Camp-stove beef and bean chili
A one-pot beef and bean chilli with a measured spice base, gentle simmer and clear doneness guidance.
Timing is an estimate. Camp stove output, wind, cookware and ingredient temperature affect how quickly a dish cooks. Use the visual cues and safe-temperature advice in the recipe.
This recipe is written for a camp stove rather than an open fire, so the flame is adjustable and the pot can simmer without sitting directly in flames. The small amount of optional cocoa rounds out the tomatoes without making the chilli taste of chocolate.
Make it vegetarian: use a plant-based mince and vegetable stock. Follow the package’s cooking directions, and use a separate clean utensil if the meal needs to stay vegetarian. Make-ahead option: cook the chilli at home, cool it promptly in shallow containers, refrigerate, and transport cold. Reheat until 74°C / 165°F or steaming hot throughout, stirring so it heats evenly.
Camp-stove beef and bean chili
A one-pot beef and bean chilli with a measured spice base, gentle simmer and clear doneness guidance.
Ingredients
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral cooking oil
- 1 medium onion (about 150 g / 5 oz), diced
- 1 red bell pepper (about 150 g / 5 oz), diced
- 450 g (1 lb) minced (ground) beef, 10–15% fat
- 8 g (1 tbsp) mild US-style chili powder blend (not pure ground chilli or cayenne)
- 2 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
- 400 g (14 oz) tin crushed tomatoes
- 400 g (14 oz) tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 240 ml (8 fl oz / 1 US cup) water or low-salt beef stock
- 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, optional
- Salt and pepper
- Grated cheddar and sliced spring onion, to serve
How to make it
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over medium heat on a stable outdoor stove. Add the onion and pepper with a pinch of salt; cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring until softened.
- Add the mince. Break it into small pieces and cook, stirring, until no pink remains. Use a food thermometer to check the centre reaches 71°C / 160°F. Keep raw-meat utensils separate from serving spoons.
- Stir in the chilli powder, cumin and optional cocoa. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, beans and water or stock. Scrape the bottom of the pot.
- Bring to a gentle bubble, then lower the flame. Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the base does not catch. Add a splash of water if it becomes thicker than you like.
- Taste and adjust salt. Serve with cheddar and spring onion. Keep the pot on a stable surface and extinguish the stove according to its instructions.
Transport raw mince sealed and cold at 4.4°C / 40°F or below; cook it the day you pack it. Check doneness with a food thermometer, not colour alone.
