A Guide to Seasoning Your Outdoor Cast-Iron Oven

Have a cast-iron camp oven that needs to be seasoned? This article will provide you with all of the information you require, whether you are preparing a brand new cast iron camp oven for its first use or performing some maintenance on a camp oven that has previously been used.

It is essential to have a reliable seasoning process at your disposal for both new and used cast iron cooking equipment given that cast iron cookware needs to be maintained over time.

When it comes to topics on which you are likely to find some disagreement, I've made an effort to explain not only my viewpoint, but also the viewpoints of those with whom I disagree and those with whom I agree, such as how to best season a camp oven. in order for you to make an educated choice about what it is that you want to do.  

The seasoning process has the advantage of not causing any significant harm, which is a welcome benefit. In the event that one of your attempts is not as successful as you had hoped, you can start over and adjust your procedure as necessary.

There are six fundamental steps to take when seasoning a cast iron camp oven.

The process of seasoning a camp oven, whether it is brand new or used, is fundamentally the same regardless of the state of the oven. The following are the primary steps involved in seasoning a camp oven:

1. Completely Scrub It Down
2. It Must Be Dried Completely.
3. Lightly apply oil to the interior as well as the exterior.
4. The subject was subjected to intense heat for an extended period of time.
5. Wait While It Calms Down
6. Repeat as often as required until the desired level of seasoning is reached.

In this article, I will provide a more in-depth explanation of each step of the process, discuss how the process varies depending on whether the cast iron camp oven is new or used, and respond to other questions that are frequently asked by readers about the seasoning of cast iron camp ovens.

Due to the fact that this procedure, from start to finish, can take up to close to two hours, it is not something that can be done quickly.

However, there is a significant amount of waiting time involved while it is being heated, which means that you have the opportunity to engage in other activities in the interim.  

Why Does a Cast-Iron Camp Oven Need to Be Seasoned?

Primarily, seasoning a cast-iron camp oven is done for two different reasons.  

To begin, the seasoning process produces a Teflon-like non-stick surface, which enables you to easily cook with and clean your camp oven.

Second, seasoning protects against rust and ensures that your camp oven continues to look and taste its best.

The Rationales Behind the Use of Seasoning in Outdoor Cooking

You can skip ahead to the following section to read about the actionable steps to take if you are only interested in the "what" rather than the "why" of the situation.

In any case, if you are interested, the following section will take a more in-depth look at the seasoning process to explain what takes place and why it is beneficial.

Cast iron is a material that has a surface that is very porous and is filled with imperfections. These are difficult for us to see, but you won't feel them as you run your fingers along the surface, and you'll definitely notice them when food clings to them.

The process of seasoning helps us modify that surface so that it becomes a smooth non-stick surface that we can cook on. This drastically reduces the likelihood that our food will stick to the bottom or sides of the pan.

Seasoning is a process that helps drive out any moisture that may be present in the metal and opens the pores so that oiling can take place. When we heat these ovens that have been lightly oiled, the oil is "baked" into the imperfections, which results in a layer on top of the metal that is both smooth to the touch and difficult to adhere to.

The process by which the oil transforms into a different form is technically referred to as polymerization; however, most of us simply call it "seasoning."

You are not required to remember the term "polymerization" in order to be successful; however, it is beneficial to have an understanding of the fundamental process and the fact that we are constructing a polymer layer of "baked" oil on top of a porous cast iron surface.

It also enlightens us to the fact that it is reasonable to anticipate that this surface will gradually deteriorate over the course of time, with the rate of decline being proportional to the amount of use, and that it will be necessary to reinforce it once more at regular intervals.  

How to Prepare a Brand-New Cast-Iron Outdoor Oven for Use

The interior of a brand-new cast-iron camp oven typically already has been seasoned, and the product packaging will almost certainly state that you can begin using it right away.

Despite the fact that this might be technically accurate, I would still advise you to go through the seasoning process at least once before using the product.

Throughout the rest of this section, we will provide additional detail and context regarding the six steps that were outlined earlier.

Taking Care of Your Brand-New Cast-Iron Outdoor Oven

It is imperative that you give your brand-new cast-iron camp oven a thorough cleaning before you use it for the very first time. Scrub it thoroughly on the inside and the outside using a scouring pad or a scrubbing brush along with some warm soapy water.

This will ensure that your food does not have a metallic aftertaste and will remove any particles, residue, oil, or wax that may have been left over from the manufacturing process.  

You might read online that you should never use soap or detergent on your camp oven because the food will always taste like detergent in the future. However, many legends of the camp oven scene, including myself, have no reservations about giving camp ovens a scrub with soap. This is because the food will not taste like detergent in the future. And I can honestly say that I have never experienced a soapy aftertaste before.

Make sure that your camping oven is completely dry.

After giving it a good scrub, make sure that it is completely dry by drying it off with a paper towel or a tea towel and then subjecting it to some kind of heat to ensure that it is completely dry. This could take place in the open air under the sun, under the canopy of your barbecue, or even in the oven of your kitchen.

If you choose to cook it in your barbecue or oven, make sure that you do it at a temperature high enough and for a long enough period of time to ensure that there is no moisture left in any crevices, particularly where the lid handle joins the container.

Rust is one of the most common causes of damage to camp ovens, and because of this, you should always make sure that the oven is completely dry before using it.

After you have cleaned it and before you oil it, some people recommend heating it in the barbecue or oven as a mandatory step. However, as long as you ensure that it is completely dry and that you remove all moisture, you should be fine.

It is believed that warming the cast iron will allow the oil to more effectively penetrate the pores of the metal, but in my experience, I have not noticed a significant difference between the two methods.  

Spread A Slight Amount Of Oil Onto

After washing and drying off your brand-new cast iron camp oven, the next step is to oil it. The polymer seasoning will be created using the oil that is applied during this step, which will then be baked on during the subsequent step.

We'll talk about the various kinds of oils that you can use to season your camp oven in a later part of the article, so for now, let's just focus on the technique.  

The key to properly lubricating your camp oven is to avoid using too much oil. You will want to spread a very thin layer of oil all over the interior as well as the exterior of the camp oven. Make sure you get the oil into all of the crannies and cracks by wiping them down.

To avoid putting on an excessive amount of oil, it is best to pour a small amount of oil onto a cloth or paper towel, which you then wipe over all of the surfaces. This will prevent you from putting on an excessive amount of oil. If you discover that you have added an excessive amount of oil, then you should use a dry cloth or a fresh paper towel to remove any excess oil.  

It is best to use a paper towel of high quality or a cloth that does not contain lint in order to prevent small particles from being left on the surface of the metal and being baked into the coating.  

Prepare the Outdoor Oven.

After giving your camp oven a light coating of oil, you will need to put it in an environment with a high temperature for a significant amount of time.

Traditionally, this would have been done over the campfire, and while it is certainly possible to do so, the process is much simpler now thanks to the invention of hooded barbecues and kitchen ovens.

The process of using the barbecue, which can result in some odors and smoke as the oil cooks onto the surface, is something that I would rather do outside rather than inside my house because it can cause those things.

However, if you do decide to use your oven, or if you have no other option, you should make sure that your home is well ventilated (the windows and doors should be open) so that any odors and smoke can easily dissipate.  

It is necessary to subject the oil to a high level of heat for approximately 45 minutes to one hour in order to achieve the necessary polymerization and lock it into the metal surface.

The temperatures that are recommended for your grill or oven vary depending on the expert you consult; however, the temperatures that are recommended range from 200 to 270 degrees Celsius.

These recommendations change, in part, depending on the kind of oil that is being used and the smoking point of that particular oil (which will be covered in greater detail below).

Personally, I prefer to heat my camp oven to temperatures between 250 and 270 degrees Celsius and leave it uncovered for at least 45 minutes. This strategy has never given me any problems.

The most important thing for you to watch out for is heating your oven to the point where the metal begins to glow red, or coming dangerously close to doing so.

You run the risk of the metal in your cast-iron camp oven becoming deformed if the temperature reaches this level, but unintentionally causing this to happen is not very likely.

If you turn your camp oven upside down before placing it on the grill to season it, any excess oil or moisture will be able to run right off.  

Taking Some Time to Let Your Camp Oven Cool Down

After being subjected to high heat for at least half an hour (from a fire, barbecue, or oven), turn off the heat source and allow the camp oven to gradually cool down. If you put a warm camp oven into cold water or try any other method that promises a quicker cool-down, you run the risk of cracking the oven or deforming it in another way.  

If it is already in the grill, you can speed up the process of naturally cooling it by lifting the lid. In a similar vein, if it was in the oven in the kitchen, you should open the door, wait for it to cool down, and then remove it and set it on the stovetop.

It is necessary to repeat the seasoning process as necessary.

You should only need to season a brand new cast iron camp oven by yourself once, but if after inspection you feel the coating could be smoother, then there is no harm in doing the process again. Seasoning a cast iron camp oven by yourself should only be necessary the first time.

You should re-oil your camp oven before and after each use, and store it in a dry location, in order to get the most use out of your seasoning over its lifespan.  

Preparing a Pre-Existing Camp Oven for Use

The seasoning on a camp oven can become less effective over time for a variety of reasons, and it will periodically need to be redone. The number of times you use your camp oven and how well you take care of it are the two most important factors that will determine how frequently you have to re-season it.  

The primary factors that contribute to the deterioration of camp oven seasoning are the excessive use of scouring and detergents when cleaning, corrosion that results from improper drying, and the prolonged cooking of a large quantity of acidic foods.

The solution, however, is the same no matter what caused the deterioration in the first place. An effective method of seasoning  

In the event that your camp oven has rust on it, you will first need to remove the rust, which is something that is covered in greater depth in another article.

However, if it is only slightly used and in need of seasoning, you should follow the same steps that were described when seasoning a new cast iron camp oven.

The only difference would be in the section devoted to cleaning. Because your camp oven has already seen a lot of use, you are not cleaning it to remove any residue left over from the manufacturing process; rather, you are merely ensuring that there is no built-up area of burnt food or other debris left over from previous uses.  

If you find that some of the food is stuck on, fill the camp oven with water, bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer for about ten to fifteen minutes.

If you follow this advice, the sticky spots should come off easily, and the water should be drained. However, if the spots just won't come off, you may require something a little bit more serious.

You can use anything you want to try and get rid of tough spots (wire brush, etc.), but be aware that the more serious scraping you do, the more seasoning will be required at the other end of the process to build the seasoning back up. If you want to try and get rid of tough spots, you can use whatever you want to try and get rid of them.

Follow the same procedures, and then, at the end, check your seasoning to see if you think it is sufficiently smooth; if you don't, repeat the steps as many times as necessary until you have a nice glossy non-stick coating.     

Which type of oil should I use to season my cast-iron camping oven?

There are a lot of different points of view on the subject of which oil is best to use to season a cast-iron camp oven, but the fact of the matter is that you can use almost any vegetable oil successfully.

Unsaturated oils are preferred because their chemical structure is more reactive, and they convert to a nice seasoned finish a bit more effectively than saturated oils do; however, any type of oil will do.

Given that they use olive oil in their cooking and that their gear continues to perform well after decades of use, many experienced camp oven experts use a nice quality olive oil.

Since flaxseed oil is a drying oil that becomes more solid when it is exposed to air, it is very popular, and people frequently discuss it in online communities and groups. Because of its high cost for a high-quality organic flaxseed oil, you might find that you have no choice but to make do with a more affordable alternative. However, the product does perform exceptionally well. I use simple vegetable oil and get great results  

The "smoking point" of various oils is a topic that comes up in some conversations. According to this school of thought, oils with lower smoking points (such as g Olive Oil) don't make the best seasoning because they've been aged at a lower temperature, so they've lost some of their flavor.

While flaxseed oil and other oils don't start smoking until a higher temperature, which should, in theory, result in a seasoning with a higher overall quality, The most effective oils are those with a high smoking point, but a high-quality olive oil will also do a good job for you.  

When seasoning your cast-iron camp oven, grapeseed oil is another excellent alternative to flaxseed oil. However, unlike flaxseed oil, grapeseed oil is not the least expensive or most common oil to have in your kitchen pantry or cooking supplies.

There are a lot of people who wonder if butter can be used to season a camp oven, but unfortunately, butter is not the best substance to use in this situation. Because of its composition, the product has a high propensity to deteriorate, which increases the risk of the contents of your can becoming spoiled.

It's also not uncommon for people to inquire about the viability of seasoning a camp oven with lard or other types of animal fat. However, these are also inappropriate because, after a certain amount of time has passed, they begin to deteriorate, which results in a putrid odor that can only be eliminated by vigorous scrubbing.

In the past, butter and animal fat were frequently used to season cast-iron camp ovens. If your oven is being used frequently, you might be able to get away with it; however, if your oven is going to be idle for any period of time, you should avoid using butter and animal fat. There is an unacceptable level of danger that the butter or fat will go rancid, rendering the camp oven useless.   

Questions That Are Typically Asked