Reflector Oven

Get the flames going

I love bringing my Dutch Oven along when camping. It is great for baking just about anything, but it is a pain to lug around. I've always thought that a reflector oven would be lot easier on trips where weight is an issue.

When we went to the Allagash in the Fall, a friend brought his reflector oven, so I got to practice with him. We made baked peaches with cinnamon and sugar (worked great), pork lion (baked while the rest of dinner was cooking, but did need to be finished in the frying pan), and cinnamon rolls (let them go just a little too long, but they came out OK).

Cinnamon rolls 

A reflector oven is basically an aluminum box with one side open to capture radiant heat provided by an open fire. Most will fold flat for easy storage. The food to be baked is placed on the shelf in the oven. The amount of energy captured by the oven depends on the temperature of the fire and the oven’s distance from the fire.

The real trick of cooking in a reflector oven is controlling the fire. You need a good, hot fire with lots of flames. The best fire for the reflector is a log-cabin or teepee built to the height of the oven’s cooking shelf so that the flames are above the food. Be sure to have lots of dry wood on hand, as you will need to keep those steady flames going for the entire time you are baking. You can also take well-burning logs and stand them on end.

Letting the flames do the work

You can estimate the temperature by holding your hand just in front of the oven. If you can hold it there for around 5 seconds, the oven temperature is around 350 degrees. If the cooking temperature seems too hot or too cold, you can move the oven backward or forward to adjust it. Start with the oven about 8" from the fire.

The slanting top and bottom of the reflector direct the heat from the fire toward the food being cooked. The temperature is hotter at the back and at the front, so you need to rotate the pan frequently to prevent hot spots and allow for even baking.

The whole meal is cooking -
reflector oven, Big Daddy
skillet and Dutch oven

You need to be very careful working around an open fire, and because you are cooking with radiant heat, the oven and pan will get ripping hot. It’s a good idea to bring oven mitts for protection.

What can you bake in a reflector oven? The short answer is just anything - breads, biscuits, cookies, brownies all work fine. With time and patience, you can even do casseroles and roasted meats.

Bannock (Gil Gilpatrick's "Canoe Country Bread" recipe)

4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsps baking powder
3 tsps salt
Few table spoons of water

Mix ingredients with a few tablespoons water. Bake until bread rises, is browned, crust is stiff when tapped, and knife blade inserted into bread comes out clean. It can be baked in a fry pan with a little oil, on a stick, or in a reflector oven. 

Biscuits

3 cups flour
6 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oil
1 cup milk

Mix ingredients. Roll on a flat, flour-covered surface. Cut out biscuits and place in baking pan. Bake until browned and stiff, and knife blade inserted into biscuits comes out clean.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
¾ cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder. Mix well, set aside. In separate bowl, blend sugars well. Add butter, beat to form grainy paste. Add eggs, vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture, chocolate chips. Blend until just combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto pan. Bake until edges just start to brown. You can also use prepared cookie dough.

Brownies

1 cup sugar
½ cup shortening
2 eggs
½ cup flour
2 squares melted baking chocolate
½ teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Mix ingredients well. Pour into greased 8-inch square pan. Bake until knife inserted into brownies comes out clean. You can also use a store bought brownie mix.

Muffins/Quick Breads

Store-bought muffins or quick breads bake fine in a reflector oven.