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Backpacker's
Pantry Outback Oven
Making trail food exciting
©
Outdoor Adventure Canada
 Backpacking
fare has advanced tremendously in the past several years. Greater
variety has entered the marketplace but there is still room for
improvement especially in the baked goods department. Or is there?
I conquer
my cravings with the Outback Oven by Backpacker's Pantry. I will
admit that I shrugged off the idea of backcountry baking when
my wife suggested it a few years ago. I figured this was just
another one of her frivolities that would make extra weight in
my already heavy pack. After some coaxing I finally gave in to
the idea and bought the ultra light model which uses your own
pot and weighs only a few grams.
It has an
ingenious design, employing a heat diffuser, thermometer and non-flammable
tent. With my interest piqued I decided to follow my stroganoff
with a fine finish of Outback Oven Brownies. I lined my pot with
a circle of parchment paper, which is a good idea as it makes
clean up a breeze and prevents sticking. I poured the batter into
the pot, placed the heat diffuser on my stove, then my pot with
the lid and finally the thermometer and tent.
I found that
the stove works best on low or simmer. The MSR Dragonfly is an
excellent stove for simmering but I find the Outback Oven works
as well with my Primus Himalaya. You must be careful what type
of stove you use with this product so be sure to read the caution
notes concerning stove types in the instructions. It is a good
idea to rotate the tent periodically to prevent it from scorching.
Once the appropriate time has past you can unveil your delicious
treat.
I must say
that I was completely astonished when I took the first bite of
brownie made in my Outback Oven. With some practice I was making
cakes, pies, lasagna, pizza and even baking fish. The list of
what you can make goes on and my wife has developed several recipes
just for the Outback Oven. Backpacker's Pantry makes a good selection
of mixes for this product such as Dutch Apple Pie, Cinnamon Swirl
Coffee Cake and Banana Nut Bread. Having said this, don't be afraid
to try some of the mixes from your local grocery store. Look for
mixes that only require water and eggs. You can substitute the
fresh eggs with powdered eggs successfully.
After all
my resistance the Outback Oven has become a priority in my backpack
and I use it frequently.
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