Our easy beef Dutch Oven stew with potatoes recipe is hearty & will bring you back to your childhood! We make this as a stew meat recipe with carrots and a thick gravy which makes the perfect dinner or camping meal.
The first few things I tried in “this thing” was amazing, so last night I tried beef dutch oven stew, it was a huge hit!! Packed with vegetables and a thick gravy too it now is definitely one of our favorite dutch oven recipes.
I was new to the whole idea of a dutch oven but saw one on a cooking show and was intrigued. Now I LOVE my cast iron skillet so a cast iron pot had to be amazing right?? And no you don’t only use these if you’re camping, that is not my kind of vacation. Using it right on your stovetop or oven for the most tender meat ever.
The first recipe I made in it was this dutch oven whole chicken and seriously that is probably the moistest chicken ever. Packed with flavor (even the vegetables were more delicious than in a regular pan). You can find multiple sizes and some are coated with some color (like the one above).
Beef Stew Ingredients
You are going to want to season this well or it will be rather bland. I typically will add garlic salt is the main one that we love with a pop from Worchestershire sauce. Add a bit of dried or fresh Oregano and a given is salt and pepper to taste.
Stew Made with Stew Meat
If you use an already tender cut cut of beef, it will dry out and get tough as the stew cooks. It’s actually best to go with a tougher variety with some fat on it. The best is already diced stew meat or chop up a boneless chuck roast or it’s a great way of how to cook beef tips.
Best Vegetables to Add
I buy the bag of baby ones that is about 1.5 lbs. at the store, quarter them, and use the whole thing. I buy large Carrots cut into large chunks or just buy the mini snackable baby ones. Diced tomatoes are great for the sauce with mushrooms and sliced onions go in everything.
Can you add potatoes?
Yes and I suggest that you do that. I like to quarter red potatoes because they take a bit longer to soften and hold up better for longer periods of time. Russets will break apart a bit more and have more starch which will thicken it more.
How do you thicken beef stew?
The best way to do this is with a roux made of all purpose Flour and Tomato sauce or for even thicker, tomato paste, will certainly thicken it up. Start slowly as too much will become gummy so have a light hand as far as that goes. To thin any of these out you can add some beef broth or chicken broth. 1/2 cup of red wine can also be used for bolder flavors.
How Long to Cook Beef Stew in a Dutch Oven
You are looking at about 3 hours baked in the oven to really get that meat tender and the sauce to thicken up to a gravy like consistency. You could set over medium heat or in the oven for about the same amount of time really.
Should I brown stew meat first?
You can and it will add a bit of texture to the outside of your meat + lock in the juices so it is recommended but will take a bit more time. You’ll get a bit of a caramelized flavor to it as well which will add a ton of flavor. If you forget or don’t have the time you can skip
Can you cook this on the stove?
Yes, the only difference to me is that you have to tend to it more often which I don’t like. The oven will keep it at a more even temperature without the need to stir every so often. Over low to medium heat you would want to stir every 30 minutes or so to ensure the bottom didn’t get too hot and start to burn the items below.
Dutch Oven Stew Over a Campfire
What is also great about dutch oven recipes is that you can use the pot when you’re camping too!! That is right, if you have a grill on site you can set on top of indirect heat. OR use a grate over your campfire and heat until your meat is fork tender. Both of these methods will likely take longer since heat isn’t even.
FAQ
Oregano, Basil, Rosemary, Parsley, Paprika or some Cayenne Pepper for a bit or a lot of heat.
Low and slow is the key. That is why it makes a great slow cooker recipe as well as in your dutch oven cast iron pot like this. A low temperature for a longer time is what you need.
Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb stew meat
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 can tomatoes, petite, diced 15 oz.
- 12 oz beef broth
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour, to thicken
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
- 1-1.5 lbs baby red potatoes, quartered
- 1-2 cup mushrooms, halved, optional
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt, or more, may add additional when serving
Instructions
- Put stew meat inside your dutch oven with onions, carrots, salt, oregano, w. sauce, and diced tomatoes.
- Pour beef broth on top ensuring all beef is covered and most veggies too, add a bit more than 12 oz. if you are adding more ingredients.
- Whisk together your flour and tomato sauce in a small bowl and pour it on top of your mixture in the dutch oven, stir until combined and coated.
- Put lid on and put into your oven at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.
- Take out, add quartered potatoes and mushrooms if you’re adding those.
- Recover and cook an additional 90 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It’s so fun to cook just about everything over a campfire. Here are some other easy camping recipes if you’re looking for that.If you want to cook a dutch oven roast we have instructions for that too.
So why a cast iron dutch oven?? Well if you don’t have one you can check out the one I have here. Cast iron pans in general cook or bakes everything more evenly than a pan that has hot spots, and it maintains great flavors the more you use it.
You see you don’t want to scrub scrub this pan or pot. You merely rinse it off and over the years it becomes “seasoned” as they say.
My pan was my husband’s grandmothers and it still looks great (as opposed to my Teflon pans that are totally shot after a few years). They may look kinda’ icky but once you make something in them you will be a believer too in no time.
You can also make this Crock pot slow cooker stew we love to make at home. OR choose one of our Instant Pot stew meat recipes.
If you want a shorter cook time, you can follow this Instant Pot beef tips version that is heavy on the protein, or ninja foodi stew here.
- After this try our dutch oven corned beef and cabbage. It’s not just for St.Patricks Day!
- And dutch oven ham for Easter time.
Are you able to make this on the stove-top? If so, do i need to change anything? It sounds delicious and i would like to make it this evening!
Thanks!
You totally could, it just needs enough time to bubble with the lid on long enough for potatoes to be tender and meat to be fork tender.
Hi there..I am a new cook and this recipe looks amazing…I can’t wait to try it. I want to make a larger amount than what is called for, so I can freeze it and enjoy later. Could I double the recipe? I have found that some recipes don’t work when doubled.
You would have to have a large pot to double and it would likely take more time, want meat to become fork tender at the end.
This looks delicious and I plan to try it in my Instant Pot Precision Dutch Oven. Another comment–I do not mind scrolling past Justine’s comments and there is no reason for any one to make such a nasty comment as a “reviewer” did. I’m glad others feel the same way.
Thank you for the kind words, hope you love it
How many servings does it make 😊
Depends on how big of eaters you have but would say 4-6
Went on a camping trip with some friends and they said it was the best stew they ever had. Being it was 30* F out I’m sure helped 🙂 I browned the meat first and also added some stout beer to the pot along with some celery. Great recipe to use as a guide for my first stew! Making it for a 2nd time
Oh yay!! Glad it was a hit
This looks delicious. You mention this as a camping meal, how do you alter the cooking method for camping? Or do you make ahead of time, freeze the stew, then just reheat while camping?
@Kara, I made the stew on the fire pit at the camp site. It had a grate that folds over the pit and just set it on top. I had to move the wood around to keep a nice fire underneath without being too high. Indirect heat is best. Look into dutch oven fire pit stands as well.