Mobile cooking and baking is a highlight for many campers. But especially with camping ovens like the Omnia or Rocktrail, it can quickly happen that the food burns. With the right techniques and tips, you can easily get the problem under control. Here are the most common reasons for burnt food – and practical solutions!
1. Irregular heat distribution: The most common problem
Camping ovens work with bottom and top heat. The bottom heat is crucial for the baking result because it is also responsible for the top heat. The heat at the bottom is often too strong, causing food to burn at the bottom while it is often not fully cooked at the top.
Practical example:
When baking cakes in the Omnia oven, the bottom often burns while the top remains too pale.
Solution:
Bake only on the lowest heat. Better a few minutes longer and the result is good.
Maybe your heat source has too much power, even on the lowest setting. Then a simmer plate, a so-called heat distributor plate, is used, which is placed between the heat source and the oven. But be careful! There are many inferior simmer plates on the market that can even melt under high heat. We recommend using higher quality plates. The Truka Simmer plate, for example, serves us well.
2. Temperatures that are too high: Patience pays off
Campers often tend to run the flame on high to save time. However, this leads to food burning on the outside before it is cooked on the inside.
Practical example:
If the temperature is too high, a pizza in the Rocktrail oven can turn black on the edges while the cheese in the middle doesn't melt properly.
Solution:
After preheating, reduce the heat to medium-low.
Use good baking books for mobile ovens from renowned authors who bake with a camping oven themselves. There are many free riders on the internet who only offer recipe books put together using “copy and paste”, without any pictures and at ridiculous prices. The following often applies here: If you buy cheap, you buy twice.
3. Incorrect accessories: Appropriate materials are crucial
Cheap or unsuitable materials conduct heat poorly and cause food to cook unevenly.
Practical example:
Thin aluminum shells often cause muffins to burn at the bottom in the Omnia oven.
Solution:
Place a baking rack under the muffin tins. This buffers the bottom heat. In addition, the muffins are closer to the top heat.
Use silicone baking molds or coated steel molds that have been specially developed. These conduct the heat more evenly.
4. Wrong recipes: choose adapted dishes
Not all recipes work in a mobile oven. Particularly delicate foods can quickly go wrong.
Practical example:
A soufflé doesn't work as well in the Omnia oven as in a stationary oven because it requires even heat and you can't lift the lid during the baking process.
Solution:
Choose recipes that are specifically optimized for mobile ovens.
Simple dishes like lasagna, bread or casseroles are ideal.
In the meantime, there is a replacement lid with a viewing window, from the brand RoadBaker, for mobile ovens. With it, you can monitor the baking process without lifting the lid.
5. No regular checks: stay tuned
Camping ovens sometimes require more attention than traditional ovens. Without a viewing window or timer, food can burn quickly.
Practical example:
A vegetable casserole can burn around the edges if you don't check it regularly.
Solution:
Follow your nose. If it smells burnt after just a few minutes, then the temperature is clearly too high.
The impending end of the specified baking time is announced by the scent of the baked goods coming from the ventilation holes.
Gently open the lid periodically and check the food.
Rotate the oven if possible to achieve more even heat distribution.
Bonus tip: Clean up burnt residue
If something burns, clean the camping oven using simple means:
Fill the baking pan with cold water and leave it overnight. The residue then comes off as if by itself.
Do not scrub particularly coated baking tins with rough objects or sharp agents, as this can damage the coating.
Conclusion
Burnt food in the camping oven can be avoided with a few simple tricks. With the right accessories, customized recipes and good temperature control, your outdoor cooking experience will be a pleasure. Try it out and discover how versatile mobile ovens can be!
Do you have any further tips or questions? Leave a comment and share your experiences with the community!