I’ve enjoyed quite a few camp oven roasts in my time and I never tire of them. I think the atmosphere that surrounds what can only be described as the ritual of the roast is what makes the meal so exquisite.
Everyone has their own way of doing it, and I don’t pretend to know the best way, but there are a few things you should do that will help the outcome. First, don’t let anyone but the cook play with the fire. That’s number one. Next, start with a big fire some hours earlier in order to get a good bed of coals going, then keep a good supply of medium-sized split logs on the go so you can keep your supply of coals up. Thirdly, try to control the urge to check how it’s going. You should be able to smell and hear if your roast is cooking away nicely. Trust your instincts. And finally, don’t forget to team it with dessert. In my opinion you can’t go past a bread and butter pudding or a golden syrup steamed pudding – they’re my crowning glory at any bush cook-up. Try these recipes and give your choppers a scrumptious camp roast and a sweet treat chaser.
CAMP OVEN ROAST
INGREDIENTS
For the roast lamb or beef
- 2 brown onions, peeled and halved
- 2 carrots, peeled and halved
- 6 potatoes, washed and halved
- 250g pumpkin, cut into pieces
For the gravy
- Oil for browning
- 1 410g tin of tomato pieces
- 1 stick celery, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 spring fresh rosemary
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp Gravox or plain flour
METHOD
On a stove or bed of coals, warm the camp oven until hot and sear your meat on all sides to add colour. This will also impart a richness to the gravy. Season the meat and then set aside, reserving any juices for the gravy.
In the pot you plan to cook the roast in, brown the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic in a little oil. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper and bring to the boil before simmering for five minutes. Add the rosemary. Add a trivet to the camp oven to allow the roast to sit above the gravy and place meat into the camp oven. Place the oven into a hot bed of coals and put coals on the lid. This is the browning period. Leave for 20 minutes until the coals have reduced and died down. Brush away and check the meat is browned and cooking has begun. Add all of the vegetables to the pot and replace the lid. Add a small amount of coals underneath and a good amount to the lid. Keep the coals up to the lid for another hour. When you are satisfied the meat is cooked to your liking, remove vegetables and meat and cover with foil to rest.
If the pot juices are too reduced, add water and stir. Add the Worcestershire sauce and gravy mix to the sauce in the pot and stir until thickened. Season to taste. Remove the rosemary and discard. Slice and serve the meal with lashings of gravy.
BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING
INGREDIENTS
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 300ml thickened cream
- ¼ cup caster sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla essence
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 8 slices white bread, crusts removed
- 100g butter, softened
- ½ cup sultanas
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
METHOD
Grease a medium-sized camp oven with some oil or butter and set aside. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, caster sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Spread both sides of each bread slice with butter. Cut each slice in half diagonally. Arrange the bread in the oven in such a way as the points are upwards. The more points, the crispier the result. Sprinkle the bread layer with the sultanas.
Pour egg mixture over bread. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. Put the lid on and place the camp oven on a bed of prepared coals for 20 minutes or until the custard is nearly set.
When it’s almost ready, add a couple of big shovels of coals to the lid and bake the topping. The exposed bread should be crispy and almost burnt. Serve with lashings of double cream.
GOLDEN SYRUP STEAMED PUDDING
INGREDIENTS
- Vanilla or butter cake packet cake mix
- Golden syrup
METHOD
Make the cake mix as directed on the packet, but adding a tablespoon of golden syrup. Grease a pudding bowl and pour in a generous amount of golden syrup. Gently pour in the cake mix and seal the top of the basin with greased foil and lock the lid on. Add water to your oven and bring to the boil (do not add cold water to a hot cast iron oven as it can crack). Place the basin carefully onto a trivet in your oven. Boil for approximately 45 minutes.
Serve with custard or cream.
