The great Aussie camp out is something for the history books. There’s nothing better than setting up and camping out with your fellow outdoor enthusiasts, friends and family or just taking a solo stint out in nature. The fresh and uncomplicated air, adrenaline packed activities and new and inspiring spots to discover are all the perfect way to tune out of your daily routine and tune into the amazing country we’re lucky to call home. And one of the best things you can do to take that upcoming unforgettable camping trip to the next level, day after day, night after night? Putting a few classic Australian camp oven recipes to the test! Fire up the barbecue or the campfire, grab your cooking kit and let’s get inspired with a few healthy, delicious dishes to fuel your next outdoor adventure, wherever you’re headed…
The gear
Before you do anything, make sure you’ve got the right set up! Cooking only adds to the entire camping experience, and in order to really do it right you’re going to want to have the ultimate key to comfort and adventure on your side – a camper trailer.
The Scout from Cub Campers is a brilliant lightweight option with forward fold capabilities. Perfect for easy travelling that gives you all the essentials. Fit for casual camping or for high fidelity adventures out in the bush.
A few favourite recipes for camping
Here are just a few camping recipes that are sure to sustain you on a starry night at the camping grounds after an action filled day, and set you up for some tasty leftovers the next day, too.
Damper Bread Recipe
Is there anything more humbling or tasty than cutting a slice of your very own homemade bread? Damper bread is a best-loved camping recipe for a reason! It’s simple, quick and will be a core component of any camping meal from breakfast, lunch and dinner to easy snacks to rustle up when you’re on the move or putting in the KMs on a long drive to your next destination. This hearty campfire classic takes just 10 minutes to prep, 30 minutes to cook and will make enough for 6-8 servings – great for a real crowd pleaser that’s a bit of a no-brainer once you perfect your method.
First things first, the ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to have one hand:
- Self raising flour, 6 cups
- Baking powder, 1 tablespoon
- Salt, 1 pinch
- Warm milk, a splash
- Butter, 3/4 cup
- Syrup, a dash (optional)
1 Get your fire, oven if you’re pre-making or other cooking meals heated up – ideally to 200 degrees. Line a tray with non-stick baking paper or foil.
2 Combine your flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Then use your fingers to rub in the butter. Keep combining until it creates a breadcrumb consistency.
3 Add your milk and mix until it all comes together into a dough – if it’s feeling dry you can always add a bit of water or an extra splash of milk to balance out. Mix or knead gently for 1-2 minutes until nice and smooth.
4 Put your mixture into a hot camp oven or place on the lined tray. You can dust a little extra flour over the top for a traditional look.
5 Put a lid on your camping oven, fire or close your oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the bread is cooked through and sounds hollow when tapped.
6 Move to a wire rack or take out the oven to cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm with syrup and butter or leave to cool completely and use your bread as the base for hundreds of recipes and snacks.
Lamb Shanks Recipe
If you’re on the hunt for an absolute winner around the campfire, then look no further than this Lamb Shanks recipe. This needs a little time and care just to account for cooking your meat through, but it’s so worth the results. Plus, this is a great way of kicking back, sharing a beverage with your group or family and getting a bit creative out there in the camp kitchen. Here’s what you’ll need:
– Lamb shanks, 2
- Diced tomatoes, 2 cans
- Potatoes, 2, medium
- Carrots, 3, medium
- Onion, red or white, 1
- Garlic, 2 cloves
- Herbs, you choose! Italian, basil or parsley work great
- Olive oil, drizzle,
- Red wine, 1 splash
- Beef stock
- Butter
1 Heat up your camping oven and drizzle on a little Olive Oil once it gets to temperature – ideally 180 degrees. Prep and chop your vegetables.
2 Pat your lamb shanks dry, add some seasoning and place onto the fire, let them sear and remove and place to one side once they’re nicely sealed. This should take about 5 minutes.
3 Turn the heat down, drizzle some more Olive Oil and add your chopped onion and garlic. Add in chopped onion and garlic and cook for roughly 2 minutes.
4 Once your onions and garlic are nicely brown, add your two cans of diced tomatoes, beef stock, herbs of choice, potatoes, carrots, and your red wine.
5 Let this aromatic mix simmer and add seared lamb shanks back into the camp oven, turn the heat up and stir to make sure everything is combined.
6 Now turn the heat down and cook your lamb shanks for about 2.5 – 3 hours until the lamb feels beautifully tender.
7 Serve alone or with a slice of damper bread.
Lamb Roast Recipe
A lamb roast is a hearty, warming family favourite. It might not be the first thing your mind jumps to when you’re thinking about dishes to serve around the campfire, but with a bit of practice you’ll find that this is the perfect way to refuel after a big day out in the great outdoors. You’ll need…
- Lamb leg, 1 kilo
- Rosemary, 2 sprigs
- Chick stock, 500 grams (optional)
- Pumpkin, 250 grams
- Potatoes, 4
- Garlic, 4 cloves
- Water, 1 cup
- Olive oil
1 Pre-heat your camping oven and chop your vegetables. Score your leg of lamb and add the garlic cloves and springs of rosemary into your cuts.
2 Rub the lamb with a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt, pepper. Here’s an opportunity to add in a few herbs of your choosing if you like!
3 Add a drizzle of olive oil to your heated camping oven and place your lamb in the centre. Pour on the chicken stock if you’re choosing to use it, cover and cook for 1.5 hours.
5 After 1.5 hours, you can add the pumpkin, potatoes, and garlic onto your tray. Cover for another 1.5 hours or until the lamb is cooked.
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
This is speedy, sustaining and simple Italian comfort cooking at its very best – and you can serve it all up from the campfire, too! This is a great way of bringing a bit of the creature comfort of a good old fashioned home cook meal to your camping trip, much needed especially when you’ve been lucky enough to be taking a longer stint outside. Here’s what you’ll need to make this no-brainer dish:
- Olive oil, 3 tablespoons
- Bone-in skinless chicken thighs, 6 pieces
- Onion, white, 1
- Garlic, 6 cloves
- Yellow capsicum, 1 small
- Red capsicum, 1 small
- Carrot,1 large peeled
- Mushrooms, 300 grams
- Pitted black olives, 1/2 cup
- Thyme, 3 sprigs
- Parsley and basil, 2 teaspoons chopped
- Dried oregano, 1 teaspoon
- Red wine, 150ml
- Crushed tomatoes, 1 tin
- Tomato paste, 2 tablespoons
- Roma tomatoes, 1 punnet
- Salt and pepper
1 Pre-heat your camp oven, pre-chop your veggies and add a drizzle of olive oil to a heavy cast iron skillet. Place on the heat, let it get to temperature and then sear your chicken on both sides until lightly brown, about 3-4 minutes should do. Remove and put to one side
2 Add in the rest of your olive oil to the pan and cook the onion until transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Place in chopped peppers, carrot, mushrooms and herbs. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes until the mixture softens.
3 Pour in your red wine and give the mixture a good stir, simmer until wine is reduced, about 2 minutes.
4 Pour in your crushed tomatoes, add tomato paste and halved Roma tomatoes. Next season to taste.
5 Add the resting chicken pieces back to the skillet and cook at 190°C for 50 minutes. Once 50 minutes has passed, take out, add in the olives and your herbs and cook for an extra 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone, and the sauce has reduced.
