Simple Campfire Stew
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This simple campfire stew is the best and simplest feed-a-crowd recipe! Imagine meaty stew cooked slowly over fire. It can’t get any better than this!
If you are looking for camping lunch ideas for large groups then this is it! This feed-a-crowd recipe will definitely turn your hungry eaters into happy campers who will definitely ask for seconds!
Ok guys. Normally I am all about quick recipes but this one is an exception. You see, this simple campfire stew is my favorite and I felt like I have to share it with you. I hope I am not the only one who loves cooking over a campfire!
Sooo. Yes. It takes time to make it. Like 2+ hours to be perfectly correct. But don’t freak out here! If you are planning on going camping this summer I tell you this is it! This is the recipe you need to try!
It is a very simple campfire stew recipe BUT so popular where I come from. I could easily call it a summer stew as EVERYONE loves making it this time of year. It’s something like get-together stew that we cook for a crowd. You know like friends or family – the more the better.
How to make campfire stew
Now it does not really matter what way you make it (although I am sure many would disagree with me). It’s the company that is important. Call your friends or family members and get out for a day (or two or three).
Get a cauldron (ideally) or anything you can use to make this simple campfire stew. The most important thing here is its size – the bigger the better. Because you will be feeding a crowd!
A cast iron Dutch oven would be perfect but this cast aluminium cauldron looks pretty good to me as well.
10 quarts/10 liters would be perfect. It should feed at least 12 people. If you think that is way too big, you could go for a smaller one. However, we used similar when cooking for 5 of us.
In this video you will see how my family makes this simple campfire stew. We have been making it this way for ages. There are not many ingredients which makes it relatively cheap as well.
The important ones are the meat – ideally it would be a mix of beef and pork (game is also great but pretty dear here. If you can get your hands on game meat, go ahead and add this as well) AND potatoes. See lots of potatoes because they will thicken the stew. Oh and let’s not forget onions. A lot of onions as well.
Then there are those small things – seasonings and other small pantry items that make this simple campfire stew delicious.
Garlic, salt, pepper, marjoram, tomato paste, beer and …. now don’t get freaked out but lard is one of the ingredients as well. Yes. Lard! You see, you can use vegetable or sunflower oil instead but lard would be a great choice here (Leaf lard in particular. Check out why lard is good in cooking and baking)
Ingredients substitutions:
- The meat – the best is to use a combination of beef and pork. You could use beef only, pork only or game meat only or a combination of these. By the way game campfire stew tastes amazing!
- Potatoes – these are a must so there is no substitution for those.
- Onion – also a must – you can choose between red or white or you can combine those two types.
- Garlic – I highly recommend using garlic to make this simple campfire stew.
- Lard – vegetable or sunflower oil will work too.
- Beer – this can be omitted if you can’t or don’t feel like adding it to this stew.
- Marjoram – oregano can be used as well.
Easy camping food ideas:
Grilled Whole Fish and Baked Bean Pasta Sauce for those who need quick camping cooking ideas.
Want to see how to make Campfire Stew? Watch the video!
Simple Campfire Stew
Ingredients
- 4.5 pounds beef round steak (2 kilograms)
- 1.1 pounds Boston butt or pork shoulder (0.5 kilograms)
- 3 pounds potatoes (1.5 kilograms)
- 1½ pounds onion (700 grams)
- 4 garlic cloves
- ½ cup lard (230 grams)
- 4 tablespoons caraway seeds (20 grams)
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 2½ tablespoons sweet paprika (12 grams)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons dried marjoram
- dried chili pepper or fresh (optional)
- 1 can beer , of your choice (lager is the best)
- 10 cups water (2.5+ liters/0.6+ gallon)
Instructions
- In a cauldron (or a large pot) melt the lard. Add diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Now add the meats that have been diced into bite-size pieces. Let them brown while stirring occasionally.
- Add sweet paprika, mix & let it cook for about a minute before adding water (about 4 cups/1 liter), ½ of diced potatoes, caraway seeds, salt and 1 can of beer.
- Cover with a lid and let it cook (check occasionally, if it is cooking – simmering is better than boiling). From time to time check if there is enough water. If not, add more. Continue simmering.
- About 1½ hours into cooking add the rest of the potatoes and more water (if needed). Bring to a boil and cook until the meat is soft.
- 5-10 minutes before the end add minced garlic, tomato paste, marjoram and dried whole chili (optional). Taste it and season more if required.
- Serve warm with a few slices of bread or over rice.
- Happy Camping!
Hi there, I absolutely loved this! Can I please where did you get your cauldron and the stand?! I’ve never seen anything like it! This is an amazing idea!
Hi Tiffany. Thank you! I believe the stand was tailor-made for the cauldron that my parents bought in a shop in Europe.
I am so jealous of your cauldron. What a wonderful way to cook. Your photos are stunning too!
:) If you buy one yo will love it! :)
What an awesome idea, I love that you made this in a cauldron.
Thanks so much! :)
Campfire cooking is so much fun! Why not set it up right in your backyard!
Oh yes! Backyard is fine by me! It’s more about the atmosphere rather than the location!
I don’t go camping very often but when I do this is the kind of stuff I always love to do and good meals around a campfire are what makes the best memories
Having a meal prepared on a firewood has something magical in it, doesn’t it? :)
Lard?! That is SOOOO awesome that you’re not afraid to use lard (and tell your readers that you’re using it)!! As long as it’s good quality lard, I am totally on board! It’s like ditching margarine and getting back to butter. We need to get back to basics as our current diet is making us (as a country) fat and unhealthy.
Btw, the campfire stew sounds really good! What a treat!
Thanks Christina! Using lard here is kind of a tradition here :) so it wouldn’t be fair if I omitted it :) but I was a bit worried about people’s reactions :)
What a fun recipe for camping! We’ve been talking about camping soon so I’m trying to compile recipe ideas!
Thanks, Liz!