Dinners

Slow-Cooker Beef & Guinness Stew

15 mins
Prep
6-8 hours
Cook
6
Servings

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Ingredients

  • 1kg stewing beef (beef chuck or shoulder), cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 can (440ml) Guinness or stout
  • 400ml rich beef stock
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 3 large carrots, thickly sliced; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 parsnips, chopped
  • 75g pearl barley, rinsed thoroughly
  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 3 sprigs of thyme, 2 bay leaves

Method

  1. Toss the beef chunks in the seasoned flour until lightly coated.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Sear the beef in batches until deeply browned on all sides, then transfer the meat into the slow cooker bowl.
  3. Return the frying pan to medium heat, pour in the Guinness, and scrape up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 2 minutes, then stir in the tomato purée and beef stock.
  4. Add the chopped carrots, onions, parsnips, and rinsed pearl barley into the slow cooker along with the beef.
  5. Pour the Guinness and stock liquid over the meat and vegetables. Tuck the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves into the liquid.
  6. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is melt-in-the- mouth tender and the sauce has thickened nicely. Discard the herb sprigs before serving with creamy mashed potatoes.

The ultimate Irish comfort food made effortless. This recipe slow-cooks tender chunks of beef in a rich, dark Guinness gravy, enriched with sweet root vegetables and nutritious pearl barley that stretches the meal beautifully.