Yard Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe

Making Dutch oven beef stew shouldn’t be notably tough. Making it over a campfire, nonetheless, requires a bit extra hands-on monitoring and enjoying with the hearth.

I created this recipe one night once we had been entertaining pals for dinner. I modified it barely from different, conventional beef stew recipes. It was an important dinner alternative as a result of we might chat round a hearth whereas I “labored” within the kitchen.

Observe that I’ve doubled the recipe on this article. The entire photos mirror that. I did this as a result of I used to be cooking for thus many individuals; that and left over beef stew is usually pretty much as good if not higher than the day it was made.

When this recipe is doubled, all of it matches completely right into a 12″ (8 quart) deep Dutch oven. I purchased mine on Amazon, nevertheless it’s additionally accessible at Cabela’s. Stir cautious over the hearth because the stew sits close to the rim of this Dutch oven.

What I like about this recipe is that it’s all confined to at least one pot. That makes cleanup straightforward, which is especially vital if you find yourself cooking outdoors or tenting. That is the right recipe for a household tenting journey.

Prepping the Hearth and Getting ready Components

If you happen to’ve by no means cooked over a hearth earlier than, welcome to the enjoyable! The method begins together with your hearth. You want time to construct up a small mattress of scorching coals to prepare dinner over. I had my hearth burning for nearly an hour earlier than I began cooking the stew over it. If time is tight, you may velocity issues up by utilizing a charcoal chimney and lump charcoal.

I don’t sometimes suggest utilizing charcoal briquettes for cooking meals however on this case they may work fantastic as a result of the meals is enclosed within the Dutch oven. I didn’t embody the hearth time within the recipe’s prep time.

As soon as your hearth is began it’s best to start prepping your elements. You’ll not need to do that whereas attempting to have a tendency the hearth as you start cooking since you gained’t have sufficient arms and fingers. Until you may have a sous-chef serving to out, assist your self by getting every part able to go prematurely.

In my case, getting the elements prepped began with the bacon, which is the primary ingredient to enter the Dutch oven. I prepped every part in my kitchen and cooked outdoors. I used my favourite model of knives, Made In, for all the slicing, however for those who’re working within the area or tenting, utilizing a decrease high quality knife is smart.

The Campfire Cooking Course of

You will want the flexibility to regulate the warmth. Meaning transferring coals round and/or altering the peak of your Dutch oven. I cling my Dutch oven from my concrete block outside prepare dinner station, however it’s also possible to use a campfire tripod for those who want a extra cell, simpler system. The place that is all cooked inside a single Dutch oven, a tripod is all you actually need.

The elements for this recipe are usually not that atypical from most beef stews aside from it comprises bacon and doesn’t name for flour. You possibly can roll the meat in flour to assist sear it, however I don’t trouble. A substitute for that is to go away extra of the bacon grease to assist “sizzle” the meat. I didn’t do this both, however modify the tactic to fit your fashion.

Apart from the bacon, the recipe has customary beef stew elements: boneless beef chuck, potatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, beef inventory, carrots, celery, and spices (rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper). Non-compulsory elements are Worcestershire sauce or purple wine (I didn’t use both).

Simmering your stew is the place the tough half is available in. Ideally you need to simmer it for just a few hours, however the warmth degree can change dramatically over a two-hour interval, so it’s important to monitor the simmer. Cook dinner it too excessive and the meat will toughen. Cook dinner it too low and it’ll take longer.

You might have to test your simmer extra usually than you’d on a contemporary range. With follow campfire cooking will get simpler. In fact, this recipe can be carried out proper on a kitchen range if that’s your choice.

Yard Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe

Being fully trustworthy, beef stew shouldn’t be my favourite dish. I made this recipe for others, and relied on them to evaluate it. Understanding folks could be biased when complimenting the chef, I based mostly their “actual” opinion by how a lot was eaten.

They put a harm on it! My teenage son got here again for second and even third helpings, consuming it once more for breakfast the following day.

If I used to be doing it over once more I’d have allowed extra time on the entrance finish. It’s straightforward to misjudge time when cooking over a hearth since you are accustomed to indoor cooking and overlook how a lot time prepping the outside house and hearth takes.

I didn’t give the stew the complete two-hour simmer I’m recommending right here, as a result of by the point everybody was hungry I needed to take it off, which meant it simmered for over an hour, however not two hours. The meat wanted a tad extra time to melt. Nonetheless, there have been no complaints with the tip product!

Components

• 4 strips of bacon
• 2 kilos boneless beef chuck
• 1 giant yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 1 (32oz) container beef inventory
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 3 giant potatoes
• 5 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• salt and pepper
• non-obligatory: splash Worcestershire sauce or purple wine

Directions

1. Get your campfire going to begin constructing a mattress of scorching coals.
2. Prep your greens: coarsely chop the onion, mince the garlic, peel the potatoes and minimize into 2″ items, minimize carrots and celery into 1″ items
3. Prep your meat: minimize the bacon into small items, minimize the meat into bite-size chunks and salt/pepper to style
4. In a 12″ Dutch oven, prepare dinner the bacon over med-high warmth till browned. Pour extra bacon grease out (watch out if dumping close to the hearth because the grease will burn), and clear out any burnt items of bacon.
5. Add salt and peppered beef to the Dutch oven and sear the perimeters.
6. Scale back the warmth and add garlic and onions and prepare dinner till onions are softened.
7. Add all remaining elements: tomato paste, beef broth, rosemary, thyme, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
8. Non-compulsory: add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or purple wine.
9. Cowl and simmer over low warmth, stirring often till meat and greens are tender (2 hours minimal is right).
10. Take away lid and proceed to simmer till your beef stew reaches your most well-liked thickness. I want a thinner sauce, so I don’t prepare dinner uncovered for lengthy.
11. Get pleasure from!

Notes

Thoughts your hearth! An excessive amount of warmth when the stew ought to be simmering will toughen the meat. Plan extra time than you want for the recipe. Simmering longer is healthier than ending it quickly as a result of everyone seems to be hungry.

What’s Your Favourite Beef Stew Recipe?

Have you ever tried this recipe? Do you may have a favourite beef stew recipe to share? Pontificate together with your ideas, feedback, and solutions under.

Need to strive different Dutch oven recipes? Try The Camp Dutch Oven Cookbook by Robin Donovan.