Camp Oven Lamb Shanks with Red Wine and Root Vegetables

There are few meals that suit a cold night around the campfire quite like slow-cooked lamb shanks. The combination of falling-apart meat, rich red wine gravy, and tender root vegetables is the kind of cooking that makes a long day on the track feel worthwhile. It is comfort food in its purest form, and the camp oven is the ideal vessel for the job.

Lamb shanks are one of the most forgiving cuts you can cook outdoors. They thrive on low, slow heat — exactly what a well-managed camp oven delivers. The connective tissue breaks down over a few hours, turning what starts as a tough, sinewy piece of meat into something remarkably tender. And because everything goes into a single pot, the cleanup is about as easy as camp cooking gets.

Why Lamb Shanks Work So Well in a Camp Oven

The camp oven is, at its core, a heavy cast iron pot with a tight-fitting lid designed to hold coals on top. This creates an environment of even, all-around heat — essentially a portable oven sitting in the coals of your fire. For a braise like lamb shanks, this setup is close to perfect. The heavy walls retain heat steadily, the lid traps moisture, and the result is meat that practically falls off the bone.

Unlike a home kitchen where you can set and forget the oven temperature, camp oven cooking requires you to manage your heat source. But that is part of the appeal. Once you get a feel for how many coals to use and how often to rotate the lid, you will find yourself producing meals that rival anything from a conventional oven — sometimes better, because the smoky undertone from the fire adds a layer of flavour you simply cannot replicate indoors.

Choosing the Right Shanks

For camp cooking, lamb fore shanks are the go-to choice. They are smaller than hind shanks, which means they fit more easily into a standard 12-inch camp oven without overcrowding. You want to allow enough space around each shank for the braising liquid and vegetables to circulate properly. Overcrowding the pot leads to uneven cooking and a watery, rather than rich, sauce.

A good rule of thumb is four fore shanks for a 12-inch (roughly 9-quart) camp oven. This serves four people generously, or two very hungry campers with leftovers for the next day. If you are feeding a larger group, scale up to a 14-inch oven and add an extra shank or two, along with a bit more liquid.

Ask your butcher to French-trim the shanks if possible — this means cleaning the bone end so it presents neatly and allows the meat to pull back as it cooks. It is a small detail, but it makes serving easier and looks the part when you lift the lid at the campsite.

Prep-Ahead Tips for Travellers

One of the great advantages of this recipe is how much of the preparation can be done before you leave home. The vegetables can be peeled and chopped, then stored in a zip-lock bag in the fridge or esky. The garlic and herbs can be measured and bagged together. If you want to go a step further, you can brown the shanks at home, let them cool, and transport them in a sealed container on ice.

The red wine can be measured into a leak-proof bottle or flask — no need to carry a full bottle unless you plan to drink the rest around the fire, which is also a perfectly valid strategy. Beef stock travels well in a thermos or sealed container. Having everything pre-portioned means that when you reach camp, the actual assembly takes less than ten minutes before the pot goes on the coals.

For those on extended touring trips through remote areas, this recipe also works well with canned tomatoes and long-life stock, meaning you do not need to rely on fresh ingredients being available. The flavour will be slightly different, but the result is still excellent.

Full Ingredient List

Serves 4

• 4 lamb fore shanks (approximately 350g each)
• 2 tablespoons plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or a knob of butter)
• 1 large brown onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunky rounds
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 sticks celery, sliced
• 1 cup red wine (something you would happily drink — a Shiraz or Cab Sav works well)
• 400g tin crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 — Build Your Fire and Prepare Your Coals

Start your fire a good 45 minutes to an hour before you plan to begin cooking. You need a solid bed of hot coals, not open flame. Hardwood is best — ironbark, red gum, or any dense Australian hardwood will give you long-lasting, even coals. Avoid softwoods like pine, which burn too quickly and leave insufficient heat for a long braise.

While the fire burns down, rake out a flat area beside the main fire where you can sit the camp oven. This is your cooking zone. You want to be able to add fresh coals from the main fire as needed over the next two to three hours without disturbing the pot too much.

For a low braise like this, you are aiming for a temperature of roughly 160 to 170 degrees Celsius inside the camp oven. With a 12-inch oven, that translates to approximately 8 coals underneath and 14 to 16 on the lid. Use a coal lifter or long-handled tongs to position them evenly. Rotate the lid a quarter turn every 30 minutes, and rotate the entire oven on its base as well — this prevents hot spots and ensures everything cooks evenly.

Step 2 — Brown the Shanks

Place the camp oven directly over a bed of coals with no lid — you want high, direct heat for this step. Add the olive oil and let it heat until it shimmers. Dust the lamb shanks in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess, and brown them on all sides. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes in total. Do not rush it — a deep, golden-brown crust adds significant flavour to the final dish.

Work in batches if needed. Crowding the pot causes the meat to steam rather than sear, and you will miss out on that caramelised crust that forms the foundation of the gravy. Once browned, set the shanks aside on a plate or clean chopping board.

If the bottom of the pot has caught any dark, sticky residue from the browning, that is a good sign. Those are the fond — concentrated flavour that will dissolve into your sauce in the next step. Do not scrape it off or wash the pot.

Step 3 — Build the Base

With the camp oven still over direct heat, add the diced onion and celery. Stir occasionally for about five minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute — just enough to take the raw edge off without burning it. Garlic that catches on the bottom of a hot camp oven turns bitter fast, so keep it moving.

Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any fond from the base of the pot. Let the wine bubble for two to three minutes, reducing by about half. This cooks off the harsh alcohol and concentrates the flavour. Then stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and beef stock.

Return the browned shanks to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. The liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the shanks — if it does not, add a splash more stock or water. Tuck the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves around the meat. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Step 4 — The Long, Slow Braise

Place the lid on the camp oven and arrange your coals as described in Step 1 — roughly 8 underneath, 14 to 16 on top. This is where patience takes over. The shanks need a minimum of two hours, ideally two and a half to three hours, of gentle simmering. You are not looking for a rolling boil — a lazy, occasional bubble is what you want.

After the first hour, lift the lid and check the liquid level. If it has reduced too much, add a splash of stock or water. At this point, add the carrots, parsnips, and potatoes. These root vegetables need about 60 to 90 minutes to become tender, so adding them halfway through prevents them from turning to mush by the time the lamb is done.

Continue to manage your coals, replenishing from the main fire as needed. Every 30 minutes, rotate the lid and the base to maintain even heat. If you have a camp oven thermometer, check that the internal temperature stays in the 160 to 170 degree range. If the liquid is bubbling too vigorously, remove a couple of coals from underneath.

Step 5 — Check, Season, and Serve

After two and a half to three hours, the lamb should be pulling away from the bone. Test it by gently twisting a shank with tongs — the meat should give easily and start to separate. The vegetables should be tender when pierced with a knife, and the sauce should have thickened into a rich, glossy gravy.

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. It will likely need a bit more salt and possibly a grind of black pepper. If the sauce is thinner than you would like, remove the lid and let it simmer uncovered over a few coals for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce.

Serve the shanks directly from the camp oven, spooning the vegetables and gravy over the top. This goes beautifully with crusty bread to soak up the sauce, or with a simple camp oven damper cooked alongside. A handful of fresh parsley scattered over the top lifts the whole dish, though it is entirely optional.

Managing Your Camp Oven Temperature

Temperature control is the single most important skill in camp oven cooking, and it is what separates a good result from a great one. For this lamb shank recipe, consistency matters more than precision. You are not trying to hit an exact number — you are aiming for a gentle, sustained heat that keeps the liquid at a bare simmer for several hours.

The general rule for briquettes is that each one adds roughly 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. With natural hardwood coals, the heat output varies more, so you need to develop a feel for it. Start conservatively — it is much easier to add more heat than to cool down an overheated pot. If you lift the lid and the liquid is bubbling hard, pull a few coals from underneath immediately.

Coal Placement and Rotation

For a braise, the heat ratio should be roughly one-third underneath and two-thirds on top. This mimics the gentle, enveloping heat of a conventional oven and prevents the bottom of the pot from scorching. Place the bottom coals in an even ring around the base of the oven, not directly underneath the centre — this distributes heat more evenly and reduces the risk of the sauce catching.

Rotating both the lid and the base every 30 minutes is non-negotiable for even cooking. A quarter turn each time is sufficient. If you are using the camp oven on uneven ground, pay extra attention to rotation, as one side will naturally run hotter than the other.

Keep a small fire burning alongside your cooking zone so you always have fresh coals available. Running out of coals mid-cook is the most common mistake in camp oven cooking, and it can add an hour or more to your cooking time while you wait for new coals to form.

Wind and Weather Considerations

Wind is the enemy of consistent camp oven temperature. Even a moderate breeze can strip heat from one side of the oven and cause uneven cooking. If conditions are windy, set up a windbreak using your vehicle, a tarp, or natural features like a rock wall. Position the camp oven on the sheltered side and rotate more frequently to compensate.

In cold weather, you may need a few extra coals to maintain temperature, as the ambient air draws heat away from the oven faster. In very hot conditions, reduce your coal count slightly — the surrounding heat helps maintain the oven temperature, and too many coals can push the braise into a hard boil.

Rain is manageable as long as water does not pool on the lid and drip into the food. A simple shelter or tarp overhead is enough to keep cooking in a downpour. Some of the best camp oven meals happen on cold, wet evenings when the fire is the centre of camp life.

Variations and Leftover Ideas

This recipe is a solid foundation that welcomes variation. Swap the red wine for a dark ale or stout for a deeper, maltier flavour. Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the sauce for a bit of sharpness. Throw in a handful of pitted olives or a few anchovies with the onions for a more Mediterranean take.

If you have leftovers — and the sauce tends to be even better the next day — shred the lamb off the bone and reheat it in the camp oven for lunch. It works brilliantly as a filling for wraps or rolls, or spooned over a bowl of instant couscous. The thickened sauce also makes an excellent base for a campfire pie if you have puff pastry in the esky.

Making It a Complete Camp Meal

While the shanks braise away, you have plenty of time to prepare a simple side. A camp oven damper is the obvious choice — mix it up, place it in a smaller camp oven or a greased trivet, and cook it alongside the main pot for the last 40 minutes. A green salad, if you have fresh leaves in the esky, cuts through the richness of the lamb beautifully.

For a heartier feed, cook some extra potatoes in the coals wrapped in foil while the shanks are finishing. Split them open, add a dollop of butter, and serve alongside. Simple, satisfying, and exactly what you want after a long day exploring.

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