Traditional cast iron cookware has been a staple of camping equipment for decades with older generations passing their camp cookware down to younger campers for many ages.

Nothing has changed with the updated and more modernised Bedourie Camp oven, designed by Dr. Livingstone to fill a need for more durability of a camp oven that is able to survive a fall from horseback without shattering like cast iron.

The Bedourie Camp Oven is made from spun steel and unlike cast iron wont crack with heavy impacts, this makes them perfect for 4WDing!

So you’ve decided the Bedourie Camp Oven or the Large Aussie Camp Oven is the go for you, before you use yours for the first time you need to season it. This sounds scary but the process will make sure your oven will last for years and not spoil the taste of any food!

To season your camp oven you need to give it a good scrub down with a scourer and warm soapy water. This scrub will get rid of any manufacturing contaminants and dirt, it isn’t normal to wash your camp cookware or use soap at all, but don’t worry this is just once for seasoning.

Once you have given your camp oven a good scrub down and rinse it’s time to bake it. You can do this in many ways, we recommend using a wood fireplace as it is a more traditional method, however you will find this process can be done in a hooded BBQ or in a pinch in your home oven.

To bake your new camp oven, evenly coat the whole inside with olive oil. Position your oven and lid open side down over the coals, this will stop the oil from pooling inside. Our goal is to get the stove as hot as you can get it for about 10 minutes. This process allows the oil to enter the pores of the metal and prevents any rust or corrosion.

Once it has cooled down you can start to cook with it!

If you are unsure where to start here is a quick and easy recipe to make a hearty and rewarding Sheppard’s pie in the bush using simple ingredients you can easily bring with you no matter where you are camping.

Ingredients:

1kg of mince

2  large carrots

1 brown onion

Shredded or grated cheese to melt

1 packet of instant mash potato

1 Jar of instant gravy

Oil or butter to grease pan.

Steps;

1. To get started on your bushies Sheppard’s pie, it’s time to get a small fire going, we aren’t chasing a massive bonfire and flames so use some thicker branches to get some nice hot coals going.

Nb: If you aren’t allowed to have open fires at your campsite you can use an Adventure Kings Camp/Oven to contain the fire, it’ll also get the smoke up and out of your campsite.

2. To get your pie going, your Bedourie camp oven lid can be used as a frying pan, take some of your coals with a small shovel and place your oiled Bedourie lid on an even bed of hot coals.

3. Quickly brown 1 sliced brown onion and a clove or 2 of garlic then add 1kg of mince and break apart and stir regularly.

4. When your mince is browned add 1 cup of beef stock and about a quarter of a cup of instant gravy powder and 2 large sliced carrots, and if you’d like you can add a can of peas. Stir extremely well to make sure there is no dry powder left, let this mixture stew for about 20 mins or so to get the most flavour.
5. Transfer your cooked mixture to a large bowl.

6. Using your Bedourie camp oven lid like a saucepan, boil enough water to rehydrate enough instant mash potato to cover your meat mix according to your instructions, make sure to stir it very well to avoid burning your potato mix.

7. With your mash sorted you can now begin the bake, simply add your potato on top of the meat and veg mixture, and cover with crated cheese. Cover with the lid, add some extra hot coals on top and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes.

8. Serve this winning formula to your hungry army, and they’ll owe you coldies for the rest of the trip!

Protip: Make sure you made enough for seconds for everybody!
This is just one of thousands of easy camping recipes you can make with your new Bedourie Camp Oven the only limitation to what you can cook is with your imagination. So get out and eat better food with your new Bedourie Camp Oven!