Dutch Oven Beef Stew- Campfire Cooking!

Are you looking to elevate your camping culinary experience? If so, then it’s time to explore Dutch oven cooking! One of the classic dishes you can make in a Dutch oven is beef stew. The Dutch oven was originally developed in the Netherlands during the 17th century and has been used for centuries by campers and outdoor enthusiasts worldwide. A Dutch oven is a heavy cast-iron pot with feet and a lid. It can retain and distribute heat evenly, making it perfect for stew and other slow-cooked dishes.

Ingredients:
– 2 pounds of beef, cut into bite-sized chunks
– 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
– 2 large onions, diced
– 5 medium-sized carrots, cut into chunks
– 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
– 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
– 2 cups of beef broth
– 1 cup of red wine
– 1 tablespoon of dried thyme
– 2 bay leaves
– Salt and pepper to taste
– 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Instructions:

1. Start by heating your campfire and setting up your Dutch oven over the coals. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. In a bowl, season the beef chunks with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven and add the seasoned beef. Brown the beef on all sides for about 5 minutes.

4. Remove the beef from the Dutch oven and set it aside. Add the garlic and onions to the Dutch oven and sauté for about 3 minutes.

5. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.

6. Add the beef broth, red wine, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

7. Add the beef back to the Dutch oven, followed by the carrots and potatoes.

8. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and place it on a bed of coals. Now, put more coals on top of the lid to evenly distribute the heat.

9. Let the stew cook for around 2-3 hours, or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.

10. To serve, ladle the hot beef stew into a bowl, and enjoy!

Summary:

– Dutch oven beef stew is a classic camping dish that can be elevated with Dutch oven cooking.
– The Dutch oven can retain and distribute heat evenly, making it perfect for slow-cooked dishes like stew.
– The stew is made from beef, garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, red wine, thyme, and bay leaves.
– Brown the beef, sauté the garlic and onions, add the broth, wine, thyme, bay leaves, beef and vegetables.
– Cook for around 2-3 hours until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
– Serve hot and enjoy!