Camp Ovens, Dutch Ovens and Accessories

Camp Oven Sizes, From 2-Quart to 10-Quart

Size is the decision that actually matters when buying a cast iron camp oven, and most people buy bigger than they need. The 4.5-quart feeds two to four and still leaves room in a milk crate for its trivet and bag.

The 9-quart is the one that ends up doing the most work: a roast, a stew for six, or a damper with space to rise. The 10-quart is oval rather than round, which suits a leg of lamb or anything else that refuses to sit neatly in a circle. The 2-quart arrives pre-seasoned and is small enough to be the pot you pack when you are not certain you will cook at all.

Camp Oven or Dutch Oven? Same Pot, Different Name

Australians say camp oven. Most of the rest of the world says Dutch oven. It is broadly the same idea - heavy cast iron, a close-fitting lid, three legs so it stands over coals - and the difference comes down to geography and one detail on the lid.

That detail is the flange. A camp oven lid has a raised rim that holds coals on top, so heat works down as well as up. That is what lets the pot bake rather than only simmer, and why a domed kitchen lid never behaves the same way on a fire.

Trivets, Steamer Racks and Lid Lifters

A trivet lifts food clear of the base so it roasts instead of frying in its own fat, and there is one cut for each size: small for the 4.5-quart, large for the 9, oval for the 10. Steamer racks sit higher again and run from 2-quart upwards.

Lids get hot and stay hot long after the fire dies down. The Long Lid Lifter hooks the rim and takes the lid off level, without tipping ash into dinner. Protective leather gloves are stocked for the same reason, and the Combo Camp Oven splits into a deep pot and a shallow skillet that lock together as a lid.

Canvas Bags, Seasoning Oil and Keeping Cast Iron Alive

Cast iron rusts if you let it. Cast iron seasoning oil rebuilds the surface after a hard clean, while the cast iron scrub and the two-pack scraper set lift burnt-on food without taking the seasoning back to bare metal.

A camp oven bag earns its place on the drive home more than at camp. Canvas bags are cut to each size, the Combo included, so a sooty pot stops marking everything soft it touches. The 8L Cast Iron Potjie Pot and the 2-quart cast iron kettle round things out for anyone cooking over an open fire rather than a cooktop.

Camp Ovens, Boxed and On Their Way

Everything ships Australia-wide, free on orders over $100 for most items, and leaves the warehouse within two to three business days. Bundled sets in 4.5- and 9-quart pair an oven with the gear that suits it, and the 9-Quart Camp Oven Pack bundles more again.

Cast iron has a way of multiplying once the first pot earns its keep:

• Pots and pans

• Cooking equipment

• Kitchen and tableware

• Care and repair