SLOW COOKER GUINNESS BEEF STEW

This Irish beef stew is hearty and rich and will make your house smell wonderful while cooking. It’s the perfect meal to serve for St. Patrick’s Day. The Guinness creates a deep and flavorful sauce and the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process so it’s just fine to serve to the kids. After slow cooking all day long, the beef is absolutely fall apart tender.

I prefer to add cut up potatoes right into my stew, but you can also omit them and serve this stew over a bed of mashed potatoes. Both ways are equally as delicious!  

If you would like for your stew to be thicker in the end, you can create a slurry with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch whisked with ¼ cup cold water. Add the slurry to the slow cooker for the last 30 minutes of cooking, stirring well. This will thicken it right up.  

I hope that you all have a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day! Serve this dish to your family and don’t forget to wear green so that you won’t get pinched!

Ingredients

• ½ lb bacon, diced

• 2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed

• ¼ cup all purpose flour

• 1-2 tsp seasoned salt     (more if needed)

• 1-2 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 (12oz) bottle Guinness

• 2-3 cups beef broth (or water)

• 2-3 tsp beef base     (I like Better than Bouillon)

• 2 Tbsp minced garlic

• 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

• 2 Tbsp tomato paste

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 3 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 3 stalks celery,     cut into 1 inch pieces

• 3 medium yukon potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp thyme

• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

• parsley for garnish

Directions

1)    In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon and add to slow cooker, reserving grease.

2)    In a shallow dish, combine flour, seasoned salt and ground pepper.  Add stew meat to flour mixture and toss to coat all pieces completely.

3)    Sear beef pieces in batches in the leftover bacon grease until nicely browned.  Add seared pieces to the slow cooker.

4)    Pour in Guinness, beef broth, beef base, garlic, Worcestershire and tomato paste.  Stir well.

5)    Add all additional ingredients to the slow cooker and top with the sprig of fresh rosemary.

6)    Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW for at least 8 hours.

7)    Remove rosemary sprig and bay leaf.  Taste and add additional seasonings if needed.

8)    Serve beef stew garnished with parsley and enjoy immediately.  

This recipe serves 6-8.