How To Cook The Ultimate Campfire Roast

Is this the roast with the most? Our resident camp Masterchef Vanessa reckons she’s got the ultimate campfire recipe that’ll have you drooling.

 

We acknowledge that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Nyungar people who have occupied and cared for these lands and waters for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

The Ultimate Campfire Roast Recipe

Not that it takes much convincing, but I’ve included five reasons why this is the roast to boast about at your next campfire session.

1. Easy – Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, this can be done on any campfire oven with ease
2. Fresh – What’s better than adding a little freshness to your camping meals?
3. Hearty – Fills your tummy with healthy goodness
4. Affordable & Adaptable – The ingredients are interchangeable to suit personal preferences
5. Warm – This cooking method will keep your fingers and toes warm on those chilly winter nights

Picture this… sunset, stubbie in one hand, a juicy lamb cutlet in the other, immersing yourself in nature. Just by saying that my mouth is already watering.

One afternoon, my partner and I pulled up to a campsite just a short drive east of Perth, within the Shire of Mundaring. Our spot was well hidden, and to top it off, it felt like we were miles away from the big smoke.

We did a lap around the area to try and snap up the best spot, but found out we were the only ones there! Certainly an added bonus.

It was only right to finish off the good vibes with a top-notch Sunday arvo roast.

I must say, we’re pretty lucky to have a portable BioLite firepit in our camp kitchen kit that we’re able to easily throw in the car and take on adventures. Another reason why we love it is the fact that we can leave the destination untouched.

I completely recommend this if you’re environmentally conscious and of course, if you love not having your clothes smelling like fire by the end of the night.

This was our first time cooking a roast on the firepit, which now means we know all the what-not-to-dos!

Let me show you how to really whack a slab of meat and some veggies on the fire. Get yourself a drink and grab your magic tongs. Let’s get cooking!

For this recipe, you can use any cut of meat that you desire and substitute or add other vegetables that might tickle your taste buds even more

Read more: Remember to leave no trace!

Roast Rack of Lamb Loaded with Vegetables

Serves: 4

Equipment

• BioLite Firepit
• BioLite Firepit Griddle
• 2x cast iron pans
• Tongs
• Aluminium foil

Ingredients

• 2 lamb racks
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 8 whole small potatoes
• 2 broccolini bunches
• 4 carrots quartered lengthways
• ½ cup spring onion chopped finely
• 1 cup basil chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ cup sultanas
• 4 tbsp butter
• Drizzle extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Read more: Essential Gear For Your Camp Kitchen

Method

1. Prepare your fire, you’ll know it’s ready when medium embers start to form (do a heat check by hovering your hand above coals for 3-5 seconds)

2. Wrap sweet potatoes and potatoes in foil and place on firepit. Cook for roughly 20-30 mins

3.  Cut lamb racks in half for even cooking. Rub oil and a pinch of salt and pepper on lamb racks (season, season, season). Set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature

4. Make herb butter by combining garlic, spring onion, basil, sultanas, a pinch of salt, and butter in the cast iron pan

5. At this point, the oven temperature should be approximately 300-600 degrees Celsius (do a heat check by hovering your hand above coals for 10-15 seconds) – we’re looking for gentle embers. Using a different cast iron pan, drizzle oil and sear lamb to create a crust. Line the first cast iron with carrots and place the lamb rack on top. Close lid and cook for 8-10 mins for medium-rare or until desired

6. Once cooked, remove off fire and rest meat for 15 mins

7. On the firepit griddle, throw on broccolini and the cast iron pan with herb butter and cook for 3-5 minutes

8. Serve lamb with smashed sweet potato, whole baked potatoes, carrot, broccolini, and drizzle herb butter

Cooking Tips

1. Cooking time will typically depend on the thickness of the cut of meat and personal preference
2. Don’t take your eyes off the lamb (some parts of the oven can be hotter than others and might lead to uneven cooking)
3. Use a wireless meat thermometer to make life easier. We aim for our internal temperature of 55 degrees Celsius for medium rare
4. Keep in mind you can also prep some of the components, such as the herb butter, at home to cut out a few steps when you’re in the bush

Safety Tips

1. Always have enough water on hand to put out your campfire
2. Be cautious putting oil on a hot barbeque, you may end up with no eyebrows

Read more: 19 Recipes to Make Camp Cooking a Breeze