Guinness Beef Stew

A richer, darker cousin of the classic beef stew, deepened with a bottle of stout. Freezes flat and reheats beautifully.

Ingredients

• 2 lb beef chuck, cubed
• 3 tbsp flour, salt, and pepper (to coat)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 bottle (11–12 oz) Guinness or other stout
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 lb potatoes, cubed
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme, 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Toss the beef in the seasoned flour and sear in the oil until browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Soften the onion and garlic in the same pan, stir in the tomato paste, then pour in the stout to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes to cook off the raw edge.
3. Add the pan contents to the cooker along with the broth, potatoes, carrots, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaves.
4. Cook on low 8 hours. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Make-Ahead & Storage

Freeze flat in bags up to 3 months; vacuum-seals well and reheats from frozen on the stovetop.

Notes

Simmering the stout briefly mellows its bitterness. Serve with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes.