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ZENK Beef Bush Biryani
In this version of a ZENK Beef Bush Biryani, we will be using some leftover ingredients to create a hot and delicious meal perfect for camp cooking. This camp recipe can be prepared with a minimum of fuss, especially when using portable camping ovens.
Ingredients for Biryani
For your next camp cooking adventure, gather 0.5 kg of any kind of beef, lamb, or chicken. You'll also need 3 cups of Basmati rice, 5 large potatoes, and 5 white onions. Don't forget about 0.5 kg of fresh or frozen peas or string beans to add some color and nutrition. To spice things up, include 3 heaped tablespoons of Biryani powder, along with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil will enhance your dish. These ingredients are perfect for delicious camp recipes you can prepare using portable camping ovens.
Ingredients for salad topping (for that luxury taste)
For your camp cooking adventures, gather 2 or 3 large tomatoes, 2 or 3 cucumbers, and 1 or 2 red onions. Don't forget to bring salt, a lemon, and extra virgin olive oil to enhance your camp recipes. These ingredients can be easily prepared using portable camping ovens.
Method
For the protein, we had leftover scotch fillet steak that was already BBQ'd from the night before—nothing goes to waste during our camp cooking adventures. This is chopped into small pieces and set aside. Any kind of protein can work well in camp recipes, sautéed in a bit of olive oil and seasoned to taste.
Cube the potatoes and brown them off in some olive oil. The handy lid of our portable camping oven makes a great frying pan for this task. Set the potatoes to one side.
Finely chop the onions and brown them in some olive oil, again using the camp oven lid for convenience. Keep the onions to one side as well.
We had fresh string beans, cut in half and softened in olive oil, using the camp oven lid once more. Set the beans aside.
For the basmati rice, add a little olive oil to the camp oven over medium heat and then add the rice. Allow the rice to absorb the oil slightly. Then pour in the water, add biryani powder, stir gently, add salt to taste, close the lid, and wait for the rice to absorb the water.
Once the rice is cooked and you’re ready to eat, over low heat, toss in the beef, potatoes, onions, and beans. Gently mix all the ingredients and allow them to warm together.
Then serve.
For the salad topping, finely chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion, mixing in salt, lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve this fresh salad on top of the Biryani mix for a delightful finish.
Armenian BBQ Pork Voskorov Khorovats cooked on BBQ/Mangal
Armenian BBQ Pork Voskorov Khorovats cooked on BBQ/Mangal
In Armenian, Khorovats means "grilled meat on fire".
Voskorov means "with bone" in this case the bony pieces of pork.
Achki Chapov means "visual estimation by eye". Usually this refers to estimating the ingredients to what looks to be about right.
In this recipe we are BBQing pork spare ribs and pork neck pieces. These will be juicy and succulent with all the flavour from the camp fire coals. Whilst at camp, all you need for the heat source are some hot coals (preferably hardwood coals) from the camp fire and either a mangal or any setup you choose to support the skewered pork above the coals.
This Armenian recipe involves a very simple marinade of the pork, cutting up the pieces to the correct size to suit the skewer being used and cooking on an appropriate amount of heat
Ingredients
3 kg pork spare ribs and pork neck or any combination of the two. Feeds approx 4 hungry men.
- Lots of salt (Achki Chapov)
- Lots of pepper (Achki Chapov)
- Lots of paprika (Achki Chapov)
- 1 or 2 onions cut up in large pieces
- Dried basil, a generous pinch
- A squeeze of lemon juice or vodka, optional
- A drizzle of some good quality olive oil
- Flat metal skewers
marinade
Cut up the pork spare ribs into say 4 inch long pieces. Cut up the pork neck into 1.5 to 2 inch pieces and add to a large bowl. Leave all the fat pieces on as the excess will melt away slightly and add to the flavour of the meat.
Add the ingredients above gradually and mix thoroughly making sure all the pieces are coated all over.
Cover with cling wrap and let it marinade preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
METHOD
Step 1
Remove from the refrigerator and let meat come to room temperature.
Skewer the pork spare ribs using flat style skewers along the length of the rib. Try and keep all the rib pieces on the same skewer and the neck pieces on a different skewer so they cook at the same rate.
Step 2
Place the campfire coals in your mangal and wait till any flames have died down and you are left with reddish white glowing coals.
Step 3
Place skewered pork on the mangal without a grate. The distance between the charcoal and the skewers should not be too close, about 3 to 4 inches. Turn skewers regularly to avoid burning. Cook until meat is a nice golden brown and there is a slight char on the edges of the meat.
Step 4
Line a foil tray with some lavash bread. Remove the pork from skewers with another piece of lavash bread grabbing the pieces of meat and pushing it into the tray.
That's it. Enjoy with your favourite Arak drink.
Camp Oven Lamb Roast with Vegetables
This recipe will make 1 large leg of lamb, perfect for camp cooking. Adjust the ingredients proportionately if you need to prepare smaller or larger quantities. Seasoned lamb can be prepared ahead of time and placed in a vacuum-sealed bag, frozen, and then taken to your favorite campsite. You can cook it over charcoal in a Southern Metal Spinners Aussie Camp Oven, making it an excellent choice for camp recipes in the great outdoors, especially when using portable camping ovens.
Ingredients
1 x Leg of Lamb (approx 2kg - 3kg to feed 4 - 6)
4 x Medium Potatoes cut in halves
4 x Carrots chopped into large chunks
2 x Large Onions cut into half
½ x Pumpkin chopped into large chunks
4 or 5 cloves of Garlic
Salt
Pepper black
Roast Seasoning Mix
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Rosemary
4 x Tablespoons of plain flour for gravy
3 x Cups of Beef Stock for gravy
This hearty leg of lamb recipe is perfect for camp cooking and can easily be prepared using portable camping ovens. Enjoy this delicious dish while gathering around the campfire with friends and family, making it a wonderful addition to your camp recipes.
Method
Place your thawed leg of lamb on a chopping board and pat it dry. Rub the whole leg of lamb with Extra Virgin Olive oil, then season generously with salt, black pepper, and your favorite roast seasoning mix. Make 4 or 5 stab incisions about 1 inch deep and insert the garlic cloves into these. Set the leg of lamb aside.
For your camp cooking adventure, place the camp oven, without a trivet, on a good bed of hot coals until it is quite hot. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil to your camp oven, then sear the leg of lamb until all surfaces are nicely browned. Once done, take the leg of lamb out and set it aside.
Next, place the trivet back into the camp oven and put the leg of lamb on top. Add rosemary sprigs on top of the lamb and scatter chopped vegetables around the perimeter. Season with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of olive oil. Alternatively, for easy cleanup, you can use a large enough aluminum foil tray on top of the trivet to cook the leg of lamb and vegetables together, which will help retain all the juices.
Check that the bed of coals is not too hot; remove some if necessary. Place the lid on the camp oven and add coals on top of the lid. The aim is to have more coals on top than on the bed to prevent burning. As a rough guide, aim for 75% of coals on top and 25% on the bed.
After about 1 to 1.5 hours, check the lamb by cutting through to the center; it should ideally be a light pink color. You should also be able to pierce a knife through the vegetables quite easily. If not quite cooked, you can increase the heat by adding fresh hot coals to the lid and cooking for a little longer. This camp recipe is perfect for those using portable camping ovens.
Gravy
To prepare your gravy while enjoying camp cooking, start by removing the lamb roast and vegetables from the camp oven and place them in an aluminium foil tray. Take out the trivet and adjust the coals at the base if necessary, ensuring the gravy doesn’t burn while you prepare it. Aim for low to medium heat during this process.
At this point, you should have some sticky, gooey caramelised meat juices at the bottom of the camp oven, perfect for your camp recipes. Add the flour and stir until it's combined, achieving a brown consistency. Then, pour in the stock and stir again.
Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, adding more flour if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, and taste to check for flavor. Let the sauce simmer for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Note: You can enhance your sauce by substituting some red or white wine for part of the stock. Feel free to add your favorite herbs like basil or oregano. For extra color, consider adding 1 tablespoon of tomato paste along with the stock to elevate your dish when using portable camping ovens.
Shish Kebab cooked on BBQ / Mangal
This recipe will make approximately 24 skewers (depending on how long your skewers are). Adjust ingredients proportionately to suit smaller or larger quantities.
Beef or lamb can be used, both taste fantastic. Lamb will have a slightly fattier taste.
Can be prepared ahead of time and frozen, then taken to your favourite campsite and cooked over charcoal on a mangal in the great outdoors.
Ingredients
3 kg beef or lamb eye fillet
1 x green capsicum coarsely chopped
1 x red capsicum coarsely chopped
1 x onion large cut in quarters
9 x tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 x teaspoons salt
1 x teaspoon pepper black
3 x tablespoons tomato paste
3 x tablespoons paprika relish, hot or mild according to taste
1 x teaspoon allspice
1 x tablespoon paprika
Flat metal skewers work great
Marinade
Cut beef or lamb into roughly 1 inch cubes and place in a large bowl.
To this add all the ingredients and mix through thoroughly.
Cover bowl with cling wrap and let sit for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Method
Remove from the refrigerator and let meat come to room temperature.
Skewer the cubes so they just touch each other as you thread the cubes (they will cook more evenly this way). Add the capsicum and pieces of onion randomly to the skewers.
Prepare charcoal in your mangal and wait till any flames have died down and you are left with reddish white glowing coals.
Place skewered kebabs on the mangal without a grate. The distance between the charcoal and the skewers should not be too close, about 4 inches. Turn skewers regularly to avoid burning. Cook until there is a slight char on the edges of the meat. Make sure you taste test straight off the coals to check. Traditionally this beef or lamb kebab is cooked to a medium rare consistency so it remains soft and juicy.
Enjoy with your favourite Arak drink.
Quail cooked on camp BBQ / Mangal
This recipe will make 12 quail. Adjust ingredients proportionately to suit for smaller or larger quantities.
Can be prepared ahead of time and frozen, then take to your favourite camp site and cooked over charcoal on a grill in the great outdoors.
Ingredients
12 x Quail, rinse with water and then pat dry
5 x cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 x tablespoon salt
1 x tablespoon black pepper
1 x tablespoon oregano
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Marinade
To a large bowl add the finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. Mix together.
Then add the lemon juice and lastly extra virgin olive oil. Mix together.
Add the quail to the marinade making sure to coat the quail all over using your hands.
Cover bowl with cling wrap and let sit for a few hours or overnight in refrigerator.
Method
Remove from refrigerator and let the quail come to room temperature.
Prepare charcoal in your mangal or BBQ and wait till any flames have died down and you are left with reddish white glowing coals.
Place quail on the mangal or BBQ on top of grate. The distance between the charcoal and the quail should not be too close, about 4 inches. Turn quail regularly to avoid burning. Cook until the skin is a nice golden brown colour and the meat is soft and juicy. Make sure you taste test straight off the coals to check.
Pairs beautifully with a chilled, crisp, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc.
Camp Oven Damper
This recipe will make a medium sized damper.
Ingredients
3 x cups of self raising flour
1 x pinch of salt
1.5 x cups of water approx according to consistency
Method
In a large bowl add the flour, salt and gradually add water stirring mixture using a metal fork. Only add enough water so that the flour is combined and the consistency is not too wet. Try not to knead the dough.
Once mixed, use your hands to make a round, flattish damper shape.
Cover the camp oven trivet with some aluminium foil, place back in the camp oven and dust with flour.
Place the formed damper on top of the trivet and put the lid on. Make sure there is a gap between the damper and the sides of the oven.
Place the camp oven on a hot bed of coals, not too many coals though and then more coals on the lid. Cook for approximately 30 mins. Check if the damper is cooked by piercing a knife through to the centre, it should be dry when you pull it out.
Variations to this recipe are if you prefer a savoury damper replace the water with a pale beer and add some grated cheese and herbs to the mixture. If you prefer a sweet damper, replace the water with lemonade and throw in some dried fruits and nuts to the mixture.
Middle Eastern Pasta Cooked in the Camp Oven
This recipe will make a large camp oven of pasta, enough to feed 4 - 6 people. Adjust ingredients proportionately to suit smaller or larger quantities.
Ingredients
400 gm x Macaroni or any small sized pasta
½ kg x beef mince
2 x medium chopped medium size carrots
1 x olive oil
2 x chopped green shallots
1 x teaspoon salt
1 x teaspoon red pepper
1 x teaspoon chicken or beef stock powder or cube
½ x teaspoon onion powder
2 x heaped tablespoons paprika relish
1 x heaped tablespoon tomato paste
A few handfuls of Spinach roughly chopped
Method
In a camp oven over a hot bed of coals, boil plenty of salted water and add the pasta cooked al dente as it needs to finish cooking in the sauce. Drain off the water but keep a cupful of the pasta water to the side for later.
In a separate large saucepan, saute the beef mince then move it to one side of the saucepan.
On the other side of the saucepan, saute the carrots in a splash of olive oil and add the shallots.
Once the beef mince has browned and the carrots have softened add the Salt, Red Pepper, Onion Powder, Paprika Relish, Tomato Paste, Chicken Stock Powder and stir altogether for the flavours to blend.
Add (little by little, judge thickness) approx ¾ cup of water to allow carrots to cook and create a sauce.
After approx 15 to 20 minutes, add the sauce to the drained pasta plus some of the pasta water to allow pasta to finish cooking in the sauce and mix through.
Add the spinach then cook for a further 5 mins at most so pasta does not get overdone.
Margo’s Camp Oven Baked Beans in Olive Oil - Lobia
This recipe will make a large camp oven of fresh homestyle baked beans, enough to feed 6 people. Adjust ingredients proportionately to suit for smaller or larger quantities.
Can be prepared ahead of time, cooked and then frozen. Then take to your favourite camp site and heat in a camp oven in the great outdoors.
Ingredients
3 x cups of black-eyed beans
2 x medium white onions chopped
5 x cloves of garlic
2 x teaspoons dry coriander
4 x tablespoons tomato paste
1 x can crushed tomato
2 x teaspoons salt
1 x teaspoon black pepper
1 x teaspoon sweet paprika
1 x teaspoon hot paprika
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Method
In a saucepan, boil the beans until they are half way cooked. Don’t let the colour of the boiling water blacken from overboiling the beans. Drain the beans and put to one side.
Place Southern Metal Spinners Aussie Camp Oven, without trivet, on top of a good bed of hot coals. Add ¼ cup of the olive oil to your camp oven.
Saute onions until they are translucent.
Add chopped garlic then coriander. Stir until the aroma of the coriander is released. Watch it does not burn.
Add the salt, pepper, tomato paste, crushed tomato, sweet paprika, hot paprika and stir until slightly concentrated.
Add 3 cups of boiling water.
Add the beans to the bubbling sauce.
Add ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and let simmer with camp oven lid on. Remove some of the coals if needed to control heat.
Check the consistency every now and again and add a little boiling water if required.
Test for taste.
Camp Oven Roast Chicken
This recipe will make 1 large roast chicken with vegetables. Adjust ingredients proportionately to suit for smaller or larger quantities.
Ingredients
1 x Large whole chicken (approx 2kg to feed 4)
2 x Large Potatoes cut in quarters
4 x Carrots chopped into large chunks.
2 x Large Onions cut into quarters
½ x Pumpkin chopped into large chunks
4 or 5 cloves of Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Roast Seasoning Mix
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Rosemary
Method
Place your thawed chicken on a chopping board and pat dry.
Rub the whole chicken with Extra Virgin Olive oil then season with salt, black pepper and your favourite roast seasoning mix. Flatten the garlic cloves with the back of a knife and insert between the flesh and the breast skin. Set the chicken to one side.
Place camp oven, with trivet, on top of a good bed of hot coals until camp oven is moderately hot.
Place chicken, breast side up, on top of trivet. Add the rosemary stalks to the top of the chicken. Place the lid on top of camp oven and put coals on top of the lid. The idea is that there is generally more coal on top of the lid than on the bed so that the food does not burn from the base. As a rough guide, 75% of coals on top and 25% of coals for the bed.
As an alternative, you can place a large enough aluminium foil tray on top of the trivet and place chicken and vegetables in tray and cook this way. This will keep all the juices in the tray.
As a rough guide, total cooking time is 2 hours or slightly less. Check the chicken after about half an hour to make sure its on track and not burning. You are after all dealing with heat from burning coals and it's not like cooking in a precise temperature controlled oven at home. Variables such as type of wood used, wind around camp fire will all change the amount of heat generated.
After about 45 mins, remove the lid and scatter all the chopped vegetables around the perimeter of the chicken and sprinkle vegetables with more olive oil, salt and pepper and any other herbs you prefer.
Towards the end of the cooking time, check chicken by piercing a knife through to the centre and check if the meat is cooked. There should be clear coloured juices oozing out. You should also be able to pierce a knife through the vegetables quite easily. You can add more heat by adding fresh hot coals to the lid if needed.
Once cooked remove the chicken, vegetables and all the remaining juices and place in an aluminium tray and cover with aluminium foil.