Tom,
Tell your son to buy a cast iron dutch oven. Using a dutch oven on a
gas ring will make a very fine substitute for an oven. It's what
sourdoughs over the ages used to bake their bread in....except not a
gas fire, but a wood one.
I've done this camping before. At home, he'll have to experiment as
to the height of the fire. But, bread is amazingly resilient. It
can be baked at a range of temperatures and still turn out quite
well. Probably a low/medium low would work best. And, the oven
needs to be preheated slowly.
Find a wire grate that will fit inside the oven to raise a pan
slightly above the bottom and allow air circulation. If he can't
find one to fit, a few clean, non porous stones work also. Just
set a pan filled with bread dough on top of the grate or stones in
the preheated oven and cover the oven. It's called a dutch OVEN
because it works quite well as such.
I find the most challenging part is finding a pan and a grate that
fits inside the oven. And, figuring out how to get it out of the hot
oven without burning your fingers.
A possible inexpensive reference source: Dutch Oven Cooking by John
G. Ragsdale He has practical tips, quite a few bread recipes, and
many other recipes.
HTH,
Linda