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Campfire Chili

Campfire chili is a Dutch oven chili with tender beef, beans, and diced tomatoes simmered until thick and bubbling. It’s the ideal camping dinner: hearty, comforting, and easy to serve straight from the pot.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven over the campfire. Cook until it is no longer pink and has browned bits on the bottom, then stir in the diced onion and diced bell pepper.
  2. Cook the onion and bell pepper with the beef for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally so they soften, and keep the heat steady enough for gentle bubbling.
Build the chili
  1. Add kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven. Stir until everything is evenly combined with no dry spice pockets.
  2. Bring the chili to a simmer over the campfire. Look for small bubbles breaking the surface across the pot, then reduce heat to maintain simmering.
Simmer and serve
  1. Cover the Dutch oven and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep it simmering so it thickens and turns rich, with visible bubbling around the edges.
  2. Serve the chili hot with shredded cheese, sour cream, and crackers. Plate immediately so toppings stay fresh and the chili is steaming.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the chili at a steady simmer rather than a hard boil so it thickens evenly without scorching on the bottom. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months in a sealed container. For a lighter option, use 93% lean ground beef (or substitute ground turkey) to reduce fat while keeping the same chili flavor.