How to Season Coghlan's Cast Iron Camp Cooker

Imagine you're camping and gathering with your friends around a campfire. What's a better way to share stories of the day's adventures while preparing snacks on an open fire? Coghlan's Cast Iron Camp Cooker is a versatile tool for cooking your campfire treats like pies, pizza, and more. It's compact enough to carry and store with other camping gear thanks to its removable head.

Cast iron is a popular choice for chefs and home cooks because of its durability, heating properties, and taste. Built to last, you won't have to worry about it dropping or breaking. One of its best qualities is that it holds heat for a long time and cooks food evenly. More importantly, cooking with cast iron gives a distinct and flavourful crusting when grilling meats and toasting bread or dough.

If the thought of cooking with cast iron sounds like something you want to try out, we're here to help you get started. And as experienced cast iron chefs know, the secret to successful cast iron cooking is "seasoning".

Step 1: Remove the Handles

Seasoning your cast iron requires exposing it to oil and heat. The best way to do this with our Cast Iron Camp Cooker is with your oven. To make this easier, you can unscrew and separate the cast iron portion of the product from the handles.

Step 2: Apply Oil

With the cast iron plates separated, use a high smoke point oil such as canola or vegetable oil and evenly spread it on the entire cast iron surface. You don't need to drench it with oil, just apply enough of a coating to form a solid base layer.

Step 3: Heat the Cast Iron

To protect your oven, place a baking sheet or tin foil layer on the bottom rack. This will prevent oil from dripping and baking to the bottom of your oven.

Place the cast iron cooker on the top rack of the oven. You should set the heat to 400°F and let it heat for an hour.

Step 4: Repeat

Using oven mitts, remove the Camp Cooker from the oven. If the oil is still able to run, it needs more time in the oven. If the oil appears as if it has created a glossy layer and isn't running, you can repeat this process a second time to develop a strong 'seasoned' base.

Care and Maintenance

To preserve the natural, protective coating of your cast iron camp cooker, do not use soap when cleaning a seasoned piece of cast iron.

Instead, use warm water with a scrubbing sponge or cloth (such as the one in our Cast Iron Cleaning Kit) to remove cooking residue. If the food is hard to remove, mix one or two tablespoons salt with an equal amount of vegetable oil before scrubbing vigorously. After, rinse with hot water and dry over low heat before storing to prevent rust.

Regular maintenance includes properly cleaning and storing it after each use so that you can enjoy delicious outdoor meals for years to come!