Chilli Lamb in Red Wine

This was the winning entry in the Roadkill Stew section for Tom Skeehan whose dad ,Vince, organises the Bungendore Camp-oven Cook-off event. Tom says he ‘loves to cook’ but it’s hard getting to the stove at the Skeehan household. as Dad and his sisters also cook. Mum just sets the table, probably with a big smile.

You’ll need around a kilo of any lamb cut, shoulder, etc. Tom used loin chops. The long cooking time makes almost any cut tender.

A heavy cook pot makes it easier to cook slowly on an open fire, but any good solid cast-iron lidded saucepan or pot would work on your stove top.

Chop up and fry, in a splash of vegetable oil, a large onion with 4 teaspoons of sugar, and 3 chopped cloves of garlic.

 Cook until the onion has browned and caramelized.

Add 3 chopped dried red chillies, a handful of chopped parsley and the diced lamb.

When you’ve browned the lamb, add around a litre of beef or lamb stock, to cover the meat. Add, Tom suggests “a generous amount’, of red wine, say 500ml to a whole bottle.

Add another 3 whole red chillies (and remember to remove them at the end!)

Cover and cook on a low heat for around 2 hours. Check that the meat isn’t drying out and if it is add some more stock, water or wine.

Tom said that on the campfire, the meat can absorb or boil off most of the moisture, and after about one and a half hours or so he adds some more stock, chopped garlic, another spoonful of sugar and seasons to taste with salt and pepper. It becomes more like meat with a rich gravy.

This is delicious served with some steamed veggies and a good crusty bread.

(It’s hard slaving over a hot campfire but a cold beer often helps.)

This was the winning entry in the Roadkill Stew section at the Camp Oven Cook-off. Works on a stove top too.