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You are here: Home / Recipes / SLOW COOKER RECIPES / Slow Cooker Lumberjack Ground Beef Casserole

Slow Cooker Lumberjack Ground Beef Casserole

by Sheryl Thompson 53 Comments

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Yummly
Slow cooker ground beef recipe
Piping hot and ready for a topping of grated cheese, one more hour in the slow cooker and dinner will be ready. Time to make biscuits.

This recipe in the top 50 at allfreecasserolerecipes.com for the month of Fbruary 2018!!!!!!!!!!

An Old Maine Logging Camp Favorite Adapted for the Slow Cooker!

This old logging camp favorite has been adapted for cooking in today’s slow cooker. Here in the Northwoods, the logging camps were famous for the hearty meals that they served their work crews in the old days.  Back then the process of harvesting the trees was labor intensive and the lumber jacks needed good hearty meals to fuel them.  The men had to cut the trees down by hand, and pull them out with teams of horses.  As time passed the work was made a little easier with the use of chainsaws and skidder-tractors but still required a lot of moving around and physical work.  Not so much now as the whole process has become very mechanized and tracts of trees that took weeks to cut can now be harvested in a day or two. If you ever plan to visit northern Maine, be sure to include a trip to the Lumbermen’s Museum in Patten, Maine.  It has a wonderful living history exhibit of life in the North Maine Woods Lumber Camps of old. And in August, the outstanding Bean Hole Bean Dinner is an event that folks from all over New England come to for a taste of the old Maine lumberjack tradition, “bean Hole Beans”.

But the cooking traditions are still rooted deep in these Northwoods communities.  This recipe was given to me by a woman who worked as a cook in the logging camps in the old days.  I adapted it to the slow cooker for today’s busy families.  It’s a hearty one-dish meal that has a little bit of everything – meat, veggies, dairy.

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Slow Cooker Lumberjack Casserole

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.3 from 4 reviews

This old lumberjack favorite, A hearty one meal dish that can be conveniently prepared in the slow cooker for today’s busy families.

  • Author: Adapted froman old traditional Maine Logging Camp Recipe
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 15 mins
  • Yield: 6 -8 1x
  • Category: Slow Cooker Casserole
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 5 medium potatoes, cut in 1″ cubes
  • 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic (about 1 large clove)
  • 1 can (15 ounce) of stewed tomatoes
  • 1 can (16 ounce) kidney beans
  • 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups grated cheese, monterey jack or cheddar

Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef in skillet, then drain the fat and put ground beef in slow cooker.
  2. Pour tomatoes with juice into a medium bowl and smash up a little with a potato masher utensil. Add with juice to slow cooker.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the cheese and stir to mix well.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. (4 hours on high).
  5. Sprinkle the top with cheese and let cook for one more hour covered.
  6. Serve piping hot. Great with a side of freshly baked biscuits.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

For more great slow cooker recipes check out these posts –
Slow Cooker Risotto
Slow Cooker Baked Ham
Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken
Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Soup

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Filed Under: BEEF & LAMB, CASSEROLES, MAIN DISHES, Recipes, SLOW COOKER RECIPES Tagged With: Baxter State Park, Maine, Maine North Woods, Maine Recipes, Mount Katahdin, old Maine recipes, recipes, slow cooker, Slow Cooker Recipes

Comments

  1. Evelyn says

    October 20, 2022 at 4:36 PM

    I made this today, it is very easy and just as tasty! I will be making this numerous times.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Sheryl Thompson says

      October 23, 2022 at 9:47 AM

      It’s a favorite here at the Thompson house, especially on a cold winter day. And its a favorite of mine for potluck suppers! Glad you enjoyed it.:)

      Reply
  2. leonard patterson says

    March 27, 2017 at 8:14 PM

    on the slow cooker lumberjack ground beef casserole, is there a substitute for the mushroom soup,
    want to try recipe but i can’t stand mushrooms, no kind of way,,, please help

    Reply
    • Sheryl Thompson says

      March 28, 2017 at 9:18 AM

      Any canned condensed cream soup will work such as cream of celery, cream of potato, cream of broccoli. Just pick a flavor profile that you like. Cream of chicken will work too.

      Reply
  3. Tonya S. says

    April 8, 2016 at 9:33 PM

    I was wondering what other kind of soup I could use instead of the cream of mushroom? My husband doesn’t like mushroom’s at all. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      June 10, 2016 at 10:18 AM

      Sorry, I missed your question but I would use cream of celery. You want a cream soup to add sauce and some flavor but not an over powering flavor. Cream of Celery would be perfect for that.

      Reply
  4. Kelly.b says

    September 15, 2015 at 11:29 AM

    This looks good. I was surprised to read about Patten Maine in this recipe. I lived in patten for 2 years and have friends there who are patten natives 🙂

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      September 21, 2015 at 9:08 AM

      Small world! I moved to Sherman, just next door to Patten about 25 years ago from southern New Hampshire. I love it! It’s rugged country but so very beautiful. When did you live in Patten? We might have met. I owned a small arts and crafts gallery on Main Street next to Ellis Market and the bank from 1994 to 1999 . It was called The Country Bumpkin Artisans Gallery.

      Reply
  5. Kayla E says

    April 17, 2015 at 11:21 AM

    Hello, this recipe sounds so great! I am making it tomorrow morning so it can sit for the 8 hours on low. My only question is what kind of onion did you use? When I bought the ingredients I bought a yellow onion, primarily because there were no “good” white onions. Does it really matter what type of onion? Was just curious what kind you had used. Thank you in advance!

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      April 17, 2015 at 4:16 PM

      I tried it with yellow onions, vidalia onions, and spanish onions. I think it tastes best with the yellow onions so you should be all right. The vidalias seemed too mild. The spanish were good but I thought the yellows were the best of the three.

      Reply
  6. Free says

    March 20, 2015 at 4:51 PM

    I love recipes with history. Thanks for sharing on Oh My Heartsie Girls WW

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      March 21, 2015 at 9:46 PM

      I agree with you. The history. They give such an insight in to the region they are from and what was going on from a culinary standpoint at the time. Lots of fun! of regional recipes is fascinating. I collect cookbooks and my favorites are the ones from the 1950’s and 1960’s that were self published by church groups and women’s clubs

      Reply
  7. Donald B says

    December 8, 2014 at 1:42 PM

    The flavor was great but my biggest problem was that the potatoes never cooked past the chewy stage after cooking it for 7 hours on high. Yes I did cut them small but maybe not small enough. Any smaller and they would not resemble potatoes at all. Should I maybe boil the potatoes before adding to this stew? If so, how long should I boil them?

    ★★

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      February 2, 2015 at 12:41 PM

      What type of potato did you use? I usually use russets and have never had this problem. If you do pre-boil them, I would add them toward the end of cooking time otherwise they may turn to mush.

      Reply
  8. Doris B says

    November 10, 2014 at 3:06 PM

    Could you cook this on the stove, and how long should you cook it? I/m not into using slow cookers. Thanks
    Sounds like a very good recipe

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      November 17, 2014 at 1:47 PM

      It’s a casserole so you could cook it in the oven. Most casseroles can be cooked sufficiently at 350 F for45 -50- minutes. I have never done it in the oven but this is the way I would approach it.

      Reply
  9. shanna says

    October 28, 2014 at 8:03 AM

    I’m a little confused. I didn’t know they had cream of mushroom soup in the “old days”. What do you suppose they used instead? I’d like to prepare this meal as the original recipe.

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      October 29, 2014 at 8:07 AM

      They would most likely have used a white sauce made from scratch with melted butter, flour, salt, pepper and milk. One could make it going “old school” but I use the canned soup because it is quick and easy for the hectic schedule of a contemporary Mom. Its kind of like making your biscuits from scratch or using the “canned” ones from the dairy case. Its a matter of the amount of time you have.

      Reply
    • Nan says

      October 29, 2014 at 4:06 PM

      It’s quite possible that the lumber camp cook DID use canned soup. Campbell Soup Company was started in 1896 and by the early 1900’s housewives eagerly were adding it to their favorite recipes.

      Reply
      • Sheryl T says

        October 31, 2014 at 2:06 PM

        Very interesting, thanks for sharing some canned soup history with us!

  10. Sylvia Mashaw says

    October 26, 2014 at 10:52 AM

    For the camping I too take the ingredients and cook it on camp fire in a cast iron skillet or I slow cook it, cool it, seal-a-meal it, freeze it and bring along. It will thaw out by the time you are almost finished getting to campsite and setting up. All you have to do and put in cast iron skillet and heat.

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      October 29, 2014 at 8:11 AM

      Great idea! I love anything that makes a camping trip easier. We love to go on camping trips here in the North Maine Woods. There are so many delightful wilderness spots to set up a tent and enjoy!

      Reply
  11. Virginia says

    July 17, 2014 at 5:38 PM

    I am curious. The description in the allfreecasserolerecipes link said this is a good dish for camping, but it is for a slow cooker. How do you do this recipe for camping, or does “camping” mean motorhome and the KOA type campgrounds with electricity? Do look forward to trying it out.

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      July 20, 2014 at 8:09 AM

      I don’t write the listings for allfreecasserolesrecipes, just give them permission to use my pics and recipes but this recipe could be used in a camping setting if you had a cast iron dutch oven with you. I often take mine along with other cast iron skillets to use when camping as they work well over a campfire. With the dutch oven I would set the the oven in some coals and also put coals on top of the lid. Cooking time would be about1-2 hours and keep an eye on it.

      Reply
      • Virginia says

        July 24, 2014 at 7:40 PM

        Thank you for responding. I am looking forward to trying this recipe because my grandfather was a lumberjack. And it will be like being with him again.

  12. Stephanie says

    June 7, 2014 at 2:12 AM

    Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!

    Reply
  13. Create With Joy says

    June 6, 2014 at 11:10 PM

    This looks SO good!
    Thank you for sharing it at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy! 🙂

    Reply
  14. Natasha in Oz says

    June 6, 2014 at 5:58 AM

    Wow, that looks very delicious. I’m so glad you shared this at the Say G’day Saturday linky party. I have pinned this and can’t wait to try making it!

    Thanks for linking up-hope you can join in again this weekend.

    Best wishes,
    Natasha in Oz

    Reply
  15. Pure Grace Farms says

    June 4, 2014 at 7:05 PM

    Great History, and the Lumber Jack Cassserole looks delicious! Thanks for stopping by and linking up at the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! We are so glad you came! Blessings, Shari @ http://www.PureGraceFarms.com

    Reply
  16. Treana B says

    June 4, 2014 at 10:03 AM

    Stopping by from Merry Mondays and House of Bennetts! Thanks so much for sharing with us. This looks like a cross between an amazing chili and a casserole.

    Reply
  17. Jess says

    June 2, 2014 at 3:16 PM

    What a crowd pleasing meal!

    Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!

    Reply
  18. Jennifer Johnson says

    June 2, 2014 at 8:53 AM

    How delicious and super filling!

    Reply
  19. Laurie says

    February 16, 2014 at 12:12 PM

    I’d love to try this. Thanks for linking up to Tip Me Tuesday linky party this week. {knuckle bumps}
    Did you know that I can “lend” your blog posts my Google page rank for better search engine traffic?
    {fabulous}
    If you upload at least 2 images, 2 steps, and blog post URL into your Tip Junkie craft room, you’ll be in business!
    {wink} ~ Laurie {a.k.a. the Tip Junkie}
    http://www.tipjunkie.com/post/how-to-add-a-craft-room-project-on-tip-junkie/

    Reply
  20. lorraine williamson says

    February 10, 2014 at 5:33 PM

    thanks for sharing pinning and copying for my to do list visiting from much ad o monday have a great day

    Reply
  21. Diane says

    February 1, 2014 at 4:00 PM

    Thank you for bringing your casserole to Family Fun Friday! Slow cooker meals are always so helpful! Hope to see you next week!

    Reply
  22. Linda says

    June 10, 2013 at 9:12 PM

    Thanks for the recipe! I appreciate it. Linda

    Reply
  23. Susie @Bowdabra says

    June 8, 2013 at 3:29 PM

    Hey there! Thanks so much for stopping by and linking up your tasty recipe! Stop by again next week and link up another awesome project!

    Have a great week!
    [email protected]
    http://bowdabrablog.com

    Reply
  24. Kristin says

    June 8, 2013 at 12:57 PM

    Yum! This looks so delicious! I will definitely have to try this recipe! I found you through the Tumbleweed Contessa link party 🙂

    Reply
  25. Diane says

    June 8, 2013 at 6:07 AM

    I love anything for the slow cooker! This looks exceptional. Thanks for sharing at The Gathering Spot this week 🙂 Enjoy the weekend!

    Reply
  26. Amber says

    June 7, 2013 at 12:55 PM

    Thank you for sharing at Give Me The Goods!

    Dimples & Pig Tales

    Reply
  27. Lisa @ Grandma's Briefs says

    June 5, 2013 at 6:52 PM

    I know a lot of people think slow cookers are a blessing in the cold winter months, but I think they’re even better in the summer — no hot oven or stove and no slaving over hot barbecue grill! Thank you for sharing this in the GRAND Social!

    Reply
  28. Cynthia L. says

    June 4, 2013 at 10:46 PM

    I love recipes that go in the slow cooker. This lumberjack casserole sounds delicious!

    Thanks for sharing this at the In and Out of the Kitchen link party! So happy you stopped by.

    Cynthia at http://FeedingBig.com

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  29. zentMRS - Love in the Ktchen says

    June 4, 2013 at 5:30 PM

    This looks delicious! I bet the hearty eaters in my family would really enjoy it. I’d love for you to bring this to Tuesday’s Table http://zentmrs.blogspot.com/2013/06/tuesdays-table-for-june-4-2013-and.html !

    Reply
  30. Grandma Kc says

    June 4, 2013 at 12:00 PM

    This looks and sounds delicious. I love slow cooker recipes and since husband really tired of chicken I’m thinking this would be a hit! Just stopping by from the GRAND Social Linky Party. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  31. Heather Who Needs a Cape? says

    June 4, 2013 at 8:54 AM

    Love this and anything that goes in the slow cooker!

    Found you at Kathe with an E 😉

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      June 5, 2013 at 11:05 AM

      When I was a mom working outside the home, I relied heavily on my slow cooker. And now that I am at home, I still find it one of my most important appliances. After cooking with one for 35+ years, I have developed a lot of recipes so I can use it for so many different things. Now that its summer, it helps cut down on heating up the kitchen. I bake bread in it, roast meat in it….helps cut down on warming up the kitchen and is frugal as it uses less energy than my oven. I put it on the picnic table on the porch and let her cook!!

      Reply
  32. Tumbleweed Contessa says

    June 3, 2013 at 11:22 PM

    This sounds nice and rich. I am glad I saw it at the Gathering Spot. I hope you’ll come share at my weekly party: http://www.tumbleweedcontessa.com/blog/whatd-you-do-this-weekend-18/

    Best wishes for tasty dishes this week!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  33. MariaElena says

    June 3, 2013 at 9:27 PM

    It sounds so good! Thank you for the recipe!
    I have a new weekly link party which is live now and I would love if you stop by and link up this wonderful post! Hope to see you there! http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/ Hugs, Maria

    Reply
  34. Lanaya @ Raising Reagan says

    June 3, 2013 at 5:25 PM

    Mmm … this looks delicious! I’ll have to star this one too!

    Thank you for linking to Raising Imperfection.
    Please come back Friday to see if you were featured. 🙂

    ¤´¨)
    ¸.•*´
    (¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
    http://www.raising-reagan.com

    Reply
  35. sue says

    June 1, 2013 at 3:43 PM

    MAINE! I LOVE MAINE!! Especially the southern coast!! This looks really good and one I definitely need to try!! Thanks for linking up with us at One Sharendipity Place this weekend!
    Sue @thet2women.com

    Reply
    • Sheryl T. says

      June 3, 2013 at 8:16 PM

      Yes, the coast is so charming . I’m headed to the northern coast to Machias tomorrow for fresh lobster rolls, and to photograph Quoddy Head Lighthouse for an upcoming blog post. But try heading inland sometime! There’s a lot see in villages, the mountains, and the Northwoods. Moosehead Lake is very beautiful!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Auto Draft says:
    April 14, 2015 at 9:24 AM

    […] Wilderness Wife explains that this casserole is an old logging camp favorite, which has conveniently been adapted for your crockpot. […]

    Reply
  2. Welcome To One Sharendipity Place & Link-up #5 | One Sharendipity Place says:
    July 20, 2013 at 4:02 PM

    […] 3.) For our men out there, Sheryl from The Wilderness Wife has a Slow-cooker Lumberjack  Casserole that’s sure to be a hit!! https://www.wildernesswife.com/slow-cooker-lumberjack-casserole/ […]

    Reply

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