NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ARE SILLY

[Derek Bullock]

Just remember folks. There is no such thing as a silly comment or question. If you have something to say or a question to ask, please do so.

Cheers.


Derek

[Lucky_Phill]

OK Derek, here's my question.

Who turned the fan on ?

Did you see that High develop in the Bight ?

Camping is OK when the wind blows, but the fishing gets put on hold.

I'll get some serious Q's to you later.

Cheers Phill

[Derek Bullock]

Hey Phil, a couple of good ones but I don't have the answer.

Over here it went down to minus 15 with a heavy snow on the ground so I appreciate weather changes. Not only that, the only place I have seen to fish, because the waterways are so polluted, is the local trout farm and the water for there comes out of the same rivers.

Looking forward to getting back to Oz.

Cheers.


Derek

[Paul_Nash]

Hi Derek,
I have a question..... might seem dumb to some, but here goes.
I am interested in getting and using a Cast Iron Camp Oven.
The one thing that has held me back is, How do you "season it" for the want of a better description.
Many years ago I tried cooking in Cast Iron saucepans & it was a disaster......... everything tasted crap.
I was told that Cast Iron cookware had to be seasoned, is this true ? If it is, how does one do it http://www.ausfish.com.au/chat/images/smilies/cwm14.gif

Thanks for your time, I enjoy this Camping forum.
PS... Forget about camping in the Dandenongs, its too cold... trust me....... its my backyard.
Paul Nash

[Derek Bullock]

Hi there Paul, welcome to Camping Chat.

I think this is where a lot of people have given up when it comes to camp oven cooking.

Seasoning a camp oven is the single most important aspect of using one. I have read of many different ways to do it. If you read some of the American Books on camp oven cooking, albeit they call it dutch oven cooking, the process can be quite technical. However, this is the method I have adopted although I don't have a lot of cast iron ovens so have only had to do it a couple of times.

Wash the oven in hot soapy water and rinse. Place on the fire to dry and warm. Rub a good cooking oil all over the inside of the oven including the inside of the lid. Fill with water put the lid on and place back on the fire and bring to the boil. Boil for about half an hour then tip the water out and place back on the fire to dry. When dry rub in more oil and allow to cool.

Simple as that. One of the tricks with a camp oven is never to use harsh detergents and scourers such as steel wool to clean the inside. Seasoning puts a coating over the metal and you need to keep it there. If you have food that sticks and if your oven has been seasoned properly simply fill it with water and boil it and it should all come away.

After using the oven for a while, the inside will become very black. This is how it should be so don't try and scrub it away.

Also after you use it always run a thin coating of oil over the inside before you put it away.

Now that's one way, has anyone else got any others ?????

Cheers.

Derek

[neptune]

My way is similar, except I use peanut oil( very high temp needed for it to ignite) and I paint it all over the inside of the oven including the lid, then I put it in my home oven for about 2 hours on a medium high temp. Every so often I re-apply the oil(basting brush), then I switch off the oven and let it cool before removing. Then smear oil over the inside again before stowing.

[Paul_Nash]

Thanks for the tips ;D
I will now buy a couple of Camp Ovens and give it a go.
Paul

[Derek Bullock]

Let us know how you go Paul.

Cheers


Derek

[Luke]

Maybe a bit off the track but I worked in a Chinese restaurant for a while when I was younger just washing up and serving basically. As Derek said one of the most important things to them was to not scrub the black/burnty sort of residue off the woks as they said this was flavour for the next meal. It was magic to watch them toss things in the air with a flaming wok but to understand the language was another thing ( was never quite sure if they were yelling at me). We have cast iron pans at home and we love using them. They are quite thick and hold temperature well. I don't think they need an over cleaning, ours always have an oily to touch feel and are just about wipe clean. They are really old and I'm not sure if they are coated in anything though but I don't think they are- just well used.
Cheers Luke

[desertfisher]

Avoid the cheap imported ones Paul,,, a freind of ours bought one and we could never get the taste out of it even after several attempts at seasoning it. The proper "Bendigo Bertie" oven is the go if you can get one, I know they are available here. Or try around the secondhand/antique shops for a dinki di original, probably already well seasoned. ;D Happy camping mate.
ps...Don't take too much notice of camp oven cook books by Jack Absalom,,,,,Jack is my neighbor,,and he wouldn't know shit from clay if it was on his boots!

[xxxxhornet]

Make sure when you are looking at the ovens in the shop thatb they are of an even thickness all the way around or you will get hotspots when cooking. Also make sure the lid fits on snugly and evenly or you will get ash in your food.

If you make a couple of wire hooks about 2ft long with a chain/swivel in the middle so you can get the lid off. One hook goes under the hook in the lid and the other balances the lid so no coals fall off.

Old tommo from Creek to Coast has some excellent recipes also which are easy.