Hi Camp Oven Users,

I've been having issues when cooking roasts and I'd like your assistance please.

4.5 quart cast iron CO.
OzPig & Coals
Trivet
Roast
Potatoes

So they are the ingredients. 

BF likes to line the CO with baking paper to save on cleaning he says ... which I thinks a bit of blasphemy  :o  ... but I let him do it to retain our (not so) marital happiness.   ;)

So what's the issue exactly?  Our roasts are very moist which is excellent  :)  but so are the spuds   :(  They never come out crispy but rather soft and if handled too much a bit on the mushy side!  I can get them browned up okay but never crispy as such.   :-?

What is the issue do you think?

Is it the vast quantities of paper?  Some comes out nice and brown (the paper that is).
Is the vast amount of paper literally steaming the spuds?  That's what it seems like to me.
Aren't things hot enough - either under or over the roast?
Is there too much in the CO itself?  Do I need a bigger one to compensate?  I'm sure he'd add a lot more spuds if I go that way!
Is it because we put way too many spuds in there?
Should I be cracking the lid a bit to allow for some vapour to vent out?
Do I just give up and enjoy them as they are?  Which I'm currently doing.

I'm in your hands!

Kit_e 

Kit_e_kat9 wrote on Apr 11^th, 2013 at 9:48pm:

which I thinks a bit of blasphemy

Ive got to agree, its a camp oven and if well seasoned shouldnt be hard to clean anyway.
There are a few people here who cook great crispy roast spuds, I aint one of them ;D
From what Ive seen and heard, its easier to do roast veg in a separate oven

Kit_e_kat9 wrote on Apr 11^th, 2013 at 9:48pm:

Is the vast amount of paper literally steaming the spuds?  That's what it seems like to me.

I think youve nailed the problem, Its very easy to get a build up of moisture in a camp oven when cooking a roast, if you have liquid building up in the bottom your not roasting , you are steaming.
A small piece of fencing wire or a metal skewer stuck between the lid and the oven its self will allow the moisture to escape, be a bit carefull the first time you do this because the meat will also brown faster than you are used to. its a bit of a balancing act really, just takes practice.
I like to listen to my ovens when roasting, if its making a happy sizzling noise it roasting, if not its steaming. Dont be frightened to lift the lid pretty often to check progress until you get the hang of it
SBB.

Kit_e, SBB is right on the money here.
I only do my roast separate to the veges.
Often roasts are pumped full of marinades or water to get the weight up, hence excessive moisture in the CO.
I have Camp Chef COs and they have a small vent that will allow moisture out..
There is a small notch taken out of the edge of the lid and the top of the CO.
When these are lined up, ample moisture is allowed to escape.

cheers

Aart

In addition to what the fellas have already said....

Consider the size...
If you have a large hunk of meat, it could be the potatoes are overcooked (gone mushy) because of how long the meat takes.  I have done roasts over 4 hours but only put the spuds in about 30 minutes before meal time.

Steam vent...
I use a metal cup hook as my 'steam vent' when necessary - works brilliantly and the 'screw' bit is easy to grab with welding glove clad hands and multigrips   :)

Crisp the spuds...
I find if I baste my spuds with oil, the crisper they are. So when turning the meat or checking the 'done ness' I brush (or spray) a little more oil on the spuds.

If the potatoes are already cooked but not crisp... take the roast out and let it 'rest'.  While that is happening, throw some extra coals/beads on the lid of the camp oven and get the spuds browned up quickly. 

Clean the camp oven...
Take out the spuds, pop the coals/beads underneath, pop in some *HOT* water (and maybe a drop of dishwashing liquid) and let the camp oven steam clean while you eat

Larger or more of them...
A larger camp oven with more air flow will make for a dryer cook but sometimes 2 small one will work better if there is only a couple of people.
You can use one small one for the meat and put the vege on an hour later in the other oven.

At other times while the main course is cooking in one oven, desert is happening in the other  :D

HTH 

We have used supa-fry (the block stuff) with success to get crispy spuds.

I'm going to give this another try tomorrow night as all this roast spuds talk has me salivating  [smiley=drool5.gif] [smiley=drool5.gif]

I personally like my veggies dry roasted and as such cook them separate from the roast meat.

I have a trivet that sits half way down inside of my camp oven.  Peel and cut the spuds then roll in olive oil and sit on the trivet.  Heat top and bottom and bobs your uncle :)

Do the same for sweet potato and pumpkin.  I like to sprinkle sesame seeds on the pumpkin  ;)

Thanks for the replies.  Much appreciated.  And pretty much what I suspected.

He won't relent on the paper deal (much to my dismay) ... I reckon he doesn't want to understand the principles in play here (using the Men Know All Rule # 732265553044846430)  ::)

I've thrown in the suggestion of a larger oven or two the same size and that idea got quashed pretty quickly using the same rule (see above).

Guess I'll just suffer through the soggy spud deal and listen to him whinging for the next 10 or 20 years - or until a Man Tells Him to do it (as above) ... when he'll say it's his idea and denying knowing anything about the above forementioned.   ::)

Either that or I'll just get him completely drunk  :D  and just cook it how I want ;) 

Kit_e

P.S.  The roast is deboned and extremely small (always under 1kg but more like a 1/2kg). 

I think it's the overloading of his beloved spuds that's the issue combined with the exorbitant use of baking paper - you just can't jam another spud in there. 

Alas ... the option of a good juices gravy is never discussed as you can't cook gravy in the CO either.

I'm just going to go the larger CO option and be damned by the consequences.   >:(  ::)  :) 

Great info on this site. We (3 families) often have camp oven cookups at a mates bush block and the lamb is always succulent, but I hate succulent spuds. I'll have to take control of the veges.
Derek, do you vent the oven when cooking them your way?
I like the sound of the dry roasting and the sesame seeds. Sweet potato is an underrated vegetable, bloody beautiful when it's baked well.
I'm not sure if the camp cooks on the dusty Diamantina would have used baking paper.... ;D ;D ;D
Tom

Stillcroozin wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2013 at 5:56pm:

Derek, do you vent the oven when cooking them your way?

No mate. No need.

There is a bloke on this site who reckons he's the ducks guts with his roast potatoes  :P :P :)

Maybe use a little less oil, but you will still get the same crispy results. Just needs some lovin when you ROAST them  :-*

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