Campfire Chilli Con Carne
🌶️ Campfire Chilli Con Carne
There's something magical about cooking over an open fire. As the flames crackle and the aromas drift through the air, even simple ingredients become something special. Chilli con carne is the perfect fire pit meal—easy to prepare, wonderfully comforting, and ideal for sharing with family and friends after a day spent outdoors.
For the best results, cook your chilli in a cast iron pot over a steady bed of glowing embers. Gentle, even heat allows the flavours to develop slowly, creating a rich, hearty dish that's even better served straight from the pot.
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 red peppers, diced
- 750g lean beef mince
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 300ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- Cooked rice
- Crusty bread
- Grated Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Fresh coriander
- Lime wedges
🧑🍳 Method
- Prepare the fire. Light your fire pit or fire bowl and allow it to burn down until you have a steady bed of glowing embers. Position your cast iron pot securely over the heat.
- Cook the vegetables. Add the olive oil, then gently fry the onion and peppers for around 8–10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Brown the beef. Add the mince and cook until fully browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Build the chilli. Stir in the tomato purée, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano and chilli flakes. Cook for 2 minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and kidney beans.
- Simmer slowly. Bring the chilli to a gentle simmer, then partially cover the pot and cook over the embers for 1½–2 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes. If the chilli becomes too thick, add a splash of water or extra stock.
- Season and serve. Taste and season with salt and pepper before serving. Spoon into bowls and top with grated cheese, sour cream, fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime if desired.
💡 Tips for the Best Campfire Chilli
- Keep the pot over glowing embers rather than direct flames for steady cooking.
- Stir regularly to prevent the chilli sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- The longer the chilli simmers, the richer the flavour becomes.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day and freeze well for future meals.
🔥 Recommended Fire Pits & BBQs
➡️ The BonFeu BonBiza Open BBQ Plancha Black (£854) is ideal for outdoor cooking, combining a stylish fire bowl with a versatile cooking surface:
https://salsplace.co.uk/products/bonfeu-bonbiza-open-bbq-plancha-black
➡️ For larger gatherings, the BonFeu BonBiza XL Fire Bowl & BBQ Plancha Rusty Brown (£995) offers generous cooking space while creating a stunning focal point for your garden:
https://salsplace.co.uk/products/bonfeu-bonbiza-xl-fire-bowl-bbq-plancha-rusty-brown
➡️ Browse the complete collection of fire pits and fire bowls here:
https://salsplace.co.uk/collections/buy-firebowls-at-sals-place-where-fire-meets-fun
