Ground Oven Cooking

Traditional Ground Oven Bushcraft

A ground oven is a traditional bushcraft cooking method using fire, hot stones, green sticks, hessian and soil to create an underground oven.

This is a fascinating Scout activity because the oven is built as part of the cooking process.

The ground oven starts with an empty pit. Fresh green sticks are placed across the top of the pit and the fire is built directly on top of them with stones plased in the fire.

As the fire burns, the green sticks eventually burn through. The hot stones and embers from the fire fall into the pit, creating the heat source for cooking.

Once the fire has completely burned out, the food — wrapped in foil — is placed into the hot pit. The opening is then covered with another layer of green sticks, a hessian sack and finally soil.

An underground earth oven uses heated stones and a sealed the dirt from the hole, covering to slow-cook food evenly through retained heat and steam.

How the Ground Oven Works

The method can be remembered as:

DIG → GREEN STICKS → FIRE WITH STONES → HEAT BURNS THROUGH GREEN STICKS → HOT STONES DROP → LET IT BURN OUT → FOOD IN TIN FOIL → GREEN STICKS → HESSIAN → SOIL → LEAVE TO COOK

The important part of this method is that the pit starts empty and away from tree rougnts.

The stones are not placed into the bottom of the pit beforehand. They are heated by the fire above and fall into the pit as the green-stick platform burns through.

1. Dig the Ground Oven

Choose a suitable location well away from tree roots and overhanging branches.

The ground oven should be built in an open area with no trees, shrubs or other combustible vegetation close to the fire.

This is important because heat from the fire and hot ground can damage tree roots and potentially allow fire to spread through root systems underground. Overhanging branches can also catch fire from flames, sparks or radiant heat.

Before digging:

• Make sure ground fires and digging are permitted.

• Check for underground services.

• Stay well clear of tree roots.

• Do not dig beneath or close to overhanging branches.

• Avoid dry vegetation and other combustible materials.

• Choose stable ground.

• Make sure there is sufficient space around the oven for safe operation.

Dig the cooking pit to the required size.

The pit starts completely empty.

Do not put the stones into the bottom of the pit.

2. Cover the Pit With Green Sticks

Collect a supply of fresh green sticks.

Lay the green sticks across the opening of the pit to create a platform.

Use strong sticks and arrange them closely enough to support the fire that will be built above them.

The green sticks are an important part of the ground oven.

They initially support the fire while allowing the fire to heat the stones.

As the fire continues burning, the green sticks eventually burn through.

3. Build the Fire on Top

Build the fire directly on top of the green-stick covering.

Start with your normal fire-lighting method and gradually build a substantial fire.

The purpose of the fire is to:

• Heat the stones

• Produce hot embers

• Burn through the green sticks

• Transfer the stored heat into the cooking pit

As the fire burns, the green sticks begin to weaken and burn through.

The hot stones and embers then fall down into the pit.

4. Heat the Stones

Continue to manage the fire and allow the stones to become thoroughly heated.

The time required will depend on:

• Size of the ground oven

• Number and size of the stones

• Size of the fire

• Type of firewood

• Weather conditions

As a general guide, allow approximately 1–2 hours for the fire to properly heat the stones.

Do not rush this stage.

The stones are the main source of heat that will cook the food after the fire has gone out.

5. Allow the Fire to Burn Through

As the fire continues burning, the green-stick platform will eventually burn through.

The heated stones and hot embers fall into the pit below.

Continue to manage the fire until the green-stick covering has burned through and the majority of the heated material has dropped into the cooking pit.

The pit should now contain:

HOT STONES + HOT EMBERS

6. Let the Fire Completely Burn Out

Allow the fire to completely burn out before putting the food into the oven.

There must be:

• No flames

• No actively burning wood

• No active fire above the pit

The heat is now stored in the hot stones and embers inside the pit.

Do not place food into an actively burning fire.

7. Prepare the Food

The food can be prepared while the fire is heating the stones.

Suitable foods for a Scout ground oven include:

• Potatoes

• Root vegetables

• Vegetable parcels

• Sausages

• Chicken portions

• Other suitable slow-cooking foods

Wrap the food securely in heavy-duty cooking foil.

The foil protects the food from ash, soil and direct contact with the hot stones.

Take normal food-hygiene precautions and keep raw and cooked food separate.

8. Place the Food Into the Hot Pit

When the fire is completely out, carefully place the foil-wrapped food into the hot pit.

Position the food amongst the hot stones and embers.

The food is now surrounded by the stored heat from the fire.

Use suitable heat-resistant gloves and tools when working around the hot stones.

Take care — the pit can be extremely hot.

9. Cover the Food With Green Sticks

Once the food has been placed into the pit, cover the opening with another layer of fresh green sticks.

This forms the roof of the underground oven.

The green sticks provide a framework for the hessian and soil that will be placed over the top.

Make sure the opening is properly covered.

10. Add the Hessian Sack

Place a hessian sack over the green sticks.

The hessian forms a covering layer between the green sticks and the soil.

The hessian does not need to be damp.

The fire has already completely burned out before the hessian is placed over the cooking chamber.

The hessian helps:

• Keep soil from falling through the green sticks.

• Provide another layer of insulation.

• Help retain the heat inside the oven.

• Create a barrier between the cooking chamber and the soil.

11. Cover With Soil

Finally, cover the hessian completely with soil.

Build up the soil until the entire opening is sealed.

Try to avoid leaving gaps where heat can escape.

The completed ground oven is:

SOIL

↓

HESSIAN SACK

↓

GREEN STICKS

↓

FOIL-WRAPPED FOOD

↓

HOT STONES & EMBERS

The soil and hessian help trap the heat from the hot stones around the food.

The stored heat slowly cooks the food underground.

Cooking Time

Ground oven cooking is a slow process.

The actual cooking time depends on:

• How hot the stones became

• The size of the oven

• The number and size of stones

• The quantity of food

• The type and size of food

• Weather conditions

• How well the oven is sealed

Approximate Cooking Times

These times are guidelines only.

A ground oven has no thermostat, so the temperature can vary considerably.

For meat, always check the internal temperature using a suitable food thermometer before serving.

Do not rely on cooking time or appearance alone to determine whether meat is safe to eat.

If the food requires additional cooking, carefully return it to the hot oven and replace the covering layers.

Opening the Ground Oven

When the cooking time has passed, carefully remove the soil.

The oven and its contents may still be extremely hot.

Remove the hessian and green-stick covering carefully.

Use appropriate gloves and tools when handling hot materials.

Take particular care when opening foil parcels because hot steam can escape.

Check the food carefully before serving.

The Ground Oven Method – Quick Guide

1. DIG

Dig an empty cooking pit.

2. GREEN STICKS

Cover the pit with fresh green sticks.

3. FIRE

Build the fire on top of the green sticks.

4. HEAT

Keep the fire burning to heat the stones.

5. DROP

As the green sticks burn through, the hot stones and embers fall into the pit.

6. BURN OUT

Allow the fire to completely burn out.

7. FOOD

Place the foil-wrapped food into the hot pit.

8. GREEN STICKS

Cover the food with another layer of green sticks.

9. HESSIAN

Place the hessian sack over the green sticks.

10. SOIL

Cover everything with soil to seal the oven.

11. COOK

Leave the oven sealed while the stored heat cooks the food.

12. EAT

Carefully uncover the oven, check the food and enjoy your meal.

Why Does a Ground Oven Work?

The stones heated by the fire act as a store of heat.

While the fire is burning, heat is transferred into the stones.

Once the fire has gone out, the stones continue releasing their stored heat.

The foil-wrapped food is surrounded by this heat inside the pit.

The layers of:

Green sticks → Hessian → Soil

help retain the heat and create an underground oven.

It is a simple demonstration of how natural materials can be used to cook food without a modern oven.

Ground Oven Safety

Ground oven cooking involves fire, extremely hot stones, hot embers, steam and digging.

Always follow your organisation's current safety procedures, fire regulations and local site rules.

Fire Safety

• Only build a ground oven where fires are permitted.

• Carry out an appropriate risk assessment.

• Keep Scouts at a safe distance from the fire.

• Maintain suitable adult supervision.

• Have appropriate fire-control equipment available.

• Never leave the fire unattended.

• Ensure the fire has completely burned out before loading the food.

Tree and Ground Safety

• Build the oven well away from tree roots.

• Keep well away from overhanging branches.

• Avoid dry vegetation.

• Never build directly over tree roots.

• Check for underground services before digging.

• Use stable ground.

• Restore the ground after the activity.

Stone Safety

Never use wet or waterlogged stones.

Some stones can contain trapped moisture. When heated, this can turn to steam and cause the stone to crack or break apart.

Use suitable dry stones from a known safe source.

Food Safety

• Wash hands before preparing food.

• Keep raw and cooked food separate.

• Use clean preparation equipment.

• Wrap food securely.

• Check meat with a suitable food thermometer.

• Be careful of hot steam when opening foil parcels.

Leave No Trace

Once cooking is complete and the oven has cooled:

1. Remove the remaining covering materials.

2. Make sure there are no hot stones or embers remaining.

3. Remove food waste.

4. Remove the hessian and green sticks.

5. Replace the soil.

6. Restore the ground as closely as possible to its original condition.

Never leave a buried hot fire or hot embers unattended.

Ground Oven Scout Challenge

Turn the ground oven into a patrol cooking challenge.

Each patrol can work together to:

1. Select a safe location.

2. Dig the ground oven.

3. Build the green-stick platform.

4. Build and maintain the fire.

5. Heat the stones.

6. Prepare the food.

7. Allow the fire to burn completely out.

8. Load the hot pit.

9. Cover the oven.

10. Calculate the cooking time.

11. Safely uncover the oven.

12. Check and serve the food.

Skills Developed

Scouts can develop:

• Fire-lighting skills

• Fire management

• Outdoor cooking

• Food preparation

• Natural-material skills

• Teamwork

• Planning

• Patience

• Understanding of heat and insulation

• Safety awareness

• Leave-no-trace principles

A Traditional Bushcraft Cooking Experience

Ground oven cooking gives Scouts the opportunity to experience a traditional method of cooking using simple natural materials.

The whole process becomes part of the activity — from digging the pit and building the green-stick platform to lighting the fire, heating the stones, preparing the food and finally uncovering the cooked meal.

Dig the pit. Build the green-stick roof. Light the fire. Heat the stones. Let them fall into the pit. Bury the food. Seal the oven. Let the stored heat cook your dinner!