No oven? Figure you can’t bake? Actually, you can!
With a special pan — called an Omnia Stove Top Oven — you can have real baked goods over almost any type of stove burner — gas, electric, kerosene, alcohol or even a camp stove. And it can be used on a grill, too.
Now, admittedly, you’re not going to roast a turkey in one. The baking pan is a tube pan, fairly similar in size to a Bundt pan or angel food cake pan. It’s great for pizza, cakes, bread, quiche, casseroles and more — and I’ve even baked a cut up ham and chicken pieces in mine.
For years, people have tried to bake in Dutch ovens and pressure cookers, with less than ideal results. Often, food would be soggy as it was more steamed than baked, and frequently the bottom would burn while the top was still raw.
The difference with the Omnia is that it was designed from the beginning to bake. You’re not trying to use a pan designed for something else and then find “work arounds” for all the problems.
If you’ve heard enough and just want to get one, here’s the link. Otherwise, I’ve written several articles on the Omnia and they are listed below.
Want to know more about the Omnia? Check out my articles below:
- How the Omnia Works
- Using an Omnia Stove Top Oven (includes photos of many dishes I’ve made)
- Details of Using the Omnia Oven (11 tips for perfect results)
- Photos of Things I’ve Baked in the Omnia — if you’re wondering how bread or pizza (or anything else) comes out!
Recipes for the Omnia — sized to fit and with directions to help you learn the techniques:Not convinced and want to try other methods of baking on the stove? Here’s what I’ve learned:
The one comprehensive galley reference needed aboard every boat
I used my Omnia this summer. My Omnia is perfect to make bread in the morning and some dinner meals on a gas stove. I need no ovn in my pantry, when I’ve got my Omnia
I have a Coleman folding oven which folds down to 12″x12″ and about two inches thick. I absolutely love it for camping (one of my best camping additions!!) but wondered if any other Boat Galley fans have used it on their boat? And could offer any tips for using it safely? I could imagine it being unwieldy in rolly anchorages?
We live on 35ft Sailboat and purchased the Omnia oven and it has been the best. We both enjoy cooking in it and use it often. It stores easy and I would reccommend this to anyone who needs an oven.
Thank you!
Jamie Larson
Glad to hear it!
Hi, I am new here and new to cruising (about to buy our first boat and live aboard). Carolyn, this site is simply amazing. I did have a question though, what sorts of things can you not bake in an Omnia? I never bake on land other than roasting some veggies and the occasional bread, so I was wondering if I even need my boat oven, if I could use it for storage instead. Thoughts? Thank you!
You can bake most things in an Omnia — what you can’t is really more a matter of what won’t fit. Say, a whole turkey or even a whole chicken. But a cut up chicken or ham will fit. Instead of true lasagna with long wide noodles, I make a lasagna casserole with shorter pasta that adapts to the ring shape better.
If you really don’t bake much, you might be happy without an oven. I know of some cruisers who got rid of their oven because they just never used it. For me, I use my oven not quite every day but pretty often. It really is a matter of personal preference!