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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.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Irish
Keyword: beef, meat, slow-cooker, stew

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