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Camp ovens

Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 7:23 pm
by Guy Layton
Hey guys and gals,

I’m inspired to do a bit of camp oven cooking...!

Just wondering on what people’s thoughts are on the best camp oven for myself to purchase.

By the way... I hope you are all well...! :Fire

Cheers Guy

Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:50 pm
by Stickbow Hunter
G'day Guy, We cook with camp ovens all the time and have quite a collection. IMO the old style ovens (real camp ovens :biggrin: ), with domed lids and long legs are the best to cook with. However in saying that the Chinese made ones (mostly no legs) will cook a feed just the same. When purchasing make sure the lid fits properly as a lot don't. I would suggest getting one that is around 12 inches in diameter to start with.

We have ovens from 7" to 20 inch diameter and have used most of them. Our oldest one would be around 150 years old. We cook with them at home using heat beads and with coals when camping. Food just tastes better cooked in a camp oven. :biggrin:
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Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 8:50 pm
by Guy Layton
Hey Jeff,

I hope you and the family are well... :)

Thanks for that mate... I’ll do some shopping around, but it looks like old ones are hard to find these days.

I’ll let you know how I get on...

Cheers Guy

Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 9:10 pm
by Stickbow Hunter
All good thanks mate. Yeah, the old ovens are getting hard to come by and can cost a bit but they are worth it IMO. Keep an eye out on your local buy, swap and sell pages and garage sales etc as they do come up. If you find one be sure to check it over carefully for hairline cracks; especially under the oven near the legs because they get cracked from people banging them down hard on solid surfaces.

If you have a Bunnings near you check out the Whoska brand ovens as they are good quality with just the legs a bit short.

All the best with your search and please do let us know how you go.

Jeff

Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:53 am
by Outbackdad
Must get mine out again.

Eddie

Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:58 pm
by woodie
Guy this might get shot down by the purists, mind you I have 6 camp oven in cast iron and spun steel, but for ease of use a steel oven is a good option.
You don't have to worry much about the way they are packed. Their lid can be used as a frying pan.
Down side is they don't hold the heat as well.
We have 2 steel and 4 cast iron, 2 of the CI ovens are around 100 years old and big enough to fit a small lamb in as my grandfather did when he was a young man working on a station as a cook.
Ron

Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 1:52 pm
by Stickbow Hunter
woodie wrote: Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:58 pm 2 of the CI ovens are around 100 years old and big enough to fit a small lamb in as my grandfather did when he was a young man working on a station as a cook.
Hey mate would you be able to post up a couple of photos of those ovens please as I would love to see them.

Jeff

Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 5:52 pm
by temudjin
Guy,

You may want to check out the Australian Camp Oven Festival which is held in Millmerran just west of Toowoomba every second year - the next one is on over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th October 2020. Camping bookings normally open in May and they fill up fast but it is a great weekend. There are camp oven cooking demos and lots of food to try and they usually have a commemorative camp oven for sale - not cheap but the only Aussie made ovens still available, that I'm aware of and very good quality.

You can find all the details online with a Google search and are guaranteed a great weekend.

Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:45 am
by woodie
Jeff this is the smaller of the 2 from my grandfather.
It is 16" diameter and 6" deep. Needs a good clean which I will be doing soon.
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Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:41 pm
by Stickbow Hunter
Thanks Ron; it sure is in urgent need of attention. It looks like a Metters oven. To clean it up I would use a molasses bath or electrolysis as these methods will not harm the casting finish of the oven. DO NOT use sand blasting or grinding discs on angle grinders as these will damage the oven. If you want to know how to do either just give a holler.

Jeff

Re: Camp ovens

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:06 pm
by woodie
Thanks Jeff I was not going to sand blast it.
Ron