Jerepiko Beef Cooked Over a Fire

Let me introduce you to one of my camping/kitchen stars – my Dutch oven.  This cast iron pot cooks anything and everything to perfection.

This pot has been working in my kitchen for many years, and I have bravely defended it from takeover bids (from my kids as they left home, and visiting friends and family). 

So,  onto to the stew:

Jerepiko Beef Stew

• lots of onion, sliced
• stewing beef, cubed
• a punnet of button mushrooms, small ones left whole
• a handful of mixed herbs, I used rosemary, origanum and thyme
• 2 cups of beef stock
• a generous glug of jerepiko wine  (or sherry, or red wine), and then another one
• a little oil for frying

Pour the oil into the pot and put on the grid over the flames, add the onions once the oil is hot.  Fry until soft, then add the meat and brown.  Stir in the mushrooms and herbs. Add the booze to the stock, then stir into the stew.  Add an extra cup of water, and watch carefully, as the liquid disappears quickly.  Turn down the heat,  (ie, lift the grid a little, and spread the coals out a bit).  Stir regularly, and cook until the meat is tender, and the gravy reduced, rich and flavourful.  This will take about 2 hours,  so keep adding wood to keep a small fire going.

Meanwhile, cook some rice in another clever little cast iron pot (I ask you, could teflon take this sort of abuse?  Or give the food a wonderful smokey flavour??)

Serve the stew over the rice, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley, and mixed veggies, or at least, that’s how we had it!!

Enjoy!