Campfire Stew
Campfire Stew is an easy, warming and slimming friendly meal for anyone counting calories or following a diet plan like Weight Watchers or similar.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories409
- Carbs47g
- Protein24g
- Fat15g
- Saturates5g
- Sugars11g
Your dishes
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For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know in the blurb!
This Campfire Stew has to be one of the easiest, yet tastiest slimming friendly recipes we’ve done so far! In fact, it’s one of the most popular recipes over on our Facebook group and we love how much you’ve been enjoying it!
Just throw the ingredients into your slow cooker before you out go to work in the morning and come home to the fab smoky aroma, what could be easier than that?
This Campfire Stew is one of many slimming friendly slow cooker recipes that we’ve created. These are all really simple, and the perfect kind of recipe to tuck into at the end of a long day.
What diets is this Campfire Stew suitable for?
This Campfire Stew recipe is suitable if you’re gluten free as long as you swap out the following ingredients for gluten free versions:
- Worcestershire sauce
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients or equipment to make Campfire Stew?
This recipe is great as most of the ingredients such as beans, kidney beans, chopped tomatoes etc. will likely in your cupboard already!
The main star of the dish is the gammon joint, and a cheap one will do. Just make sure to soak it in water overnight or it may be a bit too salty for your taste. We’ve used an unsmoked gammon joint due to the saltiness, but you can use smoked if you like.
As for the hot sauce, we generally use Franks as it adds a bit of heat without overdoing it and also brings a nice bit of acidity. If you don’t have any you can leave it out without any problems. You should be able to get this in the spice aisle of the supermarket, or substitute with standard hot sauce.
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‘So delicious. I made it in the ninja on pressure cook function. We enjoyed it so much we have had it three times in the last two weeks!!’
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How many calories are in this Campfire Stew?
There are 409 calories in each portion of our slimming friendly Campfire Stew. This means it falls into our Weekly Indulgence recipe category. You can find all of our other Weekly Indulgence recipes here.
This Campfire Stew is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Slow cooker method
Step 1
Soak the gammon joint overnight in cold water if necessary.
Step 2
Reserve half of the sliced peppers, and add all the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir well and switch on.
Step 3
Set the slow cooker to a high setting and cook for 6-8 hours (you can leave it on longer).
Step 4
30 minutes before the end of cooking stir in the reserved peppers.
Step 5
After 6 hours, check the consistency of your sauce and the tenderness of your meat. The meat should be starting to fall apart and the sauce thickening. You can remove the lid and cook on high to finish the meat and thicken the sauce if necessary.
Step 6
The meat should have broken up, but if not shred it in the slow cooker with two forks and mix well before serving.
Instant Pot method
Step 1
Soak the gammon joint overnight in cold water if necessary.
Step 2
Reserve half of the sliced peppers, and add all the rest of the ingredients to the Instant Pot and stir well.
Step 3
Turn the valve to “sealing” and cook on Manual for 40 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
Step 4
Stir in the remaining peppers, close the lid, turn the valve to “sealing” and cook on Manual for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will reach pressure, then let the pressure release naturally.
Step 5
The meat should have broken up, but if not shred it in the Instant Pot with two forks and mix well before serving.
Oven method
Step 1
Soak the gammon joint overnight in cold water if necessary.
Step 2
Reserve half of the sliced peppers, and add all the rest of the ingredients to the casserole dish, stir well and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
Step 3
Cook for 2-3 hours at 170-180°C, checking every 30 minutes or so.
Step 4
Check the consistency of the sauce and the tenderness of your meat. The meat should be starting to fall apart and the sauce thickening.
Step 5
You can remove the lid and continue cooking to finish the meat and thicken the sauce if necessary.
Step 6
The meat should have broken up, but if not shred it in the slow cooker with two forks and mix well.
Step 7
15 minutes before the end of cooking stir in the reserved peppers and serve.
What should you should serve with Campfire Stew?
Any of the following go really well with Campfire Stew. It’s one of those dishes that goes with pretty much anything. It’s so hearty it can of course be eaten on its own!
Whatever accompaniment you choose, don’t forget to account for the extra calories and/or other nutritional values.
How do you know when the Campfire Stew is cooked?
You should cook this Campfire Stew until the gammon literally falls apart when pulled with a pair of forks.
This should take approx 1 hour in the pressure cooker, 6 hours in the slow cooker (high) or 2 hours in the oven (170°C).
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Campfire Stew in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any left overs to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Campfire Stew in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze Campfire Stew?
Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer! Unless you fancy mystery food for dinner haha.
How do I reheat this Campfire Stew?
From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Campfire Stew
Campfire Stew is an easy, warming and slimming friendly meal for anyone counting calories or following a diet plan like Weight Watchers or similar.
-
Prep Time
40 MINS
-
Cook Time
6 HR
- KCals 409
- Carbs 47G
Instructions
In the Slow Cooker
- Soak the gammon joint overnight in cold water if necessary
- Reserve half of the sliced peppers, and add all the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker, stir well and switch on
- Set slow cooker to high setting and cook for 6-8 hours on high (you can leave it on longer)
- 30 minutes before the end of cooking stir in the reserved peppers
- After 6 hours, check consistency of sauce and tenderness of meat. The meat should be starting to fall apart and sauce thickening. You can remove the lid and cook on high to finish the meat and thicken the sauce if necessary
- The meat should have broken up, but if not shred it in the slow cooker with two forks and mix well before serving
In the Instant Pot
- Soak the gammon joint overnight in cold water if necessary
- Reserve half of the sliced peppers, and add all the rest of the ingredients to the Instant Pot, stir well
- Turn valve to "sealing" and cook on Manual for 40 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally
- Stir in the remaining peppers, close the lid, turn valve to "sealing" and cook on Manual for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will reach pressure, then let the pressure release naturally
- The meat should have broken up, but if not shred it in the Instant Pot with two forks and mix well before serving
In the oven
- Soak the gammon joint over night in cold water if necessary
- Reserve half of the sliced peppers, and add all the rest of the ingredients to the casserole dish, stir well and cover with a tight fitting lid
- Cook for 2-3 hours at 170-180°C, checking every 30 minutes or so
- Check the consistency of sauce and tenderness of meat. The meat should be starting to fall apart and sauce thickening
- You can remove the lid and continue cooking to finish the meat and thicken the sauce if necessary
- The meat should have broken up, but if not shred it in the slow cooker with two forks and mix well
- 15 minutes before the end of cooking stir in the reserved peppers and serve
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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209 comments
See what others have to say
VictoriaThursday 1st February 2024
I love this stew, normally make it in a slow cooker or the oven, but I’ve just bought an instant pot and keep getting the “burn food” warning every time I try to make it. I’ve done all of the instant pot troubleshooting, even added a bit of water to the stew but still no joy. Any ideas? All of the ingredients I’ve added are exactly as per the instructions for four portions.
Cheryl LloydSunday 4th February 2024
We have an article here that might be helpful 😊
https://pinchofnom.com/how-to-convert-recipes-to-your-instant-pot/
Nicola CheethamTuesday 21st November 2023
I’ve cooked this before and it was amazing. I’ve tried it again and after 6 hours the meat still feels tough and won’t shred with a fork…. Does it need to cook longer or is the gammon joint just a tough piece this time?
Cheryl LloydThursday 8th February 2024
It sounds like it may have been a particularly tough piece of gammon. Cooking it for a little bit longer should help 😊
ALASDAIR ROBERTSONWednesday 15th November 2023
Can I make the campfire stew without the kidney beans or can you suggest an alternative
Cheryl LloydThursday 8th February 2024
Yes, you could leave the kidney beans out if you prefer 😊
AlSunday 5th November 2023
Can I make this without the kidney beans as really don’t like them?
Cheryl LloydThursday 8th February 2024
Yes, you could leave the kidney beans out if you prefer 😊
DeniseWednesday 9th August 2023
Hi. I absolutely love campfire stew however I am now a vegetarian. Can you make any suggestions please. I miss it.
SharonFriday 13th October 2023
Hi Denise, we have a recipe for Vegan Campfire Stew which could be just what you’re looking for! You can find it here: Vegan Campfire Stew.
LizMonday 1st May 2023
Hi, I could only get gammon steaks, can I use those instead? Do they need soaking? Do I need to adjust the cooking time (will probably cook in slow cooker or pressure cooker), thanks!
SharonWednesday 17th May 2023
Hi Liz, we haven’t tried Campfire Stew using gammon steaks so can’t guarantee a good result. But if you’d like to try it, we would suggest using an equivalent amount of gammon steaks to a gammon joint and trim off all visible fat. Not all gammon needs soaking to remove the saltiness. If there’s nothing on the packaging about this, cut off a small piece and fry it until thoroughly cooked and taste it to see if you think it’s too salty for your taste.Then you can decide whether to soak it or not. We would suggest following the cooking times stated in the method you choose. Hope this helps.
ElayneWednesday 1st March 2023
Anyone tried this with jackfruit and have any tips?
SharonThursday 2nd March 2023
Hi Elayne, we have a recipe for Vegan Campfire Stew that uses jackfruit. You’ll find it here: Vegan Campfire Stew. Hope this helps.
SamTuesday 21st February 2023
What weight should the gammon joint be?
SharonWednesday 12th July 2023
Hi Sam, a gammon joint that weighs around 750g after trimming would be ideal. Gammon joints vary in size and can can weigh over a kilogram, so don’t buy one that’s very big otherwise it may not fit in the slow cooker along with all the other ingredients. Enjoy the recipe!
Nancy DewarThursday 9th February 2023
Just checking that I don’t add liquid to this .
HollyMonday 13th February 2023
Hi Nancy, no need for any liquid as the tomatoes, beans and vegetables add enough moisture on their own, hope that helps!
KathleenSaturday 4th February 2023
What can I use instead of the Franks hot sauce? I haven’t got this. I don’t mind using spicy or hot sauces
SharonMonday 13th February 2023
Hi Kathleen, you could use any hot sauce such as Tabasco, Encona or Sriracha instead of Franks hot sauce.
JaneTuesday 31st January 2023
Hi does the gammon need to be soaked in water overnight ? . Iv just come across this recipe and want to try it for my dinner thanks
HollyThursday 2nd February 2023
Hey Jane, check the packaging of your gammon joint sometimes it is suggested to soak the gammon to remove the excess salt before cooking, hope that helps!
Hayley SmithWednesday 18th January 2023
Hi, is it correct that it needs to cook in a slow cooker on high for 6-8 hours? How long would it need on low? Thanks
HollyThursday 19th January 2023
Hi Hayley, yes that is correct for a slow cooker on high if you’d like to cook it on a low setting it would be 8-10 hours. We have a slow cooker conversion guide HERE which includes a temperature and time conversion chart. Hope that helps!
SallyWednesday 9th November 2022
Can the baked beans be subbed? I can’t stand them but really want to try this receipe
SharonThursday 10th November 2022
Hi Sally, the tomato sauce in tinned baked beans is an important ingredient as it help to make the sauce in Campfire Stew. Baked beans in tomato sauce are haricot beans, but you can buy mixed beans in tomato sauce which are a combination of several types of beans if that would suit you better. Most of the supermarket chains stock these. Hope this helps.
MelanieSaturday 31st December 2022
I make ours without the beans. Use extra tinned chopped tomatoes instead.
SharonMonday 2nd January 2023
Hi Melanie, thanks for helping out with your suggestion to use extra tinned chopped tomatoes instead.
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