There are few things more satisfying than pulling a camp oven lid off to reveal lamb shanks that have been slowly braising for hours over coals. The meat falls away from the bone, the sauce has reduced to something rich and deeply flavoured, and the whole camp smells like a country pub kitchen. This is proper cold-weather camp cooking — the kind of meal that makes a long day on corrugated tracks worth every rattle.
Camp oven braising is one of the most forgiving cooking methods you can use at camp. Unlike grilling or frying, where timing is everything, a braise rewards patience. You set it up, manage your coals, and let time do the heavy lifting. Lamb shanks are ideal for this approach because the connective tissue breaks down slowly into gelatin, turning a tough cut into something impossibly tender. If you have got a 10- or 12-quart camp oven and a few hours to spare, this recipe will deliver one of the best meals you have ever eaten outdoors.
Why Lamb Shanks Work So Well in a Camp Oven
Lamb shanks are a braising cut through and through. They come from the lower leg, a section of the animal that does a lot of work and is packed with connective tissue, collagen, and marrow. In a fast, high-heat cook, that tissue stays tough and chewy. But give it low, steady heat and plenty of liquid, and it transforms into rich, silky gelatin that bastes the meat from within. That is exactly what a camp oven provides — a sealed, heavy cast iron environment that holds heat evenly and traps moisture.
The other advantage of shanks is their size. Each shank is a generous single serve, bone-in, which means you do not need to fuss with portioning. For a group of four, grab four shanks. For six, grab six. They stack neatly in a camp oven without overcrowding, and the bones add flavour and body to the braising liquid as they cook. It is a cut that practically cooks itself once you have set the temperature right.
Choosing Your Shanks
Look for French-trimmed lamb shanks if your butcher or supermarket offers them — the exposed bone makes for a better presentation and gives you a natural handle when serving. Each shank should weigh between 350 and 450 grams. Any smaller and they will dry out before the connective tissue fully breaks down. Any larger and you may struggle to fit four comfortably in a standard 12-quart camp oven.
If you are buying ahead for a trip, shanks freeze exceptionally well. Vacuum-seal them in pairs, freeze flat, and they will defrost overnight in an unpowered esky or fridge. You can also ask your butcher to cut the shanks in half crosswise (osso buco style) if you want faster cooking, though the presentation is not quite as dramatic.
For travellers doing longer tours, keep an eye out for local butchers in regional towns. Many carry high-quality lamb at better prices than city supermarkets, and you are supporting small-town businesses while you are at it. Some of the best lamb shanks we have cooked on the road came from a butcher in Broken Hill who dry-aged them for a fortnight.
The Right Camp Oven for the Job
A 10- or 12-quart cast iron camp oven with a flanged lid is ideal. The flanged lid allows you to stack coals on top without them sliding off, which is critical for even heat distribution during a long braise. If you only own a flat-lid Dutch oven, it will still work — you just need to be more attentive about coal placement on top.
Depth matters more than width here. You want the shanks to sit snugly in a single layer with the braising liquid coming at least two-thirds up their sides. If the oven is too wide, the liquid spreads thin and you will need to add more stock. If it is too narrow, the shanks stack on top of each other and cook unevenly. A 12-quart round camp oven is the sweet spot for four to six shanks.
Before you leave home, make sure your camp oven is well-seasoned. If the surface is patchy or showing bare iron, give it a fresh coat of vegetable oil and bake it in your home oven at 200 degrees Celsius for an hour. A well-seasoned camp oven develops a natural non-stick surface that improves the browning on your shanks and makes cleanup far easier at camp.
Ingredients and Prep-Ahead Guide
One of the keys to a successful camp cook is doing as much preparation as possible before you leave home. Chopping vegetables and measuring spices in a well-lit kitchen is vastly easier than doing it by head torch while swatting flies. This recipe is designed with the travelling cook in mind — most of the prep can be done the night before departure and packed in labelled containers or zip-lock bags.
The ingredient list below serves four generously. Scale up by adding one shank per extra person and increasing the vegetables and stock proportionally. The recipe is flexible — if you cannot find a particular herb or vegetable, substitute freely. Camp cooking is about working with what you have got.
Full Ingredient List
For the shanks:
- 4 lamb shanks (350–450 g each), French-trimmed
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or a knob of butter
For the braise:
- 1 large brown onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup (250 ml) red wine (a sturdy Shiraz works well)
- 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
- 1 x 400 g tin crushed tomatoes
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 strip orange peel (about 5 cm), white pith removed
Optional additions:
- 200 g baby potatoes, halved (add in the last hour)
- 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives (add in the last 30 minutes)
- Crusty bread or damper for serving
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Prep-Ahead Steps
The night before your trip, dice the onion, slice the celery, and cut the carrots. Store them together in a single zip-lock bag or airtight container — they will keep in the fridge or esky for two to three days. Crush the garlic and store it separately in a small container with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent it from drying out.
Measure the flour, salt, and pepper into a zip-lock bag and label it "shank dredge." This saves you packing individual containers of flour and seasoning. You can also pre-measure the dried herbs into a small bag if you are not bringing fresh ones. The tomato paste can go in its original tube or tin — just remember a spoon.
For the wine, transfer 250 ml into a small screw-top bottle or flask. No need to bring the whole bottle for cooking, though you will probably want the rest for drinking. The stock can be packed as a liquid in a sealed container, or use two stock cubes dissolved in hot water at camp. Both work fine — the long braise time means the flavours meld regardless of whether you started with fresh stock or reconstituted cubes.
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
This cook takes approximately three hours from lighting your fire to serving. The active cooking time is only about 30 minutes — the rest is coal management and patience. If you are setting up camp in the afternoon, light your fire early and start the braise while you sort out tents and gear. By the time everything is set up, dinner will be close to ready.
A word on fire management: you want a well-established coal bed before you start cooking. Light your fire at least 45 minutes before you plan to begin. Hardwood produces the best coals — ironbark, red gum, and box are excellent choices if you are in areas where firewood collection is permitted. Avoid softwoods like pine, which burn too fast and produce inconsistent heat.
Building Your Coal Bed and Browning the Shanks
Once your fire has burned down to a solid bed of glowing coals, rake a pile of about 15 to 20 briquette-sized coals to the side and set your camp oven directly on them. Add the olive oil or butter and let it heat for two to three minutes until the oil shimmers or the butter foams.
While the oven heats, toss the shanks in the flour-salt-pepper bag, shaking to coat evenly. Brown the shanks in batches — do not overcrowd the oven. You want a deep golden crust on all sides, which takes about three to four minutes per side. This step is not optional. Browning creates Maillard reaction flavours that form the backbone of the finished dish. If you skip it, the final braise will taste flat.
Remove the browned shanks to a plate or clean lid. They do not need to be cooked through — you are just building colour and flavour on the surface. If the bottom of the oven develops dark brown fond (stuck-on bits), that is exactly what you want. If it goes black and smells burnt, your coals are too hot — scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon and remove a few coals from underneath before proceeding.
Building the Braising Liquid
With the shanks resting, add the diced onion to the camp oven and stir for three to four minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the carrots, celery, and garlic, stirring for another two minutes. The residual heat from browning the shanks should be plenty — if the vegetables are catching, lift the oven off the coals briefly.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. The paste will darken slightly and become fragrant. Pour in the red wine and use your wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the oven vigorously, lifting all that caramelised fond into the liquid. Let the wine bubble for two to three minutes to cook off the raw alcohol.
Add the beef stock, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and orange peel. Stir to combine. Return the lamb shanks to the oven, nestling them into the liquid so they are at least two-thirds submerged. If the liquid level is too low, add a splash more stock or water. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer — you should see small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil.
The Long Braise: Coal Management
Place the lid on the camp oven. For a low, steady braise, you want roughly one-third of your coals underneath and two-thirds on top. For a 12-quart oven, that means about 8 coals underneath and 14 to 16 on the lid. This ratio gives you an internal temperature of roughly 150 to 160 degrees Celsius — ideal for braising.
Every 30 to 40 minutes, check the braise by lifting the lid. The liquid should be gently simmering, not boiling vigorously. If it is bubbling hard, remove two or three coals from underneath. If there is no movement at all, add a few fresh coals. Rotate the lid a quarter turn each time you check, and rotate the oven itself on the coal bed — this prevents hot spots.
After two hours, the shanks will be noticeably tender but not yet falling off the bone. This is a good time to add halved baby potatoes if you are using them — they need about an hour to cook through in the braising liquid. Give the pot a gentle stir, being careful not to break the shanks apart, and replace the lid with fresh coals on top.
At the two-and-a-half to three hour mark, test a shank by pressing it gently with a spoon. The meat should yield easily and start to pull away from the bone. If you can twist the bone and it moves freely, the shanks are done. If there is still resistance, give them another 20 to 30 minutes. Remember, you cannot really overcook a braise — an extra half hour will only make things more tender.
Serving and Storage Tips
When the shanks are done, carefully lift them out of the braising liquid with tongs and set them in bowls or on plates. If the sauce is thinner than you would like, remove the lid and set the oven back on a small pile of coals for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce the liquid. It should coat the back of a spoon when ready.
Fish out the rosemary stems, thyme stems, bay leaves, and orange peel before serving. Ladle the sauce and vegetables generously over each shank. A scattering of chopped flat-leaf parsley adds freshness, and a thick wedge of damper or crusty bread is essential for mopping up the sauce. If you have packed mashed potato powder, a quick mash makes an excellent base as well.
Leftovers and Next-Day Ideas
If you have leftovers — and you rarely will — they reheat beautifully the next morning. Strip the meat off the bones, stir it back into the sauce, and reheat gently in the camp oven over low coals. Serve it on toast for a hearty camp breakfast, or thin the sauce with a little stock and serve it as a soup for lunch.
The braising liquid is liquid gold. Even if the meat is gone, save the sauce in a sealed container. It makes an incredible base for a pasta sauce the next night — just toss through cooked penne with a handful of grated parmesan. You can also freeze it in zip-lock bags once you get home and use it as a ready-made sauce base for midweek dinners.
For food safety on the road, cool the leftovers as quickly as possible. Remove the camp oven from the coals, take off the lid, and let the contents cool in the night air for 30 minutes before transferring to sealed containers in the esky. In cooler weather, the braise will set into a thick jelly as the gelatin firms up — that is a sign of a well-made braise and it will liquify again as soon as it hits the heat.
Tips for Perfecting Your Camp Oven Braise
Camp oven braising is a skill that improves with practice, but a few principles will set you up for success from the start. The biggest variable you are managing is heat — too much and the braise boils dry or the bottom scorches, too little and the connective tissue never fully breaks down. Everything else is forgiving.
Start with more coals than you think you need, because you can always remove them. It is much harder to recover a braise that has gone cold than one that is running slightly hot. Keep a small secondary fire burning nearby so you have a fresh supply of coals to rotate in every 30 to 40 minutes. Relying on the original coals alone usually means they die out before the braise is finished.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake is lifting the lid too often. Every time you open the camp oven, you lose a significant amount of heat and moisture. Check once every 30 to 40 minutes at most. Resist the temptation to stir — the shanks do not need it, and excessive stirring can break the meat apart before it is ready.
Another frequent error is skipping the browning step. Tossing raw shanks into the liquid saves time but costs you enormously in flavour. The Maillard reaction that occurs during browning creates hundreds of complex flavour compounds that no amount of seasoning can replicate. Budget the extra 15 minutes — your taste buds will thank you.
Finally, do not be afraid of the wine. Some camp cooks skip the red wine, thinking it is an unnecessary luxury. It is not. The acidity of the wine helps break down the collagen faster, and the tannins add depth and complexity to the sauce. If you do not cook with alcohol, substitute with a splash of red wine vinegar and an extra half cup of stock.
Adapting for Different Conditions
In windy conditions, position your camp oven in a sheltered spot or build a windbreak from rocks or logs. Wind strips heat from the oven and coals much faster than still air, which means you will burn through fuel quickly and may struggle to maintain temperature. A simple U-shaped rock wall around the cooking area makes a significant difference.
In wet weather, keep a tarp or shelter over your cooking area. Rain hitting the lid cools the oven rapidly and can wash ash into the food when you lift the lid. If your camp oven has a bail handle, hang it from a tripod over the fire instead of sitting it directly on coals — this gets the oven off the wet ground and gives you better control over the heat distance.
At altitude, water boils at a lower temperature, which means braising liquids simmer at a lower temperature too. If you are cooking above 1,000 metres — common in the Snowy Mountains, Victorian Alps, or parts of the Flinders Ranges — expect to add an extra 30 to 45 minutes to the braising time. Keep the liquid level topped up, as evaporation can be faster in dry mountain air.
A Meal Worth Slowing Down For
Camp oven lamb shanks are not a quick dinner. They are a slow, deliberate cook that rewards patience and a willingness to sit by the fire and let the coals do their work. That is part of their appeal. In a world of instant meals and five-minute camp dinners, a three-hour braise forces you to slow down, tend the fire, and enjoy the process as much as the result.
This is the kind of recipe that turns a campsite into a kitchen and a meal into an event. The smell alone will draw in neighbours from three sites over. Serve it with good bread, a glass of the leftover Shiraz, and the satisfaction of knowing you cooked something extraordinary with nothing more than fire, iron, and time.
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