The largest commercially built camp oven in history was the 24 inch ovens that were made by a few of the older foundries including Carron and Cannon and others that were unbranded.
Six 36 inch ovens were once made by mistake when the order measurement was given to the foundry in perimiter inches instead of diameter inches. These six ovens still exsist in private collections and museums today.
Top Image: A Patch 36 inch oven full of stew at the Millmerran Camp Oven Festival
Michael Patch is a well known camp oven cook who runs the biggest camp oven cooking business in the world having catered for several thousand meals at a sitting on many occasions. To supply his own business with quality large ovens was so near impossible he eventually set about making his own. Until then the biggest cast iron camp oven available in Australia was a mere 18 inches and the old foundry ones are extremely rare and very expensive to buy if you find one.
And so Michael had moulds made up to represent the great scottish ovens of old in shape and went into producing small quantities in the sizes of 16 inch, 18 inch, 20 inch, 22 inch and 24 inch. These ovens can be purchased on order and without doubt they are the best cooking ovens produced anywhere in the world today.
The 36 inch Patch ovens are available to buy. Contact Michael direct for details on how to order. Casting is only done a couple of times a year so be ready for a bit of a wait. These ovens will increase in value as there is a cap of 20 to be made. They are currently the biggest camp oven ever made in the world so to own one is a pretty special thing.
Michael Patch contact details: