Backpacking ovens....

“I thought to keep this under wraps for a while until I had built and tested the idea....but then I had to admit to myself that the great collection of minds here on the backpacker would take a great idea and run with it...so:

CHALLENGE: build the oven described on this link...then IMPROVE the design....afterwards, bring yours to the SIPSEY bushwack in March, and bake me some muffins or a cake...LOL

I especially challenge STOVE STOMPER to do this, as I have been GREATLY impressed with his work on stoves and windscreens...please post the info on your web page...this idea rocks...

http://www.tecumsa.org/BoyScouts/CampOven.html”

“And improved the idea for holding the cylinder together by folding the ends over 1/2 inch and hooking them together instead of using screws...

added ideas working:
1. figure out a way to add a side opening door that will allow you to check the contents during baking, yet still allow the cylinder to be rolled for packing after.

2. Reduce the size, or at least make a couple of cylinders of varying sizes to reduce hight and weight...

3. Make a charcoal fired version like the cardboard ovens used to bake biscuts/pizza we all have seen before...”

“Wrapping meats in aluminum foil and covering with coals works very well.”

“yep do that, but this has potential to be a VERY light weight Dutch Oven...bake biscuts in foil?...hmmmm....”

“I like the design ST...I would definitely add the water to the bottom of the pan...not only to prevent the grease fire but to keep the meat from drying out. Add water as needed.

Nice thread!

If you guys want to have an "oven baking" contest at Sipsey then I'll provide a prize. :O”

“Would that make Sipsey be TC3.5?

I'm planning on hiking in a grill top for steaks or burgers.”

“Oh sure...pour some gas on the fire !”

“Link to the BSA page

I believe that Le Subtil posted a thread about a year ago detailing how he baked cornbread muffins with a camp stove and a pot.”

“Adventure Foods has the BakePacker

BakePacker
”

“For biscuits I would use the Backpacker's Pantry Outback oven.

The link provided had recipes for meat dishes no biscuits.”

“I have tried a few different things. I tried to do a reflector oven using foil and tent stakes (to hold the pan). This wasn’t too hot but with some refinement it could work. Or if I opted to use some flashing in stead of foil it’d be better.


By far the best thing I have done is an ultra light dutch oven. I heard Old Bald Guy mention it at the other site and I tried it. I took three round cake pans, put two of them back to back and drilled three holes through them. I then used three small bolts and wing nuts to screw them together back to back. This is the lid/coal holder. I then put three stakes in the ground near the bed of coals. I cut some bakers parchment to fit the single pan, put my biscuit batter in the single one and placed it on the stakes with coals under it. I then placed the lid on top and filled the top with coals. Works like a charm! You only need about 1/3 the coals on the bottom and really need to fill the lid up. You can check the biscuits from time to time and chances are the bottom will get done before the top dose. Just pull the whole thing off the stakes when the bottom gets done and let the lid keep baking until golden brown.

Nothing beats biscuits and gravy on the trail! The whole thing weighs less than a pound. I have been thinking of making a smaller version with muffin cups.”

“Nigal - cool. Do you have a trail gravy recipe?

I have used the Outback Oven with very good success. It is hard to justify as a solo hiker, but if two or three people are cooking together, it would be weight efficient.”

“If it is warm enough outside, I can make trail gravy in my pants.”

“"Do you have a trail gravy recipe?"

I just use some of the packets. There are a few out there that are fat free but still very good and easy to make.”

“Can Knee Gravy be far behind?

(no pun intended)


I've had fairly good results with the Bakepacker over the years (except for the 'browning' part). It will also keep the freeze-dried doodads hot as long as you have fuel for your stove, which can be handy in cold conditions.”

“I guess biscuits and gravy on the trail will never be like the sausage gravy you get out a cast iron skillet.

Nigal - I look for some packaged gravy mix.”

“I see Bacpac has returned.”

“yep - it sure looks like it”

“I have a great recipe for a white sauce...pretty easy.....
you can even make it with basil for pasta..mmmmmm”

“I have gotten the troll and bacpac comment more than once. That dude seems to have done a number on some of you. Really got in your heads?”

“I don't know why you would say that. The pants-gravy thing is remaninscent of something he would say. Personally, I rather liked bacpac. He was funny.”

“I am sorry, it is just that most of the comments seemed negative.

I stole the pants gravy thing from a movie. I thought it was funny.”

“HPM is really good at foil baking buscuits over or next to a fire. We make pepsi can stoves with the scouts each year, and this could be a variation for our older boys.”

“I missed this link somehow.
First Time I've seen it.
Found it doing a search.”

“so are ya up to the challenge???

I think it sounds great ..nothing better than biscuits or brownies on the trail!!!”

“The president of my division takes his on the trips and bakes damn near anything in it.

He baked a carrot cake one time that was outstanding.”

“sounds yummy...

how much did it weigh???”

“The cake or the oven??

;)”

“backpack oven is basically a heat diffuser ring; a pan; a lid; and a tent like cover

It doesn't weigh much.”

“Are the individual after each said cake after the trip.”

“That should say...Or the individual as in the cake or the oven or the individual....Damn engineers.”

“isn't there a grid you can put in your pan and bake on top of it ( with water in the pan???”

“Yes Div, that's the Bakepacker.

I was planning on getting the Outback Oven until I found out it's not safe to use it with a Pocket Rocket. Now I'm trying to work out a design to make one myself based on the Brasslite TrailBaker oven described here .

I'd like to use a flat-bottom round cake pan, if I can find one to fit in my pot. I may have to get a bigger pot but I don't want to have to do that.”

“it's for use with small pots...The oven here is lightweight and can do an entire roast...

I'm also adapting it for use with BP stoves and charcoal...”

“skullcap - I was disappointed to hear that you shouldn't use cannister stoves with the Outback Oven also. I have an Outback Oven and it works as advertised. But I always used a white gas stove with a fuel bottle before.

I made a boot dryer with my Outback oven once.”

“I've used one of those Bakepacker grid things. All you get is a doughy, gushy lump. It doesn't brown for anything.”

“Yeah Nigal, I've seen those in action. Hot doughy pudding, Num Num.

You know Phil, that Brasslite oven is only $20 and it works safely with a cannister stove. I may end up buying it if I can't work out an equivilant design with straight sides. Anybody know where I can get a 4" round cake pan? I found a 6" round cake pan at WallyWorld but I'd have to get a bigger pot for it to work. I really don't want to do that.”

“There's a 4 inch springform pan at the bottom of this page...”

“Yeah, I've seen the 4" springform pans. They'd work except they're too heavy. I want just a plain aluminum pan.”

“picky picky picky...

There's a plain one at the very bottom that looks like my old cheapy springform pan...I bet it wouldn't be much heavier than just a plain aluminum pan.”

“Are you kidding? It's tin plated and springform. I don't even want to think about how heavy it is.”

“My nine-inch springform like that one can't weight more than a few ounces...a four-inch has got to be lighter...Mine's not tin-plated, but still.”

“You'll have to excuse me, I get a tad OC when it comes to gear design. I already compared the 6" aluminum pan with the 4" springform pan and the 6" pan was lighter.”

“Oo oo oo...look here.

Cake pans of every dimension there.”

“Whoa. Thank you ¦ ) !”

“You're welcome.

The Internet is a wonderful thing.”

“Yeah, silly me. I was looking locally...”

“A restaurant supply place might have them...”

“Nice cake pans bit [snicker]...when's the quilting bee? [snicker snicker]”

“I'll have you know I won my wife with my cooking. It sure wasn't my good looks, I'll tell you that much.

Oh, and, uh, the quilting bee is next week.


Don't laugh too hard, I have an unfinished quilt gathering dust in a box somewhere.”