Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Stout and Horseradish
This rich and hearty beef stew is made with an Irish stout for a refreshing change on a winter staple. The dark beer mingles with the tomato paste and makes a flawlessly rich gravy after hours of slow cooking. Keeping vegetables chunky helps to retain their texture after a long cook time.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless beef chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour divided
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- One 6-ounce can tomato paste
- One 12-ounce bottle Irish stout beer
- 2 1 /2 cups chicken broth
- 2 medium carrots cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound baby potatoes cut in half if larger than a golf ball
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Prepared horseradish for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt and pepper and dust with 2 tablespoons flour.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Just before the skillet is smoking hot, add the beef, in batches, and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes.
- Remove meat directly to slow cooker and repeat with the second batch. (Be careful not to overcrowd your pan or the beef
- will not brown.)
- Once all the beef has been browned, lower the heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon oil, and stir in the tomato paste.
- Sprinkle in the remaining flour and stir until thick and pasty.
- Slowly whisk in the stout and broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Once thickened and steaming, add sauce directly to the slow cooker.
- Stir in carrots, potatoes, onion, thyme, and add a big pinch of salt and pepper.
- Cover slow cooker with lid and cook for 4 to 5 hours on high, or 8 to 9 hours
- Serve in bowls with a dollop of horseradish, if desired .
- Tip: We use chicken broth in this stew as we find beef stock can become salty and strongly flavored in a long-cooking stew.
Notes
by Brianna Beaudry for Cooking.com
ACTIVE TIME 20m TOTAL TIME 8h 20m
6 servings
I have been experimenting with substituting two 16oz pints of stout for the 12oz bottle and the chicken stock — everyone seems to like it!
Another substitute — replacing the stout with a lighter ale.
Actually, this turns this stew back into the classic Belgian recipe on which it’s based: carbonades of beef. Poirot approves!
I’ve also tried adding a splash of Worcestershire sauce, just to up the umami. And you can use turnips instead of potatoes if you like.