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Slumgullion Recipe in a Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Also known as American Goulash or American Chop Suey
This one is an easy one. We’re going to sauté, sear, and bake a meal of pure comfort food in our 12-inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven. We’ve been known to spoon out this meal and we’ve been known to just gather around that pot and eat that awesomeness straight out of that cast iron.
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Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 12-Inch Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven 8-Quart Deep Dutch Oven
  • Scissors for the Bacon
  • Cheese Shredder
  • Surface to Shred the Cheese
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

  • 2-4 Slices of Bacon: or a couple of Tablespoons of Oil
  • 2 Pounds Leaner Ground Beef
  • 1 Onion - Chopped
  • 2-6 Cloves Garlic - Minced
  • 1-2 Green Bell Pepper - Chopped
  • 1 Package of Fresh Sliced Mushrooms
  • 12 Ounces Frozen Whole Kernel Corn - Optional (will offer a sweetness to the meal)
  • 12 Ounces Frozen Peas and Carrots
  • 2 Cans Sliced Olives - 2.25 Ounce Cans
  • 2 Cans of Condensed Tomato Soup - Two 10.5 Ounce Cans
  • 12-16 Ounces Pasta - Elbow Noodles or Shells
  • 24 Ounces Beer - Broth as a Substitute for All or Some of the Beer
  • 2 teaspoons Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika or Regular Paprika
  • 1-3 Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese - Or Your Favorite

Instructions
 

  • Chop your onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Keep the onion and garlic together. Keep the bell pepper apart from the onion and garlic.
  • Set 30-40 charcoal briquettes to fire in the charcoal chimney. I keep my cast iron Dutch oven nearby to “preheat” the oven before I put the real heat under it.
  • Once the briquettes are ready, place 24-30 briquettes under your 12-inch cast iron Dutch oven and heat to a hot temperature.
  • Cut the bacon up with the scissors and right into the hot Dutch Oven. Render the fat.
  • Sauté the Onions and the Garlic for a few moments; just get them started but not all the way to doneness. Then move them to the sides of the pot to create an opening in the bottom of the pot to receive the ground beef.
  • Add the ground beef; don’t break it apart. We want that ground beef to sear and brown like a large hamburger patty.
  • Once the beef is browned, add the Bell Pepper and let them start cooking a bit.
  • Once the bell peppers have been cooking a bit, pull the Dutch oven from the fire. Add all the ingredients except for the cheese. Stir it all up together (except the cheese).
  • Return the lid to the pot. Set the fire up for baking. For the 12-inch cast iron Dutch oven, we need 24 briquettes. Place 8 briquettes under the Dutch oven in a circle around the diameter of the bottom of the oven. Set the remaining 16 briquettes on the top.
  • After 15-20 minutes, stir all the ingredients well and make sure the pasta is being rotated. The pot should not be at a full rolling boil. It should only be simmering.
  • After another 10-15 minutes, stir everything in the pot. Check the pasta. The pasta will be the tell-tale. The texture of the pasta will “tell you” 1) how much time the dish has to cook and 2) do you need to add any liquid to the pot. You will be the “judge” as to the time left and determine if you have enough liquid for the pasta to fully cook.
  • If you feel the pasta needs more liquid and needs more time, then let it cook longer. Stir everything in the pot every 5-7 minutes (more frequently now that the dish thickened up).
  • Once the pasta is fully cooked, remove the pot from the bottom heat. Remove the lid and sprinkle the cheese over top of the Slumgullion. Then, return the lid to the pot and move ALL OF THE HEAT TO THE TOP OF THE DUTCH OVEN. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to “sink” down into the Slumgullion Ingredients.

Notes

Focus on the pasta to know if your recipe has finished cooking.
If you feel the pasta needs more liquid and needs more time, then let it cook longer. It’s a balance. We want perfectly cooked pasta and we want a nice, thick Slumgullion.
Chances are you’ll find that this recipe of mine will cook just fine without having to add any liquid. Still, each time I prepare it, I make sure I check the pasta before I add the cheese at the end of the cook.
If your Slumgullion ends up a bit soupier than you were shooting for, I am going to be first to tell you that it’ll eat just fine and dandy. You’ll see…rather…you’ll taste. And, make note of this for the next time.
CHEERS!
Keyword American Chop Suey, American Goulash, Camp Cast Iron Dutch Oven, Camping Recipe, goulash, Slumgullion
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