Seasoning your Camp Oven

Easy, time saving, flavour packed, one pot recipes!

This first episode will not have a recipe but will discuss how to season your cast iron cookwear whether it be a frypan, toastie maker or camp oven. The camp oven I purchased is a Kookuburra brand size 4.5qt from Rays and the first thing I did was wash, dry and use it. Right from the start I had
trouble with the oven rusting up and food sticking to it while cooking, so I searched Dr Google and found a way to season the old trusty camp oven. This is by no means the only way or the best way to do it but by using this method my pot has a good patina on it which protects it from the coals, keeps the outside clean and helps prevent food from sticking to it. The season does not last indefinitely and does require topping up from time to time.

Steps:

1. Give your cast iron cook wear a good clean in hot soapy water.
2. Dry then place in warm oven for 15 minutes to dry cast iron properly.
3. When pot and lid are cool lightly wipe all over with cooking oil. I personally use canola oil because that is what we have but a good oil that has a high smoke temperature would be fine.
4. Preheat oven to 200C then place items in oven for 5-10 minutes, quickly remove items and with a cloth remove any excess oil and place back in oven.
5. Cook items in oven for 1-2 hour then turn oven off and let cool completely with pot and lid inside oven.

Repeat steps 3-5 as many times till pot and oven have a good dark patina on them.

Tips:

1. Use a cloth on cast iron cookwear not paper towel.
2. The oil does break down after time so top ups are required from time to time. Mine mainly needs it on the outside.
3. After each cooking session wiping the inside of the pot with oil helps.
4. I do wash my pot and lid with detergent but I try and dry it properly near the fire or camp stove if possible before applying oil on the inside only.

Use your camp oven as often as possible, for some reason the food tastes so good.

Mick.