By Leigh O’Connor.
"Food has many functions in life. It bonds people. It divides people. It provides social opportunities, but I suppose its most important job is to keep you alive.” – Grandad.
Ever wanted to go bush and build your own oven? Ever wanted to know how to cook a cheap and easy feed with just pantry staples and one pot?
Look no more: 'Gone Bush' is your new bush-cooking bible!
Meet Outback Tom and Grandad, from the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The pair make cooking and bush videos to more than 290K followers on TikTok and 200K on Instagram and now they have released their very Australian, very tasty guide to making your own comfort food – bush style.
Tom Forrest is a proud Yorta Yorta man from East Kimberley whose media career began in 2017 after appearing in the television show, ‘My Year 12 Life’. He went on to have his own ABC series, ‘The Kununurra Kid’, where he explored Australia and found the lost parts of his indigenous family.
With his Grandad, Tom runs the social media page, ‘Outback Tom’. Which showcases life out bush, different meals, outback living, cooking, tips and tricks.
Amassing millions of followers who love their recipes and adventures from the heart of the Kimberley, the pair has put together a colourful, easy-to-use cookbook featuring some of their best recipes, along with more than 30 new ones, all perfect for outdoor cooking or to make at home.
Try your hand at classic damper, or make a delicious breaky in a can; have a go at smoking fish or cooking kangaroo tail, or keep it simple with some fancy snags. Finish it off with an apple crumble or lemon slice.
We have three classic recipes to share from ‘Gone Bush’:
"You don’t need to put too much chilli in a chilli con carne, but we like it hot. You can always just use a packet of taco seasoning if you don’t have paprika or cumin. We won’t tell. Serve with some rice or corn chips, or just eat it straight from the pot."
A real cheat for you here – instead of cooking the apple filling, switch it out with a large can of pie apples, or sub in whatever fruit you have that’s looking a bit sad. Berries or stone fruit are both great options. Eat with cream, custard or ice cream, dealer’s choice.
Make this with skinless, boneless chicken thighs - marinate them first in the brown-sugar marinade, then wrap them in bacon. These are best baked in a bush or camping oven, or a conventional oven at 200 C. Cook for around 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon is crispy and serve with a side of chips.
