Caravanning or camping off grid is something we love to do. There’s nothing better than being able to choose your campmates to share a wide open space and enjoy each others company around a campfire each night.

Along with that, comes camp oven cooking…delicious!

On our latest getaway we’ve had a couple of station stays and at Spear Creek Station, we were able to buy the ready to eat Dorper lamb, that they raise on the property.

Therefore a very tasty saltbush, rolled lamb roast was on the menu one night which we also added some lamb shanks to. To prepare them, lots of home grown garlic was poked into slits cut into the roast and shanks, and fresh rosemary was also tucked into the cuts.

Previously the campfire had been lit and after a couple of hours there were enough coals to cover the camp ovens, (2 needed for 6 of us) with the roast and shanks inside, raised up on trivets.

This type of cooking is so perfect because it allows everyone to enjoy the fire, the conversations and the red wine and just occasionally, remember to check on the food. Once the meat is looking browned but needing more time to cook through, we loaded the vegies in and around the meat.

With potatoes, pumpkin and carrots thrown in and being basted with the lamb juices, it was time to sit back and wait for everything to cook and the magic to happen.

Darkness falls, more red wines are chosen for the meal, peas and gravy are added to the table and a perfectly cooked roast meal is ready to devour.

And the verdict? well all was perfect! How could it not be, with the freshest of ingredients, cooked to just the right degree and shared with friends and some damn fine red wines. The Spear Creek lamb shanks were particularly good.

The key to camp oven cooking is to not be in a rush and enjoy the process.

Cheers

Glenys