Camp ovens

[Brian]

Ok people i know this topic has been tossed about.

What are the best camp ovens and where can i get one and what sort of $$$$ am i looking at.

The wife wants to buy me one for xmas so get with the program before she changes her mind :)


Thanks in advance

Brian

[kneedeep]

Gday Brian. I'm a novice camp oven user, however I'm lead to believe that the Furphy Foundrey in Shepperton Victoria make a very good camp oven. Where to get one I'm not sure, but you will pay considerably more than the imported units. Catchya, John. :)

[jack_attack]

We picked ours up at the local army disposals. I have no idea what brand it is or where it is from. I just know that we would not camp with out it. We cut and prepare all our food for it before we go. We do roasts, stew, pizza, damper, lots. And when we are finished it comes in handy as a wash up bowl.

One word of advice when shopping for one though is, make sure the lid has a decent lip on it to keep the coals and ash from your food. If you happen to get one with out the lip, remember to brush the sand/dirt etc off with a bannister brush.

[Derek Bullock]

Hello Brian

For me you cant beat the spun steel Bedourie Camp Oven. Made in Australia by Southern Metal Spinners in South Australia, very light, just about indestructable and I have found over 25 years that you can cook anything in them.

The vast iron ones are good but are heavy and can break.

If you look back through this Board you will see some pics I posted a while back.

Cheers

Derek

I

[DeeGee]

Derek, I'm thinking of getting a camp oven sometime soon. I've known about the bedourie type for some time, but I had the impression that the heavier cast iron ones were better because they distributed the heat better and more evenly.
I know you have had plenty of experience with both , so what's you're opinion on this ??.

I have read some of your posts and written articles, and noticed that you like the bedouries, but I didn't realise that you actually prefer them to the cast iron types.

If you were limited to just one oven, which type would you choose ???.

Cheers, DeeGee.

[Derek Bullock]

Dee Gee

I wouldnt go past a Bedourie.

Now I know I am putting my reputation out on a limb here and people will say that the Furphy Cast Iron Oven is better and for them that may be true because Furphy will make one with your name cast in the lid.

But for me and for value for money and good verstility, remembering that a large Bedourie should cost under $60 as compared to hundreds for the Furphy, I reckon you cant beat a good old Bedourie. Made in Australia by Australians to suit Australia.

I am yet to find anything I cant cook in the Bedourie either and I have tried everything including bread.

Cheers


Derek

[DeeGee]

Thanks Derek for the advice.

I like the idea of the lighter weight, and being able to use the the lid as as pan.

I also have the feeling that I might end up with less ash in the food than with most of the cast iron models I have seen in the shops.They dont seem to have much of a lip or overlap on the lid.

I was leaning toward the Bedourie for these reasons and your faith in it has dispelled any lingering doubts I may have had.

Thanks again, Don.

[Derek Bullock]

Hey Don

I am sure you won't be disapointed. I know a lot of people say that the heat is more even in a cast iron oven and that possibly may be true but a good trick with the Bedourie is to dig a hole in the ground big enough to put it in to protect it from the wind.

Also turn it around occasionally if there is wind so you get even heat on all sides. More so when cooking cakes, breads, muffins, biscuits and dampers that take a while longer to cook.

I am currently in Kosovo working with the United Nations and I am missing my weekends with the Camp Oven. I even used get out in the backyard and do a bit of cooking sometimes especially when doing an article for Bush N Beach Fishing.

Keep me posted mate I am interested in seeing how you go.

Cheers


Derek :-) :-) :-)

[Ron_Collins]

Hey Derek!

Hope you are keeping well and enjoying the minus-20 degrees...

Good to see you're just a key stroke away. All is going well at BNB Fishing - except we're missing your camping and camp cooking stuff. Perhaps you'll have new recipes from os.

All the best from the BNB team and best wishes with the UN role. Ron Collins.

[Derek Bullock]

Ron

Many thanks for the good wishes. Not quite minus 20 yet but getting close. Not the sort of weather to be out cooking in a camp oven thats for sure.

My family have been forwarding BNB to me over here and I see that the readers forum has an arrticle about camp cooking so will endeavour to reply to that soon.

I saw a sign just recently that had an arrow and camping on it but with a foot of snow on the ground I doubt anyone will be heading that way here.

As the thaw sets in, and if I can make the time, I will look at trying to suss out the camping here and share it with our readers.

Cheers.


Derek

[DeeGee]

G'day Derek, I'm off to buy myself a Bedourie early next week. I have four weeks leave starting Monday and I intend to get away camping at least a couple of times.

Now that we have had some good rain in Sth East Qld at last I should be able to light a cooking fire, and give the Coleman stove a break while I try out the camp oven.

I managed to get my hands on some "no-knead" bread mix, though it's hard to find, and I'm keen to try baking my own - love that smell of fresh baked bread.

Cheers Don.

[MICHAELG]

Dee Gee

where are you gettint the oven from and how much, if u dont mind me asking

[caveman]

WARES THE RAIN DON

[DeeGee]

Michael, I haven't decided yet where I 'll buy it from. I live on the deep Southside of Brisbane, and there are a bunch of Camping shops not far away. I will probably check out a few of them to see if they have the genuine article, or cheap imitations, then compare prices and make a decision on the spot.
If you're interested, I'll post what I find here on this site.

Caveman, I have a full month on holidays and I'm betting (and hoping and praying) that it wont rain for four weeks straight.

Cheers, Don.

[MICHAELG]

DeeGee

please keep me informed how you go

[Derek Bullock]

Hey Don

Good to hear that you have gone for the Bedourie. The guy who makes them is Bill Thompson and his factory is in South Australia. You can buy direct from him over the inetrnet at http://www.southern-metal-spinners.com.au Even if you go to your local camping shop the site is worth looking at as you can see his full range of goods.

I have only ever found that "No Knead" bread mix at Coles. Remember, when you set it to rise stick it in the car in the sun. You will find that the car gets nice and warm and if there is a breeze it wont affect it. You can let the windows down a bit if it gets to hot. Don't forget the bread rolls. They are my favourite. Also don't forget to preheat the camp oven

Cheers.

Derek

PS After posting this I had a look at the Southern Metal Spinners Web Site and just looking at Bill's prices (that include postage), I don't know that you will get then cheaper in your local camping store. I would be interested if you did. Derek

[DeeGee]

Derek, After looking at the web site I may go for an "Aussie Camp Oven" instead of just the basic Bedourie.

I'll have a look at prices in my local camping stores on Sat morning, and compare the prices. I remember seeing a Bedourie in at least one of them a few weeks back, but I tend to doubt that they will also stock the camp oven which I'm now interested in. It appears to have all the advantages of the basic Bedourie, with a couple of extra features for a few bucks extra. Any comments ??.

Thanks for the web site, I didn't think to do a search for it. I guess I just didn't connect the good old bush know-how with modern web technology - wrong again !!

I got the breadmix at my local Coles store, but they were the last three packs on the shelf - going cheap as a dicontinued line. I don't know if it is just that store, or if all Coles stores are dropping it.

Cheers, Don.

[Derek Bullock]

Don

That's a pity about Coles no longer stocking the bread mix. It is one of the better things to come out for us campers in recent times. Still keep your packet and maybe contact them. From memory they are a family company in Victoria. I couldn't find a web site for them.

Think carefully before choosing the Aussie Camp Oven over the Bedourie. I have the large Aussie Camp Oven and they are a great piece of equipment. One of the good things about using either is being able to use the lid as a frying pan. If you bake a lot and I assume you are going to, you will have to fill the lid (frying pan) on the Aussie Camp Oven with coals everytime you use it. For me that doesn't make for a good frying pan.

The good thing about the Aussie Camp Oven though is that if you have a bit of wind the coals are down inside the lid and don't get affected as much as they do with the Bedourie.

Still the choice is yours but that is something to think about. Actually I must admit that before coming over here to Kosovo all of my recent baking of bread, rolls and damper was done in the Aussie Camp Oven but then I have my old faithful Bedourie to use as a frying pan.

Looking forward to hearing how you go either way.

I just moved an old posting on the Bedourie to the top of the board. There are a couple of photos there that might interest you. If I was home I could post a couple with the the Aussie Camp Oven but then if your read Bush N Beach then you may have already seen them from when I did an article about camp oven bread.

I know my local camping store in Caboolture stocks the Aussie Camp Oven.

Cheers


Derek ;D ;D ;D

[DeeGee]

Derek, All good good advice and food for thought. Looks like I will have to weigh up all the pro's and cons, then make a call one way or the other. I do have a good camp frypan, so using the lid of the oven/bedourie would not be a major issue.

I'm not sure yet if I will be baking a lot while camping, but I have a breadmaker at home, and I do like that just baked hot bread.

You're right about that other thread you resurrected - it is interesting, and not just for the photos.
I'm sure that others who've been following this thread - like Brian and Michael - would be interested in it too.

While I'm on leave my web access will be limited, so I probably wont be on the boards much for the next four weeks, but I will try to post some info about prices etc when I have done my window shopping.

Cheers, Don.