Lumberjack Stew from the Dutch Oven

How to make it:

1. Searing
   Sear the meat in the butter. Add onion, garlic and carrot. Let them fry briefly.
2. Stewing
   Add beer, herbs and tomato puree. Let it simmer on low heat for at least 3 hours.
3. Interim check
   Stir occasionally and top up with a little water or beer if it becomes too dry.
4. Resting
   Serve with mashed potatoes, bread or simply from a bowl by the fire.

Tip:
Add smoking wood for extra flavour.

Lumberjack Stew: hearty, slow and heartwarming.

Fuel with Giant Flames

Cooking outdoors with a heavy cast-iron pot is fun, but it requires some fire control. You must first sear the meat thoroughly and at a high temperature, and then let it simmer in a controlled manner for hours. With the right fuel, this lumberjack stew is a guaranteed success!

Giant Flames charcoal or coconut briquettes

For the Dutch Oven, both charcoal and briquettes work perfectly, depending on your cooking style:

• Coconut briquettes: for a dish that requires +3 hours, there is really only one perfect choice. Our large coconut briquettes burn for at least 3.5 hours with steady heat. They retain their shape, produce little ash, and are free of chemicals (so no unpleasant odors around your pot).
• Acacia charcoal: are you cooking the stew suspended from a tripod over a fire bowl? Then our FSC-certified acacia charcoal is a good base. These coals (20-80mm) ignite quickly and give off good heat.

Giant Flames smoking wood chips

Although a stew derives its flavor primarily from the spices, a touch of smoke truly gives the dish that authentic ‘over-the-campfire’ character. For this beef stew, we recommend our FSC-certified smoking wood chips in the heavier flavors:

• Oak: this is *the* smoking wood for beef. Oak delivers a deep and robust smoky flavor that can perfectly hold its own against the heavy flavors of the beer and tomato paste.
• Beech: would you prefer to keep it a bit more subtle so that the beer really takes center stage? Then choose beechwood. This imparts a mild and slightly sweet smoky flavor that is well balanced with the onions and carrots.

Tip for smoking in a Dutch Oven: naturally, smoke cannot penetrate a heavy, closed cast-iron lid, and it also no longer soaks into the meat once the beer is in the pot. Do you want an oak or beech flavor in your stew? Then toss a handful of wood chips onto the coals immediately after browning the meat and onions, but before adding the beer and tomato paste. Leave the pan open for 10 minutes (or place the lid at an angle) so the smoke can permeate the meat. Only then deglaze with beer and close the lid completely!