Without an oven, cakes and pastries can be baked in a covered pot over low heat; a thin layer of sand or coarse salt on the bottom of the pot keeps the tin off the direct heat, giving an indirect-heat effect. This method usually takes around 50% longer than baking in an oven.
Keeping the lid tightly shut builds up a hot-air circulation similar to an oven; a loose lid lets steam escape and can leave the batter too damp.
How is a cake baked in a covered pot?
Spread about a centimetre of sand or coarse salt across the bottom of a thick, wide pot, then set a wire rack or an upturned small plate on top. Place the cake tin on that rack and cook over low heat with the lid tightly closed.
Tying a kitchen towel over the underside of the lid stops condensation from dripping onto the cake; that small detail keeps the top from turning soggy.
Can an air fryer take an oven's place?
An air fryer is a decent stand-in for small oven dishes; its hot-air circulation gives a similar browning effect. Its small basket, though, may not fit a full cake tin or a tray-sized dish.
Adapting an oven recipe for an air fryer usually means dropping the temperature by 15-20 degrees and shortening the time, or the surface browns before the inside finishes cooking.
Which dishes suit covered stovetop cooking?
Dishes normally roasted, like vegetables or chicken, can also be cooked in a wide covered pan over low heat; the lid traps steam and creates a moist heat similar to an oven. If a browned surface is wanted, the last few minutes can be cooked with the lid off.
This works especially well for thin cuts of vegetable or chicken; thicker pieces risk the outside burning before the inside is done.
Can a barbecue substitute for an oven?
A covered barbecue can mimic an oven's indirect heat by controlling how the coals are arranged; food sits to the side or on a tray rather than directly over the coals. This works particularly well for roasting meat and vegetables.
Gauging a barbecue's temperature is not as simple as reading an oven dial, so people often estimate roughly by how long a hand can hover near the heat.
How is heat managed without a thermostat?
None of these stovetop methods have an oven's precise dial, so the heat should always stay low and be checked a few times during cooking. A skewer inserted into the centre of a cake coming out clean means it is done.
Too much heat browns the outside before the inside cooks through, which is why patience and a low flame are the single most important rule of cooking without an oven.
In short
Without an oven, a cake can be baked in a covered pot with the tin set on a layer of sand or salt; expect roughly half again as much time. An air fryer, a covered pan, or a barbecue all work well depending on the size of the dish.
None of them offer an oven's precise dial, so keeping the heat low and checking often is the safest approach.