Camping Lamb Stew
Slow cooked, smokey stew with lamb shanks and leftover veg from the fridge.
Camping is something we try to do as a family well, as much as we can, which turns out to be every couple of months. It is the greatest reset for all of us. We absolutely thrive in nature, everyone is calm, happy, joyous ahh its just the best.
This camp spot I booked (I will do a post on soon and share with you all) was incredible — we are now using hip camp and only booking places that are single sites because we camp to get away from humanity.
Every time we camp we keep our food so simple, we do a big brekkie cook up on the fire, snack for lunch then have some kind of meat for dinner. Over the days I will choose one day to do a slow cooked stew, mind you this seemed to be far more difficult with my 12 week old on my hip, but we managed. I nearly dropped the stew at one point, it boiled over, nearly burnt, but still, that was all supposed to be part of the flavour profile cause it was bangin.
Usually I would do the whole thing on the fire, but decided to start it on the burner because it was a bit drizzly, I actually really loved this method using the fire to slow cook everything once it was time.
Whenever we go camping I take one jar of spices, this one is my fav, its kind of got everything in it that goes well with fire cooking, I also took some thyme and parsley from the garden as its so nice to have fresh herbs. I keep it so minimal letting the produce and the meat do most of the flavouring.
I cook everything with the lid on, opening to stir regularly. The key and thing to master is the heat of the fire, I will take coals from the larger fire and keep the stew off to the side just using coals to give it a slower cook then place it over the flame for a stronger heat, its a full dance trying to slow cook, not burn it yet keep it at temp.
Sometimes I will even put coals all around it and on top of the lid if I need to have a swim or tend to something else aka breastfeed.
Its a journey but gives me such purpose in nature, to work with fire, the elements, weaving in and out, tending, it feels how it is meant to, primal, divine yet somehow still so feminine.
Ingredients:
2 Large lamb shanks
3 TBL bush curry ( from the source bulk foods )
Sprig of thyme
Handful of parsley
Can of tomatoes
6 Small carrots
4 Medium potatoes
Butter or oil for cooking
S+P
1 L Bone broth
1 Large onion diced
Method:
Cook your onion and herbs in butter with s+p until onion is caramelised.
Add carrot and cook for another couple minutes.
Transfer to the other side of the pan - the base and add your tomatoes plus more salt and pepper.
Rub your shanks in salt and sit, you can leave them overnight or just for an hour before cooking. Using the lid brown your meat in the seasoning from the veg then transfer to the base side.
Pop the lid on, add the broth until covering the meat and transfer to the fire.
You can add your potatoes in now, or you can wait — waiting will mean the potatoes are more whole and still hard, popping them in at the slow cook start will mean they dissolve more making the stew thicker and giving it a mashed potato vibe which I really like.
Cook for 4 hours on the fire stirring so it does not stick or until the meat has fully fallen off the bone. Add water or more bone broth as you go to keep the stew moist.