Camp Stew

Last night at 12:08 am when it was impossible for my mind to shut down, the words for this blog post were flowing freely from my brain, filling this webpage with the most intriguing, deliciously sounding recipe one has ever thought up when it comes to campfires, cast-iron Dutch ovens and Summer Time Food. Blast forward into the next morning after a couple hours of broken sleep, three potty breaks in the middle of the night (intervention needed to get the 3 year old out of his crib), and a busy morning filled with milestones that make me weep and the words are utterly lost. I was so funny in my sleep. Like, seriously hilarious. The words were abundant. There was no end to what I could talk about. Alas, the sun is shining brightly on my lack of words and I have not much else to say other than - make Camp Stew. People will think you are cool. And you will be. 

To make camp stew, all you need is a little organization and prep. Chopping raw meat within the confines of a camper or tent is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard of in my life, I want to be catching turtles, climbing trees, roasting marshmallows around a campfire, even if they are black, eating s'mores made with chocolate stripe cookies instead of graham crackers, fishing, eating pop rocks, playing Ga Ga. So do your chopping at home and save yourself some time and possible salmonella poisoning. 

Prep your meat and veggies at home and transport in separate containers. I had chopped my vedge on a Thursday and mostly all the veggies looked fresh and yummy when I dumped into the pot on Saturday - no problem with browning - I think I threw one potato out because it got sad.  My seasonings included kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, dried parsley, marjoram, and thyme, and fresh garlic. Add water and broth, give it a stir, cover and walk away. Make sure your fire is more coal-ey than fire-ey. You want a hot, coal fire. Go play. 

Check on your stew a couple times during the day, shoosh the fire, smell the goodness. The shot here is the stew about halfway through the day. The water is going to evaporate and get all thick and yumm-a -lishous. 

Find some paper bowls and plastic spoons and serve up Camp Stew. You are so cool.

There are so many variations you could do over a campfire. Here are a few:

• Chicken, Peppers, Stewed Tomatoes
• Keilbasa & Sauerkraut
• Sirloin, Mushrooms, Red Wine
• Steel Cut Oats, Blueberries, Almond Milk
• Pork Chops, Peppers, Onions
• Chicken Fryer, Onion, Carrots
• Spare Ribs & Onion - finished with BBQ sauce
• Pork Butt, Lipton Soup Mix, Beer

Printable Recipe Here

Camp Stew

One pound beef sirloin, chopped into 1" cubes
4 carrots, chopped into 3" sections
4-5 potatoes, chopped into chunks
2 parsnips, chopped into chunks
1 small onion, chopped into chunks
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon each dried parsley, marjoram, thyme
Water to cover

One camp fire
Pair of heat-proof gloves

Dump all ingredients into a heat-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid. Stir. Cover. Set over a fire that has some really good coal going on underneath. Using your heat-proof gloves, remove lid and stir with a utensil every couple hours - once or twice. Cook for about 6-8 hours. Serve with crusty bread and a salad.