7 Ways to Bake Without an Oven

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Play with your food! It’s time to start experimenting with different baking methods that don’t require a traditional oven! That means getting your hands messy, buying some new toys, and deep diving into some YouTube videos… for science.

Remember, bread making and primitive baking go back centuries before electricity was even invented. We don’t need to depend on the modern day oven to get our carb fix. Prepare to be amazed by what you can create once you embrace the homestead spirit!

Today, we’re going to walk you through traditional and non-traditional ways of baking without an oven. Some methods you can practice right now and some require a day or weekend of backyard projects that will only make your homestead more valuable and sustainable. Let’s eat!

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1. Gas Oven Tandoor

If you’re looking for the lowest maintenance and easiest method to bake without an oven, this handy invention is it. The Gas Oven Tandoor is a modern day machine that comes with multiple, interchangeable plates that allow you to bake practically anything and everything on a gas stove.

What to Bake: Pizza, Cake, Tandoor Roti, Naan, Roasted Tandoori Chicken and whatever else you can come up with!

How to Bake with a Gas Oven Tandoor:

Just like you would sear or sauté over a gas stove with a pan, you place this “oven” on top of the flame and adjust your cook time and heat accordingly.

2. Cast Iron Skillet over a Gas Stove

If you don’t already have a cast iron cookware in your kitchen collection, now is the time to order one. They are literally the only piece of kitchenware that gets better with age as the flavors burrow into the pan and infuse everything you cook… or in this case, bake.

What to Bake: Bread!

What You’ll Need:

How to Bake:

Just like you would with an oven, you will first prep the dough with yeast and let it rise in a pot. When it’s risen, the baking begins. Watch this video tutorial on how to make bread in a skillet from beginning to end!

3. Large Pot Over a Gas Stove

Very similar to baking pan bread, you can make lighter, fluffier buns by using the Asian-inspired pot method!

What to Bake: Eggless Pav, Cup Cakes, Dinner Rolls

What You’ll Need:

Here’s a tutorial to walk you through the process of how to make delicious Eggless Pav.

4. An Earthen Oven

We’re taking it back to the 1800s where colonists would make ovens out of mud and clay and feed their entire village fresh, warm bread. The finished oven looks something like a poor man’s pizza oven fueled by wood.

What to Bake: Pizza, casseroles, bread, protein…use your stomach’s imagination!

What You’ll Need to Build an Earthen Oven:

• Sand from your Hardware Store
• Clay from your Hardware Store
• Straw or Dried Grass from your Yard
• Bricks or Fire Bricks from your Hardware Store
• Water
• Canvas Tarp
• Solid Base of your Choice (stone or brick table is often best)

Follow this step-by-step tutorial that shows you how to build an Earthen Oven in one day:

5. Brick Wood Fired Pizza Oven

When it comes to building your own Brick Oven, there are quite a few versions to choose from, spanning from modern to ultra-fancy! Both cook just the same, it’s just a matter of visual taste and how much effort you’re willing to put in.

What to Bake: Pizza, Bread, Casseroles, and Cakes.

How to Make a Brick Oven:

You’ve got options! Here are some tutorials for you to choose from.

6. Solar Oven

Solar Ovens are an essential for every survivalist. Made of lightweight reflective material that is easy to carry and store, and is powered only by the sun, there’s no excuse not to have one in your cooking arsenal.

What to Bake: Best for casseroles, soups, chicken, and more.

What you Need: We recommend the SunFlair Mini Portable Solar Oven which comes with everything you need to bake off the grid including…

• 1 Solar Oven Thermometer
• 1 Trivet
• 1 Collapsible Silicone Pot
• 1 Handy Tote Bag

Watch the SunFlair Solar Oven in action here and learn some yummy recipes while you’re at it:

7. Tandoor Oven

Now, with a Tandoor Oven, it really takes dedication and intrinsic motivation to get this project just right. The basics of the oven are simple to assemble and can be done so in an hour. However, everyone seems to have their own school of thought on how to ventilate. That’s where creativity comes in.

What to Bake: Think middle eastern with baked kebabs, naan bread, and tandoori chicken.

What You’ll Need to Build a Tandoor Oven:

• Large Terracotta Pot
• Medium Terracotta Pot
• Small Terracotta Pot
• An all-purpose handsaw
• Stone or Pebbles to fill the Large Terracotta Pot

Learn from the pros in this video tutorial:

8. Campfire Dutch Oven

Going back to our roots, the Dutch Oven method is a campfire classic for pioneers and still serves us well today. It’s an ideal solution for baking a wide range of items from savory stews to sweet desserts, and of course, bread!

What to Bake: Bread, Cornbread, Stews, Cobbler and many other outdoor recipes.

What You’ll Need:

• A campfire or coal bed
• Cast iron Dutch oven with lid
• Charcoal briquettes or coals from the fire
• Tongs or lid lifter
• Oven mitts

How to Bake with a Campfire Dutch Oven:

Arrange your coals or adjust your campfire so you have a hot, but not blazing, heat source. Place the Dutch Oven over the heat and add more coals on top of the lid. The number of coals will depend on the recipe and outside temperature, so a bit of practice is essential.

Related Article: Dutch Oven Cooking: The Complete Guide for Beginners

9. Rocket Stove

Rocket stoves are efficient, easy to build, and ideal for off-grid cooking and baking needs. They use a small amount of wood to produce a lot of heat, concentrating it on a pot or pan making them an eco-friendly option for baking.

What to Bake: Flatbreads, Pancakes, Skillet Biscuits, and more!

What You’ll Need to Build a Rocket Stove:

• Bricks, Stones, or Commercially available Rocket Stove
• Stove Grate or Flat Stone
• Skillet or Griddle Pan

Here’s an easy to follow tutorial to help you make your own Rocket Stove:

10. Reflective Box Oven

Reflective box ovens, also known as cardboard box ovens, are an inexpensive and surprisingly effective way to bake without a conventional oven. All you need is a cardboard box, aluminum foil, and a heat source like charcoal briquettes.

What to Bake: Cookies, Brownies, Pizzas, and even Roast Chicken.

What You’ll Need:

• Cardboard box
• Aluminum foil
• Charcoal briquettes or a small heat source
• Wire rack or grill grate

How to Bake with a Reflective Box Oven:

Cover the inside of a box with aluminum foil, shiny side out. Cut a flap on one side to control the heat. Place the heat source at the bottom, and a grill grate or wire rack above it to hold the food. Monitor the heat by adjusting the flap.

Living off-grid doesn’t mean you have to compromise on good food. Embrace the art of non-traditional baking and enjoy the flavorful rewards. Get started today and you’ll soon be a master of off-grid baking.

Pro Baking Tip: Learn How to Cultivate Yeast

If you’re a family full of bread lovers, then you need to start your infinite yeast supply now! Watch this 10-minute tutorial for a life full of bread bliss!

So, there ya have it! You don’t have to rely on electricity to bake delicious bread and casseroles on the homestead. As with everything you do out there, get creative and take pride in learning some new skills. Have a look around your property and start scouting out where you’re going to set up your next big baking project!

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