Cracker Barrel Campfire Beef Recipe
This Slow Cooker Campfire Beef is a hearty, high-protein dinner inspired by the Cracker Barrel summer favorite. Tender seasoned beef, mini potatoes, corn on the cob, and juicy cherry tomatoes cook together in foil packets for that campfire-style feel. With 35 grams of protein per serving, it’s a balanced and family-friendly meal you can set and forget!
On our summer trips this year, we’ve seen our fair share of billboards. One of them that was a constant was the Cracker Barrel campfire menu. The photo showed tender beef, corn, potatoes and veggies in a foil packet and apparently it’s a big deal, especially since they only serve the campfire beef, chicken, and shrimp for a limited time during the summer.
With this easy campfire beef recipe, you can use your slow cooker to enjoy it year round! And yes, I said slow cooker. That’s because in reality, Cracker Barrel is NOT cooking your food over a campfire and plating it for you. In fact, im pretty positive everything is made in a slow cooker including their discontinued roast beef.
The campfire part of it means that it is campfire SEASONED when it comes to these meals. They actually sell the seasoning itself which has a good mix of smoky, peppery flavor. I know this because I purchased it myself at the restaurant’s store so I can recreate the seasoning for you if you don’t want to get it yourself.
This meal is a super easy one to put in the crockpot in the morning to let it cook on LOW all day so it’s completely ready when you get home! It’s also made with beef stew meat which is budget friendly and surprisingly high in protein. Each serving of this meal has 35 grams of protein and is still served on a piece of foil so you can get that campfire flavor and feel.
Craving more high protein family dinners? Try out this High Protein Creamy Taco Pasta, High Protein Chicken Enchilada Casserole, High Protein Peanut Chicken Noodle Bowl, or this High Protein Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole!
🧂Homemade Campfire Seasoning Blend
- 4 tsp smoked paprika (1 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- 4 tsp garlic powder (1 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp sugar
This spice blend will get you 4 tablespoons total which is what you need for this recipe, feel free to double or triple the batch to make a blend you can keep on hand! And if you want the official seasoning, you can purchase it at Cracker Barrel or here.
❓FAQ
Yes, you can cook the beef and veggie packets on HIGH for 4–5 hours. Just note that slow cooking on LOW produces the most tender beef.
You can, but the texture won’t be the same. The potatoes may fall apart, and the tomatoes will turn the dish more like a stew than a campfire-style foil meal.
Beef chuck stew meat is the most common and becomes tender after low and slow cooking. You can also use bottom round or sirloin tip cut into cubes.
Yes, you can season the beef and assemble the foil packets a day in advance. Store everything in the fridge, then add to the slow cooker in the morning.
Absolutely. Bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, or carrots all work well in the foil packets. Just keep the pieces bite-sized so they cook evenly.
You can use an extra ½ pound of stew meat (for ~6 oz cooked beef per serving), or serve with a side of beans or a high-protein grain like quinoa.
Cracker Barrel Campfire Beef (Copycat Recipe)
Equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef stew meat (raw yields about 1¼ lbs cooked, ~5 oz per serving)
- ¼ cup beef broth or water
- 2 tbsp Campfire Seasoning (or homemade blend, divided)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Vegetables for foil packets, (divide evenly into 4 packets):
- 20 mini potatoes (about 1 lb, ~5 per person), halved if large
- 2 ears corn on the cob cut into 4 chunks (about 3 oz corn per serving)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (about 5 per packet)
- 1 small red onion cut into 8 wedges (optional but recommended)
Homemade Campfire Seasoning Blend
- 4 tsp smoked paprika (1 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- 4 tsp garlic powder 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Mix the seasoning: If you’re making homemade campfire seasoning, add all of the ingredients into a small bowl. Whisk together until fully combined. You’ll need 2 tablespoons to season the beef and 2 tablespoons to season the vegetables.
- Layer the beef: To the bottom of your slow cooker, add 2 pounds of stew meat. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of seasoning on top then use tongs to toss the beef until evenly coated. Pour ¼ cup of beef broth or water into the bottom of the crockpot.
- Season the vegetables: To a large bowl, add the potatoes (halved if large), tomatoes, onions, and cut corn cobs. Add the olive oil and the rest of the seasoning. Toss with tongs until all the veggies are fully coated in the oil and seasonings.
- Divide into foil packets: Cut off 4 large rectangles of heavy duty aluminum foil and lay each of them out flat on the counter. Divide the corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and onions into each packet. Fold the sides over and roll the foil like a burrito into a tight packet. Place the packets into the slow cooker right on top of the beef.
- Slow cook the beef and vegetables: Turn the slow cooker on to LOW and let cook for 8 hours or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through. You CAN cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours however the beef can be less tender.
- Serve in foil: Carefully remove each foil packet and use tongs to open as there will be hot steam trapped inside. Place each opened foil packet on a plate. Then divide the cooked beef up into 4 even servings (about 5 ounce each) and place it in the foil packet along with the vegetables. Use the leftover juice on the bottom of the slow cooker to drizzle on top of the beef in the foil packet. Enjoy!
