Campfire Stew

Campfire Stew is a hearty meal in a bowl filled with ground beef, potatoes and vegetables. It’s a back to school meal that even picky eaters will enjoy. This recipe is sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council. As always, all opinions are mine alone.

What is Campfire Stew?

Looking for a well-balanced meal to feed your kids on a busy school night? Look no further than my Campfire Stew! I recently wanted to make vegetable soup with ground beef, and I kept running across the name Campfire Stew. I guess because if you’re out camping, ground beef is quick and easy to cook in the great outdoors. More so than slow cooking a tougher cut of beef, like my Sirloin Tip Roast. But even at home, ground beef is a quick, delicious  and nutritious option for any type of meal.

This soup is so simple to make and it can be frozen so that you have a meal ready to go at any time. My teenage kids enjoyed this soup topped with a little cheese and sour cream. Plus a good old-fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the side and some applesauce.

What you need for Campfire Stew

• Ground Beef – I like Ground Sirloin (90/10) or Ground Round (85/15) for soups, stews and casseroles. I choose Ground Chuck (80/20) when I am making burgers.
• Butter
• Onion
• Garlic
• Tomato Paste
• Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme – I like fresh herbs for garnish, but use dried herbs most often for cooking because it saves on prep time and is a more cost-effective option.
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Beef Broth
• Vegetable Broth
• Potatoes
• Corn
• Carrots
• Green Beans
• Diced Tomatoes

How to make Campfire Stew

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Then add the onion and garlic and cook it for a bit. Add the ground beef and break it up as it cooks. Once the beef is no longer pink, add the tomato paste and all the seasonings (salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and thyme and Worcestershire sauce). Cook until the tomato paste is well blended into the beef mixture.

Add both the beef broth and vegetable broth, plus the cubed potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover the soup and cook for about 20 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables – corn, carrots, green beans and the tomatoes. Cover again and simmer the soup for an additional 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender.

How to Freeze Campfire Stew

Be sure the stew is at room temperature and add it to glass Ball jars. Seal the jars and freeze the stew for up to one month. When ready to serve, remove the jars from the freezer and allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the stew on the stove to serve.

Tips from Ohio Beef

• Be sure to choose packages of ground beef that are bright red in color and firm to the touch.
• Store ground beef in your refrigerator for 1-2 days or in your freezer for up to 4 months.
• Beef is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is one of the most satisfying nutrients. Eating a protein-rich diet will help students feel full and prevent cravings throughout the day.
• For student athletes and active kids, there is no better choice than beef. The protein in beef helps build muscle and provides enough energy to support kids on-the-go.
• Visit www.OhioBeef.org and follow the Ohio Beef Council on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for beef nutrition facts, cooking tips, recipes and to meet Ohio’s beef farming families. Use #OhioBeef to share photos of your healthy meals this school year!

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