How to Make Hearty Campfire Beef Stew

This time of year, there’s nothing better than a hearty, warm beef stew to warm you up camping on a winter night. While we originally made this recipe for cooking over the campfire, it can also be adapted to be made at home just as easily. 

There’s something deeply comforting about a pot of stew slowly simmering while the temperature drops and the daylight fades. The steam rolling off the lid, the smell of beef and herbs drifting through camp (or your kitchen), and the promise of a hot meal after a cold day outside just hits different in winter. When your fingers are numb and your layers smell like campfire smoke, a bowl of rich, savory stew feels like a full-body reset.

Beef stew is the ultimate cold-weather meal because it doesn’t rush you. It rewards patience. Tough cuts of meat turn tender, simple vegetables soak up all that flavor, and everything comes together into something far greater than the sum of its parts. It’s filling without being fussy, cozy without being boring, and hearty enough to fuel you whether you spent the day hiking, chopping wood, or just trying to stay warm.

And while we love making this over an open fire, sitting around in camp chairs, watching the flames, it’s just as perfect on a winter night at home. Dutch oven, stock pot, stovetop, or slow cooker, this recipe is flexible and forgiving. Wherever you are, if winter has you craving warmth, comfort, and a meal that feels like a hug, this beef stew delivers every single time.

How to Make Hearty Beef Stew

These step-by-step instructions show exactly how to make the stew. Scroll down for the full written recipe.

Step 1: Preheat a 12-inch Dutch oven over the campfire. If you’re making this indoors, throw a large pot with a heavy bottom on the stove over medium-high heat.

Step 2: Toss your beef, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt/pepper into a plastic ziploc bag. Shake to coat.

Step 3: Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to your pre-heated Dutch oven and add the beef. Allow to cook undisturbed until browned on one side for about three minutes, flip, and brown on the other side for another three minutes. It doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through at this point. You’re just looking to create a nice crust on the meat. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl or plate.

Step 4: Add your onion, celery, and garlic to the Dutch oven and saute until softened, about 6 minutes.

Step 5: Add the tomato paste and beef base. Stir and cook for another minute or two.

Step 6: Add the wine, Worcestershire, beef stock, and seared beef back to the pot. Stir.

Step 7: Add the thyme and bay leaves to the pot.

Step 8: Cover and simmer over coals for 1 hour.

Step 9: Remove the lid and add the potatoes and carrots to the stew. Cover again and simmer for another hour. If you need to add a little more liquid, you can add some more beef broth here.

Step 10: After an hour, the potatoes and carrots will be melt-in-your-mouth-soft. Remove from the fire and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 11: Let it sit for a few minutes before serving it up with some crusty bread. Enjoy!