How to utilise your fire pit this winter for the ultimate camp cooking experience
- Written by Borrowdale Chef Ryan McBurney
Camp Oven Cooking Tips - Borrowdale Chef Ryan McBurney
Place hot coals on top of the lid of the camp oven for a well-rounded cook during the first half of cooking
Place Borrowdale free-range pork belly inside the camp oven with seasoning
Cook pork belly in a liquid, i.e. water, orange juice, and marmalade creating a glaze once cooked
During the last third/quarter of cooking, place additional coal on top of the lid in order to ramp up heat and create a crackling on the surface of the pork belly
For a unique tip, most people may not know, Chef Ryan says, “I recommend using orange juice as a liquid bath inside the camp oven which will create a marmalade like glaze on the pork belly once cooked.”
Marmalade and Anise ‘Firepit’ Pork Belly
What you’ll need:
- Domestic fire pit
- Seasoned cast iron
- Lump charcoal
- A bag of heat beads
- Firelighters
- Heavy-duty tongs
Ingredients:
- 150g orange marmalade
- 2 oranges – cut 2cm thick slices
- 750ml orange juice – not concentrate
- 1.5L water
- 100ml premium soy sauce or tamari
- 3-star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 20g ginger – sliced 3mm
- Bulb of garlic – cut in half
- 1 shallot (white part only)
- 2 red chillies – sliced thinly
- 4 fresh bay leaves
- Ground black pepper
- 2 branches rosemary
- 1.5-2kg piece of pork belly
- 15g salt
Equipment
- 3kg natural charcoal or 6kg hardwood logs
- 12-14 inch camp oven
- Firepit or allocated space to light fire
Method:
- Light fire pit using kindling (or firelighters), once burning to add hardwood logs or any combustible material that will create hot coals ideal for placing camp oven on top of. This will take approximately an hour to do so plan ahead.
- Cut the orange into thick slices and lay on the base of camp oven
- Put all ingredients together in the camp oven, they will combine as it cooks
- Lower pork belly into the crockpot
- Cover with lid and place on coals approx 2-2.5hrs.
- It is good practice to use a shovel and place some hot coals on the lid of the camp stove to ensure even heating around the crockpot
- It pays to keep an eye on the liquid content as if it cooks too quickly you may need to top up with extra water. Ideally, by the end of the cooking process, you want to be left with a syrupy glaze. Conversely, if this hasn’t been achieved it will be advantageous to remove the lid for final 15-30mins while it is cooking to assist this process.
- Pairs nicely with noodles dressed with sesame oil or steamed rice and Asian greens. Equally a Pinot Gris or an ice-cold beer.
