Thanks for making this vid, for two reasons: not only is it full of useful info, but it just plain feels good to see you interacting with your happy kids. Well done Sir.
I’ve been using one of these ovens for 20+ years. Two things I have found that helps a lot is I put a pizza stone in the bottom of the stove, it does the same thing as the baking stone on the rack, but it’s out of the way. The second thing is I take a throw away aluminum roasting pan and make a “cap” for the stove. It comes down 3-4 inches on three sides (open for the door) this will greatly help you keep heat in and the tops of your biscuits or whatever will brown quicker, since your not losing as much heat out of the top..
Good idea, we may have to make a cap for ours as well! we usually bake directly on the stone but if we’re baking something else we’ll probably put the stone on the bottom
I've also found the pizza stone in the bottom helpful. I used a different way to reduce the airflow through the stove in place of of the foil cap, but your method sounds better than what I did.
I've used these for 30 years and luv them. I use metal duct tape for a/c work to cover the top holes. It works very well. I also wrap the bottom rack in heavy foil and it seems to work for me. I've done homemade chicken pot pie, frozen lasagna, those little pizzas and anything I want from the frozen section. Great video. Thanks. I recently bought one from the 60's still new in the box and it's a lot more solid than the newer ones.
I forgot to mention I use 2 racks. One is from a previous oven and that is the one I cover in foil (lower rack. ) The metal duct tape has never failed but one needs to be careful cuz the temp rises significantly. Easy and cheap and works in any weather when a stove will work. Give it a try!
Great video and humor with the kids. I bought my Coleman Oven in the late 90’s in Casper, Wyoming. I still have the original box and it may have a little warping but negligible. It has made cakes, pies, coolers, biscuits, monkey bread and casseroles in the high country. I just put a heavy skillet on the opposite side of the pack to balance the weight on the horse… the one thing a good freind told me years ago is to wrap aluminum foil (shinny side out) on the bottom of your pie pan, baking pan, etc and bake/cook like you do at home. It works.
Sounds like some good times! I have heard of the foil trick, we use a baking stone to help even out the heat. the foil would definitely help with heat dissipation which would also help save fuel
Lol. I enjoyed the video. I have 4 girls. Of course their all grown up. But I remember the days of camping. Good times. I’ve had my Colman over for around 10 years. They are thin but with a little care they’ll last a long time. Your kids will never forget those times with you. It may at the time not seem like a big deal to u but those kiddos will never forget those times. God bless man.
I'd like to share a tip with you that you should feel free to pass on in a future video, if you think it's worthwhile. After you pop the oven open, lay it on one of the hinged sides. Working through the open door, it is much easier to get the tabs into their slots, IMHO, than doing it the way the instructions say to do it. Gravity seems to do most of the work. I've lost track of how many of these oven videos that I've watched and you are the first that showed the bottom of the oven and pointed out that the oven needs to be centered on the burner, not even with the edge of the stove, which puts the burner off center and accounts for why the food on the left (or right) side of the baking dish/sheet is burnt and the other side is raw. Because you seem to be more perceptive than the average product reviewer on RU-vid, you may or may not be aware that the door thermometer is adjustable, if you find that it is inaccurate. By turning the hex head on the oven side face of the thermometer you can advance or retard the needle to make it match a thermometer that you know to be accurate. Baking with this is sort of tricky to begin with and many people that use it on RU-vid seem to have ovens that read hotter or cooler than they actually are. Feel free to make a video exploring this if you wish because I never will and I think it's info that folks could use.
The method we use to to prevent burning on the bottom of food was to double up whatever pan we put in the oven. this basically creates a small air gap between the two pans that are stacked together to insulate the bottom of the biscuits. we also use a digital probe thermometer stuck through one of the holes on the hinges for a more accurate reading.
With a little ingenuity a welding blanket can be cut and sewed to make a cover for the back, sides and top, which will cut out the drafts getting in and the heat from escaping so badly; thereby controlling temp fluctuations. Just basically cover everything but the door. - “Ol’ Scooter” in East Texas
@@trove1312 check out this link...the best tutorial I’ve seen Coleman Oven covers...hope this helps! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WqIcZ25PSu4.html - “Ol’ Scooter”
Hi - I was interested in your video as I just got one of these- very helpful- by the way I’m in Australia and over here we never call what you cooked “biscuits “ as here they are scones and are served hot and topped with strawberry jam ( what you call jelly I think) and whipped cream. Here what we call biscuits are what you call cookies- Aussie’s often hate it if anyone calls a biscuit a cookie here - as that’s American and we are Australian- we do like Americans but we are proud of our unique culture too
Here in the states biscuits/scones are served hot with butter or jam and jelly of many different flavors. Jam is a thick sweet concoction made using the whole fruit or berry. Jelly is very similar but is made with just the juice. So it doesn't have the pulp and seeds that are found in jam. The apple butter that was referred to in the video actually has no butter at all. It's just a thin sweet jam made with apples that spreads very smoothly over bread or scones or whatever you want to put it on. It's really great stuff. 😊
Deflector plate shelf across the lowest shelf slot, but most importantly, add a pan (or a tuna can) full of water on it. Makes perfect biscuits every time.
Always connect tank last .And definitely hook up a 20 lb.of get adapter to refill 1 lb tanks ez to due with a value shut off hose .The stone like a conventional oven deverts the direct heat . Your better off using a piece of metal to help maintain heat and deverts the the direct flame heat .Nice video great job .
A Lodge Cast Iron Trivet works great. THE HOLES IN THE TRIVET allows for the best and most even heat flow placed directly on the bottom inside. This also allows you to use both top and middle cooking areas at your choosing. That or a Pizza Stone that's a good fit works too.
Great info! When I put a pizza stone on the bottom as some suggest, it shattered. Will try directly under pan on the middle shelf. Cheers from Downunder 😄
make sure to let the stone heat up with the oven, if you put a cold stone in a hot oven sometimes they will shatter especially if they have moisture in them
Take the rack off the stove and put the oven right on the frame of the stove it is easier to control the heat. Good luck. Remove the wind shield also. I have the Coleman dual fuel and it fit perfect with one side open towards the other burner so it is easy to not let random air in to disturb the flame I think I was able to get 450 degrees with mine.
I also use a stone plus if I want to bake a cassarole.I use a large pan put water in bottom of that pan put the casserole in a smaller pan . Cook it in the water doesn't burn called Rosemary's bath.
Very informative video! Nice job. Propane stoves definitely lack BTUs, especially in cooler weather. I got tired of dealing with propane canisters and tubing, etc. I found a better way to go is old fashioned Coleman liquid fuel, AKA naptha. Coleman fuel is hotter and those stoves can also use kerosene or even pump gasoline. Cooking with pump gas is safe, but I don't think I'd want to oven bake using gasoline or kerosene.
Great video and very well done and informative. I picked up one of these to use but have not tried it yet. You gave some great tips so I learned something about it. Now I know to get an 8 inch pan! Have you maybe tried putting parchment paper in the bottom of your pan with the biscuits and have you tried cooking anything else in it?
A lot of folks are using insulators covering the sides, back and top made out of a cut up welders blanket and JB Weld... I haven't fabbed one up yet, but did something similar with 2 layers of aluminum foil and it really helps even up the heat in the oven.
And after taking out the biscuits I'd turn them over so that the tops would get brown too. I have one and i didn't really like it, but I'll look at some more videos to give me more ideas. Being that it's not an insulated stove you just lose a lot of heat.
I saw another video on this oven, he made a pitza stone from one he got at aldies , he sized it to fit in the bottom of the oven, he he used a wet tile saw to cut it .
Maybe a layer or two of tin foil in the pan? Another idea is if you are also having a campfire a few coals of top might increase the temp enough to turn down the propane and brown the tops.
I know this will sound too rustic but...how about stones, real stones lining the bottom of the oven. They would work to evenly distribute the heat and perhaps even save fuel after they heat up. Which size stones is another question?!?
Couldnt tell for sure but that baking pan looked bigger than 8' inches. I ordered some 10' inch pans only to find out after the fact that you should only use 8' pans for proper circulation of heat.
Them tops aren’t cooked enough for my liking, what’s the trick to getting the tops done more, I’m thinking maybe flip them for a few minutes. Haven’t bought an oven yet so I’m in the research phase still
We don't like ours done on the bottom, these weren't as burnt as some. The first time you use one of these stoves you'll see how easy it is to burn everything on the bottom
@@trove1312 how I’ve one or two for , I’m 46, 30 years now. This not the type of oven you leave. Like in olden days you need to keep a southern eye on the oven. Regular checking will keep the temp in check. Also get a multi fuel stove. I know it sounds weird but you can maintain temp better. Propane is trash.
@@timesthree5757 Yep you definitely have to monitor it regularly. The stone makes it significantly more consistent though. Propane works very well in our area but if we traveled to higher elevations we would definitely need other options.
Anyone who likes apple butter and makes "Dad jokes" is OK in my book. If you prefer the 1lb bottles of propane instead of hauling the 20 pounder, there is a fitting to fill the small ones from a big one. One other thing. I flip my biscuits about 1/2 though to prevent the burnt bottom syndrome. This works with cinnamon rolls, too.
@@trove1312 :) I've upgraded from a single gas burner stove to a double-burner, and started getting into the cooking side. So got one of those folding fire pit things, and the Dutch oven to sit on top (got a tripod too). I think it's more for the fun of having a camp fire in the evenings. Staring at a gas hob just isn't the same ;) But yeah, I might pick up a Coleman too, see which I can live with best.
@@bigglyguy8429I just got a Coleman oven and plan to use it over my small tabletop BBQ... for now anyway as I only have a single ring cannister stove and I wouldn't risk having it sit over the canister while cooking. Have ordered another single ring stove that can be used with a canister or with the hose I will be able to use it on that.. I like single ring stoves as I car camp and don't always need two rings plus I like to have the two independent of each other stoves.
@@trove1312 yea not as high as gas. More calories per once means higher more stable temps. Listen to yer elders. Multi fuel stove or nothing. You’ll save money and get better temps. Also lower rack to bottom. More uniform temps. Also don’t rely on time check often and stay near. But us older folks don’t know what were talking about.
@@trove1312 I know they have a slightly higher BTU and finer valve control. Just wondering if the temperature could be better maintained. Thank you for the baking stone tip. Makes total sense.
suggestion camp chef everest stove is Wayyyyyy more powerful Two 20,000 BTU burners - Total Output 40,000 BTU had mine foe almost 10 years to me it was way better temp control better spread of the heat
Yes it is, we will probably get one once our Coleman fails. For the most part we use our larger Camp Chef free standing stove. It allows us to run the oven no problem and use larger skillets. Feeding 7 people can take a little extra cooking space!
I've been experimenting with two 9 inch brownie pans, clamshelled together. After burning the bottom of the buscuits I put them on an upside down aluminum brownie pan slightly altered. Still more work to be done. Thanks for the video.
I put my stone on the bottom and also brought a welders blanket and made a cover for the oven, gets hotter if you need it to and also regulates the temperature
I have used one of these since the 80s, I'm a guide in Maine ,so it's had quite a bit of use , great for morning muffins, with fresh berries ,I keep it in the original box in my chuck box, and it's still like new,alot lighter than a Dutch ove,oven, not as cool but alot lighter
What I did was buy a piece of welder fabric and cut it to where it would fit the back the sides and the top. It fit perfectly, encasing all of the heat into the oven. And I also used a pizza stone at the very bottom. I made awesome corn bread at our campsite. Worked like a charm!! Also I would suggest using one of those hanging thermometers. Do not rely on the thermometer that is built into the oven door. They are notoriously inaccurate.
You can use the oven thermometer to calibrate the one in the door i wrote the numbers on the inside of the box lid so that they are always handy. I also use a thermometer from a gas grill and put the probe in through the top slots.
🤣 great vid! One of my best buds has 5 boys and they also love going camping with the whole family but feeding that many peeps sometimes requires some major camp ware. He also got one of those Camp Chef burners many many years ago when his kids were young like yours. He brings the stove on our 5 person adult dirtbike camp trips in the mountains and everytime he fires it up he says, "this thing is one of the best things I've ever purchased" with a big satisfied grin on his face. And I would have to agree because he cooks up all kinds of tasty grub on that Camp Chef.
What I don't like about such stoves is that fumes get in direct contact with the food. You're baking on propane which burns clean so it's not a big thing. But we use a kerosene-powered stove.
When my grandparents were newlywed, my grandma made some dry biscuits. My grandpa wordlessly got up from the table, got a hammer and mail, and affixed it to the wall. Her biscuits improved.
Small hack ,put some aluminum foil cover on the outside of the oven. It will hold the heat a little better. I’ve noticed that my oven runs about 25 deg cooler then what the thermometer says.
Thanks for the info. Have used these Colemans before and they were great little ovens for camping but tended to burn the bottom of whatever you put in them.
You need something to diffuse the intense heat coming from the vents on the bottom. Some people use cordierite pizza stone squares. I happened to have a thick BellaCopper 10" square and that seemed to do the trick as well. Provided the necessary baffling effect as well as uniform radiant heat.
