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Cozy Slow Cooker Irish Beef and Guinness Stew

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A hearty and comforting slow cooker stew featuring tender beef chuck simmered with Guinness stout and vegetables, perfect for warming up on chilly winter days.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick rounds
  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 cup beef broth (low sodium if preferred)
  • 1 bottle (11.2 oz / 330 ml) Guinness stout
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (can substitute with cornstarch for gluten-free)
  • Optional: Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high in a skillet. Working in batches, brown the beef cubes on all sides, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
  2. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium, add diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Scrape this mixture into the slow cooker over the beef.
  3. Layer the carrots, potatoes, and celery over the beef in the slow cooker.
  4. In a bowl, whisk together beef broth, Guinness, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the ingredients in the slow cooker. Add bay leaves on top.
  5. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are soft but not mushy.
  6. About 20 minutes before serving, mix 2 tablespoons of flour with a little cold water to form a slurry. Stir this into the stew to thicken. Continue cooking uncovered if needed to reach desired consistency.
  7. Remove bay leaves, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the top before serving.

Notes

Browning the beef before slow cooking adds richer flavor and better texture. Use cornstarch or gluten-free flour to make the stew gluten-free. Avoid opening the slow cooker lid frequently to maintain cooking temperature. If stew is too thin, add a slurry of flour or cornstarch near the end of cooking. The stew tastes better the next day as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker stew, Irish stew, beef stew, Guinness stew, comfort food, winter recipe, easy stew, hearty stew

Find it online: https://merrymorsel.com/cozy-slow-cooker-irish-beef-and-guinness-stew-recipe-easy-and-perfect-for-winter/