Dutch Oven Beef Stew

Learn how to make a tasty beef stew in a Dutch oven when you are out camping or in your own back yard.

Step 1: Assemble Ingredients and Equipment

If you don't already have a Dutch oven, be sure to choose one that has legs to hold it up above the coals and a tight fitting lid with a raised rim. You will also need:

-A seasoned Dutch oven--this recipe is for a 10" oven
-A very heavy oven mitt, welder's glove or hook for moving the oven and lid
-Tongs for moving the coals - Don't use the same tongs to handle food!
-A suitable location as covered in the next step
-Self-igniting charcoal
-Knife, Cutting Board, Large Spoon, you know--the usual stew making implements

Ingredients:

-Canola or Corn Oil, Enough to thickly coat bottom of Dutch Oven
-1 Lb. Stew Meat, Cubed
-1 Yellow Onion, Diced
-1 Green Bell Pepper, Cut into 1" Pieces
-3 Medium Carrots, Cut into 1" Pieces
-4 Ribs of Celery, Cut into 1" Pieces
-1/2 Lb. Fingerling Potatoes, Cut into (you guessed it!) 1" Pieces
-1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley
-Vegetable Bouillon Cube
-1/2 Cup Red Wine
-1/2 Cup Water
-Salt and Pepper

This recipe serves 2-4 depending on side dishes and how ravenous you may be. This stew takes 2-3 hours to cook once you've plunked the lid on so be sure allow enough time, including prepping your ingredients.

Comments

[Angel.nam]

South Africa we call it a potjie and we use wood and our pots come with three legs. It's the best meal ever. Thanks to the Dutch for bring the pots to SA. Check it out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potjiekos

[RCMadMatt]

Used this Instructable this past weekend, and it is great! Very delicious, and fun to make! Gonna make it again soon!

[ShadyCharacter]

I'm so glad to hear that!

[jamalk]

do i have to add wine because my family is kinda hate wine, so can i skip the wine section or there's substitute for wine?

[ShadyCharacter]

Yes, you can substitute beef broth or tomato juice for the wine.

[Mandrew]

It is indeed called a Dutch oven because the Dutch pioneered the sand casting techniques involved in making high quality cast iron.

[merijnvw]

Hi. What is 'Dutch' about this oven? I'm Dutch and I never heard of oven that were typically Dutch. By the way, you documented the steps well.

[Tofu]

I believe Alton Brown covers the origins of the name "Dutch Oven" in one of his episodes of "Good Eats". Could possibly be in the "Going Dutch" episode but I can't remember for sure. http://www.foodnetwork.com/good-eats/going-dutch/index.html

[ShadyCharacter]

I'm not sure what the real reason is. The first one I heard was that the Dutch innovated the sand casting method used to make cast iron cookware. Other ones were that Dutch setters in America used them a lot. The truth may never be known, but I'd be proud to share a name with such a useful pot ;)

[Sandisk1duo]

I have no idea why it's called a dutch oven, but it's just called that

[seamster]

Very nice and well done. I like the photo in step six--you can actually see the oil shimmering!

[thierry.kok]

ik heb dit dus nog nooit gehad xD

[lemonie]

Did that stew OK sat on just 11 briquettes? L

[ShadyCharacter]

Yes, it did. The coals give out a remarkable amount of heat and when they're so close to the pot, the cast iron diffuses it and distributes it very well.

[lemonie]

I'll remember that then (have a bag of the things) L

[ShadyCharacter]

To follow up a little more on this: Do a search on the internet and you'll find various sites that give the numbers of coals for maintaining different temperatures in different sized Dutch ovens as well as the proportion to put on the top and bottom.

[lemonie]

OK, thanks again. L

[slimguy379]

LOL any body understand the slang definition of "dutch oven" is?

[sgt_pinky]

Heh, exactly what I thought when I read the title. Perhaps some Urban Dictionary research required by the author on this one...