My dad would make this on our weekend camping trips. We called it “Potluck Stew” as it was different every time we had it.

2 lb Beef, cubed (stew meat)
1/4 cup flour
3 pkg Gravy Mix (Beef or Mushroom)
6 Medium Potatoes, cubed
5-6 Carrots, sliced 1/2″ long
2-3 Celery Stalks, sliced 1/2″ long
2 Medium Onions, cut chunky
2 Bell Peppers, cut chunky
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 Bay Leaf
1/4″ tsp Dried Parsley
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Water
1 pkg Biscuits

Toss the meat in flour to cover. Heat oil in a 12” Dutch oven, add onions, peppers and meat. Cook until meat is browned. Add remaining ingredients, except gravy mix. Mix gravy mix with water per the directions and pour over meat and vegetables. Add more water to almost cover everything, if needed. Lay biscuits out over the stew. Cover and cook until celery and carrots are fork tender.

This dish is very versatile, leave off the biscuits and add spuds, peas, beans or what ever you have in the cooler or fridge. The biscuits can be bake in another Dutch oven, got to have bread for sopping up all the gravy.

Serves about 6 – 8




3 ½ – 4 lb Beef or Pork Roast
4 Carrots
2 stalks of Celery
6 small Redskin Potatoes
6 small onions
6 cloves Garlic
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Thyme
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 Beer

Use a 12” Dutch oven with a rack for the bottom. Place bay leaf in bottom of oven and pour enough beer in to just cover the bottom, drink remaining beer. Use a knife to cut narrow slits into roast and push whole cloves of garlic into slits. Place roast on rack inside oven. Sprinkle herbs and spices evenly over roast. Cut carrots and celery into 2 to 3 inch long pieces. If using large potatoes and onions, cut into equal size pieces. Arrange carrots, potatoes, and onions around the roast. Bake roast for about 1 1/2 hours, checking liquid after first hour. The cooking time can vary depending on the size of the roast, so use the smell test.

Other things that can be inserted into the roast are green onions, fresh cayenne peppers, sprigs of rosemary, etc. Push whatever you want into the slits and then trim off with scissors.

This dish requires a little prep time, but after that it is easy and almost effortless.