Venison Stew on the Campfire

Cooking over an open fire has become a new obsession.  I don’t need any new obsessions, but I have no control over these things. So it really isn’t my fault I bought a new Dutch Oven and have been reading everything I can find on Dutch Oven cooking and thinking about how to spend more time cooking over a fire (maybe in my fireplace this winter?)  I can’t help my obsessive nature, all I can do is try and channel it.

New Dutch Oven, isn’t it cute?

Venison Stew on the Camp Fire

Print Recipe

• Author: Rocky Mountain Woman

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 lbs of venison, cubed (you can also use beef)
• 2 t salt
• 3 T safflower oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 C all purpose flour
• 2 C beef broth
• 3/4 C barley
• 3 carrots, sliced into large slices
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 C water more or less as needed
• lots of ground pepper
• 1/2 C frozen peas

Instructions

1. Cube and salt venison
2. Put oil in oven and place over hot coals for a few minutes
3. Carefully add venison and chopped onion 
4. Let the venison and onion cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. Add flour and stirring constantly, let it cook for another few minutes
6. Slowly add the beef broth, stirring constantly
7. Add about a cup of water, stir thoroughly and cover, cook for about an hour
8. Add barley and let cook for another hour, adding more water as needed
9. Add carrots and let cook for another 15 minutes
10. Add potatoes, more water if needed, cover and cook for another hour or so
11. Add peas in the last 10 minutes of cooking

Cooking over an open fire isn’t science, it’s art.  Keep a close eye on your fire, adding wood or coals as necessary.  We made a bed of charcoal this time and put the oven on it and it provided a more even heat.  Check your oven every half hour or so and add water if it starts to look dry.

I love this kind of cooking, checking, stirring, babysitting the food, but it isn’t for everyone!  If you’re the impatient kind, you can always make this stew on your stove top.

If you don’t have venison just use beef.