Camp oven

[butterflyfish]

Just wondering how many of you use a camp oven when you camp.  I would like to get one, but DH doesn't think we need it.  Since we just got the PUP, we plan on using it mostly on weekend trips with one week long trip scheduled for this year.  I am sure we do not need the oven for the weekend trips, but I am thinking the oven might be a nice to have for our week long trip.  Since DH doesn't think an oven is necessary I was just looking for opinions and experiences about an oven.

Thanks!

[beacher]

While in the Boy Scouts many years ago I had learned to use one of those folding Coleman camp ovens over a camp stove.  Once you get a good thermometer and block all the drafts, you can bake anything that will fit in there.  The same is true of the new Coleman portable appliance oven, (use a good separate thermometer).  Later in Scouting, I also was introduced to Dutch Ovens, "the way the settler's cooked".

As an adult, I recently started using Dutch Ovens again and have started my minor collection of three ovens.  I now have a shallow 14" Lodge, a 12" Lodge, and a Camp Chef Ultimate DO.  You can bake anything in a DO that you can bake in your oven at home.  They can be used on a stove, over a campfire, or (preferably) with charcoal.

Everything from grandma's old recipe casserole, to buttermilk biscuits, beef stew, mountain man breakfast, blueberry muffins, baked whole chickens, and pineapple upside down cake.

The thing about oven cooking is that it generally takes more time than throwing something on the grill!  We generally don't go camping so that we can spend alot of time cooking.  The great thing about camp oven cooking is that you can cook ALOT of food, for alot of people.  Which makes it perfect for rally potlucks!! :-()   That's when we use our DO's!

[wavery]

While in the Boy Scouts many years ago I had learned to use one of those folding Coleman camp ovens over a camp stove.  Once you get a good thermometer and block all the drafts, you can bake anything that will fit in there.  Later in Scouting, I also was introduced to Dutch Ovens, "the way the settler's cooked".

As an adult I started using Dutch Ovens again and have started my minor collection of three ovens.  I now have a shallow 14" Lodge, a 12" Lodge, and a Camp Chef Ultimate DO.  You can bake anything in a DO that you can bake in your oven at home.  They can be used on a stove, over a campfire, or (preferably) with charcoal.

Everything from baked grandma's recipe casserole, to biscuits, beef stew, mountain man breakfast, blueberry muffins, baked whole chickens, and pineapple upside down cake.

Ditto with the Dutch Oven. They're great. We use ours on every campout.

[AZsix]

We have an oven in our pup but have yet to use it. Maybe someday we will get around to using it but there isn't anything that we are in a rush to make in it.

[skamper75]

Ive never used a camp oven but love the dutch oven.  We got one for a change from burgers and dogs every trip. I would rather just leave the grill at home now.

[rccs]

We have the Coleman folding camp oven that is used on the stove and use it fairly often. I got an extra shelf for it from Coleman, cost $5.00. We have made pizza, cookies, biskets, breadsticks, sweet rolls, etc. in it. It works good but the thermometer on the door is not very accurate so I just keep a close watch on what I am baking. Have not burned anything yet so far. When using it I cover the top and sides with aluminum foil to help keep more of the heat in so it bakes faster, otherwise a lot of heat is lost through the openings for the self and other cracks where the oven folds.

[ForestCreature]

Yep, another Dutch Oven fan here.

Tell DH there will be LOTS you don't need...it's the Wants tha'll get ya!

[butterflyfish]

I am sometimes such an idiot (no comments)  about cooking.  I mean I have to have and follow the recipe exactly.  Everything comes out ok (99% of the time), but I just do not know if I could "get" the whole dutch oven thing.  Any good websites that explain dutch oven cooking and give detailed recipes out there?  I tried a search but didn't quite understand the instructions.  The dutch oven would probably be a good comprimise...  I was thinking of the folding oven since it wouldn't take up much space.  I am looking at it to make buscuits and possibly a casserole or two during a longer trip.  Of course I could use the no oven thing to my advantage since if we do not get one I could probably more easily convince DH to take us out to a restaurant instead of burgers again... :Z  hmmmmm

[flyfisherman]

One of the continual problems I've experienced with popup camping is how I keep adding jun... eh, stuff, to the cargo list of what's being hauled around!  Have that Coleman folding stove top oven, along with a cast iron camp dutch oven ... even have a toaster that fits over one of the stove's burners. No end to the "things" that just keep being added!

But something important here for me to pass on about that folding stove top oven, or at least has been my experience with it. My Starcraft came with just one cook stove - called a "three burner carry-out stove". Of course, the stove is set-up for a much reduced flow of propane as are all interior stoves for popup campers. Since the stove is set-up in a bulky range box, carrying it in and out of the camper is a pita. So, I also have a two burner Coleman propane stove, which is set-up to use either one of those disposable 16oz L/P cylinders, or can be hooked up to the refillable 20# propane tank. Orginally this Coleman stove was bought for tent camping but also now serves as the outdoor stove for the PU and we just leave the camper cook stove inside at all times. The performance of the these two cook stoves is very apparent, especially when using that folding camp oven. At best, the interior cook stove struggles to get that folding oven to 225 degrees, plus it takes some time for that to happen. That two burner Coleman camp stove can get that folding oven to 450 degrees in not much more than a skinny minute!



Fly

[sacrawf]

We have used a RVQue grill as an oven.  When baking a cake, we use a single Jiffy cake mix and a disposable cake pan, and preheat the grill with medium heat.  The RVQue did a great job, baking the cake evenly without overcooking the bottom or sides.  The only thing I might change in the future is to use a oven thermometer rather than guessing what the actual temperature is.  I have also used the RVque to bake acorn squash (cut in half, with a half-inch of water in a disposable foil bake pan).  We havent tried pizza, brownies, or cookies yet, but I don't see why it won't work as well.

Just wondering how many of you use a camp oven when you camp.  I would like to get one, but DH doesn't think we need it.  Since we just got the PUP, we plan on using it mostly on weekend trips with one week long trip scheduled for this year.  I am sure we do not need the oven for the weekend trips, but I am thinking the oven might be a nice to have for our week long trip.  Since DH doesn't think an oven is necessary I was just looking for opinions and experiences about an oven.

Thanks!

[curryp]

I bought a Coleman oven towards the end of last season and used it a few times. I made baked beans once for a crowd and a taco casserole for dinner once. Both came out great and were well cooked. I had to monitor the oven some to maintain the temperature. Even though there is a thermostat with the oven the amount of flame takes a while to get used to and control.

I am anxious to use it this upcoming season to make some fresh muffins for breakfast and also for some other made ahead and frozen casseroles. I also plan on getting the adapter hose to the 20# tank instead of the 16 oz. cans.

[CajunCamper]

I have used a Coleman folding oven since I was a kid camping with my buddies behind the house. I still use a folding oven and love it. It's inexpensive and very compact. It couldn't be easier to use and the thermostate on the door does a good job allowing you to set your temp. Even if we just do a short weekend trip we bring it, because nothing goes better with campfire eggs and bacon than fresh hot biscuits. My advise is to get the Coleman folding oven and once you use it your wife will be glad you have it.

[PattieAM]

Back in the tent camping days, I used the folding Coleman oven - with fairly good results - did muffins, biscuits, a few pot-pies.  Had to double line the shelf or bottom of some pans with foil as the bottoms would almost fry (muffins), and the top be a gooey mess.  Took a few attempts before we got it right - and it was so nice having the aroma of apple/cinnamon muffins baking in the mornings for everyone's morning coffee.  (Beat the smell of frying bacon!).

My PUP has an oven and it is very nice.  Haven't used the folding oven in several years.

I too have a dutch oven, but am not good with it, and it isn't light weight, so it stays home for the most part.

[ForestCreature]

Here are a few good DO links to keep you reading for a day or 2

http://www.idos.com/
http://usscouts.org/cooking/cook_05.asp
http://www.macscouter.com/Cooking/DutchOven.asp
http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/

[Buzz]

There is really only one choice if you want to do everything while camping you do in your over at home..
A cast iron Dutch oven with three legs and a flanged lid.