All articles by Richard

Rack of Lamb on the Barbie for Two

Lamb, Anyone? Rack of Lamb on the Barbie for Two

Cook lamb, peaches, corn, and sweet potato on your outdoor grill. Watch the video below to see Richard, founder of My Camp Kitchen, explain step by step how to make a perfect lamb chop. It is surprisingly easy and oh, so good!


Ingredients

  • 1 lamb rack, typically 8 ribs (serves 2 healthy appetites)
  • 2 ripe peaches
  • 2–3 ears of corn
  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 2 cups of arugula or spring salad greens
  • garlic powder
  • curry powder (medium-hot)
  • black pepper, coarsely ground
  • salt
  • extra virgin olive oil

The grill

Charcoal or gas grill. I frequently use a Weber Q.

The rub

  • garlic powder
  • curry powder
  • black pepper
  • salt
  1. Mix up equal parts of garlic powder, curry powder, black pepper, and salt. Set aside.
Note: This is so tasty, you may want to make enough to put in a shaker for future use. It’s also good on grilled chicken.

Prepare the lamb

  1. Trim excess fat from the cap. Leave a thin layer or remove completely (your choice, either is good).
  2. Rub lightly with olive oil to help hold the rub.
  3. Coat all surfaces generously with the rub. Cover and hold until everything else is ready.

Prepare the sweet potatoes

  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1–2 tbsp. of virgin olive oil

Cut each washed potato in half lengthwise. Sprinkle olive oil on the cut side each potato and rub to spread the oil across the whole surface.

Prepare the peaches

  • 1–2 tbsp. virgin olive oil
  • black pepper to taste
  1. Cut each peach in half and remove the pits.
  2. Drizzle olive oil on the flesh and rub to ensure the whole surface is coated.
  3. Sprinkle black pepper on top. (The black pepper makes a tasty contrast to the sweetness of the peach.)

Prepare the corn

  • 2–3 ears of corn
  • 1–2 tbsp. of virgin olive oil
  • salt to taste (optional)
  1. Rub lightly with olive oil and salt to taste.

Prepare the grill

  1. If using gas, preheat the grill to high, then turn down to medium. If using charcoal, start a generous number of coals—in the neighborhood of 55 to 65.
  2. Wire brush the grill surface to remove prior remnants of charred food.
  3. When the coals are lit, spread evenly and tightly in a single layer.

Grilling

  1. Start with grilling the lamb. Turn every 5 minutes.
  2. On medium, it will take 20 to 25 minutes (four to five turns) to get to medium-rare. Time each turn.
  3. If flare-ups occur, remove from the heat and sprinkle the flames with a tiny amount of water.
  4. To test for doneness, use a meat thermometer (135 degrees F for medium-rare), make a cut, or use your finger to check the firmness.

The potatoes

  1. After the lamb has been on for a couple of minutes, place the potato halves face down on top of the grill. Rotate periodically.
  2. Keep on the grill until the potato is tender.

The peaches

  1. Place the peaches face down on top of the grill about 10 minutes after the lamb. Check periodically.
  2. Rotate to not burn the peach. Dark coloration is caramelized sugar from the peach, which is normal.

The corn

  1. The corn goes on last since it is the fastest to cook. Place on the grill about 14 minutes after the lamb.
  2. Rotate the ears of corn to cook all sides.

Serving

  1. When the lamb is done to your liking, remove to a plate and cover with foil and hold for 5 minutes.
  2. Remove the corn, potatoes, and peaches when finished to your liking (should be close to the time you remove the lamb).
  3. Cut the lamb between the bones into eight individual chops and arrange them on the plate. Place a generous handful of greens on the plate and put the tomatoes and asparagus on top.
  4. My preference is to have a hearty Cabernet or Syrah with this meal. I’m usually enjoying the wine while I’m cooking.

Learn about our outdoor cooking equipment at our website. Check out our Videos page to see other demonstrations and our Recipes archive for more outdoor cooking recipes.

Barbequed Rack of Lamb

Happy cooking!

Richard

A Camp Kitchen Built for Rugged Overlander Conditions

We tried to break it! And I mean we really tried. My friend Johnny was kind enough to do the honors.

We have a favorite campsite in the Rockies up above the town of Como, Colorado. There is a great four-wheel drive trail in the mountains just beyond the campsite. This is where we took the Outdoorsman for a ride. You can watch the video at our Videos page.

The Outdoorsman was packed with the normal gear we use on camping trips. This includes a single-burner propane stove, a small propane lantern, a couple of propane canisters, a pot and pan set, utensils, silverware, savory spices, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, paper towels, plates, cups, a Henkel knife set, a number of nonperishable food items, and a bottle of wine.

Sunday morning, Johnny showed up bright and early along with Herb, Matt, and Sarah (three of my kids); John, our videographer and my nephew; my brother Dorraine and his wife, Ruth; and Mike, a good friend from Canada. We packed up the Outdoorsman and strapped it onto the hitch platform Johnny uses to tote extra gear on his Jeep. Herb drove his SUV with John and his video gear. Herb opened the sunroof on his SUV, and John stood on the seat with half of his body and camera outside.

The first couple of miles is a modest gravel road, then we turn off onto a US Forest Service four-wheel drive road. This is when the fun really began. Johnny loves speed and rough rides, so he was right at home going as fast as he could over the rocks and rough terrain and through many water crossings. From the point at which we started on the FS road, it is about 10 miles to the continental divide overlooking Breckenridge. My brother, five years my senior, drove Sarah’s truck to the divide—a major feat for someone who doesn’t like to drive. He’s no wimp, that’s for sure.

Neither was the Outdoorsman. It was exposed to it all—dust, water, and a rough beating. You have to see the video to appreciate it.

After reaching the summit, we paused for a breather and took photos of the spectacular views. Then we headed back down just below tree line to our favorite campsite.

It was then that we set up and opened the Outdoorsman and found everything was intact!! Nothing broke, and it was dry inside despite all of the water it had been exposed to. Some dust did find its way in, but nothing that got in the way of cooking a great meal. I was very pleased.

We certainly don’t recommend such abuse on a regular basis, but taking the Outdoorsman four-wheeling with sane drivers is a piece of cake.

My sincerest thanks to everyone who tried so hard to break my kitchen.

Happy camping and cooking,

Richard

Sweat Equity

Recently while enjoying a coffee at Starbucks with a friend, we were discussing My Camp Kitchen’s new release, the Outdoorsman.

When I told him we offered a kit the customer could put together and finish themselves, he replied, “That’s great, your customers can use a little ‘sweat equity’ to get high value while saving money.”

Although it usually refers to building up equity or value in a house by doing a lot of work yourself, or in other instances, acquiring ownership in a business by investing labor rather than cash, “sweat equity” fits our new Outdoorsman kit rather nicely.

If you’d like to build some sweat equity while saving money, check out the Outdoorsman kit today!

My Camp Kitchen—When Flimsy Aluminum Isn’t Good Enough

I was recently camping in Steamboat Springs with some friends. I brought a Summit with me, of course. Many neighbors came by and were looking at my kitchen, as they are wont to do.

One person in particular had a lot to say about our kitchen. He had an aluminum kitchen set up in his campsite and was really impressed by the stability of My Camp Kitchen’s Summit. Apparently, the aluminum kitchens are wobbly. You’ve gotta be really careful around them—no kids playing and beware in windstorms. He kept pushing the Summit from a variety of angles and could not get it to budge. He was seriously impressed. Fortunately, I had some brochures, so he is going to check us out online.

Creative Process Behind My Camp Kitchen

I am passionate about a number of things in life, two of which are camping and cooking.  In all my years as an engineer working long hours, it was the weekend camping trips and weeklong camping vacations with my family that re-energized me for the weeks to come.

Until recently, we were tent campers. I have always looked for ways to become more organized and to make it easier to get ready, easier to set up camp, and of course easier to come home and get ready for the next trip.

We started out with five kids in a 1961 Ford Falcon, and we had to be organized just to fit. That is how My Camp Kitchen got started.

There is no greater joy than to be able to share the things one is passionate about with others. Joining my engineers’ eye for detail with my love of nature and cooking has enabled me to share with the world a really simple and organized way to cook outdoors while keeping all the kitchen gear and supplies right where you want them whenever needed.

I hope you all enjoy our outdoor kitchen systems as much as we do!!

Happy camping!

Richard Snogren