Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder in a Camp Oven on the Buschbeck

If there's one recipe that converts people to cooking on the Buschbeck, it's this one. A lamb shoulder, a camp oven and a few hours of low, steady heat - that's the whole trick. No fussing, no flipping every five minutes, just a fire that quietly does its thing while you get on with your afternoon.

I love this cook because it's so forgiving. Rub the lamb, wrap it up, sit it beside the coals and walk away. The Buschbeck's firebox is brilliant for this kind of low and slow work, holding a gentle, even heat for hours without much fuss from you.

By the time it comes out, the meat is falling off the bone and the whole yard smells like garlic, lemon and woodsmoke. It's the kind of meal that makes people linger at the table, pulling it apart with their fingers and going back for more.

Serves 6 · Fire: low coals · Cook: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 lamb shoulder, bone in (about 2 kg / 4½ lb)
• 1 garlic bulb, cloves peeled
• 2 lemons
• A small bunch of rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 250 ml (1 cup) white wine or water
• Sea salt and cracked pepper

Method

1. Light the fire and let it settle to low, even coals.
2. Cut small slits all over the lamb and push in garlic and rosemary. Rub with olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
3. Sit the lamb in the camp oven on the halved lemons and any spare garlic. Pour in the wine and put the lid on.
4. Cook beside the coals for 3½–4 hrs, turning once, until the meat pulls easily from the bone.
5. Rest for 15 min, then shred and spoon over the pan juices.

Fire note: Low and slow is the secret here. Use the cast iron grill at the side of the firebox and check the heat with an infrared thermometer, aiming for around 150°C (300°F).

Buschbeck kit: Heavy-Duty Cast Iron Grill · Heat-Resistant Gloves

How to cook slow-roasted lamb shoulder on a Buschbeck

The secret to this lamb shoulder is patience, not heat. You want your Buschbeck fire settled right down to low, even coals before the camp oven goes anywhere near it - no roaring flames, no spikes in temperature. If you're still working on getting your fire to that gentle stage, my temperature guide to reading heat zones is worth a read before you start.

Position the camp oven to the side of the firebox rather than directly over the hottest coals. The Buschbeck's design makes this easy, with enough room to create a cooler zone for exactly this kind of long, slow cook. An infrared thermometer takes the guesswork out of it - you're aiming for around 150°C (300°F), low enough that the lamb cooks through gently rather than scorching on the outside before the inside's done.

• Check the coals every 30-40 minutes and top up with a small amount of fuel if the heat starts to drop.
• Resist lifting the lid too often - every peek lets heat escape and adds to your cook time.
• Turn the lamb once, about halfway through, so it colours evenly on both sides.
• You'll know it's ready when the meat pulls away from the bone with barely any resistance.

Heat-resistant gloves are essential here, as the camp oven and its lid get properly hot after hours beside the fire. If you're new to camp oven cooking on your Buschbeck, it's a good one to start with - it's hard to get wrong once your fire is behaving.

What to serve with slow-roasted lamb shoulder

I like to keep things simple alongside this lamb - a big green salad, some crusty bread for mopping up the pan juices, and maybe a side of roasted vegetables if the fire's still going. For something to start with while the lamb cooks away, try my fire-blistered tomatoes with burrata, or tear up a loaf of wood-fired rosemary focaccia to serve on the side.

FAQs

Can I cook lamb shoulder on a Buschbeck without a camp oven?

You can, but the camp oven helps trap moisture and keep the meat tender over a long cook. Without one, you'd need to wrap the lamb tightly in foil and baste it often to stop it drying out.

How do I keep my Buschbeck fire at a low, steady temperature for hours?

Build a smaller fire than you think you need and let it burn down to coals before you start, then add small amounts of fuel regularly rather than big logs all at once. An infrared thermometer takes the guesswork out of it.

What size lamb shoulder works best on the Buschbeck?

A bone-in shoulder around 2 kg feeds about six people and fits comfortably in most camp ovens. Larger shoulders will need extra cooking time, so plan for a longer afternoon by the fire.

Can I prepare the lamb ahead of time before cooking it on the Buschbeck?

Yes, you can rub the lamb with garlic, lemon and oil a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to light the fire. This also gives the flavours more time to work into the meat.

Get all 89 recipes in The Wood Fire Kitchen

Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Garlic & Lemon is one of 89 recipes in my cookbook, The Wood Fire Kitchen: Recipes for your Buschbeck outdoor fireplace. It covers everything from lighting and reading the fire to pizza, grilling, the rotisserie, camp-oven dinners and desserts baked in the embers, with a Buschbeck kit note on every recipe so you know exactly which accessory to reach for.

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