How to Choose a Camp Oven

cooking morning meal image by Kostyantyn Ivanyshen from Fotolia.com

The art of cooking while camping has not changed much over the years. Campers cook food on a camping stove, campfire or grill. Dutch ovens have been in use for a long time to cook or bake food, but they are heavy. In recent years, outdoor manufacturers have created stand-alone camping ovens that either work by themselves or require a camping stove to produce the heat.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

List of camping ovens

Step 1

Select a camping oven that best suits your camping lifestyle. If you are a backpacker, you will not want to carry the extra weight of some oven types, such as the cast-iron Dutch ovens. If you are a car camper, the weight of the oven will not be a problem.

Step 2

Choose an oven that will be easiest for you to use. Cast-iron ovens require placement directly into a campfire's coals, and other ovens either work alone with a propane canister or sit directly on the camping stove's burners.

Step 3

Consider how much money you want to spend on the oven. Cast-iron Dutch ovens can cost about $50 but will last a lifetime if cared for properly. Stand-alone ovens are larger and heavier and are fueled by a propane bottle, but they can cost several hundred dollars. Basic ovens that use your camping stove for heat are collapsible, lightweight and start at $20.

Step 4

Compare the different types of ovens on the market before purchasing one. Read the oven's specifications and instructions for use. Choose an oven that will meet your weight, cooking and price requirement and will be easy to use.

Step 5

Borrow a fellow camper's oven and try it out before buying your own. This will allow you to have firsthand experience in using a specific type of oven before shelling out money for something you might not like.

Tips & Warnings

If you plan to use the oven infrequently, you might not want to spend hundreds of dollars for an oven that only cooks a dozen biscuits once a year.

Always clean your oven after using it. This will prolong its life and cut down on the chance of food contamination from leftover food remaining inside the oven. It will also prevent the oven from attracting bugs or animals.

If using a cast-iron Dutch oven, remember to wipe it down with oil after using it to keep it seasoned and to deter rust.

Article Written By Joyce Starr

Joyce Starr is a professional writer from Florida and owns a landscaping company and garden center. She has published articles about camping in Florida, lawn care and gardening and writes for a local gardening newsletter. She shares her love and knowledge of the outdoors and nature through her writing.

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