Hi All,
Just wondering if anyone has done it.. and any advice to someone looking at doing it.
Thanks,
Dan
Just wondering if anyone has done it.. and any advice to someone looking at doing it.
Thanks,
Dan
Cooking a leg of lamb over campfire
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I've not done it over a campfire, but an open top bbq, and the best bet it to bone it out and buterfly it so that it becomes as wide and flat as possible. You'll probably want to use a flat grill who's height can be raised and lowered as needed. It'll take a while, as its best to cook it slower to stop it from drying out and becomming tough.
Does it have to be done as a carvable joint though? Would be much easier to just debone it and then slice it into steaks and fry/grill.
Does it have to be done as a carvable joint though? Would be much easier to just debone it and then slice it into steaks and fry/grill.
I have cooked pigs over a fire, does that count?
1: cook the meat on the side, not above the fire. So not OVER the fire, technically soeaking.... glowing coals under, flaming fire brhind.
2: take your time.
3: turn often.
4: baste or it goes dry.
1: cook the meat on the side, not above the fire. So not OVER the fire, technically soeaking.... glowing coals under, flaming fire brhind.
2: take your time.
3: turn often.
4: baste or it goes dry.
Definitely do it in front of the fire not over it, personally I wouldn't even have coals underneath it as the fat coming off it can flare up which can put a unpleasant taste to the outside and you really want a drip tray of sorts there to catch the juices which you want to ladle back over it to keep it moist
if you can rig a reflector behind it as well that will help it cook no end. I've seen elaborate ones made of shiny tinplate iron to collapsible jobs of steel with clip on drip trays to ones made from big cans cut in half. I think they are sometimes called hasteners. They seam to have gone out of fashion now. Silver paper over cardboard will do it for a one off.
ATB
Tom
Correction they haven't gone out of fashion! Google in images "campfire reflector oven" and you'll see loads of commercial ones, plans to make them and home made ones. I was going to make one years ago but it fell through as I couldn't afford the sheet metal at the time. I want one now!
if you can rig a reflector behind it as well that will help it cook no end. I've seen elaborate ones made of shiny tinplate iron to collapsible jobs of steel with clip on drip trays to ones made from big cans cut in half. I think they are sometimes called hasteners. They seam to have gone out of fashion now. Silver paper over cardboard will do it for a one off.
ATB
Tom
Correction they haven't gone out of fashion! Google in images "campfire reflector oven" and you'll see loads of commercial ones, plans to make them and home made ones. I was going to make one years ago but it fell through as I couldn't afford the sheet metal at the time. I want one now!
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That won't work. The joint will be too thick and just won't cook. You'll end up with charred outside and raw inside.
As suggested, the best advice for cooking over a fire would be to butterfly it (your butcher will do this for you if you ask) and either use a grill or you could try ponassing it in the way some people do salmon.
If you really want to leave the bone in and cook it at camp, I suggest a ground oven. However, be very careful and make sure there is no underlying peat that will catch fire.
Thanks all, looks like butterflying, and hang next to, not over. Or just bite the bullet and not be fancy by using the dutchoven for it. Either way, will let you know how it goes after the weekend.
If you leave the bone in it will take maybe 2-3 hours to get Well Done. Depends on the closedness to the heat.
I would not remove the bone.
You can in fact use the bone to tie a steel wire to, hang the cut where you want it. Then put it in a rotation on the wire.
Save you turning it.
I yhink you should find a tv program called Chefs Corner, about an Argentinian chef called Francis Mallman. It was on Netflix a couple years back.
He knows how to cook on fire.
I would not remove the bone.
You can in fact use the bone to tie a steel wire to, hang the cut where you want it. Then put it in a rotation on the wire.
Save you turning it.
I yhink you should find a tv program called Chefs Corner, about an Argentinian chef called Francis Mallman. It was on Netflix a couple years back.
He knows how to cook on fire.
In a smoker BBQ, never on the hot side.
Takes some patience to go 3 hrs at 300F or a little less.
I'd butterfly the leg, the bone keeps the middle cold.
Stand it up beside the fire so you can turn it.
Takes some patience to go 3 hrs at 300F or a little less.
I'd butterfly the leg, the bone keeps the middle cold.
Stand it up beside the fire so you can turn it.
I will check him out, I wasnt in a rush to cook the meat.. its just a lazy saturday afternoon thing. Maybe I will try two one with, one without, bone.. Its to feed 10 people or so anyways.
Good idea. Boneless for Well Done, bone in for Rare.
Malmann is my food hero numero uno. If you can, get his cookery books.
Would using a foil tray work well for the reflector? (and a dip tray to make gravy with afterwards).
I use foil baking dishes as heat reflectors in the the smoker BBQ, they do have a noticible effect.
The drip tray is a must to keep things tidy, if nothing else.
Here's the marinade that I use on butterflied leg of lamb, maybe 4 hours.
- 2 tsp mixed herb seasoning
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1/4C Canadian Maple syrup (seems a key flavoring)
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2C red wine (no more or the lamb goes purple)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
- fresh ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Either reserve some for basting or make extra.
The drip tray is a must to keep things tidy, if nothing else.
Here's the marinade that I use on butterflied leg of lamb, maybe 4 hours.
- 2 tsp mixed herb seasoning
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1/4C Canadian Maple syrup (seems a key flavoring)
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2C red wine (no more or the lamb goes purple)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
- fresh ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Either reserve some for basting or make extra.
Not over an open fire but I've mesquite smoked one in a kettle BBQ (coals and wood to either side with a drip pan between them. Meat on the grill over the drip pan with the domed lid back over the grill. It had been deboned but not butterflied. As I remember it took about 3 hours.
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Robson V, NO! NO!
Garlic, Thyme. Nothing more, nothing less!
If you like garlic, make small pockets with a knife and push in a bunch of individual peeled segments.
Then just sprinkle salt (and pepper) on the slices.
Garlic, Thyme. Nothing more, nothing less!
If you like garlic, make small pockets with a knife and push in a bunch of individual peeled segments.
Then just sprinkle salt (and pepper) on the slices.
There's an important cooking concept to take advantage of here.
Long, low and slow cooking breaks down the tough connective tissues in any meat.
You can't hurry this. I've tried and it was a disaster.
Lets suppose that I want to do some lamb shanks and I want them smokey and seasoned and tender and juicy.
Left hand BBQ burner lit on low. Little cast iron pan of wet apple wood chunks, right on that burner.
All the meat rubbed with dry seasoning mix, stacked on the right side.
1. New/extra thermometer in the RH side will come up to between 275F and 300F. I don't need any hotter.
2. The apple wood will smolder for 30-40 minutes, no more needed.
3. After 2 hours, I wrap all with Al foil. It continues to cook without drying out.
4. Get sauces ands slaws ready as when 3 hrs is up, we eat.
Long, low and slow cooking breaks down the tough connective tissues in any meat.
You can't hurry this. I've tried and it was a disaster.
Lets suppose that I want to do some lamb shanks and I want them smokey and seasoned and tender and juicy.
Left hand BBQ burner lit on low. Little cast iron pan of wet apple wood chunks, right on that burner.
All the meat rubbed with dry seasoning mix, stacked on the right side.
1. New/extra thermometer in the RH side will come up to between 275F and 300F. I don't need any hotter.
2. The apple wood will smolder for 30-40 minutes, no more needed.
3. After 2 hours, I wrap all with Al foil. It continues to cook without drying out.
4. Get sauces ands slaws ready as when 3 hrs is up, we eat.
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