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When it comes to camp oven cookery, Roast Lamb has to be at the top of everyone’s list. We just bought our first Camp Oven. We selected a larger one since we felt it would be the most adaptable for our needs. We also received a metal trivet at the same time. When cooking items like roast meat in the camp oven, this goes in the bottom to keep it from sticking.

We also added a long leather welders glove to our gear after finding a strong sturdy lid lifter. This was perfect for getting the camp oven in and out of the fire. I opted to make Roast Lamb for my first try at camp oven cooking.

Picking The Lamb

I was hoping that my choice of Roast Lamb would not be too ambitious, having never cooked in a camp oven before. I picked a half leg of lamb weighing around 1.2 kg. My friend who lives in Colac in Victoria was telling me about a lamb producer there that has some of the best lamb he’s ever tasted so I had to try it. Once I got my hands on this lamb, I could see why he liked it, Ambassador Lamb (I’ve linked it, in case you want to get some of your own) is a full of flavour and it’s used by plenty of chefs so you know it’s the real deal. So I ordered a couple of cuts of Ambassador Lamb (some to try at home in the oven, of course) and kept some ready for the big trip.

Roasting The Lamb

We estimated that it would take two and a half to three hours to cook, so we ignited the fire by 3 p.m. The fire had created some wonderful hot coals around 4 p.m. We set the camp oven on a bed of hot embers and then topped it with additional coals.

We sat back around the fire, beer in hand, waiting for it to cook. After an hour, we checked on the meat, and the aroma wafting from the oven informed us that we were on the right road. It was browning well on top and looked lovely and delicate.

At around 6 p.m., we took the oven out again and checked the meat with a sharp knife. There was still a lot of pink fluid flowing out of the centre, but at that point it would have been OK for someone who prefers their meat rare. I then added a layer of potatoes to the bottom and cooked it for another 15 minutes before adding carrots, sweet potato, and mushrooms.

We then rotated the oven every 15 minutes to ensure that the vegetables cooked evenly. We even heated a can of corn. This may be accomplished by simply opening the can’s lid and placing it on the embers near the fire. Make sure to slightly open the tin first, or it will likely explode as it cooks. After that, I cooked some gravy and dinner was ready!

The Result

I must say that the completed result was outstanding. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a satisfying supper. The lamb was tender, juicy, and flavorful, and the vegetables were nicely prepared. It went down well with a glass of Aussie Shiraz to accompany it. It had to have been delicious because there was nothing left but the bones!