There are plenty of good reasons to camp in the fall. Maybe you’re heading outdoors for the stunning fall foliage or cozying up to a scenic lake. Wherever your fall camping plans take you, you’ll want a hearty stew to stay warm in the fall chill. Loaded with protein and vegetables, these meat-based camp stew recipes are nutrient-rich to keep you going during your next camping trip. All three of the recipes are perfect campfire-side and can be made by a novice chef. Serve any of these camp stew recipes up with a hearty bread for a well-rounded, filling meal.
Camp Stew Recipes at a Glance:
- Easy Vegetable & Pasta Beef Soup – no prep, little clean-up, a great-tasting meal in just 6 easy steps.
- Pouched Campfire Stew – individualized pouches of stew that require a few basic ingredients and aluminum foil. Great for accommodating everyone’s differing preferences.
- Classic Beef Stew – a classic beef stew recipe perfect for fall family camping.
Easy Vegetable & Pasta Beef Soup
With no prep time and virtually no clean up, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a camp stew or soup recipe easier than this one. Although one of our easiest recipes, this one does take an hour and a half to cook, so make sure you get it started on the earlier side.
By using a packaged onion soup mix, you get instant flavor without the need to pack a lot of spices. Using frozen or dehydrated vegetables also means no washing or cutting vegetables around the campfire, while also avoiding bruising fresh produce during travel. Cooking the macaroni in the soup instead of a separate container further helps streamline the cooking process as well. Try serving this super-easy soup with crackers or soft rolls.
Prep Time: 0
Cook Time: about 1.5 hours
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 5 cups beef broth (or water)
- 1 package onion soup mix
- 2 14oz cans of diced tomatoes
- 2 cups frozen vegetables
- 1 cup macaroni pasta
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a large pot for about 10 minutes.
- Drain off fat.
- Add in broth or water, onion soup mix and tomatoes.
- Simmer for about an hour on medium-low heat.
- Add in uncooked macaroni and frozen vegetables.
- Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat until noodles and vegetables are soft.
Pouched Campfire Stew
This camp stew recipe makes individualized pouches that can be placed directly onto hot coals or over a grate. A simple meal for one or customized meals for many, this recipe calls for your favorite meat as the protein, combined with your preferred canned broth or cream soup as the liquid base. To get a balanced flavor profile, be sure to match the protein with the soup. In other words, chicken will go better with chicken broth or cream of chicken soup, as opposed to beef with cream of chicken soup.
Also, invest in heavy-duty aluminum foil to avoid any dinner spills into the campfire. Turning and checking your meal will also be a lot easier with a nice long pair of tongs.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30-45 minutes
Serves 1
Equipment
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Long tongs
Ingredients
- 4 oz of favorite stewing meat (beef, venison, chicken) cubed
- 1/3 medium onion diced
- 1 medium potato cubed
- 1 carrot cubed
- 4 oz cream soup or condensed broth (If you don’t have condensed roth on-hand, simply simmer down regular broth by two-thirds)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rip off two pieces of 12 inches of heavy-duty aluminum foil and stack them on top of each other. Fold up the sides slightly to create a bowl shape.
- Place all ingredients inside of foil.
- Fold down the long edges of the foil completely over each other by at least a half inch.
- Fold down shorter sides of aluminum foil over each other and over the long sides.
- Make sure there is room between the food and the foil to allow heat to build up.
- Carefully place your pouch on top of hot coals or stove.
- Check and rotate the pouch regularly, at least every 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat after 30-45 minutes. The potatoes and carrots should be soft. Pour contents into a bowl.
Recommended: Camp Kitchen Checklist
Classic Beef Stew
For this stew, we recommend a dutch oven or other cast iron pot. There are two reasons why they are preferred:
- The lid fits tighter for improved heat retention.
- The thicker material, especially at the base, allows for even heating to thicken stew without burning it.
If you don’t have a dutch oven or other cast iron pot, you could substitute a regular cooking pot.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons regular flour
- 2 10oz cans condensed beef broth (If you don’t have condensed beef broth on-hand, simply simmer down regular broth by two-thirds)
- 3 carrots thickly sliced
- 6 small potatoes cubed, or other vegetables as desired
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in dutch oven or cast iron pot.
- Add beef and brown on all sides, about 15 minutes.
- Add garlic and onions, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add tomato paste and stir.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir until it is absorbed.
- Slowly stir in the beef broth until it comes about 1 inch over the meat.
- Cover tightly and cook for about 1 hour, or until beef is tender.
- Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Recommended: Cast Iron Cooking: 2 Quick Recipes
Check with your Local Government Organization
Many policies have been established to counter and control the coronavirus outbreak. State and local officials have been taking decisive action to stop the spread. The policies vary by state, sometimes to a great degree. When you book a reservation, make sure to review the park and state’s latest rules and regulations prior to your visit..
For COVID-19 updates, please visit our Impacted Park List and Reservation Guide for the latest information.