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Campfire Chili

Campfire chili is a Dutch oven chili built for bubbling simmer over a campfire—hearty, thick, and spoon-tender. Brown the beef, simmer beans and tomatoes until rich, then top with cheese, sour cream, and crackers.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 440
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 2 lb ground beef
Vegetables
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
Beans and tomatoes
  • 2 can (15 oz) kidney beans
  • 2 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
Spices
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
Serving toppings
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheese for serving
  • 0.5 cup sour cream for serving
  • 0.5 cup crackers for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef and sauté vegetables
  1. Brown ground beef in a Dutch oven over a campfire, stirring occasionally until no longer pink. Add onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
Simmer the chili
  1. Add kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, with visible bubbling around the edges.
Cook until thick and flavorful
  1. Cover the Dutch oven and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Look for a steady simmer and a chili that thickens as it bubbles.
Serve
  1. Ladle the chili into bowls and serve hot. Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and crackers.

Notes

For thicker chili, simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes at the end while keeping it at a gentle bubble. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days in a sealed container; freeze up to 3 months. For a lower-fat swap, use 90-93% lean ground beef (or substitute ground turkey) and keep the rest the same.