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Jason “Deep Dive” Lord • • About the Author
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Campfire Alchemy – Crafting Chili Over Flame

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From Flame to Feast: Making Dutch Oven Chili at Camp


There’s something deeply satisfying about cooking outdoors. The wood smoke, the crackle of the fire, and the rich, evolving aroma of something hearty bubbling away in cast iron. This weekend, we made our signature campfire chili in a Dutch oven—right by the water, flame-roasted and fire-fed.

Step 1: Build a Steady Fire Base

We started with a strong hardwood base, letting it burn down to glowing coals. This creates steady, even heat—essential for a Dutch oven meal. Bonus: toss in a few extra logs around the perimeter to maintain a long cook time.



Step 2: Sauté the Veggies

In went chopped bell peppers, onions, and garlic with a splash of oil, sizzling right on the fire grate. The smoke started doing its work early, infusing those aromatics with a depth you just can’t fake indoors.



Step 3: Brown the Meat

Next, we layered in seasoned ground beef directly over the veggies. We let it brown slowly, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon while sipping trail beers in camp chairs. You know—precision multitasking.




Step 4: Bean & Tomato Time

Once the beef was browned, we added red kidney beans, pinto beans, and a couple of cans of fire-roasted tomatoes. The color was incredible. Stir it all together, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom.

Step 5: The Flavor Bomb

This is where the magic hits: chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic salt, cumin, and a chili seasoning log (yep—you read that right). It slowly melted into the mix like a spicy lava stick, deepening the flavor and color with every bubble.

Step 6: Lid On, Coals On

Once everything was mixed, we sealed the Dutch oven with its lid and shoveled a few coals right on top. This turns the whole pot into a slow-roasting oven—no need to stir constantly. Just keep the fire going and let the flavors marry.



Step 7: Chill While It Stews

With the chili cooking, it was back to the red chairs, a cold drink in hand, and music playing. There’s nothing better than letting a fire-cooked meal do its thing while you watch the water and unwind.



Final Result?

Rich, smoky, and just the right amount of heat. A true taste of campfire comfort food.

Would you like this formatted in HTML for Blogger, or should I turn it into a social caption with the photo sequence? We can also prep an Amazon affiliate section for your Dutch oven and campfire cooking gear.

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