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Thread: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

  1. #1

    Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    I am keen to develop my camp oven cooking skills, and wondered if there was a particular type of wood that produced the best coals, or whether the bags of wood you can buy from BP were sufficient.

    If there is better, hotter, longer burning wood that can be bought, I would be pleased to hear from you. I live southside of Brisbane so store locations at that end of town would be useful, (unless the cheap stuff from th BP is okay).

    Thnaks,
    Angus

  2. #2

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    Hey first_mate,
    I went camping with my brother a few months back (He is a qualified chef) and watched him do his thing. here are the bits of info I gleaned from him.

    1. Make sure the wood is dry and not green (obviously)
    2. If it is roasts you want, the only thing you want to be cooking over is coals. Flames are a roasts worst enemy.
    3. Always add a bit of fresh water in so whatever it is you are cooking doesnt dry out.
    4. An even heat is required, so make sure you throw some coals on the top of the camp oven.
    5. Opening the lid to check your meal is a no no. Even though it wont hurt the meal as such, you lose a lot of the moisture through the steam escaping. If you have to open the camp oven (For example, adding vegeies, a smaller piece of roast etc etc), ensure you replace a bit of the water.
    6. Slow cooked stews are amazing - just make sure you have sufficient water. Have the lid *slightly* off the edge of the cooker so some steam can escape when you are ready to start reducing the stew. Remember to allow enough time.

    Hope that helps

  3. #3

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    My Brothers Famous double-banger roast chook.

    Ingredients:
    2 x Coles raw chickens (just big to fit into the camp oven - we use the coles 2 pack things you can buy. They come pre-seasoned and all)
    2 x tablespoons of oil
    Various roast veges (chunky cut... not too small).
    Salt and Pepper

    Get your fire going early on in the peace, and let it die down to coals.
    Place the two chooks in the camp oven on a roasting grill (Basically, a wire trya that stops the chooks from sitting on the bottom of the camp oven)
    smear a healthy amount of oil all over the tops and sides of each chook, and season them to taste.
    Put them in the cooker (They may be tight, just squash em in if they are) and add in about 150mL of water or so. Doesnt have to be exact, just enough so the chicken doesnt dry out.
    Make a level area on the coals, and place the camp oven on top of the flat area. Place the lid ontop and sprinkle some coals on top.
    After about 20 minutes, place chunky veges on top of the chook, tryng to avoid the sides as much as possible (The veges will burn very easily). Put a bit more water in the bottom of the camp oven)
    Replace and let cook for about another 20 to 25 minutes (depending on the size of your chickens.

    Serve with thick crusty bread, harvesting any of the juices in the bottom (They are sensational - I think its called Jous from memory) and ice cold beer.

  4. #4

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    Angus,

    I've done plenty of camp oven cooking including roasts, stews, bread - you can cook ANYTHING in a camp oven.

    And you're right, its all about the coals. If you've got light, fast burning wood, the coals turn to ash pretty quickly. What you're looking for is good heavy, hardwood. The type of wood that spits an axe back at you at twice the speed (I've used wood that the only way to break it up was to use a sledgehammer and shatter it). It just means that you don't have to keep reapplying new coals to keep the heat up.

    With good hardwood I build a big fire and get it burning hot as so that a heap of coals are formed at once. Dig a pit next to the fire and chuck in a healthy layer of coals. For a roast, all you'll need is to reapply coals once - about an hour before time. If you're chasing crackling, a good dose of salt on top of the roast and a thinnish layer of coals on the lid to get the crackling going (beware the ash on the lid when you take it off - it can waft into your gourmet meal very easily).

    As long as the coals maintain good heat, its just like cooking in an oven. Same cooking times etc. Some of the best bread I've made have been big 'cob' loaves in camp ovens.

    Hope this helps

    Mozza

  5. #5

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    Hello,

    I had saved some info I found on the net ages ago in a Word document. I will try a "cut and paste" and post it here. Hopefully, it works. It has some pretty handy tips and advice. Here goes.......



    TEMPERATURE CONTROL USING BRIQUETTES
    (these numbers are approximate)
    Temp. 10 inch 12 inch 14 inch
    °F Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom
    300 12 5 14 7 15 9
    325 13 6 15 7 17 9
    350 14 6 16 8 18 10
    375 15 6 17 9 19 11
    400 16 7 18 9 21 11
    425 17 7 19 10 22 12
    450 18 8 21 10 23 12
    500 20 9 23 11 26 14

    Rule of thumb: Each briquette adds between 10 & 20 degrees
    Place the required # of briquettes under the oven bottom in a circular pattern so they are at least 1/2" inside ovens edge. Arrange briquettes on top in a checkerboard pattern. Do not bunch briquettes as they can cause hot spots.

    To prevent (minimize) hot spots during cooking, get in the habit to lift and rotate the entire oven 1/4 turn and then rotate just the lid 1/4 turn in the opposite direction. Rotate every 10-15 minutes.






    TEMPERATURE CHART
    Heat control is the hardest thing to master when learning to cook with a Dutch oven. Here are a few tips to start you on your way!

    Remember to start with moderate temperatures. You can always add more heat if desired or necessary. Be cautious as most guests don't enjoy burned food!

    High quality briquettes are recommended. Briquettes provide a long lasting, even heat source and are easier to use than wood coals.
    Briquettes will last for about an hour and will need to be replenished if longer cooking times are required. Group the smaller briquettes and add new (hot) as required to maintain the desired temperature.
    If you use wood coals, remember that the flame will be much hotter than the coals! Avoid direct flames on the pot or turn frequently.

    It is important to remember that these tips are only a guide to help you get started. You will need to adjust briquettes (or coals) according to your recipe and keep in mind that the weather, ambient temperature, and ground conditions can affect cooking temperature.
    · Warm winds or breezes will raise the temperature
    · High humidity will lower the temperature
    · Direct sunlight will increase the temperature
    · Shade will lower temperature
    · Higher air temperature will raise temperature
    · High altitude will lower temperature
    Each type of recipe will yield best results if you use the correct heat placement:
    Stews, soups, chili, and other liquid dishes require more heat on the bottom than on the top.
    o General rule for stewing: Place 1/3 coals on top and 2/3 on bottom

    Meat, poultry, potatoes, beans, vegetables, and cobblers require even distribution of heat on top and bottom

    Cakes, breads, biscuits, and cookies require most of the heat on top and little heat on the bottom.
    o General rule for baking: Place 2/3 coals on top and 1/3 on bottom

    Stacking of Dutch ovens is a convenient way of saving space and sharing heat. This is best used for dishes that require even heating.
    o Stacked ovens can become a nightmare if the types of food do not have similar cooking requirements. The bottom pot seems to be the one that always needs attention and requires moving all others to get to it!


    As a general rule of thumb. Take the Dutch oven size, for example a 12 inch. Add three more briquettes to the top for (15), and subtract three from the bottom for (9). Adjust as necessary for local conditions.



    Hope this worked and that it helps.

    EC

    "When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.-- Mark Twain"


  6. #6

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    The above temperature chart is in Farenheit scale. Here are those temps in Celcius.

    F = C

    300=148.8
    325=162.7
    350=176.6
    375=190.5
    400=204.4
    425=218.3
    450=232.2
    475=246.1
    500=260

    I don't know how they categorize camp ovens in Oz, but here, they go by diameter of the lid. That's why the chart says 10 inch, 12 inch, and 14 inch. So, if they categorize them by volume held for example, you'll have to measure your oven and see which measurement most closely matches the size listed.

    "When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.-- Mark Twain"


  7. #7

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    With timber it is a case of suck it and see. I have used gidgee that is as hard as and make excellent coals and you don't have to add any more for the whole cooking and I have used other wood that I have had to top up three times.
    As others have said only coals no flame whatsoever. Dig a hold almost the full depth of the camp oven put in 2 shovels of coals preheat the campoven put your goodies in the oven put the oven in the hole and put a shovel full of coals on the top. It is surprising but you don't need many coals.
    Check the cooking every half hour and if it is a roast turn it over and when it is almost cooked add the veges. You should make the potato small and the pumpkin big so the will be cooked at the same time.
    Remember to be careful when you lift the camp oven lid as you won't get any prizes for coals in the food crunch crunch.
    If you have a stuff up and get a burnt offering don't be put off as everyone gets one when they are learning usually caused by not using coals.

  8. #8

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    Thanks.

    As usual members here are a font of knowledge.

    What about sourcing the wood? Any ideas. I note that Quest News and Personal Trading Post have advertisers selling hardwood for about $60 a trailer load. Is that good value?

    Angus

  9. #9

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    hmm... I wouldnt pay $60 for wood, even if it is a trailer full.
    In fact, I'd be inclined to follow one of the trucks around and pick up the logs that fall off the back


    Seriously though, if you HAVE to pay for your timber, a trailer-full of timber is alot of timber. I'd be inclined to call them up and ask what they charge for a bag. Much more than a few bucks (given $60 for a trailer load) and I;d move onto the next lot.

    I've been to quite a few places that actually supply timber for you... might pay to phone ahead and ask if timber is supplied or if you are required to bring your own.

  10. #10
    Bill_Klein
    Guest

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    if your camping on the beach then you got to bring your own wood $60 is fair for a trailer load ive heard of 90 so not bad
    another source of wood is all the timber yards ie framing , truss yards they have off cuts that they just take to the dump so you can pretty much take what you want and there is a mix of pine and hardwood and its usually free

  11. #11

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    hi we go camping alot and have found alot of the time you cant have an open fire so we now use heat beads they can be used even when you arnt allowed a fire. they take up alot less room than timber as well

  12. #12

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    Angus I have a good article I scanned from of all things a Sporting Shooters magazine. It is four pages and tells you how to build a fire tin to hold your coals and how to use you campoven. They are large files so that you can read then so if you have broadband I could send them to you.

    If you want them leave your email address but scramble it up so the spam spiders can't find it

  13. #13
    Derek_Bullock
    Guest

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    Hi

    Good post on the heat beads there El Capo.

    With wood I reckon you cant go past good dried branches up to about 1 1/2 inches thick. For me they seem to burn better from the outside in, being round.

    Bros, would be interested in seeing that article in Sporting Shooters Mag. Can you please email to derek@aussiecampovencook.com.

    Cheers.


    Derek

  14. #14

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    Hi Bro, wots the year & month of the Mag please M8 ?
    cheers baldy

  15. #15

    Re: Wood burning and camp oven cooking

    Someone mentioned gidgee and yes, it is about the ultimate camp oven cooking fuel. And in the morning you just scrape off that thin covering of white ash, a few twigs and on goes the billy.
    The wood I avoid at all cost is the stuff from a demolished house, usually has plenty of lead based paint about, and any sort of pine. This will never make a satisfactory bed of hot coals, I think the reason many people try camp oven cooking but give up when really its not any fault but an inconsistant heat output from the fire.
    We usually have long term (3/4 month) camps in W.Qld. where gidgee is plentiful so probably a trifle spoiled. We have a rock lined pit in which we build a good fire. When the rocks are cracking hot and the fire burnt down the bread tins go in on a rack, a sheet of tin over and 2 stubbies later the best bread you would taste!
    mikl

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