Cobb BBQ and Dreampot Thermo Cooker

We have both, the dream pot is just not limited to stews, we cook corned beef, meat loaf, and various roasted type chicken dishes(not crumbed cause they will not brown). The Cobb is excellent any type of cooking, have cooked everything from roast to Casserole in it. The dream pot is handy on days were late arrival means you don't have to cook on arrival and you have hot water to do the dishes. but nothing beat the old camp oven, these other cooking tools are handy when it is not practical the cook on the open fire.

Stewy

Andrew,

Although I don't have a Dreampot, I have checked them out and must correct your statement a little.

The Dreampot doesn't only keep food warm but actually contributes to the cooking process. You start the cooking process on a stove, or in an oven, then transfer the food to the Dreampot, where it continues to cook "ever so slowly" until you open it several hours later.

Not my scene though. I have plenty of time at the end of the day, but not too much at the beginning.

Yes Sand Man I agree about the time. I like to get away early and the last thing I want to do is prepare dinner straight after breakfast. My point about the Dreampot I think is correct though. If you put cold raw food in it in the morning it would still be cold and raw at dinner time - or am I missing something? You use your stove as a heat source in the morning and the food is kept hot all day. The pot simply retains some of the heat that you have put in with your stove. A word of caution too - sufficient temperature must be attained to kill bacteria before placing in the Dreampot because the temperature only goes downwards during the day. The food warmers in shops are often criticised for causing food poisoning and I just don't like the idea of keeping food warm for long periods - especially chicken!!!!! (sorry). For me it's fresh or "fridge to cooker".

One of the best meals I've had when camping was our (well, Annette's) first attempt with the Dreampot. She did a corned silverside in the main pot and a golden syrup pudding in the top one. She prepared them in the morning, they cooked all day as we drove along in convoy with other club members and at the end of the day, as soon as we set up camp, we sat around the fire and tucked-in to this bood-i-ful feed while everybody else fussed about starting to cook etc.

Strewth mate, we will be round for tea Saturday night.
Only ten of us and we don't eat much
M.

Hi Macca,
I looked at your slide show for the cobb cooker and was very impressed. How big is this cooker? What size roasts did you cook and how long did they take?

Hi Zedd

I have posted a email that I sent to my mates when I first started using the Cobb cooker below, you can't beat a spit roast but you can certainly enjoy any thing cooked in a Cobb Cooker

I bought this Cobb cooker from the Anaconda adventure store for $229 after reading about it in some 4x4 magazines so I thought I would give it a go, mate either Macca can cook on any thing or this thing is a ripper so little cost to run it (ie)

3 heat beads - scones done in 24 min

6 heat beads - mixed baked vegs cooked in 1hr 15min

7 heat beads - 1.7 kg stuffed chook cooked in 2 hours I put 250mil of VB beer in the mote on this one best chook I have ever tasted

8 heat beads - 2.6kg leg Lamb with vegs with wine put in the mote below 3hrs all times could have been less if the bloody photographer stopped taking the lid of to take photos

I tell you what I'm impressed what a handy little item this could compliment any barbecue or a handy little picnic and camping item & the best thing is its 90% of it is made of marine grade stainless Macca loves stainless steel

Any way I must get back to the drawing board and see what I can cook up for what's cooking with Macca week 13 I just bought a 12 kg suckling pig for Australia Day I don't think that will fit on the Cobb so I will have to use my spit for that one.

Cheers to you all

from Macca

SOunds great Macca! Bit bowled over by the cost but I guess you are recouping the initial outlay by not needing gas for an oven. Heat beads sound like a good idea as a substitute for cobbs. I do fantastic roasts in my less than $20 camp oven though so I don't think I'll be spending the $229 to upgrade right now! You sound like a very enthusiastic cook - are you fat? My theory is all the best cooks - male and female are fat. In fact I don't think I've ever known a really good cook who was skinny!

Just looked at your slideshow Macca and the food looks delicious. But what is the attraction of the cooker? Is it the low operating cost? That beautiful food would have looked just as good in anything from a high lid electric frypan to a camp oven. Good cooking!

Have been on the internet looking up prices - Granger Camping in Dandenong have the Cobb Cooker on special for $199 until 15th July. They have an online shop. - not sure of postage.

I looked up a previous thread and found that some people have used the cooker as a heater to warm up their caravan and trailer on cold nights. I like this idea - especially on autumn nights in the outback. However, before I commit, my missus wants to know how easy are these cookers to clean. Sorry mates, but my missus likes the cooking utensils to be spotless. If it is too fidelling to wash she'll be on my back - perhaps I should stick to the dutch oven. I definitely don't want to end up doing all the washing up.

Couldn't agree more Macca, we used ours plus my brothers for Xmas dinner at home, rarely go away without it...

Also I am very interested in the Boatloader, email me at blazesport@tsn.cc with any info please.

Cheers

Blaze
I purchased my boatloader from Custom Boatloaders I have posted their web site below. I'm very happy with my loader they make a quality product. I have the fully electric model no change out of $4000 but I think its worth every cent.

Contact Bill & Di at Custom Boat Loaders.

www.customboatloaders.com.au/

Cheers Macca

Isn't it enlightening to see "inventions" like the Cobb Bra to overcome "adversity".

It almost makes me want to "upgrade" to the SS mesh base, just so I can use the Bra:-))

Sand Man do I hear a confession into cross dressing here, wanting to upgrade just so you can use the BRA......... LOL

Hey that's my CobBra.......LOL!!!!!!!

Seriously though, i really enjoy my Cobb and I use it camping and at home to cook roasts with veggies. I have yet to play with scones and cakes etc but that is something i will try as time permits. Mind you I have never cooked scones in the kitchen before either.....

I have had a meal cooked for me in a dreampot, curried sausages and vegs which was nice too. I can see them being great for stews and casseroles etc or desserts. How you get a crispy roast out of one though...beats me.

The vegies go in the moat under the tray Mr Philistine Frog. I'll show you one day. ;o)

oh I see well in that case lets have a cook up my good Wombat.

Quote from the cobb website:

Vegies, in foil, are cooked in the moat while the roast is on the grill above.

Water, wine or beer is added to the moat to steam the vegies and moisten and flavour the roast.

End quote

the veges in the moat are steamed not roasted

Hey there Mr. Froggy,

You only need to put liquid in the moat if you are cooking the crap out of the meat IMHO.

I don't put anything in the moat except the veggies, wrapped in foil to stop them drying out too much.

I find the meat stays moist, but then I only cook it for an hour and a half.

Interesting comment you quote from the Web site too mate.
Buggered if I know how one steams veggies if they are wrapped in foil.
I call mine baked.

I agree with you in that the Cobb is really only for two people though if you are cooking veggies. If I'm cooking for "the mob" I also employ a camp oven usually using more heat beads both on top and underneath.
Two different types of meat roasts and enough spuds & carrots for around ten people that way.

I don't think we'll fit a whole pig in it Mr Frog - even a "little" one!

Wow they look good but I can't believe the price of from $249 up to $359 and then you still have to provide the cooker as this just keeps the food warm.