Hi all

I am thinking of buying a bigger camp oven.

Every 2 years we camp with my brothers and their kids, about 15+ people usually.

We have been lucky the last couple of times to be able to borrow a large camp oven from the campsites. I don't want to rely on that so am looking to buying one.

What size would cook a stew for 15+ people?

Ok, how much stew is usually eaten per person?  2 cups, 3 cups, more?

What else is on the menu?  Rolls?

Desert?

Another course?

You could be  up to 4 ovens with my 4 options.    

Now, looking on from the other (upper) side of the world, my thoughts would be to go visit Billmans Foundry.  If I remember correctly, their ovens go from 9" to 18".  

Then again, you see I've not done a meal that big for that many people with ovens.

:-/

I suggest a 12" deep or even a 14" deep oven, also good for big roasts.

Best,
Duncan

Hi Evergreen and welcome to the site. What part of the country are you from?
3 Ovens will cover about anything 10"12" and  15",  in  camp I tend to use my 12" the most with the 15 for roast and vegetables.  One can cook eight medium sized lamb shanks in a 12" oven. There are a lot off sick people on this site and they have  one for every day of the month. If ovens came in different colours that would create a problem for  these sicko's they would have to have every colour. Er me included.
Muzz

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You can never have too much cast iron but to answer your question, "You can cook a small meal in a big oven but you can't cook a big meal in a small oven".
I'd get a 14"or a 15" if you can find one or even a large Bedourie.

pd

If I was away camping and was planning to make a huge quantity of stew to feed 15 hungry people. I would probably consider using an 3 gallon boiler rather than a large CO. The old fashioned boilers made by Carron, Metters, Cannon, Kenrick, Clark, etc were specifically designed to handle large quantities of fluid like contents and are therefore, far easier to use for this application and far less susceptible to accidental spillage than a large CO.

First of all evergreen...

Welcome to the forum.
You are member number:

                  500

There is plenty of valuable CO info on this site.
I've been COC for 25 years and still learning from this crowd of cast iron addictees.

In answer to your Q...

14 to 15" will be big enough for most wet dishes..stews etc.
Having said that, you may want a small oven to do a rice side dish with such a meal.
I use 2 CO when doing a roast dinner.
One for the roast and a second for the veges etc.

Personally, I'd go for either 2 x 12"  or a 14" and a 12" My preference

Aart

evergreen wrote on Feb 18^th, 2009 at 9:29pm:

What size would cook a stew for 15+ people?

Hi Evergreen and welcome to the forum.  You are going to get lots of differing views to your question however I think the best way to address it is to use the analagy that you can cook anything in a camp oven that you can cook in the kitchen at home.

Having said that and to really answer your question, what would you use at home to cook a stew for 15+ people.  From there look at a camp oven of similar size and allow a bit more.

Evergreen

Master the techniques and you will have people coming back for seconds and thirds - be prepared.

H

Hi evergreen, I'm going through the same process thinking of scaling up, so far I have 6" CIO, a 10", 12" and the 12" bedourie.

Having seen what these guys cook I think the 15" is a must, 18 is probably to big, but when is to big a problem ;)

Guys, you can never go too big!!! (except when you have to manhandle them, the "morning after") ;D ;D

Seriously though, 15" is a great size, not too heavy, they will take up to about a 6Kg leg of pork (just) & you can pick them up at most camping stores.
Be ware though, it doesn't stop there!! once you start cooking for more & more people, you may want to go bigger again, the 18" Billmans will take the largest of legs (8Kg +) & "He's Got My Name On Him"  ;D ;D

Or there is the 20" Cabellas!

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/billybushcook/S4200083.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/billybushcook/campovencollection009.jpg

The Billmans

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/billybushcook/campovencollection004.jpg

Cheers, Mick.

You are a show stopper Mick   :D
cheers George  ;D

How did you get a Billman's with no Phone number Mick?

Kingsthorpe David wrote on Feb 20^th, 2009 at 7:01pm:

How did you get a Billman's with no Phone number Mick?

If you want a lid with no phone number it will cost you the same as a personal lid,$35 I think,or you could just get the regular one and grind the phone number off.
cheers George ;)

Derek wrote on Feb 19^th, 2009 at 8:15pm:

You are going to get lots of differing views to your question

I love threads like this and really appreciate everyone's perspective. I think this is w3hat makes this forum very attractive to people  :)

:( I think Id rather pay the 35 Bucks and not have a lid that looked like the phone number had been ground off
SBB

Kingsthorpe David wrote on Feb 20^th, 2009 at 7:01pm:

How did you get a Billman's with no Phone number Mick?

I just ordered an oven with a custom lid, ie my name is on the other side!

mick.

Mick and I ordered two 18" CO at the same time..Mick with his name and mine with my grandsons name...top product without a doubt.
Muzz

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