Cobb Cooker

[baldyhead]

Will do thanks Derek

[Derek Bullock]

Hi Baldy

I have an oven thermometer that I can drop in the camp oven to check the heat. #Cost $6.99 in the kitchen utensils section of KMart and worth its weight in gold. I actually bought mine once when they were having a 15% off sale.

What you can do is experiment with the number of heat beads on and under the oven untill you get the right amount for the different temperatures that you want. Remembering that if you want to brown something, you need more heat on the lid.

I know die-hard camp oven cooks will tell you to put a piece of paper in the oven and depending on how brown it is after a certain amount of time you can tell the temperature. #Thats the hard way when for under ten bucks you can get a thermometer.

Also a lot of people, myself included, use an old electric frypan. #I have used this often on the verandah and in the house. #Pile your heat beads in it to get them going. When they have burned down to coals, spread some out in the frypan and put some on top of the oven. #The legs of the frypan insulate it from whatever is underneath it and this allows you to take it inside the house, tent or caravan.

Another good use for the electric frypan is in winter. #Put a cast iron camp oven in it, fill the oven with hot coals and pop the lid on. Take it inside your tent or caravan and you have an instant heater that will last a number of hours.

Damn, I got to start cracking on that book soon.

Cheers


Derek

[baldyhead]

Thanks again Derek you are a hive of info..keep it coming. By the way do you personally autograph your new book soon to be released?
cheers baldy

[Derek Bullock]

For you definately, but signed copies will be expensive. #

I'll try and get a few pics on the weekend of the frypan method.

Wonder if I can get someone to sponsor me to make a DVD.

[smiley=iloveyou.gif]whoever you are.


Derek [smiley=chef.gif] [smiley=chef.gif] [smiley=chef.gif] [smiley=chef.gif]

[darylive]

Baldy,

An old wheel rim is not a bad base for the camp fire and costs nothing. Keeps the fire of the ground and the camp oven fits in nicely. If you want to get flash you can chuck in some mesh and up turn a drum over the top to keep the heat in. Knock a hole in the bottem / now top of the drum as a chimney.

The self light beads are a bit more costly, mix them with a bag of ordinary ones.

Daryl ;{

[darylive]

Derek,

Re heater application for the camp oven. Don't the coals go out if the lid is on?

Daryl

[Derek Bullock]

Yep, they do eventually but because of the cast iron retaining the heat it lasts quite a long time.


Derek

[baldyhead]

Thats a couple of good ideas Daryl I will try them. Some time ago a mate gave me a camp oven that he had made but used only a couple of times as he reckoned that C O cooking sucked. It is a steel falcon wheel rim cut in half with a base and top welded on. I cooked a 6kg roast in it a few months ago and was very impressed with it. A bit large and heavy but a good idea just the same...baldy