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Hobo Stew

Hobo stew is a bubbling Dutch oven stew with tender potatoes, carrots, and hearty chunks of meat simmered until vegetables are soft. This campfire stew delivers a thick, savory bowl of comfort with canned corn, green beans, and diced tomatoes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Stew base
  • 1 lb stew meat or ground beef
  • 4 potatoes, cubed
  • 4 carrots, sliced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) green beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the meat
  1. Heat a Dutch oven over a campfire and brown the stew meat until browned all over, using steady heat and keeping it in the pot. You should see dark sear marks and smell a toasted, meaty aroma.
Build the stew
  1. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, corn, green beans, diced tomatoes, and beef broth to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. The pot will look full and the liquids will begin turning opaque as starches mix in.
Season
  1. Sprinkle in garlic powder and paprika, then season with salt and pepper and stir again so the spices distribute evenly. The surface should look evenly speckled with seasoning.
Simmer
  1. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover with the lid. Keep it at a steady simmer so you see small bubbling throughout rather than aggressive rolling.
  2. Simmer covered for 35-40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The potatoes and carrots should yield easily when pressed with a spoon, and the stew should thicken slightly as it bubbles.
Serve
  1. Ladle the hobo stew into bowls and serve hot. It should be actively steaming with visible chunks of meat and vegetables.

Notes

Pro tip: For thicker stew, simmer with the lid slightly askew during the last 5 minutes to let some liquid reduce. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat in a covered pot until hot. Freeze for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge) and reheat gently, since potatoes can soften further. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef and reduce the broth by 1/2 cup to keep the body without extra fat.