Jo Clews has been cooking for almost as long as she can remember, and as a country girl having lived and worked in various remote and regional areas of WA, likes nothing more than cooking outdoors on the camp oven.
Jo enjoys traveling as much as she can in the outback, but lately has been busy with her latest project: Melangata Station.
Melangata Station features a stunning homestead that Jo and her family have renovated into a B&B, and created a place for visitors to enjoy a rural escape.
“Melangata Station was first taken up as a pastoral lease in the early 1900s. It has had mixed fortunes over the years and at one point after the second world war it was abandon for some years,” Jo Said.
“The Homestead is very unusual as it was designed by Monsignor John Hawes who was a local Priest architect who was responsible for the design and construction of many buildings in the Midwest of Western Australia including the Catholic Cathedral in Geraldton and Our Lady of Carmel Church and buildings in Mullewa.”
“Our idea for Melangata was to renovate the bedrooms of the homestead to offer Dinner Bed and Breakfast for guests to be able to gain a genuine outback station experience,” Jo said.
Melangata Station is situated centrally to beautiful displays of wildflowers when the seasons are good is a nice drive away to the Historic town of Cue.
So while you’re at the 4WD Show, make sure you chat to Jo about Melangata and maybe plan a stay!
More information on Melangata Station can be found on Facebook.
Heading out camping this winter? Here’s the perfect recipe to try out in the camp oven, thanks to Jo Clews and Engel Australia!
Spicy Apricot Lamb Shanks
Here’s a new take on a classic slow cooked finger licking dish that is sure to become a standard go-to recipe when out camping!
This recipe feeds 2 people, however can be doubled for extra people. Takes 1.5-2 hours to cook.
- 2 lamb shanks
- 1 small can apricot nectar
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 1 small can apricot halves and their juice
- ¼ teaspoon of dried chilli flakes, more or less depending on your spice tolerance
- 2 tablespoons of oil
Heat oil in a small to medium cast iron camp oven. Brown shanks for about 5 minutes. Add onion and cook for a further five minutes. Add the spice, apricots and apricot nectar.
Bring to the boil on the stove top, then transfer to the fireplace, sit oven on sturdy wire rack over 4-5 coals, heat beads or a small amount of fire coals with the same amount on the lid, and simmer over moderate heat for about 1.5 hours.
Replace coals regularly to maintain an even cooking temperature, remove lid from oven and cook for a further 30-40 minutes uncovered to reduce liquid.
Shank meat should be tender, juicy and falling off the bone. Serve with mashed potatoes and veggies. Hearty comfort food out in the bush!