There's a moment on a long touring day when the sun finally drops behind the gums, the fire's just crackling into shape, and you've got about fifteen minutes of patience left in the tank. That's the moment these lamb and halloumi skewers were built for. The marinade does the heavy lifting - you sort it before you leave home, or first thing that morning while the kettle's on - and by the time you've cracked a beer and got the skillet hot, dinner's ten minutes away.
Late April in Australia means cooler nights, and lamb starts feeling right again. Pair it with halloumi that holds up to a hot pan without falling apart, plenty of charred capsicum and onion, and you've got a Mediterranean-style camp dinner that costs less than a roadhouse burger and tastes like you actually meant it.
What you need
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 800 g lamb leg or shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3 cm cubes
- 250 g block halloumi, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 2 red capsicums, cut into 3 cm squares
- 1 large red onion, cut into wedges and separated into 2-layer pieces
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- Lemon wedges and a handful of fresh parsley or mint, to serve
- Warmed flatbreads or couscous, to serve
Gear
- Cast-iron skillet (28-30 cm) - or a heavy-based fry pan
- 8 metal skewers (or wooden skewers soaked 30 min)
- Camp gas stove, single burner, or coals raked flat under a grill plate
- Mixing bowl with lid (or zip-top bag) for the marinade
- Tongs and a chopping board
How to make it
- Marinate the lamb (do this at home or that morning). In a bowl or zip-top bag, combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Add the lamb cubes, toss to coat, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours - overnight in the Engel is even better.
- Prep your veg at camp. Cut capsicum into 3 cm squares and separate the red onion into 2-layer "shells." Pat the halloumi dry with paper towel - wet halloumi spits in a hot skillet.
- Build the skewers. Thread alternating lamb, capsicum, halloumi, onion, lamb, capsicum, halloumi. Aim for 4-5 lamb cubes per skewer. Don't pack them too tight - leave a hair of space so the heat gets between each piece.
- Heat the skillet hard. Put your cast iron over a high flame for 3-4 minutes until a flick of water dances and evaporates almost instantly. Add a splash of olive oil and swirl.
- Sear the skewers in batches. Lay 4 skewers in the skillet - don't crowd it or you'll steam instead of sear. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, turning a quarter every couple of minutes, for 8-10 minutes total. You're after a deep golden char on the lamb and halloumi and slightly blistered, still-toothy capsicum.
- Rest while you do the second batch. Move the cooked skewers to a plate, loosely tent with foil, and run the second batch the same way.
- Warm your flatbreads. While batch two finishes, throw 4 flatbreads straight onto the gas burner for 15 seconds a side, or warm them in a dry pan after the skewers come out.
- Finish and serve. Squeeze a fresh wedge of lemon over the lot, scatter with chopped parsley or mint, and serve with the warm flatbreads or a quick couscous.
Camp tips
- Pre-cube and pre-marinate at home in a sturdy zip-top bag or vac-seal - it doubles as the chilling vessel and keeps the Engel tidy.
- No metal skewers? Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading so they don't catch fire on the skillet edge.
- Halloumi swap: if you can't find halloumi (most Coles and Woolies stock it), use firm Greek feta and add it only in the last 2 minutes of cooking - it browns fast and crumbles if pushed too long.
- Side game: a quick cucumber, tomato and red onion chop with olive oil and lemon makes this dinner sing without dirtying another pan.
- Leftover lamb goes straight into wraps the next day with hummus and that same chopped salad - a no-cook lunch on a travel day.
The Outcamp wrap
This one earns a permanent slot in our touring rotation because it ticks every box: prepped at home in five minutes, cooked at camp in fifteen, no fancy gear, and feeds four hungry adults for less than the price of a single roadhouse meal. If you're cooking out of a caravan with a built-in cooktop, the same recipe works on a heavy fry pan over the gas burner - and it's exactly the kind of dish a decent inverter and 12V kitchen setup makes effortless. Have a look at our 12V Accessories collection if you're still building out your van power side. Cook it once, you'll be writing it on the menu list every trip.
