As we can’t leave home, I’ve decided to use the camp ovens daily.
Tonight it’s going to Chilli Con Carne
Simple dish, but we love it.
Watch this space for the next couple of weeks.

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Just to show what we are doing to escape cabin fever:

The back yard at Chez Rabz this afternoon, between wind squalls from the gale we are experiencing.

Edit to add:  Beef stew is plan for the CO.

To quote a Kenny Chesney song "Maybe we're all here, 'coz we ain't all there?"

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Hi Colin
That is a good set up. As for the wood stove I have one the same.
Regards Kevvie

Hi Aart   (sorry I forgot to reply to you)
I am very much looking forward to seeing what you cook up..
regards Kevvie.

To windy out here for comfortable camp oven cooking.  I have some sausages thawing out for dinner.  Still not sure how I am cooking them or what to have with them.

Been hankering for a big dish of lambs fry and bacon but Maggie is not over fussed on it.

Derek wrote on Apr 11^th, 2020 at 2:53pm:

To windy out here for comfortable camp oven cooking.

I figured a stew is not all that critical on heat, so I can just let it bubble away regardless of the wind.

Derek the old bangers and mash here to night. Cheers

Finished pot.   Now have to decide tomorrows delicacy.

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Aart
That looks pretty good did you have any left overs.
regards Kev

Like Bear, bangers and mash here with peas and onion gravy

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Just to keep going, here was last nights dinner.  Pies made from leftover beef stew and sweet potato chips.

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Kevvie wrote on Apr 11^th, 2020 at 7:15pm:

Aart That looks pretty good did you have any left overs. regards Kev

Enough for Hetty’s mum and dad tomorrow and a lunchtime snack as well.
We had 3 for dinner tonight

You are very kind sharing
Kev

Did anyone watch Better Homes and Gardens on Friday night?  I am making that prune and custard tart in a camp oven this afternoon.

Happy Easter! 

We got up early, got the camp oven cranking and turned out a cheesy bacon damper. Had it and coffee while watching a battle royale between lorikeets, then had a visit from some yellow tailed black cockatoos.  Not a bad start to a day.

Derek
those pies looking great.

Aart  keeping an eye out your your dinner.

regards Kevvie

Going to cook a roast pork in the Weber later and a hot cross bun bread and butter pudding in a camp oven.

What is everyone else up to?

Derek wrote on Apr 12^th, 2020 at 12:25pm:

Going to cook a roast pork in the Weber later and a hot cross bun bread and butter pudding in a camp oven. What is everyone else up to?

Beef short ribs and lamb ribs in the smoker.

Sweet Date Damper in the camp oven.

Rabbitz wrote on Apr 12^th, 2020 at 12:29pm:

Derek wrote on Apr 12th, 2020 at 12:25pm: Going to cook a roast pork in the Weber later and a hot cross bun bread and butter pudding in a camp oven. What is everyone else up to? Beef short ribs and lamb ribs in the smoker. Sweet Date Damper in the camp oven.

Don't forget to post some photos please.

Aart

Prune and custard tart in the CO

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Hi Aart
Not many prunes in your dish. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
regards Kevvie

Pork is on.  Nice piece of boned leg.  Cooking for three hours so dinner at 6.00 tonight.

Was on special at $8.50 a kilo so happy with that.  Going to be a few meals there as well as sandwiches for lunch.  Can never get sick of this stuff  8-)

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Out of the camp oven.
Could have been browner underneath.

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I've eatten worse looking things Aart....I'll have a slice please. The top looks spot on....live n learn.

Aart
Looks  great and I can see plenty of prunes. :P :P
enjoy your work.
Kevvie  PS what size camp oven did you use.

This was my effort last night, Scotch eggs, I had the sausage mince to make these for nibbles camping over Easter, but used them for dinner instead.

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Those Scotch Eggs look good John.
Never made them before
Must try them.

Kevvie wrote on Apr 12^th, 2020 at 4:01pm:

Aart Looks  great and I can see plenty of prunes. :P :P enjoy your work. Kevvie  PS what size camp oven did you use.

That is my Albion 10 inch.
I do most of my cooking in it.
That foil dish had to be reduced around the top to fit in.

Very nice John

The tart and the scotch eggs look the goods.

As requested:

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Boy you lot must eat early.  Mines still cooking.

All yummy looking tucker as well.

The only good thing coming out of this isolation is the forum and our camp ovens are getting a workout. Not happened in a while

Love you photos Colin


Aart

What an afternoon.  All this cooking is tiring.

Roast was a success.  Cooked it slowly for three hours and it was nearly too soft to carve but very, very delicious. The crackling was superb.

Had baked potato, pumpkin, Hawaiian sweet potato as well as brussel sprouts, gravy and chunky apple sauce.

Dessert is still to come.

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There is some nice looking tucker coming out. :)

I have never done my own Butterflied Chicken, I just brought the chicken already butterflied.  We had the chicken out to defrost so I decided to go with butterflied chicken tonight using a Kick Butt rub served with roast vegetables.

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I like the butterflied chickens.  Takes so much less time than a whole chook to cook.

That looks yummy.

Well dessert is done, the dishes are done and time to sit and relax again.

Here is our Easter Bread & Butter Pudding cooked in my little 8 inch oven.

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All your meals looked  really nice
Thank you for the photos
regards Kevvie :P :P

TBF put his finger on it, I have been cooking every day lately, trying out new ideas and some old ones. Baked some lamb shanks the other day, won't do that again they need to be casseroled.
Wish I had a high top BBQ so I could season some ovens, bride won't let me do them in her oven, wonder why?

poddy dodger wrote on Apr 13^th, 2020 at 1:57pm:

TBF put his finger on it, I have been cooking every day lately, trying out new ideas and some old ones. Baked some lamb shanks the other day, won't do that again they need to be casseroled. Wish I had a high top BBQ so I could season some ovens, bride won't let me do them in her oven, wonder why?

I tried baking lamb shanks once before as well. Tasted ok. Tough as nails though. Definitely casserole only for them now

Dinner in on.
Meatball Casserole.

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Almost finished prepping the Chicken and Vegetable Bake.
Will do a before and after photo
Dinner will be a bit late tonight.

poddy dodger wrote on Apr 13^th, 2020 at 1:57pm:

TBF put his finger on it, I have been cooking every day lately, trying out new ideas and some old ones. Baked some lamb shanks the other day, won't do that again they need to be casseroled. Wish I had a high top BBQ so I could season some ovens, bride won't let me do them in her oven, wonder why?

Come on Poddy, I haven’t seen any recent photos .

Before

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Just had a fail on my Hotshots.
They were fully alight as the prep went longer than anticipated.
12 under and 16 on top
Only 3 were still giving heat. They were situated directly under the centre of the camp oven.
This has happened before, not under cover and on or about last light. I am sure there is a falling damp that causes it.
So now it in the house oven to finish off.

Threw some spuds and pumpkin in the Weber and had leftover pork with good old brussel sprouts and fresh beans.

Then leftover pudding from last night.  The custard on the pudding if you look is rather dark.  That is because I used brown sugar.  Gave it a rich caramel taste

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Doing a Beer Braised Lamb Shanks for tomorrow night. Will give then a 2 hour bake today, into the fridge before bed, tomorrow remove as much fat as possible and finish of the cook.

Lay them on top of mash with spring onion mixed in with a few peas, asparagus and what ever else needs to be used.


First photo just before going in the oven.

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After
 

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Looks good mate enjoy.

Lots of great dishes appearing again.

Well done everyone with your great meals
regards  Kevvie.. :P

I like that meatball casserole.
Simple but I bet it’s tasty.
Any chance of a recipe Brian.

Here is a steamed "Nut Roll" very easy to do with ingredients you should all have in your tucker box. [smiley=chef.gif]

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Thanks Poddy. Is that in the recipe section.
Was that your recipe in the Furphy book?

TBF wrote on Apr 13^th, 2020 at 6:32pm:

Just had a fail on my Hotshots. They were fully alight as the prep went longer than anticipated. 12 under and 16 on top Only 3 were still giving heat. They were situated directly under the centre of the camp oven. This has happened before, not under cover and on or about last light. I am sure there is a falling damp that causes it. So now it in the house oven to finish off.

There was a bad batch of Hot Shots last year where they were crumbly and would just go out. I know of a number of people having had problems with them. If you took them back to Bunnings they replaced them. I even got my money back at Atherton and then got some at Cairns which were fine. A few nights ago we had another bag that went out so I am taking them back today. This is the first problems we have had since Rory put us onto them six or so years ago.

It is annoying as there really isn't much of an alternative as the Black & Gold brand burned away rather quickly and the Heat Bead brand ones we found next to useless.  :(

Some nice meals being posted up folks.  :)

Here's the recipe for Nut Roll:
1 cup mixed dried fruit
2 tbs golden syrup
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 small tsp bi carb soda
1 cup SR flour
Simmer fruit, milk, golden syrup and bi carb soda for a few minutes, allow to cool before adding egg and flour, mix then place into a well greased tin, you can use a baked bean or fruit tin with both ends open, fill to about 3/4 full and seal both ends with aluminium foil. Sit on a trivet in oven with water and steam for 3/4 hour. Very easy to do and a break from damper etc when you're bush camping. You can use 1/2 cup mixed fruit with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts for a something a bit different.

Breakfast - bacon, egg, tomato, black pudding, toast and orange juice

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Chally wrote on Apr 14^th, 2020 at 9:53am:

TBF wrote on Apr 13th, 2020 at 6:32pm: Just had a fail on my Hotshots. They were fully alight as the prep went longer than anticipated. 12 under and 16 on top Only 3 were still giving heat. They were situated directly under the centre of the camp oven. This has happened before, not under cover and on or about last light. I am sure there is a falling damp that causes it. So now it in the house oven to finish off. There was a bad batch of Hot Shots last year where they were crumbly and would just go out. I know of a number of people having had problems with them. If you took them back to Bunnings they replaced them. I even got my money back at Atherton and then got some at Cairns which were fine. A few nights ago we had another bag that went out so I am taking them back today. This is the first problems we have had since Rory put us onto them six or so years ago. It is annoying as there really isn't much of an alternative as the Black & Gold brand burned away rather quickly and the Heat Bead brand ones we found next to useless.  :( Some nice meals being posted up folks.  :)

It’s not the beads. I used them the afternoon before and they worked till they were only ash.

Thanks Poddy
Into the camping box with that recipe.
Now have to get a tin to suit. I’m sure there will be one at an op shop.
Seen them there before.

Aart, when that happened to you last time weren’t you using Heat Beads???

Derek wrote on Apr 14^th, 2020 at 2:46pm:

Aart, when that happened to you last time weren’t you using Heat Beads???

I believe so. Still convinced it’s night air without having cover or roof overhead. Cooking again tonight. Will start earlier with the same bag of new hotshots.

TBF wrote on Apr 14^th, 2020 at 2:42pm:

It’s not the beads. I used them the afternoon before and they worked till they were only ash.

That's strange then. Ours were under cover each time so faulty beads.

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Tonight’s cook has been cancelled.
2 more lots of bad news in the extended family.
2020 is turning out to be a very ordinary year.

Will cook again tomorrow
Today was Hetty’s birthday and had some lovely things organised.

Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary so maybe then.

That’s a bugger mate. Take care.

Left over spag bog for dinner here tonight.

Aart
We are thinking of you.
Take Care mate
regards Kev

Finished of the Beer Braised Lamb Shanks yesterday and had them for dinner last night. Will try another recipe next week.

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Beer Braised Lamb Shanks, would love to know how that is done Bear.

Will post and let you know where. Cheers

Aart https://www.aussiecampovenforum.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1586907536/0#0 cheers

Bear wrote on Apr 15^th, 2020 at 9:40am:

Aart https://www.aussiecampovenforum.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1586907536/0#0 cheers

Thanks mate

Tonight it’s Butter Chicken, naan bread, side of steamed Veges  and rice.
Cheating with the foil tray and bbq, but it’s still CO cooking.

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Plated up and tasty.

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Looks nice. We had chips, peas and a fried egg.  Dipped chips on the egg yolk.

No photos.

Breakfast a bit different today decided on toast with cheese, semi dried tomato and hot salami. Grilled it under the sandwich maker and came out great.

The tomato’s were very intense in flavour and glad I only chopped a couple for each piece of toast. Cheers

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Pork Belly tonight. 
Local butcher had it for $8.99 a kilo.
Couldn’t let that slip, so we got a 4 kg side.
Enough for 4 cooks.

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Good buy there Aart enjoy. How you cooking it ?

Cannot lay claim to any camp oven cooking but did cook a pot of chicken vindaloo curry

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Another Hotshots fail.
Not happy.
Had to finish off in the hooded bbq.

Bear wrote on Apr 17^th, 2020 at 5:51pm:

Good buy there Aart enjoy. How you cooking it ?

Dried out in the fridge overnight.  A little oil and rock salt.
After the heat bead fail it got a touch burnt in the bbq following Hetty’s ambiguous intervention.

#### happens but the hotshots have me worried. No how much you spooked then so bought 2 bags and put them in some airtight containers. No receipt so hope they are good when I go to use them

Still a fire ban here till the end of April. Have a good weekend mate. Cheers Robert

Dinner is on.  Pork belly, chorizo and cannellini bean stew.  It’s full of nice things.  :)

This one is for the Challenge.

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I really like that combination Derek.
Very interested in how you are seasoning it.
Looking forward to the outcome.

Because it is an experiment Aart I am hoping that the flavours will come out of the chorizo but I added some smoky paprika to it as well.

Fingers crossed.  Just waiting for some spuds to boil. Going to have it with mash.  Would have been nice to have mashed the spuds with some horseradish but do not have any.

Derek Your setup with your Oz pig is looking great
Looking forward to using my little wood stove again
regards
Kev

Kevvie wrote on Apr 25^th, 2020 at 7:32pm:

Derek Your setup with your Oz pig is looking great Looking forward to using my little wood stove again regards Kev

Me too Kevvie.
Better start collecting small stuff to burn in mine

I am lucky here as I still have some dry red gum from a couple of years back that I collected down south.

Yes I already have a large  number of bags of small firewood and kindling  stored ready for when I go away cavavaning.
I can not use my stove here in the village.
Kev ;)
.

Wood has never been a problem for me, I just walk up the back yard and get some. I still have trees down from two cyclones ago.
Good looking set up Derek and a good looking dinner as well.

Derek wrote on Apr 25^th, 2020 at 5:45pm:

Because it is an experiment Aart I am hoping that the flavours will come out of the chorizo but I added some smoky paprika to it as well.

Looks good Derek
Are you happy with the flavours.

Yep, flavour was spot on and when Maggie says, “You can cook this one again”, I know I am on a winner.

Sitting around the campfire. No cooking as we have leftovers

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Billy tea.

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Last nights leftovers heating up.  :)

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Still here and the port is superb.

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This turned up in todays mail.  Cast iron grill for the Ozpig.  Pretty good considering I only ordered it Sunday.

Might have to head down to the butcher for some steaks or chops.  :)

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looks great Derek. I have lamb chops if that is OK,
Regards Kev   

Well as it turned out I didn't even got to light the Ozpig. Currently building a fence around the house.

Dual purpose fence.  Designed to keep a small dog in when we get one and also designed to grow vines over it.

I am thinking grapes, passionfruit and choko at this stage but the length of it tells to that I could have 10 different vines.

Hi Derek
Lesley and I reckon the vines over the fence is a great idea.
Also what kind of dog would you and Maggie kind to have.
regards Kev.

Some scruffy little white furball I expect. Our last dog was a shih tzu so something similar.

Did steak and kidney tonight in a Billmans CO, (they are a good oven) and the S & K wasn't too bad either.
Going through the freezer and finding stuff I didn't know I had, skirt steak I'd bought to do pasties and kidneys the bride mistakenly bought thinking it was lambs fry anyway the lock down has some benefits.

Agree with you Rob, we cleaned and sorted ours out a week ago. Cheers

Still going through our freezer but must admit we had Indian takeaway last night with leftovers tonight.

I think I might have to get some steak and kidney.  Make it into pies I think.

mmmmm Lambs Fry mmmmmmmm

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Cooked a big pot of steak and kidney for dinner.  No cooking outside as winter has arrived and I wasn’t ready for it. 

Served the SK with mash and brussel sprouts. 

Was delicious.  Enough left over for a couple of pies.

YUM Steak and Kidney pie  :P
regards Kev

Definitely enough left over for a couple of pies.   :D

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Well went to make the steak and kidney pies earlier and found only one sheet of pastry in the freezer.  Opps!!

Brain working quickly and decided on some pot pies with just pastry over the top.  Turned out very nicely.  I bought the little ceramic pie dishes for $2 each at Aldi a while back.

Oh, can you guess what side of the table Maggie sits?

It was too flamin cold outside so cooked in the oven in the kitchen. ;D.

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My guess is the side closest to the camera   ;D ;D
regards Kevvie ::) ::)

Yesterday it was time to give the BBQ it's post-summer deep-clean. Gave it a good scrub out and once over.

It was blowing a gale yesterday, almost blew the dog off it's chain!  So stupid me, after cleaning the BBQ lit it, and turned everything up to 11 to burn of any cleaning residue (I think they call it pyrolytic cleaning :)  ).  Well the gale picked and with the oven at about 300 degrees it blew a couple of burners out (These are the fancy gas bar and quartz glass type that run exceedingly hot) suddenly there was flame EVERYWHERE!.

Gas bottle off, and no damage.  Phew.

The wind is calmer today, so I am trying it again.  I also came across an old but unused jaffle iron hiding in the shed, so it's getting a re-season while the BBQ cleans  :)

My brother and SIL dropped in yesterday on their way from the farm to see their youngest for her birthday (we are allowed small family visits in NSW now). He very kindly and unexpectedly brought down a load of firewood. Last night the cats were well pleased with that outcome :)

The wood is very interesting. It is from the very back of the property, an area that was never cleared of trees way back when the property was originally a soldiers selection and turned into a farm. This tree was a proper old growth yellow box gum probably near 100 years old and has been dead and seasoning for even longer that that. The grain is so tight and the wood is so hard it is very difficult to split. Which means it burns hot and lasts all night.

Woke up to a cheery warmth in the house this morning.

Edit to add JI image

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Cooking again.
2 huge apple turnovers. 
Hotshots failed again.
Had to finish them in the hooded bbq.

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Aart hope the apple turn over turn out OK.
what is wrong with the hot shots.
Kevvie

Done

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YUM
Kevie

Looks good Aart.  You cooked them for us all at the COG at Aratula several years back.

Going to seriously have to do something with that bag of Hot Shots though.

I am a sucker for pastry, regardless of what is wrapped in it.

The last of the steak & kidney in pies again for dinner tonight with some peas and sweet potato chips.

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Derek wrote on May 3^rd, 2020 at 5:46pm:

Looks good Aart.  You cooked them for us all at the COG at Aratula several years back. Going to seriously have to do something with that bag of Hot Shots though.

They turned out better than Aratula.
My neighbour enjoyed one tonight.

Sick of hotshots.
No more.
Going to try lump charcoal next.

Derek wrote on May 3^rd, 2020 at 5:46pm:

Looks good Aart.  You cooked them for us all at the COG at Aratula several years back.

MMMMMMM yeah I remember those .....there are photos somewhere. That was the year that Aart scared the neighbors by turning up in his work gear. ;D

Pizza oven going for mother’s day.
CO was jealous so I made a Goldlen Syrup Damper
In the Albion 10.
Still getting used to the charcoal, hence a little licorice icing underneath.

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Good on ya  Aart. I hope you enjoyed it with a good cuppa
Regards Kev :P

Not a great fan of winter but it does give you the chance to doing more of the old stew, braising and soups.

Last nights combined effort Using the slow cooker with the good wife was Braised steak and onions in a dark, rich mushroom sauce with potato and pumpkin mash, peas and beans

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Winter comfort food.
Doesn't get any better than that Bear.

Certainly does not Aart, they can keep their Master Chef creations and I will stick to good Aussie tucker. Cheers

YUM YUM Looks good Bear.
Tomorrow I am going to try is slow cooker. Thinking about something using some lamb chops.
Kevvie

Kevvie excellent choice may do one ourselves next week when we are home. Cheers

Yep looks good; nice on a cool night.

Coles have Corned Beef on special at $8/Kg so I got a small one  (1Kg) and cooked it last night using the brown sugar recipe, it was really nice even if I do say so myself. Served with cabbage, carrots, white sauce and mashed spuds.

Photos mate where are the photos, cheers

Not even remotely camp oven or charcoal cooked but I knocked up a huge plate of Lamb's Fry and Bacon with Onion Gravy on Sour-Dough Toast for brekkie.

It's been a long while since I've done this dish. It was delicious (If you like that sort of thing).

No photo's as it's really just brown/grey lumps in brown ooze on a plate  :)

I slipped a couple of pieces of the liver to one of our cats.  I now have a new shadow following me around the house, staring at me - just in case there is some more...

I love liver and bacon. Been a regular at our camp oven gatherings over the years. Either Rob or myself cooking it.

Not everyone likes it though.

Yum Yum Liver and Bacon like it very much.
regards Kev

Well there's almost been a break in the weather.

The bead chimney is full and warming up.  The new kettle bbq is getting it's second run.

Lamb chump chops and baked veggies.  That'll warm the soul!

Edited to add that there's also a baked apple in there for afters.

Well done Collin enjoy, cheers

Chump chops.  I was raised on them. 
Where’s the photos mate.
We like to drool.

I am not one who is predisposed to photographing everything I eat  :)

So no pictures but I can assure you they went down great when paired with a longneck of Coopers Best Stout.

We've recently gone back to chump chops, after years of loin chops (or lamb rump steaks).  We're not scared of neck chops either :)

Why is it that all of the old cheaper cuts are now the ones that have big price tags?

Rabbitz, agree with you about the cheaper cuts of meat, almost unobtainable here in the big city. I asked for mutton awhile ago and the butcher looked down his nose at me and said, "We don't sell mutton !!".
Neck chops, chuck steak, stewing steak, brisket and offal are hard to find nowadays.

Beef cheek was gone that way now as well.  Well over double the price they were a couple of years ago.

Lambs fry and beef kidney I can still get at a reasonable price.

Blame the cooking shows who keep telling people about the cheap cuts and when they are popular the supermarkets up the price.

Managed to get beef cheeks for $10 kilo the other day. Use to be $5 before George and his two mates raved about them.

Appropriate to this discussion, on the ABC website today there was a story with the headline:

"Rabbit for almost every meal: Growing up in the Great Depression"

A couple of months ago I was in a grocer that also has a huge range of smallgoods and speciality meats.

Frozen rabbits were $80 each.  Not even a pair, each.  How did rabbit go from poverty fare to $80 each?

TBF I was also brought up on lamb chump chops.  My mum would send me to the butcher every week for 6 lamb chump chops, one each for 4 kids + parents.

Laughing TBF, my mum sent me to the butcher and to ask for stewing steak NOT chewing steak. We ate lambs brains, tripe, jugged hare, wallaby and rabbits, no waste back in 40's and early 50's, no animals were safe.

More Lamb!

When we made our usual Saturday morning visit to the local independent butcher he had, in the display case, a couple of very inviting boned lamb shoulders.  My Mrs. said "Do you reckon you could cook one of those in the 'weber'?". 

Consequently this was last nights dinner (along with a cheeky Aldi sourced Cab Merlot):

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Yesterdays effort leg of lamb in the smoker. Used cherry lumps and pellets. Certainly was a different taste and all the family loved it.

The daughter done a raid on the rest of the roast vegies and a fair bit of meat. Not something I would do every week but nice to try. May do a different smoke flavour when I do smoke again.

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Looks tempting.

How long did it take?

What temperature did you run the smoker at?

I Butterflied another chicken and used pork Lobo marinade on it. Came up a treat with roast vegies as well. :)

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