timber do I use and for how long do I cook it. Can I check the roast by lifting the lid? I did hear once that you need good hard wood but I don’t know how much to place under the oven and how much on top. I’m a compleat new comer to this form of cooking/burning.

Stu

[Pete62]

Hey Stu, mate I am sure u will get a heap of replies on this but from my limited knowledge on the subject the camp oven concept revolves around residual heat not direct heat. Obviously your first attempt created way to much heat.
Firstly ditch the heat beads, u don't need direct flame, JUST coals. So let the fire burn down to coals then put the oven on, they r designed more a semi slow cooker.

Do some internet searches, I have friends that go to an annual Camp Oven cooking contest, I think it is held in Armidale where u even have to dress in the theme to the style of food u r cooking.

Good luck, Pete.

[russ81]

Hows it going mate

Before starting to cook with your camp oven you will need a good supply of coals. Naturally, different woods will give you different heats with some being hotter than others. Experience will help but I must admit I have found that the worst coals you can get are from pine. Pine produces a lot of heat for a very quick time but doesn’t last very long. Good hardwood is generally the best

Always preheat your camp oven before you cook in it the same as you would the oven at home

When your camp oven is heated and you have your ingredients ready, take a shovel of coals out of the fire and spread them out to cover an area just a little bit bigger than your camp oven. Don’t use too many as you don’t want to burn what you are putting in it.

Place the camp oven on the coals and place whatever you are cooking inside and replace the lid. Place another shovel full of coals on top of the lid. Once again not too many as you don’t want whatever you are cooking to brown quicker than the rest. It doesn’t hurt to check as you go. If it isn’t browning as you would like it to simply put a few more coals on the lid

If it is a windy day you can dig a hole a bit larger than the camp oven and cook in the hole so that the wind doesn’t overheat things.

Russ

[russ81]

I found this test on a camp oven website dunno how accurate it is
Testing camp oven heats by paper test
Kampers Kitchen has previously advised on regulating the heat of camp ovens using heat beads. Here’s a way to determine the heat of an oven when using coals from a fire.
Pre-heat the oven on a bed of coals. Place a piece of paper inside the oven to find out what heat the oven is at. The paper will change color according to the heat of the oven within a few moments.

HEAT DEGREES PAPER TEST

Very hot oven Dark brown
Hot oven Light brown
Moderate yellow
Slow oven Crust
TOO BLOODY HOT Black & on fire!

[jclay1773]

i simply put the coals on the lid of the camp oven. replace them if needed. did you use a tray in the camp oven? not sure if that would help. i don't use the tray as i like my vegies etc to sit in the juices from the roast.

[Stuart]

No tray just sat it straight onto the bottom of the pot. I almost needed a sand blaster to get the crap off the bottom of the oven, is baked on so hard it took a few nights of soaking in suds to soften it up enough.

Stu

[WalFish]

Stu, best camp oven roasting I have done is one of those marinated frozen chooks from the deli at woolies. Preheat the camp oven for 10 minutes or so, chuck in a splash of oil and put in one of those round wire cake cooling rack things into the bottom. Balance your chook on that and chuck the camp oven in the fire and some coals on top. After an hour, lift the lid and chuck in all your veggies making sure they fall down the sides into the juices. Give them another hour and then hey presto its good to go. If you want, chuck a bit of gravox into the juices and make the best gravy ever.

As others have mentioned, no direct flames needed, just coals and hot ash. No dramas with lid lifting to check on progress.

I have also cooked a good camp oven roast on the gas 2 burner camp stove. The wire rack lets you do it without burning the arse out of your chook. Just keep the heat nice and low.

WalFish

I'm off to woolies now to get a chook. Bit peckish after all that.

[TheRealAndy]

Interesting read. My camp oven roast are pretty straight foward. Get some hot coals going (need the fire going for hour or 2 I reckon). Rub salt into roast. Chuck some red wine (if you have it) and a bit of water into the pot with the roast and the vegies. Push the fire and most of the coals to one side and dump the camp oven on the remainder. Shovel some of the pushed aside coals on the top of the camp oven. Leave for a couple of hours.

I do check mine every half hour or so to make sure its not too hot. I got some photos digital photos on the camera, but wifey has that so when she gets home i will download them.

[big one]

No tray just sat it straight onto the bottom of the pot. I almost needed a sand blaster to get the crap off the bottom of the oven, is baked on so hard it took a few nights of soaking in suds to soften it up enough.

Stu

Use a cake rack covered in alfoil, lightly spray some oil on it to prevent the meat sticking to it. Always put water or wine in the bottom, to prevent it drying out. Did you cure your camp oven prior to using it? (bake it in oil) I don't recommend using detergent to clean your oven. Just put some water in it, replace the lid, and put it back on the fire to steam clean it. You will have to give it a bit of a srub, but the more you use it, the more non stick it will become.

[TheRealAndy]

Use a cake rack covered in alfoil, lightly spray some oil on it to prevent the meat sticking to it. Always put water or wine in the bottom, to prevent it drying out. Did you cure your camp oven prior to using it? (bake it in oil) I don't recommend using detergent to clean your oven. Just put some water in it, replace the lid, and put it back on the fire to steam clean it. You will have to give it a bit of a srub, but the more you use it, the more non stick it will become.

I just plonk my roast straight on the bottom. My camp oven has a thick black coating of oil on it now, nothing sticks and I can clean it with a cloth and water. I never use soap, ever. Same with my cast iron pans at home. Wipe clean

When I cured mine, has sticking problems for the first 3-4 roasts, just put some elbow grease, no soap. Oil it once you have cleaned it, this is most important. When not in use it must always be oiled.

Updated with photos from tinninbar. Note. it rained during the roasting of this lamb! Last pic show roast lamb in alfoil in frying pan. We do this cause we use the juices in the camp oven to make a gravy.

[Apollo]

Stu

We use a cake rack to keep it off the bottom and a little vegie oil on the bottom of the oven. You can then use the sizzle and crackle of the oil as a guage to the cooking temp in the oven. If it is hissing, drop some coal off and if it stops or slows right down, add a bit more coals.

never wash up with soap. Just use clean water and boil. Sometime you will have to do it twice to clean. Ensure base is oiled before putting away.

Couple of more tips - spike the roast with a long sharp knife and slip whole garlic gloves into the spike holes. We use a whole knob per roast. Sprinkle a few mix herbs on top of the meat before it goes in.

Rough timing is 2 hrs for the roast, then add cut up spuds for the next hour and pumpkin, sweet potato, onion, etc for the last hour.

Finally - setup the camp oven upwind of the rest of the camp. Everyone else will soon be your friend!

I did a ripper lamb roast at the Deer Park last Saturday night. Could smell it from 100m away and people came from everywhere to find out where the wonderful smell was coming from.

best of luck

Steve

[Derek Bullock]

Check out my website for hints and ideas http://www.aussiecampovencook.com/index.htm Follow the links to the forum where you will find heaps of info.

Also if you want to persist with using Heat Beads I have a very good calculator at http://www.aussiecampovencook.com/charcoalheatchart.htm

Camp Oven Cooking is fun and easy.


Derek

[PADDLES]

yep, camp oven cooking is definitely easy and fun like derek has said above. i love it how ya can make a roast that tastes better than one cooked at home ........ while you're camping ........... awesome. personally if i'm doing a roast i only ever put coals on the lid and place it next to the fire, not in it. if it's a stew i just plonk it into the fire. never tried heat beads though, might have to have a look on your website derek.

[Stuart]

That’s a huge help thanks guys. I know what Im doing wrong now “every thing”. When I stored the oven I sprayed cooking oil from an aerosol can all over the pot to stop it rusting. I won’t be using heat beads again only coals as you guys suggested. Looking at the potatoes I was using way too much heat and cooking for way to long hence the charcoal brick in the pot. I also put all the vegies in the pot at the same time I put the meet in which is obviously a big no no. By the way is it essential to have your roast sitting up of the bottom of the oven? Tanks again guys.

Stu

[TheRealAndy]

That’s a huge help thanks guys. I know what Im doing wrong now “every thing”. When I stored the oven I sprayed cooking oil from an aerosol can all over the pot to stop it rusting. I won’t be using heat beads again only coals as you guys suggested. Looking at the potatoes I was using way too much heat and cooking for way to long hence the charcoal brick in the pot. I also put all the vegies in the pot at the same time I put the meet in which is obviously a big no no. By the way is it essential to have your roast sitting up of the bottom of the oven? Tanks again guys.

Stu

No, roast can go on the bottom. Heat beads are fine in moderation. I put all my vegies in at the same time as the roast, unless its a big roast usually 2kg or more.

BTW. aerosol oil is fine, that is what I use to keep the rust off.

I think the only thing you were doing wrong was to much heat for too long. Other than that I reckon you are good to go.