Reflector Oven/Solar Cooker Cooking

[CalicoPenn]

We've had a lot of discussion about challenging Scouts to be more mindful and adventurous in camp cooking, and invariably, discussions like these lead into dutch oven cooking and challenging Scouts to use dutch ovens more.  Great discussions but a piece of equipment that doesn't get much mention at all used to be standard equipment up until about the early 1970's:

 

The Reflector Oven

 

In my Troop, reflector ovens were automatically issued to every Patrol for every campout - we had to special request dutch ovens.  Just about every Patrol used a reflector oven at least one meal a weekend - even if it was only to bake up biscuits or Pillsbury cinnamon roles.  They started falling out of use as we transitioned from cooking over open flames to cooking over Coleman Stoves.

 

I know that open fire cooking is much less common than it used to be but for those that have the opportunity to cook over open fire, have you tried any reflector oven cooking?  Have you tried running a reflector oven bake-off?  To expand a little, has anyone tried solar cooker cooking and what was the result?

[Krampus]

In Texas we use them. We have to be careful because those things heat up fast under the Texas sky. Cook times are REAL fast. Baking can get done in no time.

[Stosh]

I prefer the even heat of a DO over the reflector ovens.  Never had very good luck with them.  DO's I can control the heat just as well as at home in the oven in the kitchen.  - just a personal preference.

 

The cardboard box ovens heat more evenly as well.  

Edited September 24, 2015 by Stosh

[qwazse]

Foil-lined cardboard boxes seem to work the best.  I've also propped up large rocks for a similar effect.

 

My brother made one from #10 cans pounded flat and wrapped around coat-hanger wire scaffolding. Impressive, but I never used it.

[Eagledad]

We set four tubes of chicken wire standing vertical three feet apart in a square. We fill the tubes with charcoal and wrap aluminum foil around the square. Light the four tubes and set a turkey in the square, four hours later you have a nice brown turkey. It's basically like a large box reflector oven. Obviously other foods can be cooked in it, but we typcially use it for turkey. 

 

Barry

[Stosh]

We set four tubes of chicken wire standing vertical three feet apart in a square. We fill the tubes with charcoal and wrap aluminum foil around the square. Light the four tubes and set a turkey in the square, four hours later you have a nice brown turkey. It's basically like a large box reflector oven. Obviously other foods can be cooked in it, but we typcially use it for turkey. 

 

Barry

 

This is what one of our local troops did with a 45# turkey.  It was too big for any oven but this worked out fantastic.  By the way, it took a bit longer than 4 hours.  

[Eagle94-A1]

I have to ditto cardboard box ovens.  I'd bake cookies at the end of the year for my den with one.

 

Not LNT friendly, but AWESOME, is "Turkey in the Hole." dig a 6' hole, build a small bonfire, and let it get to coals.  While that is going on, take your turkey, insert a bag of ice in it. Take several stick of butter to the turkey and add any spices.  Wrap the turkey in 3 layers of foil going in different directions. Place turkey in the hole, cover in coals, then cover with dirt. Wait x number of hours , and when ready you will have a turky that fall off the bones.

 

 

HMMMM maybe the kids will let me use one of their foxholes this Thanksgiving? 

[Eagledad]

I have to ditto cardboard box ovens. I'd bake cookies at the end of the year for my den with one.

 

Not LNT friendly, but AWESOME, is "Turkey in the Hole." dig a 6' hole, build a small bonfire, and let it get to coals. While that is going on, take your turkey, insert a bag of ice in it. Take several stick of butter to the turkey and add any spices. Wrap the turkey in 3 layers of foil going in different directions. Place turkey in the hole, cover in coals, then cover with dirt. Wait x number of hours , and when ready you will have a turky that fall off the bones.

 

 

HMMMM maybe the kids will let me use one of their foxholes this Thanksgiving?

Our troop did this when I was a scout. But first each patrol had to kill the turkey (with an axe), clean and defeather it. Quite a memorable camp out for sure.

 

Barry

Edited September 24, 2015 by Eagledad

[Stosh]

I have to ditto cardboard box ovens.  I'd bake cookies at the end of the year for my den with one.

 

Not LNT friendly, but AWESOME, is "Turkey in the Hole." dig a 6' hole, build a small bonfire, and let it get to coals.  While that is going on, take your turkey, insert a bag of ice in it. Take several stick of butter to the turkey and add any spices.  Wrap the turkey in 3 layers of foil going in different directions. Place turkey in the hole, cover in coals, then cover with dirt. Wait x number of hours , and when ready you will have a turky that fall off the bones.

 

 

HMMMM maybe the kids will let me use one of their foxholes this Thanksgiving? 

 

@@Eagle94-A1 - what you are describing is basically how a Dutch Oven SHOULD be used.  Put everything into the one pot, i.e. stew.  Move ashes from the campfire, dig hole in the hot ground, dump coals in bottom put in DO, cover with coals, cover with dirt, and keep a fire going on top all day long.  Dig up supper that evening.

[DuctTape]

We used to call them "bean holes", due to using them to cook baked beans.